Mobile active lines subscriptions now 222m – NCC

Forum 1 year ago

Mobile active lines subscriptions now 222m – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission says mobile active lines increased from 206 million in June 2022 and to 222 million by December same year.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof Umar Danbatta, dropped the hint on Thursday at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja, while making a presentation at the 2023 Edition of Youth, Civil Society and Stakeholder Summit on Curbing the Destruction and Vandalisation of Telecom and other Critical National Infrastructures in Nigeria.

Danbatta, who was represented by the Principal Manager, Department of Technical Standards, Mr Chukwuma Nwenwu, also said the Commission and the Independent National Electoral Commission are working together to deliver a free, fair and credible elections with the use of digital platforms.

He said from the data on subscriptions, it was clear that Nigeria telecoms markets continued to grow in relation to increase Infrastructures, network capacities and digital economy platforms, among others.

The EVC, noted that the Summit becomes imperative considering Nigeria preparations for the 2023 general elections where use of digital platforms for communications would play key role.

He said vandalisation of telecoms Infrastructures has remained a subject of concerns to all stakeholders as reports are received from Mobile Network Operators on the effects of vandalism on their operations across the country.

Danbatta said:” We receive reports of vandalization of telecom infrastructures from the operating telecom companies and these acts impact on the delivered quality of services and the availability of the digital platforms.”

He lamented that disruption of the network services and disconnection of digital platforms,

congestion of alternative backup routes/networks

Interruption of social and economy activities are issues of concern to the Commission.

Danbatta noted that loss of revenue, ripple effect of vandalism on other networks and network elements as well as delay in network recovery are of concern to all stakeholders.

Speaking on the elections, Danbatta said: “The forthcoming elections, national activities and programmes, communication with friends and families, conducting banking activities especially use of Point of Sales (PoS) machines, all depends on the national telecom infrastructure.

“We all need to protect and preserve these infrastructures, as it will impact severely many aspects of our daily lives and activities in the event of its disruptions.

“The general election is only few days from today and technology as you are all aware will play a crucial and key role in delivering free and fair elections to Nigerians’’.

“The NCC is therefore working very hard and collaborating with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that election results are transmitted electronically as required by law. We all have a duty to protect the national telecom infrastructures as such to benefit from the dividends of democracy and good governance.

“The youth and civil society as a critical stakeholder in the development process of any society has a duty to educate the public of the importance of protecting telecom infrastructure located in their immediate vicinity,” he added.