BPSR recognition for excellence: NCC sets new benchmarks for transparency, consumer protection - ITREALMS

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​The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has earned significant recognition from the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) for its commitment to transparency and service delivery, reports ITREALMS.

During the commemoration of the 2026 United Nations Public Service Day, the NCC was celebrated for its consistent progress in reform implementation and service delivery.

CVA 2025: Consumer’s verdict becomes the brand badge of honour by Elvis Eromosele - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian marketplace is undergoing a quiet revolution. One powered not by corporate boardrooms or marketing agencies, but by the people who matter most: the consumers. The Consumers Value Awards (CVA), organised by BrandXchange, is the platform that gives Nigerians the power to shape the nation’s business landscape through their votes.

The Consumers Value Awards (CVA) seek to recognise brands and government agencies for superior consumer satisfaction and value, determined solely by public votes. The awards aim to empower consumers by giving them a platform to express their opinions, hold companies accountable, and influence market practices.

Oyo gaming board engages stakeholders on innovation, consumer safety - ITREALMS

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The Oyo State gaming community have been urged to collaborate with the state government, regulators and consumer rights groups to bring about more innovations and consumer safety within the sector.

The Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board made this call at the 6th edition of the Stakeholders' Interactive Forum tagged “Boom or Burst,” which was organised by the Board on Wednesday.

Maida @93rd TCP: NCC's goal is consumer satisfaction - ITREALMS

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The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has declared that the goal of the Commission is for consumers to be consistently satisfied with telecom services, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the 93rd Telecoms Consumer Parliament (TCP) held at the Communications and Digital Economy Complex Auditorium in Abuja, last Thursday with the theme: "Optimizing Data Experience: Empowering Consumers through Awareness and Transparency in a Consumer-Centric Telecom Industry," he said, NCC is determined to consistently satisfy telecom consumers in the country.

TD Africa, Bosch boost ties on Nigerian consumer electronic market - ITREALMS

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To further showcase its acknowledgment and endorsement of the Nigerian-born, Africa-wide technology distribution company, TD Africa, a delegation of Robert Bosch GmbH, popularly known as BOSCH, has paid a courtesy visit to the tech distribution giant at its Victoria Island, Lagos, head office. 

This pivotal visit marks a renewed commitment of the German multinational engineering and technology company to TD Africa as the strategic ally for Bosch business in Nigeria.

NLNG calls for increased LPG consumer awareness to drive utilisation - ITREALMS

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Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has called for increased consumer awareness, especially in rural areas, on the use of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) to drive up utilisation and reduce associated risks from using biomass for cooking.

Speaking at the National Oil Companies Forum on Day Three of the 7th Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), through the company’s General Manager, Finance, Mrs Fatima Adanan, on Wednesday, underscored the need for a campaign that aims to transition biomass users to LPG for cooking in the market. She said the goal is to increase LPG usage in Nigeria, thereby altering the current energy mix and achieving deeper penetration of LPG.

Tracking solutions: 12.5m devices used in 2022 - ITREALMS

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of active consumer asset tracking devices in Europe and North America reached 12.5 million at the end of 2022. Growing at a CAGR of 18.4 percent the number of units in active use is estimated to reach 29.2 million units by the end of 2027. 

The market value is during the same period forecasted to grow from € 1.6 billion in 2022 to € 3.8 billion in 2027. Consumer asset tracking solutions utilizing wireless wide area networks such as cellular, satellite, LoRa or Sigfox can be divided into four main categories based on asset type – family and child tracking, pet tracking, vehicle tracking and general asset tracking. The vehicle category can be further divided into cars; motorcycles and mopeds; bicycles; caravans and motor caravans; leisure boats; and other consumer vehicles including ATVs and snowmobiles. The general asset tracking segment includes any type of asset, such as bags and luggage, keys, wallets, clothes, electronics, tools and sports equipment.

NCC: Time to ease consumer pain via unraveling data expiry dilemma by Elvis Eromosele - ITREALMS

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In recent years, the telecommunications landscape in Nigeria has witnessed exponential growth, with an increasing number of users relying on data services for communication and connectivity. Data service has become a tremendously successful market segment for telcos.

In Q3 2023, Nigeria's top mobile network operators, MTN and Airtel, collectively generated N403.2 billion from data services. MTN, the country's largest telecom operator, saw a 38.9 per cent increase, reaching N279.5 billion in data revenue compared to N201.1 billion in the same period the previous year. Airtel Nigeria experienced a 29.3 per cent growth, reporting N123.7 billion in data subscriptions for the quarter ending September 2023. Both telecom giants attribute this surge to heightened data consumption by their customers.

