Telecom

50 Hearty Cheers to Telecom Consumer Parliament

Published

17 years ago

April 6, 2009

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It seems like yesterday when the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) begun the Telecom Consumer Parliament, Telecom, an alternative dispute resolution mechanism (ADR).
Like in all the previous editions, the 50th sitting of the Parliament in Abuja brought together the regulator, major telecoms operators in the country, consumers and consumers’ rights groups under one roof to chart a progressive course for the industry.
Issues pertaining, to Quality of Service, Consumer Rights Protection, Environmental Impact Assessment, Interconnection, Tariffs and Universal Service Provision were discussed at the meeting.
The 50th sitting is a toast to the Parliament which for the first time, consumers of telecommunications services and the providers agree that the alternative dispute resolution system set up in August 2003 by the NCC has worked.
Ernest Ndukwe, executive vice chairman, NCC said that the Commission has put in place special structures to ensure that the needs and desires of the consumer are taken care of.
“For us in the Commission, the consumer is the main object, the subject and the reason for our being; hence the place of the Consumer as the king is sacrosanct” he said
He also spared words for the operators which he said belong to a class of stakeholders in the business of telecom regulation.
He said that “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 or base stations”
In the Beginning
Many Nigerians believe that the great telecom revolution in Nigeria is the second independence for Nigeria, considering the ample opportunities it offers and the ability it offers for stress- free communication.
But memories are sometimes short and failing. So some Nigerians are quick to forget the dark years of telecommunications in the country characterized by poor services, long waiting period to get a phone line and general decay in infrastructure.
Today, cell phones ring in almost every pocket. Ownership cut across every age, class and boundaries, unlike the past when Nigerians were told phones were not for the poor.
And to attest to the burgeoning revolution, the world stood still and applauded Nigeria at the just ended Mobile World Congress (GSMA) held in Barcelona.
The revolution comes with its challenges, especially with the fragile relationship between consumers and the service providers.
Some of the issues which often get complained of by telecom consumers in Nigeria includes, false billing, arbitrary disconnection of service, poor service delivery, drop calls, non-chalant attitude towards genuine complaints, supply and installation of substandard equipment and devices, deceptive advertisement, credit depletion, inability to recharge, inability to check credit balance, network failure, sending/charging for multiple text massages in place of a single one
The problems are actually caused by power supply problems, network planning, system inadequacies, charging policy.
The increase in such complaints by the subscribers led to the intervention by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to create a parliament that brings together, stakeholders with the aim of strategising for better services.
The forum is called NCC Telecom Consumer Parliament. It stands on the tripod of the regulator, operators and consumers.
The Parliament
The parliament is the initiative of the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) of Nigerian Communications Commission, established in September 2001, to inform, educate and protect the consumers of telecommunications services in Nigeria.
The Consumer Protection & Advocacy is one of the units of the CAB that is charged with the responsibility of responding to consumer complaints and enquiries.
It has worked and this is the general consensus of critics, consumers and operators.
It has been variously described, but it remains the only frontier that has brought the regulator, operators and subscribers on a round table.
The Parliament serves as a platform for consumer education, an alternative, inexpensive and quick dispute resolution.
It is serves an interactive forum, bridging the gap between operators and consumers in the industry, thereby building confidence and creating mutually beneficial relationship.
The ADR creates a forum for consumers to air their views and suggestions on how to make the industry forward.
It provides reliable feedback to the regulator for effective communications while educating telecom consumer on their rights and obligations for the overall healthy development of the industry.
More importantly it has institutionalized public accountability of both the operators and the regulator while eliciting stakeholders’ views, reactions, and inputs to policies and programmes.
It has also eradicated the perception of the consumers as the underdogs as was the case in the era of monopoly.
How It Works
The Parliament is held monthly at different geographical zones of Nigeria and every Nigerian is free to attend and contribute.
A session of the Parliament begins when the presenter introduces the representatives of the companies, NCC commissioners and management as well as legislators in attendance.
Then the EVC of the NCC is invited to make the opening remarks or give industry report, and after that the presenter spells out the rules of the proceedings including to accord courtesy to one another and that questions and answers be brief, clear and straight to the point.
During the question and answer time, five to 10 questions are taken and representatives of the concerned companies are invited to respond to queries/comments concerning them.
Where the responses provided the EVC intervenes.
At the end of some rounds of questions, the EVC is invited to respond to questions directed at the commission, signaling the end of the session.
The proceedings are recorded in both video and audio. The video is for broadcast in the national television station and in at least one other major TV station.
A report of the session is also prepared by the NCC and lists of all complaints that were brought before the commission are published in the newspapers every year for public accountability.
Achievements
It is easy to lose count of the achievements but a few stands out.
The Parliament was instrumental in bringing down the prices of SIM packs, cutting tarrifs, prices of recharges, extension of validity periojd.
It has also saved operators, consumers, and the regulator the costs, time and resources that would have otherwise gone into lengthy litigations.
The Parliament has presented Nigeria as people with ordered and civilized ways of handling issues.
Thumbs Up
The novel regulatory initiative has earned Nigeria, commendations from International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and ICT professionals and groups across the globe.
ITU is reportedly studying the Nigerian model and hope to replicate it in many countries.
At home, many believe that subscribers are getting the ease with the Consumer Parliament.
Lovithe Eze, a call center operator at Wuse Zone 6, Abuja said that "I have never attended the consumer parliament because I don’t have the time, but from what I have been watching on Television, the forum is important and it assists in telling the operators our problems"
“ I am very sure the consumer parliament has created challenges for operators, and we are seeing the results", said Husaini James, student, 23, who believes that the consumer parliament is a good interaction and should be encouraged.
According to him, sometimes, if you have a problem, even if you call a customer care centre, your problem is not attended to, but in the consumer parliament it is live and direct. "Several times they have no answer to give when customers quiz them at the parliament", he said.
Adeolu Ogunbanjo, president of the National Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (Natcoms), said the NCC has achieved a lot through the monthly event, adding that a common achievement is the printing and selling of lower or cheaper denominations of recharge cards.
Mr Ogugua Chioke, chairman, GSM Consultative Forum, said the forum is unique and gives opportunities for both the operators and the consumers to interact. According to him, NCC deserves commendation on such excellent initiative and such parliament should be encouraged not only in the telecom sector but in the other sectors. "

