The EVC gave the charge at a two-day tripartite dialogue of
the Commission tagged, ‘Talk To The Regulator (TTTR) Forum’ which held in the
ancient city of Kano on Friday, October 15, 2021.
The programme had in attendance representatives of more than
104 telecoms licensees in different categories and segments of the Nigerian
telecoms market as well as consumers of telecoms services.
Prof. Danbatta said while the Commission continues to
engender effective regulatory environment, there is a need for licensees to
support several initiatives carefully designed to enhance market opportunities
for all its licensees.
“Telecoms industry sustainability can only be guaranteed
where all licensees ensure full and effective compliance with licence
conditions and other regulatory prescriptions. So, this forum provides an
opportunity to discuss areas where some of our licensees are falling short of
their licence obligations, and how we can collectively improve on the present
situation,” he said.
The EVC highlighted some of the key policies that have been
articulated by the Federal Government, including the National Digital Economy
Policy and Strategy (NDEPS, 2020-2030); the Nigerian national Broadband Plan
(NNBP, 2020-202), the Revised national Digital Identity Policy for SIM
Registration, among others, and sought the licensees’ full and unalloyed
commitment to ensure their successful implementation.
Danbatta also briefed the licensees about some activities
which the Commission is pursuing to further facilitate the achievement of its
regulatory mandate.
These include the recently-launched NCC’s five-pillar
Strategic Vision Plan (SVP, 2021,2025); commencement of a comprehensive review
of its licensing frameworks; ongoing reviews of other key regulatory
instruments to align with the rapidly emerging contemporary developments;
ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module
(SIM) linkage exercise; as well as the ongoing efforts to launch the Fifth
Generation (5G) network in Nigeria.
The NCC CEO said, as the regulator, the NCC provides the
enabling environment for healthy competition in the industry.
Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Adeleke
Adewolu, who amplified Danbatta’s voice on the need for strict compliance with
telecoms regulations by the licensees, said telecoms has continued to lead
national economic growth through effective regulation and adherence to rules of
engagement by the licensees.
Thus, Adewolu said the sector has consistently driven growth
of the Nigerian economy and has provided critical infrastructure required for
the digital transformation of practically all spheres of life. He declared that
in the second quarter of 2021, the Information and Communication technology
(ICT) sector sustained its trajectory of growth and contributed 17.9 per cent
to the nation’s Gross Domestic product (GDP).
Adewolu, however, identified three key factors driving the
sector’s performance to include a stable policy environment engendered by
various digital economy policies; a consistent tradition of firm, fair,
forthright, transparent and developmental regulatory oversight provided by the
NCC; as well as long-term infrastructure investment and service commitments of
telecoms licensees.
“The NCC has, therefore, organised this forum to enable us
to strengthen collaboration along these three lines, to enable our valued
stakeholders give us feedback on ongoing initiatives and to enable you seek
clarifications on issue of concern,” Adewolu told the forum.
In his remarks, Director, Licensing and Authorisation, NCC,
Mohammed Babajika, said while the Commission is fully aware and committed to
discharging its mandate, especially in facilitating conducive telecoms
environment and guiding the industry to sustain the achievement already
recorded in the industry, these can only be possible with the cooperation and
support of the licensees.
Babajika said the Commission recognises the importance of
various service providers, hence the need to constantly engage the licensees
with a view to identifying generic and unique challenges and collectively
proffering solutions to them.
The overarching objective of the forum, which is in line
with NCC’s vision of strategic collaboration and partnership, was to get
first-hand feedback from NCC’s licensees.
The programme will be hosted in other cities across the
country during the year.
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