Navigating Digital Frontier: MediaConsortium confab2023 to explores consumer journey - ITREALMS

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Introduction
The consumer is the nucleus of all production and marketing activities. It is therefore important for brands to observe the consumer closely and pay particular attention to the consumer's journey if sustainable growth is the object.

In this digital age, experts argue that the consumer journey is more dynamic and interconnected than ever before. Brands that adapt to these changes and prioritize customer-centric approaches are more likely to succeed in this evolving landscape.

Lamido of Adamawa applauds NCC on consumer protection - ITREALMS

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The Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha, has commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on a range of its telecom consumer protection initiatives, including the recent Village Square Dialogue (VSD), which held at the weekend in Yola, Adamawa State.

Kakakin Adamawa, Prof. Abubakar Tahir, who represented Lamido Adamawa at the Consumer Conversation programme of the Commission with the theme: “Know Your Rights as Telecom Consumers” in Yola, said the event marked a privilege for individual telecom consumers and businesses in the state to ask questions and get face-to-face response from the regulator on telecom-related issues.

NCC tasks telcos on network security, consumer safety - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISP) in the country to comply with regulatory frameworks emplaced by the Commission towards ensuring security and safety of their networks for telecom consumers, reports ITREALMS.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, gave the charge at the 2023 annual Nigeria DigitalSense Forum, focused on Internet Governance for Development, which took place in Lagos recently.

NCC spotlights renewable energy @World Consumer Rights Day'23

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has concluded arrangements to host an event to mark the 2023 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) in Abuja with spotlight on its regulatory initiatives on clean energy usage in the telecoms sector.

ITREALMS recalled that the Commission since 2017, when it declared as Year of the Telecom Consumers and honoured telecom consumers by connecting with the global theme for the commemoration to celebrate the day with landmark activities, has continued to promote consumer protection and enlightenment.

Celebrating consumer value award - ITREALMS

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The value of a thing is intrinsic. It is hidden yet visible. It is the 'why' of a product or service. It is what it is purpose-fit for. It is said that value determines the acceptance or otherwise of a thing.

Typically, when awards are conferred, they are usually based on value, whether real or perceived. While the producer or supplier of a product or service can provide information about its product or service but only the user can effectively testify of its actual value.

NCC sets up TelCare Desk to enhance consumer protection - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has advanced plans to establish the Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk, reports ITREALMS.

The Desk, ITREALMS gathered from the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde in a press statement quoted the chief executive officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta as saying, 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.

Embracing embedded financing by Nigerian telecom consumers – ITREALMS

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Having lost his two phones and a HP laptop to ‘break and enter’ thieves recently, Femi, a resident of Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, headed to the Computer Village, Ikeja. REMMY NWEKE writes on Femi’s encounter and embrace of the embedded financing package to replace his lost devices with ease.

Devastated penultimate morning, Femi walked into one of the mobile phone shops, SLOT, at the Ikeja Computer Village, Lagos, to replace his stolen mobile phones and HP laptop, upon realizing they got missing from his window at his residence in Ipaja, a suburb of the commercial city.

*Some embedded finance service providers

Considering Femi just finished paying the school fees of his two children in a nearby private school and now faced with replacement of his work tool mobile devices as a content creator in upcoming firm, he was at first confused when approached by a sales girl, Nkiru, with an offer that he can actually pick a mobile phone or two and pay later.

Internet of Things: ETSI unveils cyber security for consumer - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has unveiled a technical specification aimed at solving all security challenges associated with consumer Internet of Things (IoT), reports ITREALMS.

The documentary tagged ‘Cyber Security for Consumer Internet of Things (IoT),’ and made available to ITREALMS, ETSI noted in the introduction that as more devices in the home connect to the internet, the cyber security of the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a growing concern, especially for consumers.

“People entrust their personal data to an increasing number of online devices and services. Products and appliances that have traditionally been offline are now becoming connected and need to be designed to withstand cyber threats,” part of the specification read.

The 16-page documentary produced by ETSI Technical Committee Cyber Security (CYBER), ITREALMS reports, brings together widely considered good practice in security for internet-connected consumer devices in a set of high-level outcome-focused provisions.

