NCC Debunks Data Depletion Claims, Highlights 2024 Milestones

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has dismissed widespread claims of significant data depletion among telecom subscribers, stating that an extensive audit of mobile networks revealed no major issues.

The executive vice  chairman, NCC Dr. Aminu Maida, while speaking during a review of the Commission’s activities in 2024,  clarified that the audit, concluded in Q3 2024, uncovered only minor issues that the regulator is addressing.

“We had a hypothesis that it isn’t true there is a data depletion issue in the industry—it could be perception. We conducted a billing audit on the systems of major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), using reputable auditors. Surprisingly, we didn’t find any major issues,”Maida explained.

Maida also highlighted the successful implementation of the federal government’s National Identification Number (NIN) and SIM card linkage policy as another significant achievement for the NCC in 2024.

The initiative, which began in December 2020, reached its conclusion on September 14, 2024, after several extensions and a tumultuous period that saw millions of unlinked SIMs temporarily barred. The exercise aimed to enhance national security and strengthen the digital economy by ensuring every SIM card in Nigeria is linked to a verified NIN.

“This linkage now gives the telecom regulator a very strong foundation to work with law enforcement agencies and reliably identify ownership of SIM cards. More importantly, it provides a foundation for the digital economy, ensuring integrity and confidence in the system,” Maida said.

The NCC noted that this development would significantly bolster digital transactions, e-commerce, and various service industries reliant on mobile numbers for customer engagement.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to addressing minor network issues identified during the audit while continuing to ensure transparency and efficiency in the telecom sector.