NCC takes data depletion awareness to NYSC camps, donates food Items to Corps members

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has intensified its consumer protection and education drive by taking its sensitisation programme on data depletion and smart data management to corps members at two National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps in Nasarawa and Niger States.

On Wednesday, August 7, 2025, NCC officials visited the Magaji Dan-Yamusa Permanent Orientation Camp in Keffi, Nasarawa State, and the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Paiko, Niger State.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Bureau, sought to enlighten corps members on common causes of rapid data consumption, effective usage management, and their rights as telecom consumers.

During the sessions, the Commission engaged corps members in interactive quiz competitions, with winners going home with items such as power banks, airtime, and data subscriptions.

The visits also featured donations of essential food supplies — including three 50kg bags of rice and three 25-litre kegs of vegetable oil to each camp — received respectively by Nasarawa State Coordinator, Hajiya Salamatu Mohammed, and Niger State Coordinator, Mrs. Martina Shuaibu-Ibrahim.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Mrs. Freda Ruth Bruce-Bennett, described corps members as “key agents of change” in promoting digital literacy and consumer protection.

READ ALSO: New telecom pricing policy attracts over $1bn in investments — NCC

Bruce-Bennett noted that the theme of the programme, “Consumer Sensitization on Data Depletion: The Role of National Youth Service Corps Members”, was chosen in response to rising public concerns over unexplained data depletion.

She disclosed that internet subscriptions in Nigeria have grown from 105 million in August 2018 to 142 million in January 2025, driven largely by social media use, video streaming, and broader network access.

The NCC, she said, has identified multiple factors contributing to excessive data usage, including automatic app updates, background data consumption, high-resolution content on social media, location services, and hotspot sharing.

To address these challenges, she urged corps members to embrace smart data management practices such as monitoring usage, connecting to Wi-Fi where possible, disabling automatic updates, limiting background data, downloading content for offline use, and activating data-saving modes.

The Commission also encouraged corps members to act as “Consumer Champions” by spreading awareness in their communities, educating others about NCC’s initiatives, and reporting service-related complaints for prompt resolution.

“The NCC remains committed to building a telecom environment that is fair, competitive, and consumer-friendly,” Bruce-Bennett said, adding that the Commission’s goal is to ensure not only access to telecom services but also quality, transparency, and trust.

She urged the corps members to take part in the sensitisation survey and to use the NCC’s complaint platforms and social media channels for engagement.