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Telecom

GSMA Says High Smartphone Costs Threatens Africa’s AI Future

Published

12 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Ebere Melum-Nwogbo

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The GSM Association (GSMA) has urged African governments to reduce taxes and levies on entry-level smartphones as part of efforts to accelerate digital inclusion and ensure millions of Africans are not excluded from the emerging artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

GSMA Says High Smartphone Costs Threatens Africa’s AI Future

The association warned that about 961 million Africans who are currently covered by mobile broadband networks are not using the services due to affordability challenges, particularly the high cost of smartphones.

The call was made at the Digital Africa Summit, organised by GSMA in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), which brought together regulators, policymakers and industry stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving connectivity and driving digital transformation across the continent.

Speaking at the event, Caroline Mbugwa, senior director, Public Policy and Communications, GSMA Africa, said affordable smartphones and reliable connectivity were essential for unlocking the benefits of AI across sectors including healthcare, education, transport and commerce.

Mbugwa noted that while mobile broadband coverage has expanded significantly across Africa, a large number of people remain unable to access digital services because they cannot afford smartphones.

She stressed that fiscal reforms, particularly the removal of taxes on entry-level devices, were urgently needed to make smartphones more accessible to low-income users.

According to her, South Africa’s decision to remove a nine per cent luxury goods tax on entry-level smartphones helped accelerate adoption of smart devices and reduce dependence on feature phones.

“We are now entering what we call the era of intelligence, and the era of intelligence requires that we have an already existing robust infrastructure, robust connectivity that can support the growth of artificial intelligence on the continent.

“We have a whole 961 million Africans that are covered by mobile broadband services but are not using the service. This is what we refer to as a usage gap. If this remains unaddressed, it means that this number will be left behind when it comes to the adoption of AI.

