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Tag: Efosa Idehen

  • NCC rejigs for operational efficiency, senior staff redeployed

    NCC rejigs for operational efficiency, senior staff redeployed

    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.

    According to a statement released by Reuben Muoka, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, this is 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 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.

    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.

  • Full commercial launch of 5G in Nigeria on course – NCC

    Full commercial launch of 5G in Nigeria on course – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that the full commercial launch of the Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria is on course.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the Commission made the disclosure at the NCC Day held at the 17th Abuja International Trade Fair, Convention Centre on Tuesday.

    The NCC Day was held at the trade fair, which commenced on Friday with the theme: “Creating an Export-Ready Market Through SME Digitalisation“, to sensitise consumers on telecom services.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who made the disclosure, said that 5G network would bring substantial network improvements, higher connection speed, mobility, and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities to communications services in Nigeria.

    Danbatta, represented by Mr Efosa Idehen, Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, said that one of the licensees had launched the commercial 5G network on Sept. 18 in Lagos.

    “The deployment will start from the state capitals and gradually extend to other areas across the state. It is important to state that the 5G network will bring substantial network improvements, including higher connection speed, mobility, and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities to communications services in Nigeria. I am happy to inform you that one of the licensees has kicked off commercial launch in Lagos. Already, spectrum licences for the companies that will rollout service had been issued,” he said.

    Danbatta said that NCC would provide a level-playing ground for operators to thrive, promote investment and delivery of innovative services to individual consumers, SMEs and big business owners by ensuring enhanced consumer quality of experience.

    Earlier, the Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Efosa Idehen, said that the commission carries out its functions to ensure service availability, accessibility, affordability and sustainability for all categories of consumers.

    Edehen, represented by Mr Clement Omeife, Head, Consumer Protection and Advocacy, NCC, said that the commission was working to resolve issues of incessant complaints on data depletion, among others.

    “Currently, the commission is working on resolving the issue of incessant complaints on Data Depletion, as well as Fair Usage Policy on Unlimited Data Plan.

    “Others are compensation policies of Service Providers and the hidden Terms and Conditions that apply to services in the industry,” Omeife said.

    Mrs Doris Usman, a consumer, commended the NCC for bringing such gesture to the consumers and explaining to their understanding.

    “I thank this commission for coming all the way to give us this awareness on telecom services and how we can use the opportunity to leverage on it,” she said.

  • 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.

  • E-fraud threatening digital finance in Nigeria – NCC

    E-fraud threatening digital finance in Nigeria – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified e-fraud as the biggest risk in the digital finance sector of Nigeria, which the Commission said has widely affected electronic payment solutions in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports NCC’s Director of Consumer Affairs Bureau, Mr Efosa Idehen made this known at a Secondary Schools’ debate put together by the Commission in commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day on Monday in Abuja.

    Speaking at the 2022 World Consumer Rights Day event with the theme: “Fair Digital Finance”, Mr Idehen revealed that in tackling the threat, it will partner the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to rout e-fraud.

    Idehen said the event would create awareness and save consumers from e-fraud and educate the young ones in the proper use of e-channels for financial services.

    He quoted the CBN as saying, “e-fraud is costing the Nigerian financial sector whopping sums of money.

    “As technology evolves, there is a growing concern over the rising trend fraud perpetuated on telecom platforms across key sectors of the Nigerian economy known as e-fraud.

    “This menace, which follows wide acceptance of new methods of mobile banking and other payment systems has been discovered to cost the country whopping sums of money.

    The CBN rate e-fraud as the biggest risk in the sector which has widely affected electronic payment solutions.

    He gave such solutions as Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBBS) Instant Payment and mobile banking.

    The Director also said that attackers now targeted telecom networks with intentions to disrupt service delivery and infiltrate their data bank.

    He, however, said that the commission actively collaborated with critical stakeholders and other relevant bodies to fight against e-banking fraudsters.

    “To address this menace, the commission actively collaborates with critical stakeholders such as CBN, The Nigerian Police (NPF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “Others are Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and other relevant bodies in the fight against e-banking fraudsters.

    “ICT has played a central role in young people’s rise to prominence on a global scale and has given them voice where there was none before.

    “It has brought them together in response to social concerns and has connected them across vast geo-political barriers. ICT has also provided the youth access to digital financial services.

    “For young people, access to information means better access to capital, markets and training needed to pursue career or studies.

    He called on stakeholders to do more in bridging the gap in digital finance whilst protecting consumers and keeping them informed on safe financial services.

    The Country Director of Save the Consumer, Mr Aliyu Ilias, said the initiative had enjoyed six years partnership with the NCC.

    “Save the Consumer will continue to work with the Commission to save the consumer.

    “For the past six years that we have been in this partnership the relationship has been very cordial,” he said.

    The Director Digital Economy Department, NCC, Mr Augustine Nwaulune, educated the students on digital finance and how it had made buying and selling easier.

    Nwaunule promised to get in touch with all the students who came for the debate.

    TNG reports a total of nine Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) participated in the debate.

    The schools include: JSS Kayada, JSS Wuse zone 3, JSS Gwarinpa Estate, JSS Gwagwala Haj Camp, JSS Kwali, JSS Area 10, JSS Jabi, JSS Bwari Central, and JSS Garki.

    JSS Kayada emerged the overall winner, JSS Area 10 emerging first runner up while JSS Wuse zone 3 emerged second runner up respectively.