The objective of the present document, ITREALMS gathered, was to support all parties involved in the development and manufacturing of consumer IoT with guidance on securing their products.

Additionally, ITREALMS reports that the provisions are outcome-focused, rather than prescriptive, giving organizations the flexibility to innovate and implement security solutions appropriate for their products.

Further, ITREALMS reports that the document is not intended to solve all security challenges associated with consumer IoT. Rather, the focus is on the technical controls and organizational policies that matter most in addressing the most significant and widespread security shortcomings.

ETSI emphasised that as many IoT devices and services process and store personal data, the present document could help in ensuring that these are compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) [i.7].

Also, this document, ETSI said, could help organizations implement a future EU common cybersecurity certification framework as proposed in the Cybersecurity Act [i.13] and the proposed IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act in the United States.

Chuks Egbune/DoP

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Type approved equipment for consumer safety says NCC - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stressed the importance of type approved telecoms equipment, saying is for the safety of users and acceptable quality of service, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the second meeting of Type Approval Industry Working Group (TAIWG) in Lagos, Thursday, NCC through the Head of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engineer Bako Wakil, assured stakeholders of their safety as far as the working group and the Commission are concerned.

Wakil who made a presentation on “Implementing Voice over LTE Complaint Devices in Nigeria Telecommunications Ecosystem" said the meeting was part of the mandate provided for by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003) to ensure type approval of telecoms equipment.

“The Type Approval Working Group meeting was setup in September 2018 to educate and deliberate with relevant stakeholders in the industry on the importance of Type Approval on all Telecom equipment and how it impacts Quality of Service and health of users,” he said.

He also stated that NCC usually silent on types of technologies that licensees deploy to provide their services to consumers once there are no negative socio-economic impacts, and called on them to regularize their services.

Pointing out that Long Time Evolution (LTE) for instance, is a technology just like other technologies and there are challenges in LTE device market.

Some of these, he listed to include “Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Repair centres and clear warranty agreements; Assessment of Mobile Device impact on IoS and WoE; Multiband LTE devices are usually more expensive; and there are many multi frequency bands for LTE Devices in the world when compared to 2G and 3G devices.”

The Working Group Meeting was well attended by representatives of Equipment Manufacturers, Vendors, Network Operators and Type Approval Consultants.

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Pix: From left Engr. Edoyemi Ogah, Head, Quality of Service; Engr. Chukwuma Nwaiwu, Head, Wireless Networks; Engr. Bako Wakil, Head, Technical Standards and Network Integrity; Engr. S. Jumbo, Deputy Director, Spectrum Administration and Engr. Anthony Ikemefuna, Head, Fixed Networks and Converged Services.

NCC declares 2017 year of the consumer

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has declared 2017 the Year of the Consumer, just as it has set to flag off this strategic campaign on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 in Abuja, reports ITRealms.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC Tony Ojobo, said the Commission will use the flag off to unveil the strategy and series of activities aimed at empowering and protecting the consumers of telecommunications services in Nigeria.

Throughout the year, he also said, improving the experience of the consumer will be the major focus of the Commission working with other key stakeholders vital to the success of the campaign. 

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, was quoted as saying in Abuja that consumer protection and empowerment is one of the eight pillars of the 8- Point Agenda of his administration, revealed that the Commission is dedicating the year to the welfare of telecom consumers.

“The flag off for the year round programme, which will hold at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, is expected to attract consumers across the country, top government officials and key stakeholders in the industry. The Abuja event coincides with the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), 2017, whose theme is ‘Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust’” he said.

In addition, Ojobo noted that key components of the Year of the Consumer include creation of greater awareness on Quality of Service, Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), Do Not Disturb (DND), and NCCs 622 complaint line. The campaign hopes to secure the support of network operators towards meeting set targets and key performance indicators, KPIs on quality of services especially as it affects drop calls.

The year will also witness a massive awareness drive to make consumers take advantage of the Commission’s unique programmes such as the Do-Not-Disturb Code, 2442, which consumers can use to stop unsolicited text messages; and toll free number 622 with which consumers can reach the Commission in cases where the service providers fail to resolve their complaints. 

The Year of the Telecom Consumer 2017, will also witness a new programme tagged “NCC Consumer Conversations” also called NCC which the Commission plans for different locations across the geopolitical zones for stakeholders’ interaction and consumer information empowerment.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Expert advocates interplay of security in e-commerce transactions

ITRealms:

The Product Manager, Consumer & Mobile Services at Interswitch, Mr. Ope Adeoye has advocated the interplay and balancing of security  with convenience in all e-commerce transactions in order to check online fraud, ITRealms reports.

