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NCC Makes Case for Telecom Consumers

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that telecom consumers are critical stakeholder in the industry that should be treated with respect by operator.

 

 

Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman (EVC) Nigerian Communications Commission stated this on Thursday at the ongoing 2019 Lagos International Trade Fair, taking place at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

 

Danbatta who was represented at the NCC Day by Ismail Adedigba, head of Information and Reference Unit, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, said that they are aware of the role of the consumers and have identified them as very important stakeholders. .

 

 

He noted that through the 8-point Agenda of the commission, it has made available to the consumer information and educational materials that enabled them to make informed choices in the use of ICT services.

 

He urged telecom operators to emulate the commission by recognizing consumers as important stakeholders in the industry.

 

He stated that the presence of the Commission at the Trade Fair was one of its different strategies of reaching out to the consumers.

 

Danbatta disclosed that the NCC Day at the Trade fairs aims to educate and inform consumers on the use of Communication services and their rights as telecom Consumers.

 

He further revealed that the NCC was at the trade fair to identify key challenges and quickly move to address them adding that one of the issues affecting telecoms consumers, which the Commission has proffered concrete solution to, is the issue of telemarketing, commonly known as unsolicited text message.

 

“This is any message, voice or SMS made through Telecommunications service which is transmitted for the purpose of informing or soliciting or promoting any commercial transaction in relation to goods investments or services which a subscriber opts not to receive”, he explained.

 

He explained further that in order to protect subscribers from this unwholesome practice, the NCC evolved a solution called DO-NOT-DISTURB (DND) directing all Mobile Network Operators to dedicate a short code 2442 to enable subscribers take informed but independent decisions on what messages they wish to receive from their networks by typing STOP to 2442 to stop the messages completely or HELP to choose the message you want.

 

He said that the NCC is keen on helping to protect the consumers from being victims of cybercrime and e-fraud stressing that the Commission had advised all consumers not to open emails that are not familiar to them, never to post personal identification information online or save their password online.

 

“Note also that your Bank will never ask you your personal detail via internet. In the event of any unfortunate circumstance please contact your bankers immediately to freeze your account and also inform your mobile service provider for further actions”, he noted .

 

He said: “As a telecom consumer you deserve the right to get value for your investment. NCC as your regulator has devised ways to lodge your complaints when you are dissatisfied with the services provided by your Operator.

 

“The Commission will apply appropriate regulatory measures and sanctions against such service provider.”

 

Mrs Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, in her remark recalled that the participation of the Commission affords it the opportunity to present NCC’s activities aimed at improving consumer experience of telecoms services to participants.

 

She noted that NCC will always ensure service availability, accessibility and affordability to consumers, be it individuals or corporates, who are increasingly depending on ICT/telecoms to conduct personal and business activities on daily basis.

 

Onwuegbuchulam who represented by, Henry Ojiokpota, Lagos Zonal Controller, NCC,  said: “the important role of telecoms services and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), at large, in enhancing businesses, creating new business line, driving innovation and accelerating value addition is inherent in the overarching thematic focus of the Fair which is “Our Brand Promise-Connecting Businesses, Creating Value”.

 

she noted that the theme of the Trade Fair is at the centre of connecting businesses through telecoms infrastructure development initiatives to improve business efficiency and effectiveness for growth.

 

Mr. Babatunde Paul Ruwase, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI),  said that the NCC Day was one of the greatest time of visitors to the fair because of the impact of telecoms on the daily life of Nigerians.

 

He said that the LCCI as organisers of the fair is always excited to receive the NCC at the traditional day for exhibitors, which the NCC has always taken part of across all other fairs in the country.

 

He noted that the 2019 Lagos Trade Fair was specially packaged for the interest of government agencies whose activities have direct impact on the life of the people.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Airtel Hosts Interactive Knowledge Session for Secondary School Girls

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As part of its commitment to empowering and mentoring women to become global leaders while breaking stereotypes and closing gender gaps, the Airtel Women Network, a platform comprising female employees of Airtel Nigeria, welcomed girls from Airtel’s adopted school, Alaba Oro Comprehensive Senior High School, Ajegunle, to commemorate International Day of Girls in ICT on Monday.

Led by the telco’s IT Director, Kemi Ariyo, the session emphasized the need for the rise of influential female role models in driving progress within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. It also served as an avenue to inspire young girls about the vast opportunities within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) field.

During the session, Ogo Ofomata, Director of Enterprise and Airtel Business and President of the Airtel Women Network, shared insights on the significance of the 2024 commemoration with the students.

“Leadership entails leading yourself to do the things you have to do. With regard to the theme of this year’s International Girls in ICT Day, which is Leadership, our goal is to empower young girls and women to become programmers, coders, designers and to pursue careers in the ICT sector, ultimately becoming leaders in the IT sector,” she said.

The highlight of the event was a thought-provoking session led by Kemi Ariyo, IT Director at Airtel Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of technological knowledge in addressing various global challenges.

In her words, “The world revolves around technology and everything we do today has to do with technology. You can get into that space by adopting hard work, smart work, and an active involvement in internship programs. In addition, just as technology can be used in music and other sectors, learning technology can help you achieve your goals of problem- solving in this digital age.”

