The Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha, has expressed his appreciation for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and its various initiatives aimed at protecting telecom consumers. Among these initiatives was the recent Village Square Dialogue (VSD), which took place over the weekend in Yola, Adamawa State.
Representing Lamido Adamawa at the Consumer Conversation program, Prof. Abubakar Tahir, also known as Kakakin Adamawa, praised the NCC for organizing the event with the theme “Know Your Rights as Telecom Consumers.” He stated that it was a valuable opportunity for individual consumers and businesses in the state to engage with the regulator face-to-face and seek clarifications on telecom-related matters.
“We must commend the NCC for its exceptional efforts in consumer education and awareness. Beyond its regulatory role, the NCC has demonstrated a strong commitment to disseminating crucial consumer information. We are grateful for bringing such a commendable initiative to the people of Adamawa,” he said.
The royal representative advised the Commission to explore further avenues that could lead to the reduction of telecom service costs and ensure widespread availability of services across the country. He emphasized the importance of providing cheaper, better, and more accessible telecommunications services to all communities in Nigeria.
Alkasim Umar, the Director of Consumer Affairs, represented the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and highlighted the regulator’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the rights of telecom consumers and facilitate a conducive environment for licensed service providers to deliver quality services.
“The NCC remains dedicated to its mandate of protecting, informing, and educating consumers of telecom services throughout all 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Events like the Village Square Dialogue foster face-to-face interactions between the NCC, service providers, and consumers,” Umar explained.
He further outlined some of the consumer-centric initiatives of the Commission, such as the introduction of harmonized shortcodes to provide uniform access to various consumer services across all networks, the NCC Toll-Free Number (622) for lodging complaints, the 112 Emergency Number for emergencies, and the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code to block unsolicited messages.
According to Umar, information and education are paramount in empowering telecom consumers and protecting their rights and interests. He emphasized that the NCC’s initiatives would enlighten consumers, clarify issues, and empower them to make informed decisions in the digital world dominated by telecommunications services.
Umar praised the decision to sensitize people about their consumer rights, privileges, and expectations from telecom businesses in the country. This ongoing commitment from the NCC is crucial in ensuring a fair and transparent telecom market for all Nigerian consumers.
