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Tag: Adeolu Akande

  • Nigerians inundate NCC with complaints about exceedingly fast data depletion

    Nigerians inundate NCC with complaints about exceedingly fast data depletion

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has been inundated with frequent complaints from consumers on fast depletion of their internet data.

    Its Chairman, Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande, made this known on Thursday at the NCC fifth edition of Campus Conversation held at the University of Ibadan.

    The commission, however, sensitised students of the university on how to manage their data usage on mobile telecommunications network to reduce the rate of data depletion.

    Akande, represented by Mrs Afure Iloka, Special Assistant to the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, said that consumers’ complaints were the reason why NCC, through its Consumers Affairs Bureau (CAB), embarked on sensitisation exercise.

    According to him, this is to educate telecommunications consumers on various ways to manage their internet data.

    He said that the campus conversation initiative sought to educate students on the various consumers centric initiatives of NCC toward protecting the telecommunications consumers against unfair practice by Service Providers.

    “This initiative is consistent with the mandate of the Commission to Protect, Inform and Educate the Nigerian Telecom Consumers.

    “One of the mandates of the commission is the ‘Protection of the rights and interests of Consumers’.

    “This can only be achieved when consumers are well informed and educated on their rights and obligations as telecom consumers.

    “This conversation is also in tandem with the Strategic Management Plan (SMP 2020-2024) of the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, which is to improve quality of experience and stakeholders’ satisfaction.

    “The conversation strengthens our focus on the protection of the rights, privileges and interests of telecommunications consumers, including people living with disability and the elderly through information dissemination,” Akande said.

    Also, the Head of Consumers Affairs, Mr Ayanbanji Ojo, said that a consumer would experience high rate of data depletion when such consumer turn on automatic updates of apps, videos and pictures to the cloud on smartphones.

    Ojo said that faster download speeds due to 4G coverage and downloading on higher defaults video formats like 5G and 4G compared to 3G and 2G mobile network could also result to high rate of data depletion.

    He noted that consumers could manage their data usage by the use of data compression in phone browsers, disable mobile data when internet connection not needed and by reducing video streaming quality from video sites such as YouTube.

    In his remarks, Mr Babagana Digima, Team Lead, Nigeria Office for Developing Indigenous Telecoms Sectors(NODITS), said that Nigerian youths remain greatest assets within the telecom ecosystem in the country.

    Digima, an engineer, noted that involvement of youths in indigenous telecommunications innovation would bring fresh perspectives and new ideas, which would drive meaningful change in the indigenous telecommunications sector.

    Responding, Mrs Adewole Adeyinka, President, UI Students Union Government (SUG), lauded the efforts of NCC on data usage sensitisation initiative and other programmes targeted at youths development.

    Adeyinka urged NCC management to improve on its support programmes for students through provisions of Laptops and other educational materials that would ensure smooth academic process.

    The conversation also featured cyber security and child online protection lecture.

  • NCC seeks judiciary’s interest in ICT trends

    NCC seeks judiciary’s interest in ICT trends

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is seeking the nation’s judiciary to be part of Information Communications Technology (ICT) trends, whose impact has now affected ways that justice is delivered across the world.

    The leadership of the Commission made the call during a workshop organized for Nigerian judges which started in Lagos on Tuesday with the theme: “The digital world and the future of adjudication,” with judges from the federal and state high courts, and appeal courts in attendance.

    Speaking at the 18th annual capacity-building workshop, the Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande, urged the legal luminaries to make greater contributions towards Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development in Nigeria.

    While stating the centrality of a functional adjudicatory system as a bedrock for any civilised society, Akande said there was the need to constantly equip judicial officers with the requisite skills for effectual adjudication, especially in the digitized world, where the rate if technology development t is fast ahead of laws.

    Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, in his address, said the Internet comes with several challenges, hence the need for judges to be exposed to the benefits as well as the challenges associated with new technologies.

    The EVC said through the workshop, judges will be exposed to disruptive technologies, the rights of data subjects, and jurisdictional issues in the digital age, which have continued to make the ICT industry a dynamic one.

    “The increased reliance on telecommunications, as well as the growth experienced in the sector, has introduced some issues of legal connotation which will be deliberated upon by various experts during this workshop. One of such issues is the ownership of online content and materials.

