Telecom

NCC Gives Voice to Subscribers with Consumer Advocacy

Published

17 years ago

February 23, 2009

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Telecommunications sector is the only sector of the country’s economy that consumer’s right are protected as well as given opportunity to interfaced with service providers.
It stands on a tripod.
This did not happen spontaneously; it is as a result of regulatory framework initiated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) led by Ernest Ndukwe.
The consumer wants the services to be of a good quality and affordable. The consumer wants the operator to respond at all times when he or she needs attention, and to provide explanations whenever anything goes wrong. The consumer wants to be protected at all times from being taken advantage of by service providers. Just like consumers of any services, the consumer of telecom services wants to be well treated. The Commission has recognized all these and has put in place special structures to ensure that the needs and desires of the consumer are taken care of. For NCC, the consumer is the main object, the subject and the reason for their being.
Against this backdrop, that the sector has good number of consumer advocacy groups that are active in the industry which the commission is supporting to ensure that interest of consumers are taken care of, such groups include, National Association of Telecommunications Consumers Association (Natcomms), Consumer Right Project, among others.
The Regulatory Process
The Commission has many stakeholders in the regulatory process. These stakeholders include the government, consumers, the operators, the media, and the international community, among few others. The Commission strives to meet the expectations of the many stakeholders.
Government
Government is a very important stakeholder in the job of telecom regulation. The policy and the laws being implemented by the Commission have been prepared and enacted by government for good of society. The Government’s interest in the process is also varied.
Government is interested that services are made available to the Nigerian people in a timely, qualitative and affordable manner, and that activities in the sector are carried out in a legal and orderly manner. Government is also interested in creating an enabling environment that would continue to attract investment in the sector so that her desires for the people are substantially met.
The Commission in all its activities is therefore mindful of the need to protect, preserve and implement actions and programmes that meet the expectations and objectives of government.
The Operators: The operators also belong to a class of stakeholders in the business of telecom regulation. Apart from obtaining their operational licenses, with certain obligations attached to them, the operators also expect certain obligations from government and the regulator. They expect a non partial regulator to protect their huge investments. They want the Commission to ensure that no other entity interferes with their network resources such as frequency spectrum. They expect a regulator that will not be arbitrary in decision making and one that will regulate by the rules as contained in the license agreement and provisions of the laws and regulations.
The Consumer: The Commission does not just theorize about empowering the consumer in industry, it has given practical expressions to this phenomenon through actions, policies and programmes which have venerated, empowered, protected and uplifted him/her in the comity of stakeholders in the industry. Prior to the enactment of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, the Commission had in September 2001 established a full fledged department called Consumer Affairs Bureau. The Bureau was charged with PIE mandate – to Protect, Inform and Educate the Nigerian telecoms consumers. This mandate has remained an irrevocable social contract between the Commission and telecoms consumers in our nation. In a bid to protect, inform and educated consumers, the Commission held its maiden Consumer Forum at Flamingo Restaurant in Victoria Island in April 2002 and shortly after in August 2003, launched the monthly Telecoms Consumer Parliament, a novel regulatory initiative that earned the Commission, nay Nigeria, commendations from ITU and ICT professionals and groups across the globe. At the last count, 46 sessions of Telecoms Consumer Parliament has helped in no small measure in creating awareness of the rights of consumers and the obligation s of the service providers in the resolution of their problems and concerns. It has enable operators to clarify issues pertaining to service delivery for the benefit of their subscribers and also to publicly give account of their stewardship to the people. Useful feedbacks have emanated from the programme which culminated in far-reaching regulatory interventions by the Commission.
The Commission has over the years proactively enunciated policies and programmes that served the interest of the consumers through the introduction of price caps within which operators were allowed to charge consumers for services provided in accordance with global best practice, introduced competition in all segments of the telecom services portfolio to ensure that consumers have a wide range of products and services to choose from; and are not held to ransom by any service provider. Based on feedbacks received from consumers at the TCP, the Commission intervened on the issue of charging subscribers for calls made to customer care lines to lay consumers complaints.
In line with the commissions consumer-centric philosophy that it inaugurated an twelve-man Industry Consumer Advisory Forum, (ICAF), headed by Mrs. Ifeyinwa Umenyi the director general of the Consumer Protection Council, to review the general consumer code of practice regulations by the Commission as well as facilitate consumer protection, information and educational programmes.
ICAF will act in advisory capacity, and will make recommendations to the Commission regarding the interests and concerns of the consumer of ICT products and services, the interests and concerns of physically challenged and the elderly, ensure that consumers are protected from unfair practices and facilitate the review of the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2007 as well as make recommendations on all issues to the Commission.
The Commission has also defined acceptable quality of service thresholds which operators are expected to meet on the one hand, as well as sanctions in event of failure to meet those thresholds. In order to ensure compliance by operators, regular monitoring by the Commission of the operations of licensees across the length and breath of the country is undertaken.
Periodic reports on these monitoring activities are published on the website of the Commission and in major national newspapers.
To underscore the importance that the Board and management of the Commission attach to improved QoS on the networks, an industry QoS Working Group was set up with members drawn from the public and private sectors of the economy.
In 2007, the Commission caused to be gazetted Consumer Code of Practice Regulation which has become the reference document for both consumers and the operators. Each licensee is required to produce and submit a Code of Practice which has to be reviewed and approved by the Commission. The Code of Practice stipulates Service Level Agreements, the responsibilities and rights of each party, and procedure for resolving disagreements whenever they arise between parties.
Given the diversity of the country coupled with its geographical vastness, the Commission has taken it upon itself to promote and nurture consumerism by identifying and collaborating with reputable Consumer Advocacy Groups to facilitate nation-wide consumer protection and empowerment as a precondition for orderly and sustainable growth and development for the telecoms industry in Nigeria.

