Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun the process of reviewing five telecom regulations and guidelines to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of a three-day public inquiry on the five telecom regulations and guidelines in Abuja.
Danbatta also said Nigeria’s broadband usage has continued on the rise, moving up from 40.9% in February to 44.5% in July 2022, and progressing in line with achieving the national broadband target of 70% in 2025.
He said emerging technologies and advancements in the sector demand that the Commission is prepared to match these developments with appropriate regulations and guidelines.
“With the technological advancements anticipated in the coming years, it is expected that there will be a proliferation of devices in the industry. It is, therefore, essential for the Commission to ensure that the right regulatory frameworks can accommodate such eventualities,” he said.
He listed the regulatory instruments under review at the public inquiry to include: Type Approval Regulations; Guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria; Guidelines on Technical Specifications for the Deployment of Communications Infrastructure; Guidelines on Advertisements and Promotions, as well as Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
The amendments of these regulatory instruments are to reflect current realities, one of which is the anticipated deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) technology, and management of short codes in Nigeria, including the Toll-Free Emergency Code 112.
Danbatta said the focus areas were already articulated in some important documents guiding the operations of the Commission, including the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020 – 2025, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020 – 2030, NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024, and its Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVIP) 2021–2025, which are being implemented towards achieving its mandate.
Noting that these strides are the results of the regulatory efficiency and focused implementation of the Federal Government’s policies and strategies, he said the public inquiry is in tandem with the Commission’s strategy of consulting stakeholders in all its regulatory interventions.
He explained that the amendments of these regulatory instruments are to reflect current realities, one of which is the anticipated deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) technology, and management of short codes in Nigeria, including the Toll-Free Emergency Code 112.
Earlier, Head, Telecoms Laws and Regulations at NCC, Helen Obi, said the public inquiry allows the Commission to incorporate the comments and suggestions of industry stakeholders, in the development of its regulatory instruments.
She said the process ensures that the Commission’s regulatory instruments are in line with the current realities in the industry as it had done with some regulatory frameworks and guidelines in 2021.
The event was also attended by all members of the Board of Commissioners, led by its Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande.
