Business
NCC Warns On Dangers Of Invalid Sim Cards
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned on the dangers of using “fraudulently activated SIM cards” as they pose threat to national security.
The commission gave the warning yesterday in Keffi at a one-day Regional sensitisation Workshop
on “Dangers of Dealing on Fraudulently Activated SIM cards.”
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Mr Sunday Dare said that the objective of subscriber
registration was basically to assist in easy identification of mobile telephone users.
Dare, who was represented by the NCC Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Mr Efosa Idehen, said that subscriber registration was also for easy detection of crimes committed through the use of mobile phones.
According to him, Nigeria is not alone in this because throughout the world, connectivity is creating huge opportunities for citizens.
He explained that fully activated SIM cards were not supposed to be released into the market.
He, however, regretted that some agents of mobile network operators produced fully activated SIM cards with fraudulent details and sale same to customers.
“Such an act is totally unacceptable. NCC has arrested some agents and they have been charged to court. We are not going to
compromise on the issue of driving those involved in the practice out of market, he said”
The commissioner added that “some unscrupulous people abuse the connectivity to make life difficult
for others, hence the need to carry out basic `Know-Your-Customer (KYC) processes on our users.
“Unfortunately, the subscriber registration journey has not been as smooth as it should be, given the very comprehensive
efforts that went into the design of the process.
“It is painful to note that we still have cases of sale of `pre-registered’ Subscriber Identification Module (SIM)
cards, cases of breach of SIM registration processes, fraudulent registrations and other breaches.
“To address these concerns, the NCC organised several meetings and sensitisation workshops with different stakeholder groups across the industry at different points in time.”
He said that from the consultations and the extensive activities of the NCC’s Compliance Monitoring and
Enforcement team and its other Departments, NCC had issued several directives.
Dare said that the commission had also carried out enforcement activities throughout the country.
Consequently, he added, “some registration agents were arrested, registration machines confiscated, huge caches
of fully activated SIMs confiscated, suspects prosecuted, fines imposed, among others.
“Sadly however, in spite of these efforts, we still receive security reports about the existence of preregistered SIMs.
“To be clear, the availability of improperly registered SIMs in any corner of Nigeria is a threat to the security of all of us.
“Such SIMs make it possible to commit financial crimes, whose victims are ordinary hardworking citizens like you and I.
“The act makes it difficult for our law enforcement agents to apprehend persons involved in major criminal activities.
The NCC will, therefore, not relent in its efforts to curb this menace. It is in our collective interest that we do so.”
Dare explained that the objective of the workshop was to discuss and resolve the challenges leading to non-compliance
with proper SIM registration.
He, therefore, told stakeholders that all segments of the mobile registration value chain must place national security interests.
He said that the protection of the valued lives and properties of Nigerians above any other business or revenue generation
interests must be paramount.
He added that “we want to get your feedback on how we can improve the subscriber registration process and eliminate
abuses.
“I have no doubt that we will get the deserved level of participation from you all, and I look forward to your valuable contributions.”
Some of the participants commended NCC for organising the event to enlighten them on the issue of pre-registered SIMs.
An MTN agent, Mr John Gyang, said that the forum was an opportunity for them to express themselves.
He said “such workshop is also an avenue to know about things that was not known to us before this time.”
Another agent, Mr Ndachi Ndachi, urged NCC to do more of such enlightenment programmes for stakeholders to be more abreast of happenings in the industry.
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.
Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.
By: Chinedu Wosu
Chivita| Hollandia (CHI Limited) leading fruit juice and value-added dairy manufacturer in Nigeria has rewarded its long standing distributors at the recently held 2024 Distributor Conference. The event with the theme, “Break Boundaries Exceed Expectations” served as a platform to recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of the distributors and wholesalers who play a critical role in Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) success and business goals for the year.
The Distributor Conference was held in two sessions. While the morning session featured keynote addresses, industry insights and brand immersion experience, the evening session was a cultural display of elegance and funfair that culminated in the award presentation and recognition of the contribution the trade partners made to the company in the 2023 year under review.
