The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has identified data depletion and billing issues as the top concerns of telecom consumers in Nigeria.

The telecom regulator has cited the complexity of tariffs and billing systems by telecommunication service providers as the primary cause.

To address this challenge, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, announced that the Commission is working to simplify the process of tracking data usage for customers.

This move follows an analysis of consumer complaints earlier this year, which revealed data depletion and billing issues as top concerns.

Maida explained that perceptions of data depletion persist due to high-resolution devices, improved technologies, and complex operator tariffs.

To combat this, the NCC earlier this year, issued Guidance on Tariff Simplification, requiring operators to provide clear, accessible information on data plans and pricing.

“This transparency will empower consumers to make better-informed decisions about their data usage and billing.

“In the coming months, operators will implement this guidance, presenting consumers with tables detailing their tariff plans, billing rates on each plan, and all terms and conditions related to the tariff plans,” he said.

Meanwhile, the president of the Association of Licenced Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adabayo gave assurance that tariff simplification will benefit consumers with straightforward and transparent data plans, enabling informed choices about data packages.

“With simplified tariffs, consumers can make more informed choices about which data packages suit their needs.

“Many consumers have expressed concern about the rapid rate at which their data is consumed.

“Our findings reveal that data depletion is often driven by the active use and activities of smart devices, many of which run in the background without the consumer’s knowledge,” he said.