Comrade Grace Ike (left) and Mrs Nnenna Ukoha 

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has applauded journalists for their role in educating consumers and promoting transparency in the telecom ecosystem  and expressed the need for continued collaboration between the NCC and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ  for  accurate information sharing,  and enlightenment on the activities of the Commission. NCC's Head, Public Affairs, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha conveyed this sentiments during a courtesy visit by the Executive of the NUJ,  Federal Capital Territory,  FCT Council to the NCC Headquarters in Abuja. 


In her remarks at the occasion, the  NUJ FCT Chairman Comrade Grace Ike expressed the Union’s desire to build a strategic partnership with the NCC on training, public awareness, affordable internet access for journalists, and promotion of transparency in the sector 



Mrs Ukoha who represented NCC's Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida declared that the Commission is  already implementing enforcement plans to operationalize President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which criminalises the damage or tampering of critical national infrastructure, including telecom facilities This enforcement aims to address the rising incidents of vandalism, theft, and obstruction at telecom sites that are degrading network service quality across Nigeria


 Ukoha who spoke in company of NCC's Head, Corporate Communications, Mallam Yakubu Musa, also highlighted NCC’s efforts to support underserved areas with affordable internet access and plans to contribute to continuous training of journalists, especially senior editors, in Lagos and Abuja.


She further added  that the NCC is collaborating with stakeholders to reduce accidental damage to telecom infrastructure, especially fibre, during construction and emphasized the need for better coordination as nationwide construction activities increase


She also  expressed deep concerns over the destruction of telecom assets such as fibre cables and other components and  highlighted that on June 24, 2024, President Tinubu signed an Executive Order officially designating telecom infrastructure as “critical national infrastructure,” making any interference or destruction a criminal offense. The NCC is now tasked with implementing this order in the telecom sector.


She explained that the NCC has launched a public awareness campaign about the importance of protecting these facilities, which also include energy and transport infrastructure. The Commission identified three major challenges affecting telecom operations:

• Vandalism and theft: Frequent attacks resulting in cutting of cables, stolen generators and fuel, and removal of critical components, severely impacting service for millions.


• Site access denial: Telecom operators often face obstruction from local communities, touts, and government agencies demanding fees, delaying maintenance and refuelling of generators.


• Road Construction Related Damages: Construction work often results in fibre being damaged.


Addressing public concerns about data depletion, Mrs Ukoha clarified that mobile networks do not “steal” users’ internet data subscriptions. Instead, data consumption is often due to users’ phone and app management, such as automatic updates, background app refresh, and hotspot sharing. 


She advised users to monitor data usage, disable background updates, understand their data plans, change hotspot passwords regularly, and avoid high-resolution downloads and auto-play settings


Further speaking at the occasion, the NUJ FCT Council chairman, Comrade Ike further commended the NCC’s leadership in regulating the industry and emphasized the importance of improving journalists’ access to digital tools. She also requested NCC’s support for NUJ FCT’s upcoming Press Week and capacity-building activities.


The NUJ delegation includes key officers and media team members, reflecting the Union’s commitment to collaboration.


Also present from the NCC include were several senior  officials responsible for communications, media, protocol, and government relations.