Alleged Data Fraud: NCSCN calls for dialogue over proposed protest against mobile network providers

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has called for dialogue amid allegations of irregularities and growing calls for protests against mobile network operators. 

The NCSCN Executive Director, Blessing Akinlosotu, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, said the council agreed with reports of occasional misdeeds by network providers.

According to him, there are genuine consumer complaints regarding quality of service issues and wrongful billing of subscribers during network glitches and network failures.

He said, however, that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), relevant authorities, and stakeholders had been making efforts to address the situation.

The executive director said NCSCN owed Nigerians the duty to provide helpful facts that would inform a better understanding and more balanced judgment of the crucial development.

He said, “The leadership of the council honoured an invitation to one of the meetings in preparation for the planned protests.

“In that meeting, the NCC was indicted of complacency and lip service to the issue of fraudulent billings of citizens by mobile network providers, while the network providers themselves were outrightly condemned for what was described as “economic sabotage” and “deliberate defrauding” of subscribers.

“We are compelled to step in and set some records straight based on our authoritative knowledge of facts and relevant information on the issue sparked off by a sensitive allegation made by our respected human rights activist.

“The activist accused network providers of data theft and fraudulent billings of consumers, especially during incidences of poor network, glitches, and failures, while suggesting national agitation or protest against the service providers.’’

Mr Akinlosotu said that while the utterances were of concern and should ordinarily have been noted, the activist had taken them to a worrisome dimension by leveraging his claims to plot a nationwide protest and picketing of the headquarters of the NCC and mobile network providers.

He said that the council was aware that, as far back as March 29—long before the media campaign by the activist—the management of the NCC had officially issued firm directives to all mobile network providers to implement a “Consumer Compensation Framework” for direct repayment to end-users in the event of glitches, failures, or poor network quality.

“The compensation, to be paid from fines imposed on operators with quality of service issues, is designed to be provided in the form of airtime credits, calculated based on subscribers’ average spending patterns and their presence within Local Government Areas where service failures occur.

“This is in addition to previously existing sanctions against service providers, which relied heavily on monetary fines payable to the government through the NCC as the regulatory body.

“These sanctions are still seriously in place and vigorously pursued, while this latest move aims to directly benefit end-users who experience dropped calls, slow data speeds, or extended outages.

“We can confidently confirm that at least MTN has actually started complying with the NCC directives for compensation, by paying some consumers.

“The executive director of NCSCN is among the recipients so far, and this predates the activist’s statement to the press; proof will be made available.”

He said there was a need for exhaustive dialogue and unbiased consultations before resorting to confrontation or protest.