Telecommunication companies (telcos) in Nigeria have denied the allegations in some quarters that they provide pro bono services to legislators at the national assembly.
There have been insinuations that telcos – MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile, gift free airtime, data and other services to NASS members consisting of a Senate with 109 members and a House of Representatives with 360 members.
While fielding questions from callers on Nigeria Info 99.3 FM programme on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, monitored by Techeconomy, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), debunked the claims, stressing “We don’t provide pro bono services for any group of people, whether in private or in public (sector)”.
Continuing, the ALTON chairman said, “These are ethical issues and related to (corporate) governance.
“I represent the Association, and I know the principles of (corporate) governance that were placed within our member.
“We can’t come to public radio to make assumption(s) that certain people are getting certain benefits without facts. I’m sorry to say, we are a highly regulated sector”. We are highly disciplined people. We have significant ethics and corporate governance principles that we follow.
When asked for further clarifications on why telcos do not provide pro bono services to NASS members, the ALTON chairman, said: “We do not offer pro bono services to avoid compromising the integrity of the institution(s)”.
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On assumption of office, Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), vowed that transparency will form the bedrock of his leadership as Nigeria’s chief telecom regulator as this will enable a solid foundation in building a resilient, accountable and efficient institution.
Maida spoke during a courtesy visit to Dr. Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, in Abuja recently while briefing the minister on his activities, vision, and strategy after his assumption office in October 2023.
“Transparency is key. It is by transparency that we can self-regulate even as regulators. And by so doing, we would be putting ourselves on our toes, which in the long run will drive the Commission forward to achieve our goals of operational excellence,” Maida stated.
