NCC tasks operators with curbing fake products

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has tasked telecommunications companies in the country with curbing the sale of fake ICT products.

"The responsibility for curbing production and sale of fake recharge cards lies squarely on the shoulders of service providers," said Lolia Emakpore, NCC head of consumer affairs, at a consultative forum held by the regulator on Friday.

As the regulator, she said, the NCC reserves the right to ensure that consumers are adequately shielded under the Protect, Inform and Educate initiative. Consumers should direct their complaints first to the service providers and subsequently to the NCC if a provider fails to achieve redress, she added.

Ike Maduewesi of Globacom further advised customers to look for monograms on the seals of their recharge cards, as fake cards do not carry such a feature.

Winifred Umerah of MTN added that consumers should always destroy a recharge card that was purchased and found to be fake.

A similar forum, entitled "Curbing Production and Sale of Fake Products," was held in Lagos during the last financial quarter and was targeted to both fixed-line and mobile operators. The meeting attracted major stakeholders in the ICT industry, policy analysts, government officials and students.