MTN pledges action against unwanted subscriptions, unfair services

MTN Nigeria has pledged to continue taking action against unwanted subscriptions and questionable third-party value-added services to protect customers from unfair practices.

Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Nigeria, gave the assurance on Thursday in Lagos while addressing Cohort 5 participants of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP).

He said the company regularly monitored third-party service providers and withdrew network access when their activities raised concerns.

Okigbo said MTN shut down most third-party subscription services around 2017 as part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection and ensure fair treatment of customers.

He explained that the decision followed concerns about how some providers attracted customers into subscriptions, adding that the intervention exposed MTN to pressure from regulators and other stakeholders.

According to him, the company’s experience showed that protecting customers was essential to building trust and strengthening business.

“When we did TCF, the people have trust. They started leaving more money in their accounts. They started buying,” he said, referring to the company’s Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) initiative.

He said there was empirical evidence to proof that if people trust you, they would leave more money with you.

“But, if they are afraid that their money will disappear without their knowledge they will not be interested in your services,” he said.

Okigbo cited the shutdown of a major betting company as another example of MTN’s decision to deny network access to third-party providers over concerns about their operations.

It was reported that his remarks followed questions from participants about complaints on social media concerning unsolicited subscription messages and customers being subscribed to services without their knowledge.

A participant had raised concerns about elderly customers who might struggle to understand or cancel unwanted subscriptions.

Responding, Okigbo said customers could use the harmonised short codes established by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to contact customer-care services across telecommunications networks.

He acknowledged that service providers would continue seeking ways to attract customers but said telecommunications operators must remain vigilant in identifying and addressing practices that could harm subscribers.

“People will always look for the shortcuts. They will find them. Our job is to keep looking for how to short it,” he said.