Yemisi Izuora
The Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, has listed key interventions it made recently to broaden investment in the telecommunications industry as well as support industry licensees to improve service delivery.
The Commission, said it is confident that with some interventions already made it is clear that it will achieve its target of hitting over 50 per cent broadband penetration by 2023.
Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, of the Commission, Umar Garba Dambatta, in his remarks at the ‘Talk To The Regulator Forum’ TTTR, which held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on June 1 and 2, said that the Agency in keeping with its mandate, creates opportunities to interact with its licensees on industry issues and new trends via stakeholder fora, with a view to gathering relevant information that would further advance the development of the industry, while improving regulations and service delivery to telecom consumers.
Dambatta noted that the telecom industry has witnessed milestones in more ways than one, including the rapid growth in technology, which is redefining service delivery, and creating wide and high expectations from all stakeholders.
To keep up to date with developments in the industry, he said the Commission has equally taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development.
Some of the interventions and responses of the Commission includes facilitating the Roll-Out of 5G Service provision and introduction of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas.
The Commission is also currently reviewing the scope and structure of its existing licenses to make them more robust and to accommodate some of the identified new industry trends.
In line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020 – 2025), the NCC is providing industry leadership to facilitate the achievement of 90 per cent Broadband penetration by year 2025, and well above 50 per cent at the end of 2023.
Currently, over a One Hundred and Fifty (I50) million Nigerians have access to internet, while over eighty (80) million can access high speed internet.
The ‘Talk-To-The Regulator` Forum is a common platform for non-discriminatory interaction on a one-on-one basis, between the Licensees and the Regulator on several industry issues, pertinent to the Licensees and of national interest.
Our Correspondent reports that the TTTR Forum in Yenagoa which was originally scheduled to hold in 2022 but was postponed due to the dreadful flood disaster that hit Bayelsa and some other states in the year.
Dambatta at the forum commiserated with the people of Bayelsa State and the entire nation on the worst flood disaster recorded in the history of the nation and prayed that such natural disaster shall not plaque our dear nation again, and equally believe that the state has made adequate preparations for any future occurrences.
Also speaking at the forum, Zonal Controller, NCC, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Venny Eze, noted that, the event, is coming at the heels of the licensing of the 5G network, and the effort by stakeholders to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of telecommunications services to all Nigerians.
“This event, is the second, in the series of the Nigerian Communications Commission`s engagement with licensees, in the South-South, having held similar forum, in Port Harcourt for the licensees in the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones in 2021, with a brief hiatus in 2022, due to unforeseen circumstances.
“Today`s event, provides a veritable platform for interaction between the regulator and the licensees, on one hand, and other industry stakeholders, on the other hand. It is a rare occasion that would enable the Commission to identify the challenges confronting the industry from the pragmatic point of view of the industry players. In other words, licensees are expected to engage the regulator, through robust discussions, with a view to identifying the various challenges affecting their operations, while making suggestions, requiring regulatory interventions, within the mandate of the NCC.” Ezeh said.
According to the Controller, this forum, would afford the Licensees, an opportunity to be educated on topical issues of concern, which would help them comply to the licensing terms and conditions, in the various license categories.
In his remarks, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, stated that the forum is in tandem with the Commission’s strategic objective to facilitate strategic collaboration and partnership with critical stakeholders in the industry.
“The essence of the forum is to create awareness about the activities of the Commission as a Regulator and also obtain feedback from critical stakeholders on how the industry affects their daily lives as well as the role of the Regulator in enhancing same. It also serves as an educational platform where misconceptions about the Commission and its processes are explained.
“The Communications Sector has proven to be pivotal to the growth and development of the national economy. The sector has continually ensured that the digital economy agenda of the Federal Government is established on solid foundations. It has also proven to be the catalyst for entrenching the activities of both the public and private sector in the digital space, seamlessly.
“The Communications Sector is indeed the pace-setter sector as far as the expansion of the frontiers for national development is concerned. This was further underscored by the recent deployment of the Fifth Generation Technology (5G) services in the Country which we believe will ensure that Nigeria maximises the benefit of the 4th Industrial Revolution whilst being sufficiently prepared for any attendant risk that may occur.” Adewolu said,
He noted that market study has shown that the deployment of 5G Technology Services will result in $13.2 trillion in global economic value by 2035, generating 22.3 million jobs in the 5G global value chain alone and “Thus, the Commission has played an effective role in placing the nation at a vantage position in order to reap these benefits.”
