No Plan to Shut Down Telecom Networks – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured Nigerians that contrary to wrong information circulating on the social media, there is no plan to shut down telecommunications networks during the election period.

In a note made available to Business Metrics on Thursday, the Commission also debunked insinuations that electronic banking channels would also suffer blackout, describing such messages as misleading and lacking no basis.

The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has been drawn to fraudulent and misleading information circulating in some social media platforms, insinuating there is a planned shutdown of all telecom networks and relevant ICT Units, including online transfer facilities of the banks, with effect from today, February 23, 2023.

“The Nigerian public, consumers of telecommunications services, and all bank customers are advised to ignore these or similar messages that insinuate deliberate network shutdown or disruption of services in the Nigerian telecom network.

“These malicious and subversive messages originated and are being circulated by fraudsters and unscrupulous elements in the society with the intent to cause chaos and panic among the populace.”

NCC said it has received unequivocal assurances from all the service providers to the effect that all the network services are currently in optimal performance, and will not witness any deliberate shutdown or disruptions, especially at this very crucial period of general elections in the country.

“Therefore, all users of telecommunications and banking services utilizing network facilities are assured of continued optimal service delivery before, during, and after the general elections in Nigeria,” the Commission said.