Adeoye who spoke at the OLX sponsored Mobile Monday with the theme “Making e-commerce more secure in Nigeria” at Social Place, Victoria Island, Lagos, expressed worry over increasing online fraud which has the tendency of hampering the business, more so as people are not always patient to make sure their transactions are genuine.

To tackle such online thefts, he proffered solutions to include designing websites with adequate security features to make it difficult for intruders to burgle.

He also said that the sellers must be certain where his goods and services are being taken to before the release of such items or payments, stressing it guarantees security.

Equally, he called for rule-base engines for effective e-commerce transactions which enable obtaining of finger prints and verifying such information from the CR Services (Credit Bureau) and personal identification; a practice whereby customers deal only with somebody who could be identified by somebody known to customer very well.

The Country Manager, OLX, Lola Masha thanked participants for honouring the invitation, saying Mobile Monday offers opportunity to brainstorm with the highly knowledgeable individuals  in different fields of human endeavour for solutions to problems arising from e-commerce business.

She stated that OLX as a brand is in over 40 countries and they always maintain either 1^st or 2^nd position in those countries, noting however that OLX is the first in Nigeria.

Masha also said the company is in Kenya, South Africa overseeing East African and Southern African operations respectively, while Nigeria office oversees West African wing of the company, even though they have presence in Ghana.

She further said that Nigeria is a very peculiar place because they are very enterprising people, just as the company doubles her effort to avoid scammers who daily invent one ingenious fraud or the other.

Masha enumerated three key things OLX is doing to eliminate online fraud completely including establishing partnership with Nigerian Police, employing CR Services and deploying artificial intelligence.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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3,357 respondents participated in ICANN consumer survey - Nielsen

ITRealms:

A total of 3,357 respondents participated in the consumer and registrant survey conducted by Nielsen for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), reports ITRealms.

An extract from the whole survey report made available to ITRealms, out of the 3,357 responses included in the final sample, 768 came from the ICANN-supplied lists, while 2,589 from Nielsen.

This is coming out of the specific 6,144 adult were surveyed between consumers and registrants.

ITRealms notes that the survey was precipitated by ICANN commissioning of the exercise as part of the recommendations from the Implementation Advisory Group on Competition, Consumer Choice and Consumer Trust (IAG-CCT). 

Whereas the IAG-CCT concluded its work in September 2014 and recommended to the ICANN Board 66 metrics to measure how the New gTLD Programme has impacted competition, consumer choice and consumer trust in the domain name space.

However, among those 66 metrics, a subset of 11 were identified as best being measured using a global survey of Internet users and following Response for Proposal (RFP) conducted openly by ICANN the consultancy was awarded and contract signed with Nielsen to conduct the study in November 2014.

According to Nielsen, they surveyed 6,144 adults ages 18 and older, who spend 5 or more hours a week on the Internet for the Internet consumer survey and they represented all five of ICANN's geographic regions. 

“Respondents came from 24 countries, representing 75 per cent of the world's Internet users: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Vietnam, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. The results were reported at a 95 per cent confidence level,” officials of Nielsen stated in the report made available to ITRealms.

Whereas Nielsen also reported that they completed the survey of domain name registrants, with 3,357 registrants from the same countries, the results were reported at a 95 per cent confidence level. 

Nielsen explained that to be included in the sample, “respondents were screened to ensure they were 18 and older, had ever registered a domain name, were at least a partial decision maker in domain name registrations, were aware of the purpose of the domain name and in which TLDs names had been registered.”

As said by the report, domain name registrants were identified using several sources provided by ICANN to Nielsen with a sample of WHOIS records used in the 2014 and conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. 

“Due to a low response rate to emailed invitations to complete the survey, ICANN then worked with Domain Tools to procure a larger sample of WHOIS records,” the report stated.

Accordingly, it was these WHOS records that were parsed and sorted by country codes of the registrants with additional parameters used for this sample comprising the domain name's creation date was not necessary for sorting records; The sample was created from gTLD domain names and excluded ccTLD domain names; The sample included, where available, a mix of legacy and new gTLDs. Records included in the sample were selected according to a standard process, e.g., a randomized selection of records from a registry, according to the established criteria as described above.

 

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