“This signals that there is demand for adoption of smart devices. Customers are willing to actually use the service. Affordability is the challenge,” she said.

Also speaking, Michaela Angonius, head of Global Policy and Regulatory Team at GSMA, said African countries must adopt policy reforms that encourage investment, expand connectivity and reduce barriers to digital access.

Angonius, who oversees global regulatory and policy issues covering areas such as fiscal policy, competition and network deployment, cautioned against adopting a one-size-fits-all approach to reforms across the continent.

She said findings from the Digital Africa Index showed that while some countries, including South Africa, had made significant progress, others still needed deeper regulatory reforms to improve their digital ecosystems.

She identified three major areas requiring attention: modernising licensing frameworks, improving the use of Universal Service Fund (USF) resources and adopting smarter approaches to quality of service regulation.

According to her, many African countries still operate technology-specific licensing systems, which do not align with the rapid evolution of digital technologies.

Angonius advocated for technology-neutral licensing frameworks that would allow different communication providers, including satellite operators, mobile network operators and internet service providers, to operate under the same regulatory principles.

She explained that the growth of satellite services had exposed weaknesses in existing licensing structures, as regulators often struggle to determine how to classify new technologies.

On Universal Service Funds, Angonius said the existence of unused funds in many countries effectively creates an additional tax burden on telecom operators, which eventually increases costs for consumers.

She warned that such additional costs could worsen the digital divide at a time when Africa is already struggling with smartphone affordability and connectivity challenges.

The GSMA executive also called for a review of quality of service regulations, arguing that countries with the best digital service quality are not necessarily those with the most detailed regulatory requirements.

She said governments should instead focus on policies that encourage investment, expand coverage to underserved communities and improve access for people who remain disconnected.

Angonius further advised finance ministers across Africa to remove levies placed on entry-level smartphones to lower the cost of first-time device ownership.

“Those countries with the best quality of service are not necessarily the countries that have detailed quality of service regulation. Rather, they have focused on how to get the investment right.

“If you have a levy on any handset, firstly, if you can, as a finance minister, remove it. If you can’t, at least remove it from those entry-level handsets that should be affordable for everyday users,” she said.

She added that Nigeria, like other African countries, could benefit from reforms that promote investment, address societal needs and ensure consumers gain long-term value from digital transformation.

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Telecom

Airtel Africa Backs London Listing

Published

12 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Airtel Africa has confirmed that the London Stock Exchange is its preferred listing venue for Airtel Money in 2026, as the group looks to unlock value from its fast-growing fintech business.

The highly anticipated listing aims to maximise market opportunities, with analysts reportedly anticipating a valuation of around $10 billion.

The announcement came as the telecoms operator reported strong first-quarter (Q1) results on Thursday, with surging data usage and mobile money transactions driving double-digit revenue growth across its markets.

The group reported revenue of $1.85 billion, up 31% in reported currency and 21.1% in constant currency, underscoring robust demand for digital and financial services.

Mobile money remained a standout performer, reinforcing its role as a key growth engine. Total transaction value reached an annualised $245 billion, up 51.5%, while the customer base grew 23.3% to 56.5 million users.

“Our focus on deepening financial inclusion through increased customer adoption, broader use cases and a stronger digital payments ecosystem enabled higher usage and facilitated continued average revenue per user growth, reinforcing Airtel Money’s growing role as a trusted digital financial services provider,” the company said.

Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, said the company is leveraging digital platforms, data and artificial intelligence to enhance customer experience and support long-term growth.

“We have started this year with another pleasing performance. Our continued focus on the customer experience translated into accelerating customer base growth across all business segments,” he said.

Taldar said a London listing would provide access to a broader international investor base and support the telco’s ambition to unlock long-term value from one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms.

Data usage per customer rose from 7.8GB to 10.6GB per month, driving a 56.3% increase in network traffic, while smartphone penetration reached 51%, reflecting continued digital adoption.

Accelerated network investment drove capital expenditure (capex) of US$389 million, up from $121 million in the corresponding period last year.

“Supported by an elevated pace of deployment, we added more than 920 sites during the quarter, our highest first-quarter site rollout, while further expanding our fibre network to 82,100km,” the company said.