Also speaking at the event, Phanindra Nichanametla, Chief Financial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel’s tagline ‘A Reason to Imagine’, reassuring the students of Airtel’s commitment to encouraging positive imagination. “A very important note to take home from this event is that Airtel is here to change your imagination and give you opportunities to imagine more,” he said.

Airtel remains committed to promoting initiatives that promote gender equality and diversity in the workplace. By investing in the education and empowerment of young girls in ICT, Airtel Nigeria continues to pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future in the world of technology.


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Mastercard Women SME Leaders Awards to celebrate success of women business leaders in EEMEA region

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Mastercard announces the return of Women SME Leaders Awards for its third edition, shining a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women-owned and led businesses across Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA).

Black and white portraits of different people

Nominations are now open for the awards, inviting entries from women-owned and operated SMEs with a turnover of less than US$13.6 million (AED50 million) and a workforce of six to 50 employees. All women executives or business owners who have their headquarters or offices in EEMEA or offer their services to these markets can submit their nominations by 20 May 2024*.

“Women-owned and led businesses are vital contributors to the global economy, fostering economic growth and stability. By empowering women entrepreneurs and business leaders, we unlock the boundless potential they have and drive inclusive prosperity. The Mastercard Women SME Leaders Awards aim to recognize and celebrate their remarkable contributions,” said Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President, Market Development, EEMEA for Mastercard.

Winners will be announced on 6 June 2024, during an in-person event in Dubai, emphasizing Mastercard’s commitment to fostering connections and collaboration among women business leaders in the region.

The awards will feature 15 categories*, ranging from creative leadership to social impact and a lifetime achievement award. Shortlisted candidates will be evaluated by an esteemed judging committee of industry leaders dedicated to recognizing excellence and innovation in women-owned and led businesses.

Launched in 2022 to uplift female entrepreneurs and business leaders, these awards serve as a platform to honor and elevate women who are forging the path for future generations of business leaders in the region. Building upon the success of previous editions, this year’s event promises to extend its reach and recognition to even more exceptional women leaders.

Aligned with Mastercard’s global initiative to connect 25 million women entrepreneurs to the digital economy by 2025, these awards underscore the company’s dedication to building a more sustainable and inclusive world even though this global goal was achieved by Mastercard last year, two years before the target date.

With last year’s awards attracting over 4,500 nominations from across EEMEA, this year promises to be even more impactful, amplifying the voices and accomplishments of women leaders in business.


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Infobip, Nokia Partner to Enable Developers to Build Wider Array of Telco Network Powered Applications Faster

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Infobip, the global cloud communications platform, and Nokia today announced a partnering agreement that will enable the global developer community to leverage both companies’ Application Programmable Interface (API) platforms in order to build a wider array of telco network powered applications faster for consumer, enterprise, and industrial customers.

Matija Ražem, VP of Business Development, at Infobip

Infobip’s market-leading cloud Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provides developers with APIs for integrating real-time omnichannel communications features such as SMS, voice, video, chat apps, and network APIs into their applications. Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal offers developers APIs for tapping into 5G network capabilities like quality of service (QoS) on demand, device location precision and network slicing, as well as 4G capabilities.

Developers will be able to utilize all of those capabilities more easily, giving them complete coverage of Network and CPaaS APIs in the development of new use cases and the capacity to enhance application performance.

Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal brings together networks from around the world, along with systems integrators and software developers, into a unified ecosystem; using technical standards produced through industry initiatives such as the GSMA Open Gateway initiative and the Linux Foundation CAMARA. Nokia and Infobip contribute to both initiatives.

Infobip’s customer engagement use cases include CAMARA-compliant Number Verify and SIM Swap APIs, which are already live. The firm is also working to bring further use cases to market including Device Location and Quality on Demand APIs, having now signed 12 API collaboration agreements. The CPaaS platform was recently named a finalist in the inaugural Global Mobile Awards GSMA Open Gateway Challenge for its anti-fraud intelligence collaboration.

The joint work between Infobip and Nokia will offer a simplified developer experience without the burden of navigating the complex underlying network technologies, allowing developers to integrate capabilities into their applications faster, relative to working separately with the two companies’ platforms.

Nokia has signed collaboration agreements with 11 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the Network as Code platform with developer portal since its launch in September 2023.

Matija Ražem, VP of Business Development, at Infobip said: “This agreement with Nokia further demonstrates how Infobip is helping telcos deliver new services and gain new revenue. We will continue to build and offer additional CAMARA-compliant APIs worldwide, working closely with our telco partners to expose customer experience friendly APIs to developers It is testament to our global market-leading CPaaS position, strong developer relations and history of strategic telco collaborations. These are essential to increase the potential for a successful collaboration and faster time to revenue.”

Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: “This partnering agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to work closely with the developer community. It is about expanding choice and scale and giving developers a one-stop shop for extracting value from Infobip’s and Nokia’s platforms. We look forward to working with Infobip and maximizing our respective technologies.”


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