TECHDIGEST – Two directors of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Alhassan Haru and Mr. Efosa Idehen have been respectively redeployed to man the Technical Standards and Network Integrity (TSNI), and the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) departments of the Commission in a move to further enhance operational efficiency and sustain regulatory excellence.

In an exercise approved by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, other senior staff of NCC were moved to head critical departments, following the recent retirement of some directors, who reached the 60 years of age.

Dr. Haru, hitherto Director, New Media and Information Security (NMIS), takes over from retiring director Engr Bako Wakil at the TSNI department, which oversees the maintenance of international standards and integrity of the national network, including quality of service (QoS) and equipment type approval.

Idehen, who was once the director at CME, returns to a familiar turf where he was nicknamed ‘Efosa, the Enforcer’ after a stint at the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB). He takes over from Mr. Ephraim Nwokonneya, who has also commenced his retirement leave. The CME department monitors the industry and enforces compliance with industry rules of engagement.

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At the Projects Department of the Commission, from where Mrs. Iyabo Sholanke retired, Mr. Philip Eretan, Deputy Director, was appointed Head, while Mr. Kelechi Nwankwo, another deputy director, took over as head, Corporate Planning Strategy and Risk Management, (CPSRM), a position left by erstwhile director, Mr. Felix Adeoye.

Dr. Chidi Diugwu, deputy director at NMIS, took over from Haru as head of the department. Mrs. Safiya Jijji has assumed duty as Ag. Head, Zonal Operations, following the retirement of the erstwhile director, Mrs. Amina Shehu.

Another deputy director, Banji Ojo, takes over from Idehen as Head, CAB.

NCC boss, in the redeployment, charged the new appointees to work in tandem with the Commission’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 and NCC’s Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVP) 2020-2025.

The EVC further assured industry stakeholders of the Commission’s determination to provide essential regulatory supports to consolidate on the growth already recorded in the industry.

According to him, the NCC will continue to put round pegs in round holes to sustain its operational efficiency and regulatory excellence.

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TECHDIGEST – The advocacy for telecom infrastructure protection across the country by the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has received royal blessings and support of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, who has urged every citizen in Nigerian to take responsibility for the protection of telecom facilities for mutual benefit of all.

The monarch, who spoke through the Ayingun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ademola Odunade, at the Village Square Dialogue (VSD) of NCC at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan recently, advised the Nigerian public “to support NCC to achieve its objectives of protecting telecoms consumer because this should be seen as a collective responsibility.”

The event, which was presided over by the Chairman of the Board of the NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, was designed to discuss one of the most important issues affecting the operations of the telecom industry – the protection of telecoms infrastructure to guarantee improved quality of service for benefits of businesses and the consumers.

Akande, in his address to guests at the forum that witnessed large turnout of traditional rulers, representatives of telecom operators and consumers, asked the consumers and other stakeholders to join hands in protecting telecoms infrastructure in their communities to ensure sustained connectivity.

Akande said the objective of the consumer engagement was “to explore how we can all protect telecom infrastructure to continue to provide us with life-supporting services and we are happy to bring this programme to Oyo State to really sensitise telecom consumers and other critical stakeholders in this regard.”

Prof. Akande noted that without telecom infrastructure, it will be difficult to communicate with family and friends over long distances while conducting banking, insurance, or access government services, education, entertainment and other essentials of life.

“This means that telecom infrastructure is important, and we must all ensure that we guard and protect this Critical National Infrastructure,” Akande said.

He also listed such destabilising situations in the telecom sector to include the negative attitudes and actions of hostile communities; theft of diesel, batteries and power generators from base stations; digging up and cutting of fibre optic cables; sealing/locking up of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites and other disruptive activities which must be tackled decisively.

Efosa Idehen, director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, who commended the consumers from the Ibadan axis for turning out in numbers, pledged the Commission’s commitment towards the care of the consumers.

Idehen stated that NCC has the responsibility to protect, inform and educate the million of telecom consumers in the country.

“Therefore, part of activities to deliver on this mandate is this type of programme holding in Ibadan today. We value your feedback on all kinds of services you receive in the telecoms sector but most importantly, we implore you to join hands in protecting telecom infrastructure in your areas,” he said.

Idehen advised members of the public to report any suspected cases of threats to telecoms infrastructure to law enforcement agents in their areas for necessary interventions.

He reminded them that they can call toll-free numbers 112 in cases of emergencies or 622 to report complaints bordering on telecommunications services to the NCC.

Source: Techeconomy

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TECHDIGEST – The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has sought the collaboration of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the successful execution of the EXPO on the theme: “Ensuring Efficient Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria.”

This was the focus of the discussion between the two organisations, during a courtesy visit by delegates from LCCI to the Commission in Abuja recently.

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Speaking during the visit, which took place at NCC’s Head Office (Annex) Mbora, Abuja, Seriki Oyediran, the Director, Trade Promotions, LCCI, said that the objective of the visitation was to discuss with the Management of NCC toward achieving the objectives of the 8th Edition of the ICTEL Expo.

Oyediran acknowledged that the participation of NCC at the annual trade fair in previous years has added colour, focus and clarity, and ensured the success of previous events.

He, therefore, called on the Commission to partner with the Chamber to enable it to record greater success in the ICTEL 2022 edition.

Responding, Director, Digital Economy, Dr. Austin Nwaulune, who received the delegation on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, applauded LCCI for its consistency in organising the annual confernce.

Nwaulune stated that the theme of this year’s conference aligns with the Commission’s focus on facilitating infrastructural development and deployment to enhance socio-economic development of Nigeria.

