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Telecoms operators and consumers are partners in Nigeria’s journey into digital economy; consumers’ interest will remain central in telcos’ vision of a gainful industry, Executive Secretary of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Ajibola Olude, has submitted during a recent virtual discussion on the sector.
“I want to strongly advise telecom and ICT consumers that our members may not increase prices of their services and we shall not abuse consumer protection laws as we see them as development partners in the journey of developing Nigeria’s Digital Economy.”
“Consumers are the life blood of business so we take them with all sense of seriousness. We have not worked until consumers are satisfied, “said Olude at the 2nd Webinar Series on Sustainability, Business and Human Rights with the theme: ‘Consumer Protection Amidst the Pandemic – Business and Human Rights Implication.’
“In the height of COVID-19 Pandemic, the prices that our members charge remain stable and they did not take advantage of that moment rather they supported the government to curb the spread of the pandemic,” he added at the event organised by the International Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (IN-CSR) and the National Human Rights Commission.
The ATCON’s executive scribe stressed that ATCON played a key role in advocating for a liberalized market which has helped to open the market to investments, encourage healthy competition and innovations as well as offer consumers options that have the market more robust for both operators and consumers.
Market liberalization has brought numerous benefits to all stakeholders including “efficient and effective service delivery; increase in local and international telecom financing; high creativity and innovation are the hallmarks of private ownership
of telecom companies; reduction in underserved and unserved areas; and higher contribution to GDP of the country.”
According to Olude, the emergence of a consumer-centric market has helped to fostered series of regulations and new sub-sectors targeting to defend consumers. His words: “Part of protecting the consumers right lead to the development of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019 which stops the unauthorized sharing of Nigerians data and protect Nigerians on the web.”
In his presentation: ‘The role of telecommunications companies in protecting consumer rights,’ he affirmed that “protecting consumer rights and interest are the basis of telecom companies’ existence. ATCON’s member companies will continue to treat consumers as kings.”