A key highlight of the event was the award ceremony which acknowledged outstanding trade partners in various regions across the country. The awards recognized commitment, dedication, and outstanding performance in areas of sales growth, brand promotion, and market expansion.
Eelco Weber, Managing Director, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), stated that the company’s success story is incomplete without the strong partnerships it has built with trade partners. “Today, we celebrate not only the achievements, but the collaborative spirit that has made our growth possible” he said.
Bola Arotiowa, Chief Commercial Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), in his statement revealed that, the event which was first of its kind will continue to be an annual meeting to enable the company work more closely with its distributors, share insights and action points, help the trade partners familiarize themselves with the company’s goals and objectives for each year, and serve as a driver for mutual success.
“Our distributors are the backbone of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited). Their relentless efforts in distributing our products, promoting our brands, and expanding our reach across the nation is truly commendable. As the bridge between us and our valued consumers, it is very important to reward their hard work and dedication for being an essential part of the Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) family. Together, we will continue to deliver great products to our conusmers which in turn will deliver value to them”, Mr. Arotiowa added.
Speaking at the conference, HajiyaBilikisuSaida, Chief Executive Officer of Smabirm Nigeria Limited, who won the Outstanding Distributor of the Year in North 1 region, and got a reward of two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) products expressed delight at the company’s recognition, and stated that the awards served as a way to inspire distributors to do more and put in more effort, which in turn would help both the distributors and the company to grow.
Other outstanding performance distributors of the year rewarded with a two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) stock include, Sunny Chuks Limited for East 1 region, MRS FA & Sons Limited for East 2 region, Hussakas Ventures for North 2 region, Rookee 1388 Ventures for Lagos 1 region, Pik N Pil Ventures for Lagos 2 region, FaithJoe Event Management Limited for West 1 region, and Progress Family Nigeria Enterprise for West 2 region.
The annual Distributors Conference aims to strengthen the bond between Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) and its trade partners. This collaborative approach fosters mutual growth and ensures the continued success of the brands in the Nigerian market.
A global leader in insurance and asset management, AXA Mansard, has supported three female-owned MSMEs with business grants totaling 1.4 million to boost their operations.
This, the company said, is part of its commitment to women and the Medium, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprise (MSME) sector in the country.
The three businesses were successful at the International Women’s Day Pitch Competition, organised in partnership with SME 100 Africa in Lagos.
According to the Head of Marketing, AXA Mansard, Olusesan Ogunyooye, the competition, which is aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, “is another way AXA is demonstrating its commitment to the causes of women and stimulating the MSME sector in Nigeria”.
The business pitch competition received numerous entries from women across different sectors, but after a rigorous selection process, shortlisted participants were selected to participate in the competition.
Ogunyooye said “the programme provided a unique opportunity for women from various works and socio-economic classes to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions in sectors such as food, tech, fashion, and fragrance, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of community”.
He stressed the importance of investing in women, saying it is not just the right thing to do, but also aligns with AXA’s purpose of acting for human progress.
He explained that AXA believes the future of women should not be at risk, hence investing in their economic empowerment is a crucial part
-
Business3 days agoAXA Mansard Backs Female-Owned MSMEs With N1.4m Grant
-
Editorial3 days agoTowards Minimum Wage Implementation
-
Nation3 days agoSDP National Chairman Lauds FG’s Efforts To Tackle Insecurity
-
Breaking News3 days agoTanker Inferno: We’re Saddened By Extent Of Carnage -Fubara
-
Politics3 days agoAPC Calls For Oyo LG Poll Cancellation
-
Rivers3 days agoPolice Arrest Vigilante Commander, Others Over Robbery In Rivers
-
Education3 days agoFormer VC Advocates Drug Test For University Lecturers
-
News3 days agoSpeak Truth To Power, Prof Omotola Tells Journalists