Consumer Day: NCC Launches TELCARE Desk At Abuja Airport, Others  

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched the Telecom Consumer Assistance, Resolution and Enquiries (TELCARE) Desk in the Arrival Lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and other strategic locations to provide information to telecom consumers.

Chairman of the managing board of the Commission, Professor Adeolu Akande, unveiled the TELCARE as part of activities marking 2023 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), with the theme  “Empowering Consumers through Clean Energy Transitions” which was held in Abuja on Wednesday.

Adeolu said that The TELCARE Desk in Abuja will be a pilot as the commission has set up the desk at strategic locations across the country to provide information to telecom consumers.

“The TELCARE Desk serves as an additional platform to receive and facilitate the resolution of consumer complaints; provide a means through which consumers and citizens can make inquiries on consumer issues; provide a platform for advocacy on any thematic consumer issue or concerns; to further enhance awareness of the Commission’s activities,” he said.

He affirmed that the theme of this year will form part of the consideration of the Commission’s regulatory mandate. “We are committed to responsibly using the world’s resources, including protecting the environment by supporting the industry to transition to renewable energy,” he said.

The executive vice chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta had in his address, called on telecommunication service providers to invest more in renewable energy as the demands in industry is increasingly based on sustainable power solutions required for the connectivity and network optimisation especially with the introduction of the 5th Generation (5G) network.

He added that to minimize the environmental impacts of climate change caused by carbon emissions, telecom network providers need to come up with a modern and more energy-efficient network. This includes the use of Solar-powered Cells, wireless electricity or a hybrid system to replace higher energy-consuming equipment that will lead to a reduction in capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) and by implication, a reduction in service costs to consumers.

“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to call on MNOs and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to come up with innovations in sustainable energy in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-T L.1380 on smart energy solutions for telecom sites’ performance, safety, energy efficiency and environmental impact. This is vital to address the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation,” he said.