In line with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) rated policy of consumer protection, it stepped up consumer complaints resolution management throughout 2019 with excellent results.
For instance, the Commission received a total of 19,841 complaints from telecoms consumers across its various consumer complaints channels. Of these, the NCC successfully resolved 17,851, representing a 90 percent success rate of consumer complaints resolution during the period under review.
Specifically, a total of 18, 717 complaints were lodged through the NCC Contact Centre by the customers to the Commission with a larger percentage satisfactorily solved. Little wonder, therefore, that based on their satisfaction with all these facilities provided for them to resolve their issues, a total of 19,345 satisfied consumers sent notes of commendation/appreciation to the Commission through calls made to the NCC Contact Centre and e-mails received via the NCC Consumer Portal. All of these were to appreciate the various regulatory interventions that helped in satisfactorily resolving their telecoms service-related issues.
Also in 2019, exposure to unsolicited text messages by the consumersdeclined drastically through the popularisation by the Commission and the resultant activation of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Short Code 2442 facility by the subscribers. Though, a voluntary service, a total of 22,356, 919 subscribers have now activated the DND service either fully or partially.
Aside all these impressive statistics, the Commission, in 2019, focused more on some key initiatives that have put the industry and the economy on a growth trajectory.
Another landmark feat recorded by the nation’s telecoms regulator is the drive to listing telecoms on NSE which soared capital market operation activities within the year under review.
No doubt, Year 2019 will go down in history as a memorable one when the yearnings of most Nigerians to have increased stakes in the telecoms sector got an unprecedented boost through smart regulatory activities NCC.
Indeed, one of the remarkable achievements of the NCC in 2019 which has not only impacted the industry but also bolstered the entire economy was the Commission’s regulatory efforts in seeing to fruition, the listing of MTN and Airtel Africa on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Speaking at a forum in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said “The MTN listing has helped to translate into action, an important objective of the Commission, which is to promote local investment and ownership in the telecom sector. Also, with MTN’s shares available in the capital market, it is expected that Nigerians will buy shares and by purchasing the shares of MTN, they will be financially empowered and be socially transformed.”
In his further submission, Prof Danbatta averred that, “One of the benefits of MTN listing and those of other operators to follow, therefore, is that the telco would be able to raise more capital for network expansion which, in turn, will bring about an improvement in the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for the consumers of telecoms services, which is also a cardinal function of the Commission.”
Findings by Business Hilights Intelligent Unit (BHIU), an independent member of Media Hilights Group, publishers of Business Hilights online and Markets Business Hilights Newspapers, showed that “despite the initial volatility seen in the Nigerian capital market earlier in 2019, the listing of the biggest telecommunication company, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa, has helped in increasingly making the market capitalisation bullish.”
“Today, capital market regulator and shareholder bodies have commended the effort of the NCC in making the capital market more resilient through facilitating the listing of MTN, a move that was fallout of the conditions the telecom regulator gave MTN following the telco’s violation of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration rule in the telecommunications sector.
