Telecoms subscribers must get value for money – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Council (NCC) has reiterated its resolve to protect consumers from exploitation by telecommunication companies.

Addressing stakeholders at a town hall meeting in Numan, Adamawa State, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau at the NCC, Abdullahi Maikano, noted that the commission had developed series of initiatives to equip consumers with relevant information and ensure that they get value for money.

The director, who was represented by his deputy, Ismaila Adedigba, said the initiatives include consumer education via factsheets, consumer web portal, social media platforms, toll free NCC call centre as well as radio programmes that educate consumers on their rights.

“At the Nigerian Communications Commission, the telecoms consumers are the target beneficiaries of all our activities which make them enjoy primary focus in terms of ensuring that they get quality service, value for money spent, timely and fair redress of complaints and protection from unwholesome practices of some service providers.

“The NCC, which has the mandate of regulating the telecommunications industry also recognise the fact that rights of every telecom consumer must be protected; one of the rights of the telecoms consumer is to be informed and educated,” he said.

He added that the NCC would ensure that consumers receive clear, complete and accurate information on services they subscribe to as that would guide them to make informed decisions on products and services offered.

In his remarks, Jide Abdulazeez, a representative of a consumer group, said consumer education was the most potent protection mechanism against exploitation, urging the NCC to step up efforts in that direction.

“It is therefore very important for the regulator as well as service providers to raise the tempo of consumer education in the country in order to guarantee telecommunications consumers enough protection against fraudulent, misleading and deceitful information or advertisement”, Abdulazeez stated.