Airtel’s cost-efficiency programme supported EBITDA margin resilience, with the margin remaining at 50.1% in Q1.

However, the company warned that higher energy costs linked to geopolitical developments could increase inflationary pressures and weigh on margins in the near term.

Despite this outlook, the operator said its investment programme remains on track, with spending brought forward to support demand and capture growth opportunities linked to Africa’s digital transformation.

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Telecom

TikTok Removed 4.8 Million Violative Videos in Nigeria in Q1 2026 – Report

Published

12 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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TikTok says it removed more than 4.8 million videos in Nigeria for violating its Community Guidelines during the first quarter of 2026 as part of efforts to create a safer digital environment for users.

The platform disclosed this in its Q1 2026 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, which highlighted increased investments in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered moderation systems, live-stream safety, content authenticity and AI literacy.

According to the report, the 4.8 million videos removed between January and March represented only 0.6 per cent of all content uploaded by Nigerian users during the period, indicating that the overwhelming majority of content complied with the platform’s rules.

TikTok said 99.8 per cent of the violating videos were removed proactively before being reported by users, while 92.8 per cent were taken down within 24 hours of being posted.

Globally, the platform removed more than 184 million videos during the same period, accounting for only 0.5 per cent of all videos uploaded worldwide.

TikTok said the figures reflected continued investment in advanced moderation technologies capable of detecting harmful content before it spreads widely across the platform.

The company also reported stronger enforcement measures for TikTok LIVE, saying it suspended 120,000 LIVE sessions in Nigeria for violating its Community Guidelines.

The figure represents an increase of 40,000 suspended LIVE sessions compared with the previous reporting period.

Globally, TikTok recorded more than 58 million LIVE enforcement actions, including the suspension of 50,791,858 LIVE sessions and warnings or demonetisation issued to 21,966,667 LIVE creators for breaching platform policies.

According to TikTok, warning notices provide creators with opportunities to correct policy violations before stronger sanctions are applied.

The platform attributed part of the success of its enforcement operations to close collaboration with government agencies, including Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), as well as civil society organisations working to promote online safety.

TikTok said it was strengthening efforts to combat the misuse of artificial intelligence for producing misleading or spam content.

According to the report, the platform is testing enhanced detection systems capable of identifying accounts dedicated to publishing AI-generated spam.

Globally, TikTok removed more than 86 million fake accounts during the first quarter of 2026.

In Nigeria, the company disclosed that it removed more than 118,000 pieces of content under its policy governing edited media and AI-generated content (AIGC).

TikTok said it had also reached a major milestone by labelling more than three billion AI-generated videos globally using a combination of Content Credentials, creator disclosure tools and invisible watermarking technology.

The company said the measures are designed to improve transparency by helping users identify content created or substantially modified using AI technologies.

It reiterated that harmful or misleading AI-generated content remains prohibited under its Community Guidelines.

TikTok also announced a number of initiatives unveiled during the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva aimed at promoting responsible AI use.

The company said it had joined the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) Steering Committee, where it will collaborate with industry partners to develop standards that improve transparency around AI-generated content.

To promote responsible AI use, TikTok said it partnered with the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and AI expert Henry Ajder to develop educational resources for users.

As part of the initiative, the platform said it would launch a new in-app AI Literacy Hub for Nigerian users in the coming weeks.

According to TikTok, the hub will provide educational resources to help users identify AI-generated content and better understand how AI tools are being used on the platform.

The company also disclosed that it has committed more than 4 million U.S. dollars to its AI Literacy Fund since the initiative was launched in November 2025.

In Nigeria, TikTok said it continues to work with organisations including the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and Paradigm Initiative to produce locally relevant AI literacy content.

According to the company, the partnerships have generated more than 200 million views, reflecting growing public interest in trustworthy AI education.

TikTok said it remained committed to improving transparency through regular publication of its Community Guidelines Enforcement Reports.

The company added that it has redesigned the reports to make them easier for users to navigate while expanding the number of countries for which detailed enforcement data is available.

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