Nigerian Communications Commission: Best government organisation with consumer interest at heart

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By Chinenye Onyemalu

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as a regulatory organisation has consumer affairs in mind, African Entrepreneurial and Human development Initiatives started collaboration with her since 20th September 2016 with program ‘Tele-Add’ at Women Development Centre, Central Business District, Abuja.

The program was targeted at youth to become aware of issues and challenges that comes with telecommunication and for them to avoid being victims.

On 3rd December 2018, NCC did not hold back the plight of common Nigerians in Karu Market, Abuja.

The informal sector benefited from the sensitization programme, advocacy Initiatives on financial fraud on Telecommunication platform directly at their comfort zone in the market place while doing their daily business.

The need to cover consumers nationwide, took NCC sensitization to main market in Onitsha, Anambra State on 23rd May 2019 again directly to market men and women with buyers at their market place as beneficial.

It was organised inside the market because it will be difficult to pull them and get their attention during business hours. NCC being the best organisation with consumer affairs at heart, takes proactive to steps to ensure that telecom users don’t fall victim to fraudsters and again they took the sensitization to Benin City, Edo State tagged ‘Shine your eye – No Fall Mugu’ on 25th and 26th November 2021. This time around the target was not just market men and women but also tricycle riders, motor parks, road users etc.

The sensitization covered consumer right and safety measures in mobile phone usage, data rollover, SIM card registration, SIM swap, telecom masts and towers and effect, call masking and type approval, toll free number 622.

With current incident on how parents are being defrauded through phone being used be unformed teenagers, there become a need to extend the enlightenment and sensitization to secondary schools and again NCC came all out again for this program tagged ‘Telecom 4 Teens’ on 14th November 2023, The Program which was supposed to be organised at Government Senior Secondary, Orozo was moved to Gradams Faith Academy, Makasa, Nasarawa State due to unforeseen circumstance were students were enlightened on information and education: Key to consumer information, child online protection, dangers of buying registered SIM, SIM replacement, SIM swap, emergency communication, digital skills and literacy for children.

Onyemalu, ACA, is President, African Entrepreneurial and Human Development Initiatives