Demonstrating the connection between the thematic focus of the conference and NCC mandates and activities, Nwaulune explained that, through the NCC, the Federal Government has established various policies such as the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), which is being vigorously implemented to improve broadband infrastructure across the country.

The Director Digital Economy Department at the Commission, also recalled efforts of the Commission in ensuring that the seven Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) already licensed by the telecom regulator accelerated their infrastructure deployment across the six geo-political zones of the country.

The Director commended the organisers for the calibre of sponsors listed for the expo and asserted that the event will be a hub for stakeholders such as Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), InfraCos and international organisations, and offer them the opportunity to glean developments in the country and to deepen their interests in promoting innovation, competition.

In his comments, Efosa Idehen, the NCC Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, explained that the Commission has evidently adopted an open-door policy and particularly through its consumer-centric initiatives.

He also emphasised that the Commission appreciates collaboration with stakeholders whose programmes allow consumers to interact with the service providers.

“The NCC prioritises the consumers. We therefore see this forthcoming expo as another opportunity for the consumer’s voice to be heard as they interface with service providers. This is based on our regulatory mandate of ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services get value for their money and are treated right as critical stakeholders in the telecom ecosystem,”

Idehen stated to reiterate NCC’s commitment to the promotion, protection and defence of the interests of telecom consumers.

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TECHDIGEST –  The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has insisted that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), their licensed agents and telecom subscribers must comply with the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration, activation and replacement procedures as set out in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Registration.

Speaking at the 6th Edition of the Telecom Consumer Town Hall on Radio (TCTHR), a radio-based interactive consumer outreach programme of the Commission, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Efosa Idehen, said that operators are to ensure strict compliance when registering their customers, the SIM card owners to have the responsibility to be vigilant to ensure that they are properly captured either for new SIM activation or SIM replacement.

“As the telecom regulator in Nigeria, our role is to enforce compliance with the extant SIM activation and replacement procedures in order to avoid problems that may arise in the event of stolen, lost, damaged SIMs or the need to upgrade SIM cards,” he said.

While asserting that compliance with the stipulated procedures for SIM replacement will forestall identity theft, fraudulent SIM swap and other deceitful activities that can be carried out with a SIM card, Idehen noted that SIM registration is significant to personal and national security.

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He informed the listeners that, in accordance with the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Registration, all SIM replacements shall be undertaken by the service providers or their licensed agents in a controlled environment to eliminate the recurrent complaints of inconclusive SIM replacement procedures. He said such experiences have resulted in subscribers being defrauded by cyber fraudsters.

Idehen also advised telecom consumers to be wary of fake SIM registration agents purporting to be working for MNOs with the intent to defraud unsuspecting subscribers. He said one of the antics of such agents is to ask for the one-time password (OTP) forwarded to the consumer for activation of the SIM, especially after the SIM replacement process has been done. He warned telecom consumers to be wary of such scams.

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TECHDIGEST – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has strongly warned telecoms consumers to ensure they do not allow their National Identification Number (NIN) to be linked to another person’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, no matter how close the person is to them.
The Commission gave the warning during its third run Telecom Consumer Town Hall on Radio (TCTHR) programme, broadcast live on Human Rights Radio, 101.1 FM in Abuja recently. The event was hosted on the platform of ‘NCC Digital Signature on Radio’.

The NCC Digital Signature on Radio is the flagship radio programme of the Commission created to educate the general public on the mandates of the Commission and for sharing salient, consumer-centric and up-to-date information on how NCC is delivering on its mandates.

Speaking during the radio programme focused on ‘the Benefits of NIN-SIM Integration’, Efosa Idehen, NCC’s Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, said “On no account should a telecom consumer, however circumstanced, allow another person to register a SIM with another person’s NIN.”

Idehen said compliance with this advice will protect the true owner of the NIN from any liabilities or negative consequences arising from the use of other person’s SIM.

“If the person, whose SIM is linked to your line use his own SIM to commit crimes or any form of atrocities, it is easy to be traced to you and then, you will be dealt with because the SIM is linked to your NIN,” he said.

During the phone-in segment of the radio programme, which lasted two hours, consumers within Nigeria and in the diaspora, especially from the United Kingdom (UK), Russia and neighbouring countries like Ghana, among others, were able to call and get clarifications on concerns they had regarding the ongoing NIN-SIM integration in Nigeria.

Discussions largely focused on educating consumers on NIN and its purpose, process of obtaining NIN, why consumers are being asked to submit their NIN to their Mobile Network Service Providers, the benefits of NIN-SIM linkage, relationship between NIN and Bank Verification Number (BVN) registration, the step-by-step approach to linking NIN to SIM, and the role and uses of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) *346# in the NIN-SIM integration activities.

Efosa was joined in the studio by NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who was represented by an Assistant Director in the department, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan; and a Deputy Director, Projects Department of NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, who jointly educated consumers on the various aspects of NIN-SIM integration exercise.

Other panelists include Mistura Aruna, NCC’s Head, Consumer Information and Education; Kayode Adegoke, head, Corporate Communication, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as well as representatives of mobile operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile.

During the radio programme, telecoms consumers were reminded repeatedly of the October 31, 2021 deadline for NIN-SIM integration.

The Federal Government had extended the deadline earlier giving for the completion of the NIN-SIM linkage to 31st October 2021.

The two-hour discussion programme, which was also livestreamed on the social media, recorded broader participation than its forerunners due to a combination of the regular radio listenership with viewership on Human Rights Radio’s social media assets.

Thus, it achieved NCC’s objective of using a mass medium to expand its reach to telecom consumers to enhance their protection through information sharing, and education in order to improve the quality of consumer experience with telecom services in Nigeria.

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