NCC Moves To Put An End To Carrying Of Multiple Phones, SIM Cards

As part of activities marking his first 100 days in office, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has unveiled plans by the Commission to put an end to the era of telecom subscribers carrying multiple phones or having multiple SIM cards.

This was as the Chief Executive Officer of the NCC said that the consumers as critical stakeholders would be empowered to make the right choices while at the same time the Commission would make tariff simple and transparent for them.

Maida, who stated these while unveiling key drivers for the telecoms industry in line with the transformation agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, added that the NCC will carry out enlightenment campaigns to ensure consumers understand and have good services.
Dr. Maida while unveiling the strategic blueprints at an interactive session with the media in Lagos, said that the Commission would work with the blueprint of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, that was unveiled by the Minister, Bosun Tijani.
The NCC Chief Executive Officer, said that all efforts will be deployed to ensure that the sector contributes more, especially in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the economy, job creation and more revenue to the government.

Maida said that one of the key things the NCC has recognized is that within the digital economy space, it plays a very huge role, stressing that communications infrastructure especially in this digital age remains the backbone of the digital economy and of course the backbone of any nation.

He noted that when one talks about dispute and conflict between countries of the world today, it involves a lot of cyber wars, adding that under his watch, the NCC will focus on key areas, such as collaboration, Data centric administration, compliance and monitoring and digitisation, working closely with the three major stakeholders in the industry namely the Operators, government and the consumer.
Maida stressed that it has become necessary to reposition the sector and push it forward, adding that going forward, telecommunications sector licensees will be held more accountable for all their deeds in the sector.
In the words of Maida; “The Commission will hold all industry licensees accountable for all their deeds in the sector. The operators must honour agreements.
“The NCC is also working on reviewing the standard of operations for the telecoms operators to ensure corporate governance and international best practices from the operators. The Commission would also be doing more advocacy and will be very concerned about compliance.
“Everybody including industry licensees in the value chain shall be held accountable. Regulations will come in and there will be consequences,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director, Public Affairs of the Commission, Reuben Muoka, said the new EVC appreciates the support, impact and benefits of the media in institutional communications, adding that he believes that media platforms and resources can provide the dependency upon which to regulate the industry in its diverse audiences for the purpose of achieving enviable heights.