Major telecommunications operators have shunned a national civil society dialogue convened in Abuja to address growing concerns over the quality, cost and transparency of telecom and data services in Nigeria.
The dialogue, organised by the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria, was designed as a tripartite engagement involving telecom operators, regulators and consumers, with a focus on stronger regulation and greater accountability in the sector.
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Dr. Sunday Akin Dare, acknowledged the strategic importance of telecommunications to Nigeria’s economy.
He, however, stressed that the rapid growth of the industry must translate into improved services for millions of subscribers.
Track up
The convener of the dialogue and President of the National Civil Society Dialogue Movement, Comrade Blessing Akinlosotu, said the initiative was part of the organisation’s constitutional mandate to amplify citizens’ voices and hold government and private sector players accountable for public services.
Participants at the dialogue expressed concern over what they described as persistent consumer exploitation, citing unexplained data depletion, dropped calls, high tariffs and poor service delivery.
The dialogue ended with the adoption of a ten point communiqué containing demands aimed at strengthening consumer protection, improving transparency and enhancing service delivery across Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