    “So, it is envisaged that with the increase in the amount of online content, as well as the economic value attached to it, there will be a rise in conflicts as to ownership of online content and materials.

    “It is necessary that your lordships are well prepared for the imminent increase in litigation in this area. Furthermore, with an increase in the number of transactions and businesses taking place in the online space, it is also expedient for your lordships to be exposed to the peculiarities of adjudicating conflicts in this era of digital presence and online identity,” he said.

    He stated that the Commission conceived the idea of the forum, as part of its strategic partnership and collaboration, as a forum to further build the capacity of the distinguished judges with practical insights on these emerging issues in the field of telecommunications.

    “Hopefully, this workshop will illuminate these challenges and proffer ways to meet the dynamics of the changing times. I, therefore, enjoin you to freely make contributions and raise issues that would assist the commission in coming up with adequate regulatory measures that would enhance development in the communications sector of the economy.  We assure you that every view expressed would be respected and considered in this regard,” he said.

    On his part, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, commended the Commission for the annual forum while assuring the telecom regulatory of the commitment of the judiciary to using technology for justice dispensation as well as support a more robust legal ecosystem for sustaining socio-economic growth of Nigeria through telecoms sector.

    Represented by Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Ariwoola said, through the use of ICT, the judiciary has improved, not just in judicial administration and services, but also in infrastructural development.

    Ariwoola said regardless of the benefits of digitalisation there are bound to be liabilities and risks involved with its introduction and usage as she highlighted such risks to include Cyber Crime, data piracy, and hacking among several other vices.

    “Our judicial system has been challenged with delays in dispensing justice. However, with the introduction of ICT into the judicial space, many of the difficulties associated with the conventional methods are gradually being dispensed with,” he said.

    The Chief Justice said the path to effective and efficient justice delivery in Nigeria lies in the collective ability to continuously improve the nation’s justice sector with the use of ICT tools. “The Nigerian judiciary is committed to achieving lasting structural and ethical reforms that would reposition it to adequately meet the aspirations of court users and the public for the reliable, effective and efficient administration of justice through the use of ICT,” he said.

  • Olubadan of Ibadan backs clamour for protection of telecom infrastructure

    Olubadan of Ibadan backs clamour for protection of telecom infrastructure

    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.

    Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, Efosa Idehen, 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.

  • NCC restates commitment to fund research as VCs attend roundtable

    NCC restates commitment to fund research as VCs attend roundtable

    Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, has restated the commitment of the Commission to commit more funds to research and prototypes resulting from grants from the Commission to the academia.

    This is coming at the backdrop of the recent revelation that the Commission has committed more than N500 million in funding research across the Nigerian universities.

    Akande told a gathering of vice chancellors and professors from universities in the southern parts of the country at a roundtable conference at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, that the Commission acknowledges the importance of working with stakeholders to engender innovations and build indigenous technological capabilities that would strengthen the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem.

    “We want to use this opportunity to assure you that the Commission will continue to give support to the educational sector in the interest of national development. We will also continue to encourage research and innovation in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions,” Akande said, explaining that the essence of the roundtable was to dialogue with the academia, industry and other stakeholders on how research efforts and prototypes can be transformed into commercially-viable products that solve real-life problems.

    “Consequently, the Commission will continue to allocate the requisite resources to research, development and innovations necessary for the industry to continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country,” Akande said.

    Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, represented by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services of the Commission, Josphine Amuwa, said academia is a key driver of innovation in all spheres of human endeavour.

    He said this is why his leadership at the Commission is determined to not only give grants to the academia but also support the commercialisation of the prototypes developed to deepen the indigenous technological capabilities which would support the overall development of the industry.

    NCC Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, who was represented by Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the Commission, Bako Wakil, revealed that the Commission had, so far, awarded a total of 49 telecom-based research grants to the academia out of which 10 prototypes have been successfully developed.

    “We are hopeful that these sessions will culminate in the development of a common framework that would facilitate the commercialisation of the existing prototypes and future research outcomes (prototypes) for the benefit of the economy and the industry,” he stated.

    Coming shortly after a similar roundtable in Kano for the northern region, the event organised by the research prototypes and Development R&D Department of the Commission, was aimed at bringing together Resources persons, business savvy industry experts, the academia, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), entrepreneurs and renowned individuals who have successfully commercialised their inventions to brainstorm on the way forward for research output commercialisation.

