Stakeholders in Nigeria’s telecoms sector are urging for stronger legislative provisions to shield the industry from multiple regulatory pressures and ensure the continued independence of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The call was made during a panel session in Lagos on Tuesday, organized by the NCC to review the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), expressed concerns about the growing number of regulations and interference from sub-national authorities. Adebayo specifically pointed to a recent incident involving local agencies in Kogi State.
“We need stronger legislation to shield us from interference by local authorities and conflicting state laws,” Adebayo stated.
Adebayo added that such actions undermine operators’ ability to deliver uninterrupted communication services across the country.
He also emphasized the importance of preserving the NCC’s autonomy, particularly regarding pricing decisions, without external interference.
“The success of our industry is due largely to the independence of our regulator,” Adebayo added.
Calls for an updated Nigerian Communications Act
Ms. Chizua Whyte, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at the NCC, acknowledged that while the current Nigerian Communications Act had driven industry growth, it now needed updating to align with new technologies and modern challenges.
“We must align the Act with new technologies like OTT services and address interconnection issues,” Whyte said, further calling for the inclusion of a dedicated chapter on communication offences and the protection of national infrastructure in the revised Act.
She also proposed the introduction of smart licensing models and general obligations for industry players within the new legal framework.
Service quality concerns
Mr. Damian Udeh, Associate Director at IHS, pointed out that service quality remains a significant concern for telecom operators, despite improvements in recent years. He commended the NCC for prioritizing service quality but cited external challenges such as power shortages and infrastructure gaps that continue to affect service delivery.
“We’ve seen quality improvements, but we need greater empathy from the regulator, given the challenges we face,” Udeh noted.
- Mr. Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services Officer at MTN, suggested relaxing licensing rules to foster innovation, particularly among startups and young entrepreneurs.
- He recommended implementing a general authorization or sandbox regime to allow startups access to data and the ability to build new solutions.
“We need a general authorisation or sandbox regime to let startups access data and build new solutions,” Okigbo proposed.
Okigbo also emphasized the need for regulatory independence, citing the example of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a model for Nigeria.
“We must empower NCC to act independently, free from political interference,” Okigbo said, further stressing that the NCC’s decisions should be guided by its expertise rather than political agendas to ensure effective governance in the telecoms sector.
Merging agencies for greater efficiency
Okigbo also suggested that the National Assembly consider merging agencies such as the NCC and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to reduce redundancy and improve the efficiency of regulatory operations in the sector.