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Telecom

Amazon Axes 16,000 Jobs Worldwide in Major Restructuring Push

Published

1 hour ago

January 29, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing powerhouse, announced plans Wednesday to eliminate 16,000 jobs globally, escalating a restructuring drive first flagged in October with 14,000 earlier cuts.

Amazon

The layoffs, hitting corporate ranks across multiple divisions, aim to slash management layers, boost accountability, and dismantle bureaucracy, Senior Vice President Beth Galetti stated in an internal memo. Despite booming holiday sales and $21 billion quarterly profits on $180 billion revenue, Amazon seeks to redirect resources toward massive artificial intelligence investments amid slower post-pandemic growth and rising costs.

Galetti explained that while some teams finalised October adjustments, others required extended reviews, pushing total reductions toward 30,000—the firm’s largest ever. CEO Andy Jassy, pursuing leaner operations since 2021, has long signalled AI’s role in shrinking white-collar headcount, with corporate staff—about 350,000 of 1.5 million total—bearing the brunt, sparing warehouses.

The move mirrors Big Tech’s broader belt-tightening as firms recalibrate pandemic-era hiring binges against economic headwinds, AI disruption, and policy uncertainties under President Donald Trump. Amazon’s October cuts struck 2,000 in Washington state—including engineers, recruiters, analysts—and 1,500 in California, with fresh impacts undisclosed by location.

Jassy emphasised culture over pure finances in prior notes, blaming rapid expansion for excess layers after workforce doubling during COVID lockdowns fueled online shopping surges. Recent U.S. hiring slowdowns—to 50,000 jobs in December—underscore corporate caution amid AI’s job-shifting potential and tariff worries.

Analysts note the cuts free capital for AI dominance, pitting Amazon against rivals in generative tools despite no immediate financial distress. Ex-workers have decried impersonal processes, often learning via media leaks, highlighting tensions in Earth’s “best employer” shedding talent en masse.

As tech pivots to AI frontiers, Amazon’s aggressive pruning signals a new era: fewer bodies, sharper focus, betting machine smarts eclipse human scale in the post-boom landscape.

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Telecom

Police Bust ₦7.7bn Telecom Hack Gang, Seize 400 Laptops in Massive Fraud Swoop

Published

1 hour ago

January 29, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force smashed a sophisticated cybercrime ring Wednesday, arresting six suspects accused of hacking a major telecommunications company and looting airtime and mobile data worth a staggering N7.7 billion.

Police Bust ₦7.7bn Telecom Hack Gang, Seize 400 Laptops in Massive Fraud Swoop

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a statement that the suspects breached the telecom giant’s core billing and payment systems by compromising internal staff login credentials, enabling them to siphon off vast quantities of airtime and data for illicit resale.

Named in the arrests are Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad – a mix of northern and southern names hinting at a cross-regional fraud network that preyed on Nigeria’s digital backbone.

Police swooped on the gang’s hideouts in coordinated raids across Kano and Katsina states in October 2025, with a final takedown in the Federal Capital Territory, recovering two mini-plazas masquerading as legitimate retail outlets stocked with over 400 laptops, about 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota vehicle.

Investigators also froze substantial sums in the suspects’ bank accounts, tracing the dirty money trail back to the diverted resources that left the unnamed telecom firm reeling from unauthorised activities reported in a desperate petition.