  • NCC restates commitment to fund research as VCs attend roundtable

    NCC restates commitment to fund research as VCs attend roundtable

    Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, has restated the commitment of the Commission to commit more funds to research and prototypes resulting from grants from the Commission to the academia.

    This is coming at the backdrop of the recent revelation that the Commission has committed more than N500 million in funding research across the Nigerian universities.

    Akande told a gathering of vice chancellors and professors from universities in the southern parts of the country at a roundtable conference at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, that the Commission acknowledges the importance of working with stakeholders to engender innovations and build indigenous technological capabilities that would strengthen the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem.

    “We want to use this opportunity to assure you that the Commission will continue to give support to the educational sector in the interest of national development. We will also continue to encourage research and innovation in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions,” Akande said, explaining that the essence of the roundtable was to dialogue with the academia, industry and other stakeholders on how research efforts and prototypes can be transformed into commercially-viable products that solve real-life problems.

    “Consequently, the Commission will continue to allocate the requisite resources to research, development and innovations necessary for the industry to continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country,” Akande said.

    Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, represented by the Director, Legal and Regulatory Services of the Commission, Josphine Amuwa, said academia is a key driver of innovation in all spheres of human endeavour.

    He said this is why his leadership at the Commission is determined to not only give grants to the academia but also support the commercialisation of the prototypes developed to deepen the indigenous technological capabilities which would support the overall development of the industry.

    NCC Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, who was represented by Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at the Commission, Bako Wakil, revealed that the Commission had, so far, awarded a total of 49 telecom-based research grants to the academia out of which 10 prototypes have been successfully developed.

    “We are hopeful that these sessions will culminate in the development of a common framework that would facilitate the commercialisation of the existing prototypes and future research outcomes (prototypes) for the benefit of the economy and the industry,” he stated.

    Coming shortly after a similar roundtable in Kano for the northern region, the event organised by the research prototypes and Development R&D Department of the Commission, was aimed at bringing together Resources persons, business savvy industry experts, the academia, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), entrepreneurs and renowned individuals who have successfully commercialised their inventions to brainstorm on the way forward for research output commercialisation.

  • NCC Chairman decries theft, vandalism of telecom infrastructure

    NCC Chairman decries theft, vandalism of telecom infrastructure

    The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has decried the theft and vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure across the country.

    NCC Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande decried the theft and vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure across the country on Friday at the inauguration of Village Square Dialogue in Ibadan.

    The Village Square Dialogue is an NCC telecommunication consumer outreach programme at the grassroots.

    Akande said there was need to protect telecommunication infrastructure toward ensuring quality service delivery.

    He said that there was also need for stakeholders and consumers to protect telecommunication infrastructure, because
    security agencies in the country could not be at the sites all the time.

    The NCC chairman said that without the telecommunication infrastructure, banking, finance, education, entertainment and effective communication with distant family members, would be difficult.

    Akande said that the outreach programme was designed to engage stakeholders in the sector.

    “We are here in Ibadan to discuss one of the most important issues affecting protection of telecommunication infrastructure.

    “Telecommunication infrastructure are important and we must ensure we take it as critical national infrastructure.

    “We need cooperation of members of the public and consumers to protect the infrastructure.

    “We are doing this across the country to seek support of Nigerians and telecommunication service providers,” he said.

    Also, Mr Efosa Idehen, the NCC Director of Consumers Affairs Bureau, said that mandate of the Bureau was to protect, inform and educate consumers on the need to protect communication infrastructure.

    Idehen said that protection of public infrastructure was a collective efforts and not only the NCC.

    “Let’s all work together to ensure that the infrastructure is protected for better and quality delivery,” he said.

    Commenting, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, the Chairman, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), thanked NCC for effective regulation of the nation’s communication sector.

    Ibikunle thanked the NCC chairman for counting Ibadan worthy for the senstisation programme.

    In his remarks, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, describing the event as a welcome development, urged people to cooperate with NCC toward securing telecommunication gadgets.

  • WCRD 2022: NCC assures of robust digital infrastructure for improved financial services

    WCRD 2022: NCC assures of robust digital infrastructure for improved financial services

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerate deployment of robust broadband infrastructure accessible to all Nigerians. This is to enhance their access to the required resources to carry out seamless digital financial services, irrespective of their locations and circumstances.

