Mobile phone subscribers hit 152 million — NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC said yesterday that the number of active mobile network subscribers in the country has hit 152 million as at August 2016.

Its Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, also said Teledensity, which is measured as one Telephone to 100 of population, is above 107 percent while internet penetration has continued to rise with more than 97 million.

Professor Danbatta, who made the remarks while delivering a keynote address on the NCC Day at the on-going Abuja International Trade Fair, said the development was a major leap for the NCC and the nation’s economy.

He said that the eight-point agenda unfolded by the current leadership at the NCC was aimed at providing enhanced quality services, deepen broadband penetration and address issues of infrastructure development and deployment in the industry.

Professor Danbatta who was represented by the Head of Public Relations, Mr Reuben Mouka, said: “We presented a performance account of eight-point agenda of the EVC and one of the major highlights is that Nigeria has achieved more than 20 percent penetration as reported by the International Telecommunications Union.

“This is very good news because it shows we are nearer to the 2018 target of 30 percent broadband penetration as proposed by the National Broadband Strategic Report.”

Professor Danbatta, however, expressed concern on the increasing menace of pre-registered SIM card across the country, saying the commission had taken steps alongside security agencies to arrest the situation.

He said the activities of agents of telecom companies indulged in pre-registered SIM was not only fraudulent, but pose serious threat to the security of the country. “The attention of the commission has been drawn to this menace and the commission is leaving no stone unturned to arrest the situation. We have sent directives to the service providers to ensure that their agents are not used to perpetrate this fraud.

“But we urge the consumers to be wary of this fraud to avoid being victims of the circumstances. Members of the public are advised to desist from buying or using pre-registered SIM cards and to report anybody selling or buying pre-registered SIM cards,” Professor Danbatta said.

He urged telecom consumers to take advantage of the Do Not Disturb Code 2442 launched by the commission to get rid of unsolicited messages, adding that service providers have been mandated to ensure that they not only provide the solution to consumers but also create awareness about it.