The Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) have commenced a joint probe of the telecommunications sector.
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The probe was prompted by consumer issues in the industry.
In a joint statement released in Abuja, yesterday, the NCC and the CPC said as regulators, they are constitutionally bound to ensure the consumer’s happiness, hence, the probe.
“Today, as a nation, we take a very important step with respect to protecting consumers and ensuring that the telecommunication industry remains robust, continues it leading role in in our economic growth and expanding prosperity to citizens.
“The telecommunications industry has become one of the most vital to our economy, and in particular inclusiveness for a large and vast nation such as ours. As such, it is a matter of utmost importance and urgency that we pay the appropriate attention to growing the industry and protecting consumers. These two crucial objectives are not mutually exclusive. At the end of the day, we are regulators, and operators in the industry have a unified mutual objective, and that is to ensure service that consumers are happy with, and happy to pay for. In the spirit of this mutual objective, today, we announce the commencement of a joint regulatory inquiry into consumer issues in the telecommunication industry by the NCC and the CPC. This is the right thing to do. It promotes regulatory collaboration and all round protection. It also ensures regulatory clarity and eliminates possible multiple regulatory approaches to similar issues.
“This is good for industry and operators as well as investors always appreciate such clarity and stability. This is consistent and complimentary to the Federal Government’s commitment to Ease of Doing Business and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which prioritises people, and firm but clear regulation that protects citizen…”