NCC boss highlights commitment to local content, economic growth at Kaduna International Trade Fair

The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, delivered a speech on Tuesday, February 27, at the “NCC Special Day” during the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair. The event, organized by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), served as a platform for Dr. Maida to highlight the significance of the trade fair’s theme, “Sustaining Economic Recovery through Deepening Local Content Value Chain,” which aligns with the NCC’s mission of promoting local content development in Nigeria’s telecom industry.

In his address, Dr. Maida expressed his pleasure at being part of the event, emphasizing that the theme of the trade fair resonates deeply with the principles and objectives of the NCC. He noted that the NCC, as an independent national regulatory authority overseeing telecommunications services in Nigeria, is committed to creating a dynamic regulatory environment that ensures universal access to affordable and equitable services, which, in turn, supports the nation’s economic growth.

Dr. Maida elaborated on the NCC’s role as a regulator, emphasizing its dedication to ensuring the availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of telecommunications services for all categories of consumers. He pointed out that the commission’s efforts are aimed at leveraging ICT and telecoms to drive personal and business activities across the country, thereby contributing to economic recovery and growth.

The NCC, Dr. Maida stated, is fully committed to advancing local content and supporting the overall development of the Nigerian economy. He underscored the importance of deepening the local content value chain as a critical driver of economic sustainability, technological advancement, job creation, and skills development within Nigeria.

One of the key initiatives highlighted by Dr. Maida was the establishment of the Nigerian Office for the Development of Indigenous Telecommunications Sector (NODITS). This unit, housed within the NCC’s Digital Economy Department, plays a crucial role in promoting local manufacturing and assembly of telecommunications equipment, encouraging local software development, and supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing digital skills and entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth.

Dr. Maida also mentioned the NCC’s ongoing efforts to support local innovators through various programs and competitions. In 2023, the commission sponsored several hackathons, which resulted in three winners emerging in critical areas of innovation, including blockchain-enabled data protection solutions, assistive technology solutions for the elderly and people with disabilities, and technology solutions for renewable energy in rural areas.

In addition to promoting local content, the NCC has remained steadfast in its commitment to consumer protection and empowerment. Dr. Maida emphasized that ensuring consumers have access to high-quality telecommunications services and are well-informed about their rights and responsibilities is a priority for the commission. He stressed that an empowered consumer base is essential for driving demand and sustaining the growth of the local content value chain.

The NCC’s efforts, according to Dr. Maida, are not only focused on regulatory functions but also on creating an enabling environment where local content and innovation can thrive. He noted that these efforts are in line with the broader objectives of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, which aims to foster a robust local content value chain in Nigeria.

Dr. Maida concluded his speech by reaffirming the NCC’s dedication to fostering innovation and supporting the growth of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the commission’s initiatives would continue to yield positive results, contributing to the nation’s economic recovery and the development of a sustainable digital economy.

The “NCC Special Day” at the Kaduna International Trade Fair provided an opportunity for the NCC to showcase its commitment to local content development and its role in driving economic growth through the telecommunications sector. Dr. Maida’s remarks set the tone for continued collaboration between the NCC, industry stakeholders, and consumers to achieve these goals.

He said: “As we participate in this trade fair, we urge all stakeholders, including telecommunications operators, equipment manufacturers, software developers, and consumers, to embrace the ethos of promoting local content. By working together, we can create a more vibrant and inclusive telecommunications industry that contributes significantly to Nigeria’s economic recovery and growth. It may interest you to know that as of Q3 of 2023, the telecoms industry’s contribution to the nation’s GDP stood at 13.5% (Source – Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report, November 2023 – A publication of the National Bureau of Statistics)

“Conversely, as we promote economic growth through the development of local content, we must also address the challenges faced by consumers and NCC is committed to protecting their rights while ensuring their satisfaction. We therefore encourage businesses and service providers to prioritize customer satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service delivery.

“With our keen interest and commitment to consumer protection, the NCC has implemented measures to safeguard the interests of consumers and businesses alike. We have established a robust regulatory framework that promotes transparency, quality of service, and fair competition. Additionally, we have set up channels for consumer redress, ensuring that consumers can resolve disputes in a timely and efficient manner. We have also established seamless programs that will Protect, Inform and Educate (PIE Mandate) telecom consumers through various consumer-centric initiatives such as:

“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.

The 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 offence in Nigeria. Direction 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:

One (1) day data plan has one (1) day to renew.
Above one (1) day but less than thirty (30) days has a grace period of three days to renew.
Thirty (30) days has seven (7) days to renew.

“Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja: The TELCARE desk was set up to further provide an additional platform to make enquiries on consumer issues; and 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.

“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. 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.

“Permit me to conclude by expressing our gratitude to the organizers of the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair for providing this platform for fruitful engagement and collaboration. I wish to implore all participants to take full advantage of the opportunities presented here to deepen our collective commitment to sustaining economic recovery through the promotion of local content in the telecommunications sector.

“Finally, I also encourage you to take time to visit the NCC Pavilion at the exhibition ground to make inquiries, know more about the activities of the Commission, and meet face-to-face with representatives of Service Providers, who are ready and willing to attend to your complaints or enquiries concerning their network. Thank you, and I wish you all a successful and productive trade fair.”