Here's how to stop receiving unwanted text messages!

In recent times, it seems like the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has started to take its job much more seriously. From the battle with MTN to various policies it has introduced, along with the seemingly new-found drive for enforcing its directives, the NCC of today is almost a stranger of sorts.

While it may seem like the regulator is making progress it the process of discharging its duties, there is a lot more to be desired before the NCC can be reputed as a veritable institution of the Nigerian government.

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In the meantime, the NCC has directed all telecommunications service providers in the country to activate the DO NOT DISTURB service, which will give subscribers the opportunity to choose to stop receiving those annoying unsolicited service text messages that no one cares about, starting from July 1, 2016.

I have not received any of such texts in the past two days so the threat of action against telecoms service providers who flout the directive may be having an effect. Or not.

Operators have been directed to dedicate a short code (2442), which subscribers can utilize to opt out of whatever imaginary service that seems to warrant these texts. Tony Ojobo, the mild-faced director of public affairs at the Commission, in a statement, said the not-so-new directive was aimed at curbing the nuisance of unsolicited texts (well, about damn time!), and therefore a direct response to the desires of subscribers. Sir, what have you people been waiting for?

Citing the various categories of unsolicited texts as including: Banking/Insurance/ Financial Products, Real Estate, Education, Health, Consumer Goods and Automobiles, Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, Tourism and leisure, Sports, Religion(Christianity, Islam, others), the Commission directed all operators to put instructions and clarifications in place so subscribers can either choose which service they want to subscribe to, or none at all.

Here are the various options, according to the NCC statement:

“SMS 1” for receiving SMS relating to Banking/Insurance/ Financial products to 2442

“SMS 2” for receiving SMS relating to real Estate to 2442

“SMS 3” for receiving SMS relating to Education to 2442

“SMS 4” for receiving SMS relating to Health to 2442

“SMS 5” for receiving SMS relating to Consumer goods and Automobiles to 2442”

“SMS 6” for receiving SMS relating to Communication/ Broadcasting Entertainment/IT to 2442

“SMS 7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and leisure to 2442

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“SMS 8” for receiving SMS relating to Sports to 2442

“SMS 9” for receiving SMS relating to Religion to 2442

The NCC says to completely stop receiving any kind of unwanted texts, simply SMS "STOP" to 2442. Whether this will work or how well this directive will be enforced is anyone's guess. After all, na Naija we dey, abi?

Please share this to save someone from the terror of these stupid, annoying texts.