The breach, described by police as a “calculated assault on critical infrastructure,” allowed the hackers to manipulate the company’s systems undetected for months, offloading billions in airtime and data bundles through underground channels and raking in illicit profits.

Hundeyin vowed that the net was widening, with forensic experts combing through digital footprints and financial ledgers to expose any remaining accomplices or beneficiaries in what he called “one of the largest telecom heists in recent Nigerian history.”

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the crack team from the National Cybercrime Centre for their “relentless professionalism,” urging telecom firms to bolster cybersecurity amid a surge in digital predation.

As the suspects cool their heels awaiting arraignment under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, the case underscores Nigeria’s growing battle against tech-savvy fraudsters targeting the N1.7 trillion telecom sector that powers millions of daily transactions.

Industry watchers warn that such breaches erode investor confidence and hike operational costs, ultimately passed onto consumers already grappling with soaring data tariffs in Africa’s most populous nation

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Telecom

ASVLP 2026: Africa, MENA VCs Gear Up as Tech Funding Hits $4.1bn Rebound

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1 day ago

January 28, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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As Africa and MENA’s startup ecosystems transition from post-correction resilience into a new phase of disciplined growth, the Africa Startup & VC Landscape Preview (ASVLP 2026) will convene leading founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders on January 29, 2026, for its second annual, agenda-setting virtual forum.

ASVLP 2026: Africa, MENA VCs Gear Up as Tech Funding Hits $4.1bn Rebound

Following a challenging global venture cycle, 2025 marked a notable rebound across the African ecosystem, with startups raising an estimated $3.2–$3.3 billion over the full year.

The recovery was accompanied by significant structural shifts: Kenya emerged as the leading destination among Africa’s “Big Four” markets for the first time, while Nigeria recorded a year-on-year funding decline, reflecting changing investor preferences, macroeconomic pressures, and a broader recalibration toward capital efficiency and sustainability.

Sectorally, fintech remained the most funded vertical, while climate & energy, AI-enabled solutions, healthtech, and infrastructure-adjacent businesses gained increasing attention. Across Africa and MENA, development finance institutions (DFIs) and family offices played a more pronounced role in anchoring funds, deploying catalytic capital, and supporting blended-finance structures, reshaping how early-stage and growth capital is mobilized.

ASVLP 2026 is designed to translate these data points into forward-looking strategy.

The forum will bring together venture capitalists, angel investors, LPs, DFIs, family offices, founders, corporate leaders, and regulators from Africa, MENA, Europe, and North America to assess 2025 outcomes and chart priorities for 2026.

The program will feature keynotes, fireside chats, panels, and deep-dive roundtables, including discussions on:

· The 2026 Africa & MENA FinTech Landscape, focusing on security, profitability, regulation, and growth frontiers

· Emerging Fund Managers, capital formation, and LP alignment

· Talent, operator depth, and institutional capacity as constraints to scale

· Regulatory evolution and cross-border market integration

A major highlight of ASVLP 2026 will be the Final DealRoom Pitch Session, where a curated group of high-potential startups will present to an experienced panel of investors.

• Founders can apply to pitch via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Founders
• Investors seeking DealRoom access can request entry via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Investors

Confirmed speakers for ASVLP 2026 include Khaled Ismail (HIMangel), Idris Ayodeji Bello (LoftyInc Capital), Zachariah George (Launch Africa), Tosin Faniro-Dada (Breega), Selma Ribica (FirstCircle Capital), Maha Mandour (COREangels MEA), Joe Kinvi (Borderless), Remi Prunier (Orange Ventures MEA), Karima El Hakim (Plug and Play Tech Center), Souheil Guessoum (President, The Confederation of Citizen Employers – Algeria (CAPC)), Remi Prunier (Partner, Orange Ventures, MEA), Maha Mandour (COREAngels MEA), Ali Hussein (President, Kenyan FinTech Association), Patrick Okebu (CIO, Interswitch Group) among other leading voices shaping capital, policy, and innovation across the region.

“The conversation has shifted,” said Uche Aniche, Convener of ASVLP. “It’s no longer about whether capital will return to Africa and MENA, but what kind of capital, deployed with what discipline, and in service of which long-term outcomes. ASVLP exists to help the ecosystem make sense of that transition.”

Participation in ASVLP 2026 is free but strictly by invitation.
Interested participants are encouraged to repost the official announcement on LinkedIn and comment #ASVLP2026 to receive a private registration link. They could also email [email protected] and request invite.

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