Assizes Lawfirm’s Managing Associate, Senator Iyere Ihenyen, on NCC’s Do Not Disturb Code.

Senator Iyere Ihenyen, our Managing Associate, was recently featured in ‘Privacy this Week’, published by DataGuidance, an international data and privacy compliance network.

‘Privacy This Week’ featured commentaries by Senator Iyere Ihenyen and G. Elias & Co’s Managing Partner, Fred Onuobia. The commentaries bordered on Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) new Do Not Disturb (DND) Code. The Code restricts “unsolicited messages” on mobile phones in Nigeria.

Below is an excerpt and a link to to the full article:

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s (‘NCC’) Do Not Disturb Directive (‘the Directive’) entered into effect on 1 July 2016. Mobile network operators (‘MNOs’) are required by the Directive to operate a Do Not Disturb code (‘the Code’), which restricts both themselves and value added service providers (‘VASPs’) from sending unsolicited messages to their subscribers. The specific shortcode, ‘2442’, must be sent by subscribers who wish to opt-in to the NCC’s Do Not Disturb database.

Senator Iyere Ihenyen, Managing Associate, Assizes Lawfirm

Senator Iyere Ihenyen, Associate at Assizes Lawfirm, told DataGuidance, “Subscribers will be happy about the Directive. For many years, subscribers have been complaining about the nuisance unsolicited messages from their network providers constituted in their daily lives. On the negative side the short-term impact on VASPs would be disruptive because of the way they have modelled their services in the country. VASPs mainly provide bulk SMS and premium SMS services targeting network subscribers. These services are mostly provided for corporate clients who want to reach millions of targeted subscribers. To these corporate advertisers, subscribers’ interests are not their primary focus. What is important is ensuring that their messages are delivered to the targeted numbers.”

Click here to read the full news item, ‘Nigeria: NCC issues “disruptive” Do Not Disturb Directive’.