*Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission, explains how some reforms in the telecommunications landscape were designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and improved consumer protection, and industry sustainability

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said the recent far-reaching reforms in the country鈥檚 telecommunications landscape are intended to ensure transparency, accountability, and improved consumer protection, and industry sustainability.

绿帽献妻 reports Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, stated this at a recent media interactive session, in Abuja, FCT.

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Dr. Maida affirmed the Commission introduced certain reforms in the telecoms sector, including the introduction of corporate governance guidelines, public map of network performance, NIN-SIM audit, the settlement of USSD debt disputes, transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal.

The EVC/CEO of NCC also explained the telecoms regulator is complementing the hitherto traditional rule-based oversight with behavioural economics, especially through the disclosure of key information that would allow consumers and network operators alike to make informed decisions in the ecosystem.

According to Maida, one of such fresh initiatives 鈭� a public map of network performance 鈥� is scheduled to be released September 2025.

He further said the map would display independent data on download speeds, latency and other quality indicators of the Mobile Network Operators in Nigeria.

The NCC Chief stated: 鈥淭here will also be a quarterly network performance report, based on user data.

鈥淭his extends accountability beyond mobile operators to also include infrastructure providers who play a critical role in reliability.鈥�

Essence of corporate governance framework in telecoms, by Maida

Underlining the importance of the Corporate Governance Guidelines launched in Lagos recently, Maida said the document would be used as a tool to strengthen the telecoms industry in the West African country.

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He averred: 鈥淭ransparent, well-governed companies attract investment and perform better.鈥�

The goal of the initiative, he stated, is to lay the foundation for a Nigerian telecoms company that is wholly owned, well-run, and globally competitive.

The EVC/CEO of the Commission also cited other reforms, such as the conclusion of the National Identification Number 鈥� Subscriber Identity Module (NIN-SIM) audit, the settlement of USSD debt disputes between the banks and MNOs, the transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal as evidence of progress.

The telecoms policy of 2000, which focused on breaking the monopoly and introducing competition, has achieved its purpose as it now requires a review, he explained.

Maida said: 鈥淚n the early 2000s, it was about voice and text. Today, it is about internet connectivity and the emerging technologies that depend on it 鈥� Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoTs), remote sensors, and Augmented Reality (AR).

“The policy did not fail, but we must evolve for new realities.鈥�

Besides, the Executive Vice-Chairman observed that competition has remained a key factor in keeping call tariffs relatively low over the years until the recent 50 percent upward adjustments early this year.

According to him, despite recent adjustments, the most expensive call rate in the market is yet about N18 or N19 per minute, compared to N50 per minute in the early 2000s.

NCC鈥檚 collaboration with CBN on consumer protection

The Commission, at the media interaction in Abuja, also touched on consumer concerns about failed electronic top-ups in recent times.

Maida said a joint NCC-Central Bank of Nigeria (NCC-CBN) task force had developed a fresh operational framework to standardise telecoms consumer recharge processes towards ensuring transparency.

According him Tier-1 audit firms were engaged to investigate network operators鈥� billing systems in connection with consumers鈥� increasing complaints of data depletion and billing transparency.

He, however, noted that the audit firms鈥� findings indicated no systemic manipulation of consumer data in the process.

The Chief Executive of NCC said instead, factors including background app usage, device settings, and complex tariff structures contributed to consumer dissatisfaction in the Nigerian digital space.

He further explained: 鈥淲e are not trying to punish anyone.

鈥淲e want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better, and the government benefits from a broader tax base.鈥�

Speaking at the forum also, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) at NCC, gave practical tips to help telecoms consumers to manage their data better and smarter.

Bruce-Bennett, among other tips, urged subscribers to disable autoplay on social media, limit background data, delete unused apps, activate data-saving modes, and use Wi-Fi whenever possible.

The Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau disclosed that Nigeria currently has 172 million active telephone subscribers, of which 141 million are Internet users, representing 81.9 percent of the total, while 105 million are Broadband users.

In her remarks, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs at NCC, emphasised the role of the media in publicising the Commission鈥檚 regulatory efforts to the public.

Ukoha said: 鈥淵ou (media) are the ones that transmit and convey our transformative policies to the people of Nigeria.

鈥淭herefore, I invite you to be open and talk to us freely. We are here to collaborate with you.鈥�

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