Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has stated that from today, telecommunications service providers must activate a ‘Do Not Disturb facility’ for subscribers who do not want to receive unsolicited text messages, stressing that telecom companies that do not adhere to this risk a fine of N10 million.

Speaking yesterday when he received the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, he stated: “I’ve started receiving this notification but it is going to apply to all consumers without distinction; whether you are the regulator or an ordinary consumer you will receive similar text messages from telcos that empowers you to opt in to the do not disturb facility in virtually all unsolicited text messages.”

He added that “one regulatory measure we have already put in place is that henceforth, I think it’s from tomorrow 20th of July all text messages must have a do not disturb provision because consumers can then opt into this do not disturb provision to say don’t disturb me I don’t want these text messages anymore. If this important regulatory directive is not adhered to there will be consequences. I think there is a fine of about N10 million for non-adherence. So we really mean business on this one.”

•Sourced from Nigerian Pilot. Photo shows NCC boss, Prof. Umar Danbatta.