NCC committed to advancement of local content and overall development of  Nigerian economy- Maida

Oru Leonard 

Executive Vice Chairman/CEO
Nigerian Communications commission, Dr. Aminu Maida has said that the Commission is fully committed to the advancement of local content and the overall development of the Nigerian economy.

Dr Maida stated this in his speech during at the “NCC SPECIAL DAY”, at the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair organized by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA). on Wednesday, 27 February, 2024.

“We recognize the importance of deepening the local content value chain as a critical driver for economic sustainability and growth. The NCC remains dedicated to fostering an enabling environment for telecommunications industry, where local content and innovation can thrive as this is one of the most critical thrust of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. We cannot overemphasize the fact that robust local content value chain will not only create economic opportunities but also contribute to technological advancement, job creation, and skills development within the country.
In line with our commitment to supporting local content, the NCC has implemented various initiatives to promote indigenous participation in the telecommunications sector. The Nigerian Office for Development of Indigenous Telecommunications Sector (NODITS), a critical unit in our Digital Economy Department and our Research and Development Department, encourages local manufacturing and assembly of telecommunications equipment, promotes local software development, and supports initiatives aimed at enhancing digital skills and entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth” he buttressed.

On Consumer Education Outreach Programmes: These programs include the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP), Telecom Town Halls on Radio (TTR), Telecom Consumer Conservation (TCC), Professionals’ Dialogue, Market Square Conversation, Village Square Dialogue, Television (TV) Dialogue, and Trade Fairs such as this one today.
Consumer Complaints Management (CCM): The Commission created various channels of lodging complaints which include:
       NCC Toll-Free 622 Contact Centre which is available between 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily except on Sundays and Public holidays.
       Consumer Portal http://consumer.ncc.gov.ng
       E-mail: Consumers can send mail to (consumerportal@ncc.gov.ng)
       Consumer X account @Consumersncc
       Written complaints submitted to NCC Head Office here in Abuja or any of our Zonal Offices in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Kano States.
Development of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code: this was established in 2016 for telecom consumers to stop unsolicited text messages and nuisance calls. To activate the FULL DND service to stop all unsolicited messages & calls, Text “STOP” to 2442 and for PARTIAL DND service, Text “HELP” to 2442 to select the type of messages you want to receive.
Development of Mobile Number Portability (MNP): It ensures that telecom consumers can switch from one network to another without changing their original Phone Number.

Maida said disclosed tthe Commission partners with Law Enforcement agencies to protect Telecom Infrastructure: The Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with law enforcement agencies such as the Police and National Security and Civil Defence Corps to help protect telecom infrastructure from vandalization.
Campaign against Sales & Buying of Pre-registered SIM Cards: Telecom Consumers should be aware that buying pre-registered SIM cards is a criminal offense in Nigeria.

On Roll-Over of Data: Service Providers have been directed to Roll-Over unused data at the expiration of a data plan provided it is renewed within the stipulated time frame as approved below:
1.     One (1) day data plan has one (1) day to renew.
2.     Above one (1) day but less than thirty (30) days has a grace period of three days to renew.
3.     Thirty (30) days has seven (7) days to renew.
On Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja: The TELCARE desk was set up to further provide additional platform to make enquiries on consumer issues; receive and facilitate the resolution of telecom consumer complaints. The TELCARE Desk is also for advocacy on any thematic telecom consumer issue or concerns and most importantly, an avenue for enhancing awareness of the Commission’s activities.
On Harmonized Short Codes: The Nigerian Communications Commission had on May 17, 2023, directed all licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to commence implementation of approved Harmonized Short Codes (HSC) for providing services to Nigerian telecom consumers. The measure initiated by the Commission is a bid to improve the Quality of Experience (QoE) of consumers across all mobile networks. The new initiative is enabling consumers using the over 224 million active mobile telephone lines in Nigeria to use the same codes to access services across all networks. For instance, the same code *310# will be used for checking airtime balance across all the networks.
Campaign on National Identification Number – Subscriber Identification Module (NIN-SIM) Linkage – NIN-SIM Linkage is a process of connecting your NIN to your phone number to authenticate and protect your identity.
To link your NIN to your SIM, a subscriber needs to submit his/her NIN to their respective Service Provider to complete the process of NIN-SIM linkage. For subscribers who do not have the National Identification Number (NIN), they can obtain theirs from National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) Enrolment Centres or Your Service Providers Customer Care Centres, and you need a valid ID Card and BVN for enrolment. A subscriber can also link his/her NIN to his/her SIM by sending NIN- your 11 digit NIN to 996 or Dial *996* Your 11 Digit NIN# and follow the prompts. A telecoms subscriber can link his/her NIN to as many as 4 mobile phone numbers per Mobile Network.
One major objective of linking subscribers’ NIN to SIM is to help improve and enhance national security in the country.

He emphasized that as a matter of critical national security, Telecom Consumers must link their NIN to the SIM. To this end, the Commission has directed all telecommunication operators to bar phone lines of subscribers whose lines are not linked to their NINs on or before February 28, 2024.