*Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission, highlights key telecoms regulator’s major achievements 2024, and plans to release MNOs’ coverage maps to empower telecoms consumers in choosing their 鈥榖est phone network鈥� for enhanced Quality of Service, describing 2025 as ‘a year of optimism’ in the ecosystem

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

As the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) opens a fresh chapter in 2025, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, has highlighted the Commission’s plans to build on its achievements in the past year, and expectations for 2025.

绿帽献妻 reports Dr. Maida, who explained these developments while reviewing the NCC success stories in the past year noted that the telecoms sector regulator also would unveil a nationwide coverage map 2025.

Review of NCC鈥檚 regulatory activities in 2024, by Maida

Speaking on the Commission’s regulatory affairs and achievements last year, Dr. Maida, along with other Heads of associated agencies, including NDPC, NITDA, NIMC, NigComSat, NIPOST and Galaxy Backbone Limited, highlighted NCC’s activities in 2024, and what subscribers should expect in the New Year.

Dr. 鈥橞osun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), recently released audiovisual (AV) material of the recaps of all the agencies under the Ministry via his verified social media account recently.

The EVC/CEO of the telecoms regulator stated the NCC would release the network coverage map for telecoms consumers to be empowered to pick the “best phone network” of choice in terms of Quality of Service (QoS) leading to equally best Quality of Experience (QoE) in the ecosystem.

This initiative, stated Maida, will assist telecoms subscribers to identify and pick the best-performing network provider in their environment, after linking all Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Cards and National Identification Numbers (NINs) in the West African country.

In regard to the Commission’s avowed commitment to improved QoS to advance telecoms consumer experience in Nigeria, he pledged to elevate service delivery and transparency within the telecoms sector of the economy.

Highlights of NCC’s achievements in 2024

Reflecting on regulatory activities in the telecoms space 2024, the NCC Chief, among outstanding attainments, noted the successful implementation of the Federal Government鈥檚 NIN-SIM linkage policy and the Presidential designation of telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) in the economy.

Earlier, in his Keynote Speech delivered at the recent 93rd Telecoms Consumer Parliament (TCP) with the theme, 鈥�Optimising Data Experience: Empowering Consumers through Awareness and Transparency in a Consumer-Centric Telecom Industry鈥�, Maida underlined NCC鈥檚 commitment to ensuring continued awareness and transparency by service providers towards enhancing the Quality of Experience (QoE) for telecoms consumers.

鈥淥ur goal is to create a truly consumer-centric telecoms industry, in which consumers feel valued, informed, empowered, and satisfied with the services they receive,鈥� stated he.

Speaking on the hitherto controversial issue of data usage and depletion in the telecoms environment at the forum involving other CEOs in the FMCIDE, which some telecoms subscribers have complained about over time, the Executive Vice-Chairman revealed the Commission in conjunction with the MNOs conducted an audit recently.

Despite the high statistics on the data-driven lifestyle several telecoms consumers in the country, Maida noted that several consumers 鈥渟till feel鈥� that their data depletes faster than expected.

He noted: 鈥淣igeria isn鈥檛 alone in this; other countries, like Eswatini, are also working to address similar consumer concerns about data usage.

Addressing the issue, Maida disclosed the NCC, earlier 2024, analysed consumer complaints, revealing data depletion and billing issues as top concerns.

The EVC/CEO said: 鈥淚n response, we directed Mobile Network Operators and ISPs to conduct audits of their billing systems, which reported no major issues.

鈥淗owever, perceptions persist due to two main factors: The impact of high-resolution devices and improved technologies on data use; and the complexity of operator tariffs,鈥� said he in the keynote speech.

According to NCC, these achievements in the telecoms regulatory affairs have laid the groundwork for both a secure Nigeria Digital Economy and enhanced national security.

On transparency, telecoms service quality and consumer experience

Unveiling some of the regulatory activities lined up for the New Year, Maida further disclosed the Commission鈥檚 imminent plan to release coverage maps, based on crowd-sourced, real-world performance data.

The EVC/CEO of NCC also explained this digital innovation aims to empower consumers by offering insights into the efficiency of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in their specific locations across the country.

He asserted: 鈥淣o more guessing which network works best.

鈥淯sers will have access to actual performance data directly on our Web site.鈥�

Stressing the significance of transparency in this regard, Maida said these initiatives would foster robust competition among network operators, and improve service delivery to subscribers.

‘2025 a year of optimism,’ says EVC/CEO

Sounding confident in the Commission’s efforts at enhancing QoS while improving consumer experience, Maida stated that with the foundations his leadership has laid last year, “we are set to transform the telecoms landscape.”

It is also noted that the NCC鈥檚 renewed focus on transparency, improved consumer confidence and experience aligns with the Commission’s mandate, as it underscores the Aminu Maida-led Management’s commitment to driving innovation in the emergent Nigeria Digital Economy.

Minister lauds Maida, other agencies’ CEOs for hard work and significant milestones

Earlier in his remarks on the stewardship of the Chief Executive Officers of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Technology (FMCIDE), Dr. Tijani had stated in a blog note via his verified social media account, that 鈥渙ur agency heads share their thoughts on the steady progress of the past year and their hopes for 2025.

The Minister said: 鈥淢y sincere appreciation to everyone at the @FMCIDENigeria, and all our agencies for their hard work so far in achieving significant milestones in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President @officialABAT, and the Ministry鈥檚 Strategic Blueprint.

Tijani further noted: 鈥淎s we go into the new year, we remain committed to building on these foundations by continuing to leverage innovation and technology for the benefit of all our citizens.鈥�

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