Danbatta restates NCC’s commitment to telecoms consumers’ wellbeing, highlights SVP 2021-2025

*The Nigerian Communications Commission has emphasised the strategic place of consumer protection and wellbeing as well as the five consumer-centric items of the new NCC Strategic Vision Plan (SVP 2021-2025) in the advancement of telecommunications industry in the country

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Nigerian Communications Commission as the foremost telecoms sector regulator in the West African country has restated its commitment to protecting and empowering consumers, whether individuals or corporate consumers, from unfair practices.

ConsumerConnect reports Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, recently harped on this core mandate of the regulatory Commission.

Nigerian telecoms consumers

Prof. Danbatta stressed that the Commission places greater priority on consumers because of their importance in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

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Represented at the ‘NCC Day’ at the just concluded 35th Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF), at the Tawafa Balewa Square (TBS), in Lagos, by Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs of the Commission, the NCC EVC/CEO said that the telecoms regulator lays much emphasis on the protection of consumers because without them, operators and the regulator would be out of business.

The NCC is committed to protecting and empowering consumers, whether individuals or corporate consumers, from unfair practices, stated he.

Danbatta further said: “NCC is the agency driving the digital transformation we are seeing in our economy today.

“One area that the Commission pays greater priority to is how our consumers – Yes, you as telecoms consumers – are treated by the service providers.

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“This is why at NCC, we continue to treat consumers as Kings and Queens; of course, that is who they are, because without the consumer both the regulator and the operators have no business.”

According to him, this is based on regulatory mandate of ensuring that telecoms consumers deserve to get value for their money, and to be treated as a very important stakeholder in the scheme of things in the country’s economy.

The EVC/CEO, therefore, said in line with NCC consumer-centric initiatives, the Commission launched a new Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) recently.

The SVP, Danbatta said, articulated the Commission’s policies and regulatory implementation roadmaps for five years, covering 2020-2025.

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He also said that the new roadmap, a 5-Point Agenda, has the overarching objective of increasing connectivity and service experience for the consumers.

Danbatta further noted that the document is like the first Strategic Vision Plan for 2015-2020, which focused special attention on empowerment and protection of consumers.

The NCC Chief, therefore,  highlighted the five consumer-centric items of the new SVP 2021-2025 as Organisational Renewal for Operational Efficiency and Regulatory Excellence.

According to Danbatta, the items include: Facilitating the Provision of Infrastructure for a Digital Economy to foster national development; promoting fair competition, inclusive growth, increased investment and innovative services.

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He stated others as improving Quality of Service (QoS) for enhanced consumer Quality of Experience (QoE); and facilitating strategic collaboration and partnership.

The SVP 2021-2025 will “generally focus on excellence and efficiency of our regulatory activities and ensure increased connectivity to telecoms consumers,” he said.

The application of the policy framework would be through deployment of robust infrastructure and newest technology, such as 5G networks, recently approved by the Federal Government for deployment by Q1 2022 in the country.

The Commission was set for implementation aimed at ensuring robust, available, accessible and affordable Broadband/telecoms service delivery to consumers.

Danbatta also said that the document would also provide a level-playing ground for operators to thrive, promote investment, and delivery of innovative services to consumers, and ensure enhanced consumer quality of experience in the country’s economy.

NCC, he noted, also has the strategic collaboration and partnering, which also occupy a very strategic pillar of the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2021-2024.

It is the Commission’s expectation that the totality of outcomes from diligent implementation of all the five items, as contained in the new Strategic Vision Plan, would enhance consumer experience and satisfaction, Danbatta added.

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