    NCC chose its theme for the debate as “Should Secondary School Students Use Mobile Phones To Enhance Education”.

  • Nigeria’s value added service market to reach $500 million in 2021

    Nigeria’s value added service market to reach $500 million in 2021

    Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that Nigeria’s Value Added Service (VAS) market is presently valued at N79 billion ($220 million), estimating the market to grow to about $500 million in 2021.

    The commission’s Director of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Mr Efosa Idehen, made this known during the 2nd Value Added Service (VAS) Stakeholders Forum on Tuesday in Lagos.

    Idehen said that VAS was an important component of the Nigerian telecommunications ecosystem necessary for optimising the benefits of telecommunication services to consumers.

    He added that VAS was non-core service, which were all services beyond standard voice calls, SMS and data products.

    According to him, VAS enables mobile network operators to develop additional revenue streams and can be used in any service industry for services available at little or no cost to promote their primary business

    “The Nigeria VAS market, which is presently valued at about N79 billion ($220 million) is estimated to grow to about $500 million in 2021.

    “The recent reform the commission embark on in the VAS segment of the market is a further recognition of significant role of VAS in the entire telecommunications ecosystem,” he said.

    The director said that like every services, there were both positive and negative impact of VAS on consumers but the positives far out weighed the negatives.

    He said that the commission therefore deemed it fit to find a balance between enabling the opportunities that the VAS providers offered to consumers while at the same time mitigating the challenges or inconvenience they could constitute to other consumers.

    According to him, in finding a balance, service providers are licensed by the commission and are allowed to operate and provide value added services to consumers.

    He added that “consumers are empowered through the Do Not Disturb (DND) facility to choose whether to allow or block access to these services on a full or partial basis.

    ”Consumers have been at the receiving end of unsolicited messages, fraudulent deduction of consumers’ credit for VAS not subscribed for, among others.

    ”And subscribers are asking if what the telecommunications companies and their third parties are adding is ‘value’ or ‘pain’ services,” he said.

    Idehen said that with that in mind, NCC introduced the DND number 2442, which empowered consumers to block all unsolicited messages and VAS services.

    He said that the commission issued a direction requesting that network providers should ensure that information on the DND service be disseminated after every revenue generating activity via the End of Call Notification (EOCN).

    The director said that the EOCN would run for the period not less than 45 days and within the hours of 8am to 8pm daily from the receipt of the latest letter on the subject.

    He said that the operators were also admonished to deploy this information through all their channels of communications.

    The channels of communications include websites, social media platforms, bill boards, flash messages, text messages, Interactive Voice Response platform, radio jingles, newspapers advertisements and television commercials.

     

  • NCC weighs pros, cons of Value Added Services

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Thursday said that the positive impact of Value Added Services (VAS) on consumers outweighed the negative impact.
    Mr Efosa Idehen, Director Compliance, Monitoring and enforcement, NCC made this known during the 1st Annual Nigeria Valued Added Services Stakeholder’s Forum held in Lagos.
    He said that the commission deemed it fit to find a balance between enabling the opportunities that the VAS providers offer to consumers, while at the same time mitigating the challenges constituted to other consumers.
    “So, while VAS providers are licensed by the commission and allowed to operate and provide services, consumers are also empowered through the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) facility to choose whether to allow or block access to VAS services,” Idehen said.
    The director said that the VAS service is an important component of the Nigerian telecommunication ecosystem necessary for optimising the benefits of telecom services to consumers.
    “VAS service has its advantages, as it encourages innovation, creativity and allows payment of utility bills.
    “It increases revenue for the government in taxes which is used in providing amenities for the benefit of consumers.
    “It has contributed in promoting financial inclusion policy of the government and facilitated the creation of wealth for many Nigerians.
    “The VAS services also reduce incidence of bank fraud, since most consumers get bank alerts, “he said.
    Idehen, however, said that the negative impact exposes consumers to receiving unsolicited messages, fraudulent deductions of consumers credit for VAS services not subscribed for, among others.
    “Most subscribers are forced to ask the question: Are the telcos and their third parties adding ‘value’ or ‘pain’ services?
    “Some major consumers’ concerns in respect to VAS services include spam messages, fraudulent bank alerts, forceful subscriptions, among others, “he said.
    The director also said that the commission was planning to stop auto-renewal, which was illegal and seen as a form of forceful subscription.
    Idehen said that consumers should be given the choice to choose whether they want to renew their subscription or not.
    He said that the commission was also planning to take action against VAS providers who force auto-renewal on consumers.
    Also speaking, Engr. Maska Ubale, Executive Commissioner Technical Services, NCC, said that the VAS forum was one of the laudable initiatives embarked on by the commission to develop effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders for sustainable ICT development.
    Ubale, who was represented by Mr Bako Wakil, Head, Technical Standards and Network Integrity Department, NCC, said that as the ICT ecosystem was transforming daily, VAS content developers would have to collaborate with other stakeholders in the telecom Industry.
    “This collaboration will be needed to drive the proliferation of applications that will meet the needs of consumers.
    “This forum is intended to create more awareness, guide participants in understanding the social and economic importance of collaboration in the telecom world where content is king, ” he said.
    Ubale also said that VAS licensees recorded by the commission in the last few years was an indication of the growing interest in the VAS segment of the telecom industry.
    He noted that the commission had also allocated short codes to about 233 VAS licensees for the provision of different services, which has enhanced service delivery in country’s telecom industry.