    The Commission gave the assurance at a programme organised to commemorate Year 2022 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD). At the programme which took place at the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, and implemented in the context of the global theme: ‘Fair Digital Finance’, the Management of NCC announced the establishment of a dedicate desk, tagged: “TELCARE” to be operated across the country to enhance telecoms consumer protection.

    Attendance and participation at the event, operated in-person and virtually, was overwhelming. Board members, senior management and staff of the Commission, collaborating agencies and other critical industry stakeholders were among the participants. The event also ran concurrently with a roadshow carried out in Abuja and other NCC zonal offices in different parts of the country, to enlighten telecom consumers on the significance of the WCRD and to engage them on the NCC’s unwavering commitment to consumer protection.

    Speaking at the event, the Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, said in line with NCC’s mandates, the Board and Management have been upbeat in implementing regulatory initiatives aimed at building a robust digital ecosystem to drive the frontier of digital economy with positive impacts on all other sectors in the nation’s economy.

    Alluding to the theme of the WCRD 2022, Akande said considering the increasing number of telecom consumers who are also users of digital finance services, the Commission is working assiduously to ensure that all consumers, including the most vulnerable, are provided with access to manage their finances, and protected from scams, fraud, and phishing to safeguard their data.

    Earlier in his keynote address, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the theme of this year’s WCRD aligns with the emerging realities of the regulatory goals of the Commission. He informed the audience that the Commission is aware of the dynamic changes in the telecom industry, even as the Commission consolidated the growth in the telecommunication sector since the sector’s liberalisation in 2001.

    Danbatta stated that the growth in the telecom industry has led to convergence in different sectors, especially between telecoms and financial service sector. According to him, there is no greater demonstration of this than the fact that financial transactions that were once conducted in-person at banking halls are now undertaken on consumers’ mobile devices. “Financial and commercial activities have been digitised, and the most common of this is the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), which has brought ease to financial transactions,” he said.

    Danbatta declared that NCC embarked on various initiatives including the licensing of Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos), effective utilization of spectrum, industry collaboration to address operators’ challenges, increased collaborations with relevant government agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria. A central objective of these initiatives is to ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of ubiquitous broadband services to drive growth in all sectors, including financial services sector.

    The EVC explained further that the Commission has been working hard to ensure that broadband penetration gets to every part of the country. He asserted that the number of active mobile subscriptions reached 195.4 million while Internet subscription has exceeded 141 million, because there has been increasing broadband penetration which stood at 40.88 per cent as at December 2021.

    “Despite some of the challenges confronting the sector, telecommunications remained an enablers of growth in the Nigerian economy, in the year 2021. The Information and Communications sector contributed over N17 trillion to the nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics,” Danbatta said to put the contribution of telecom and ICT in context that the audience could relate with.

    Also, consistent with NCC’s focus to ensure that consumers get satisfaction, Danbatta disclosed that the Commission had finalised arrangements to establish the Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk. The Desk, he said, will be strategically located in different parts of the county to serve as an additional platform to receive and facilitate the resolution of consumer complaints.

    According to him, the Desk will also provide a means through which consumers and citizens can make inquiries on consumer issues; provide a platform for advocacy on any topical consumer issues and concerns, and further enhance awareness of the Commission’s activities. He said the Desk will complement other existing initiatives of the Commission aimed at protecting the interest, privileges and rights of the consumers.

    The EVC’s submissions were underscored by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, who declared that the theme of the WCRD is a reminder that “we all have the responsibility to protect the consumer from market abuses, exploitation, and injustices that erode the consumer’s rights, especially with respect to using digital financial services.”

    Representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), CBN, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators (ALTON), the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF), National Disability Empowerment Forum (NDEF), telecom operators, among other stakeholders, commended the Commission for all its consumer-centric initiatives and assured of their continuing collaboration towards creating a safer cyber space for digital service users in Nigeria.

    Earlier, as part of the activities slated for this year’s commemoration of the WCRD, the NCC had, on Monday, March 14, 2022, organised a debate for secondary school students in Abuja. The debate focused on how the students use mobile devices to enhance their academic performances. The Commission seized the opportunity of the debate to enlighten the students on their rights and privileges, and to discuss other activities of the Commission.