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By Chinenye Anuforo
Telecommunications operators yesterday disclosed that the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debts owed them by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) have risen N200 billion.
Speaking under the aegis of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the body said the debt must be paid in total and would not hesitate blocking debtor banks from accessing the service.
ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, stated this during a stakeholders meeting with the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida in Lagos.
Adebayo said despite all appeals, meetings and interventions by CBN and NCC, the bank has kept mute over payment.
“Banks USSD debts to telcos is now N200 billion. It will not go away. It will not be forgiven. It will be paid in full and we will not hesitate to block debtor banks. This is a problem and if it’s not solved, it will continue to haunt the rest of the sector.”
The ALTON boss said the value of the debt would keep rising based on the fluctuating foreign exchange challenges in the country.
He however urged the new NCC EVC to urgently look into the issue.
Adebayo also told the EVC that the operators need help in solving the historical problem of poor quality of services in Abuja. “It is also important to address the issue of access and infrastructure in different regions. It is crucial to tackle these problems to ensure the support of those who provide infrastructure”, he said.
Also speaking at the event, the President Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, who listed some of the challenges facing the industry said the most important is infrastructure that poses a major problem against the growth of the sector.
“There is a real challenge in the growth of the infrastructure in our country and in this we need help. he said.
He also mentioned the need for connectivity in both urban and rural areas but expressed concern about handling costs in the area of right-of-way.
In his opening speech, the new EVC restated the importance of delivering digital services from multiple approaches to achieve target.
“We need to get to the point where digital services can be delivered anywhere in the country. I think we need to have multiple approaches to get to as many people as possible. There are some areas where we have to be a little bit more creative and innovative. You are going to see a lot more integrated projects across the agencies under the Digital Economy Ministry, whereby we can deliver more holistic solutions as opposed to what sometimes is often perceived as a sidelined approach.
So, we’re going to need that foundation to enable us to deliver those applications and value-creating activities that the telecom infrastructure environment will have.”
He also emphasized the importance of quality of service and the need to focus on the user experience.
‘I have spoken about quality of service. To me that is not negotiable. We are going to move more and more towards quality of experience. Let’s not just sit down with our infrastructure and say things are good. We need to move more towards listening to the voice from the end user”, Maida said.
He stated his expectation for the telecom industry to contribute more to the GDP and highlights the importance of hearing from industry professionals to shape the strategic direction of the regulatory body.
He expressed his excitement and willingness to collaborate with industry leaders to move Nigeria forward.
