Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced consumers’ enlightenment campaign to ease the challenges faced by telecom subscribers
Although, NCC has intensified efforts towards consumer education, the present campaign via its social media like www.facebook.com/nigerian.communications.commission, aims at re-emphasizing Consumer Complaint Procedures.
One the information below is part of the campaign messages by the NCC.
It reads: “The NCC wishes to educate Telecom Subscribers about procedures and required steps for lodging complaints with the Commission.
“STEP 1: Firstly, contact your Network Operator via the call centre, help-line, e-mail, facebook, twitter, SMS or walk into your service providers help centre or shop about the issue and lodge your complaint and REQUEST for a COMPLAINT TICKET IDENTITY NUMBER.
STEP 2: Wait for the resolution time given by the service provider to elapse.
STEP 3: If the complaint is unresolved or the Customer is dissatisfied with the resolution, then contact the NCC via consumerportal@ncc.gov.ng with your TICKET ID to lodge a formal complaint with the Commission.
STEP 4: NCC Contact Centre will forward your concerns to the affected service providers for resolution.
Meanwhile, consumer related complaints has been categorized by the NCC from A-J and they include, issues on Billing (A); Call Center/ Customer Care (B); Call set-up (C); Faulty Terminal (D); Health Issues (E); Internet Service (F); Promotions (G); Recharge card (H); SMS/MMS (I) and SIM related matters as ‘J’.
At the foremost conference of African Telecom Regulators on Consumer Affairs, held in Lagos recently, the roles of consumers were critically examined.
With the theme, ‘Harnessing regulatory policies to protect telecoms consumers in Africa,’ stakeholders at the African Telecom Regulators on Consumer Affairs reemphasised the strategic roles consumers play in the success of telecoms business in the continent.
The stakeholders, who stressed that the continuous blossoming of the industry was tied to the loyalty of consumers, maintained that it was very pertinent that the interest of consumers were well protected.
Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman (NCC), said in Nigeria, the regulator had taken the general direction that clearly showed the steps of consumer affairs.
Speaking through Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, executive commissioner (Stakeholders Management) at NCC, he emphasized that the Commission had reeled out several well thought out policies and intervention mechanisms deliberately instituted to grow the industry while protecting, informing and educating the consumers.
He added that the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the NCC in September 2001 was a unique approach in regulation, among other measures to address consumer related matters in the industry.