NCC drums support Telecoms Sector Sustainability Forum Initiative

The Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has drummed support for the Telecoms Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF) initiative organized in Lagos by Business Remarks with the theme: “Examining the Nigerian Internet Providers (ISPs) Viability in a Digitized Environment.”

The Executive Vice Chairman NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta stated at the forum that the National Policy on Digitization as well as the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 can only be facilitated through Internet Service Provision and its implementations can make Nigeria compete favourably in the world economy.

Danbatta, who was represented by Mr. Yomi Arowosafe, NCC, Zonal Controller, Lagos, stated that in order to achieve the National Policy on Digitalization as well as the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 mandate, the NCC as at March 2022 has licensed 756 ISPs out of which 188 ISPs are active, while the total subscribers for the data service in Nigeria as at February 2022 stood at 144,059,086.

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Consequently, the NCC boss said that deliberate policies and regulations are being looked at in the Commission in ensuring that ISPs and other smaller players in the industry thrive.

He also listed some measures the Commission embarked upon to promote fair play and orderly development of the Nigerian Communication ecosystem as well as boost the competitiveness of the industry to include: Providing the required regulatory frameworks and interventions in terms of policies, guidelines determinations etc, that will encourage fair play in the telecommunications industry; Encouraging and mandating more openness and transparency in the activities of stakeholders within the industry in order to ensure healthy competition practices amongst competing licensees.

Others according include: Promoting digitization efforts across the length and breadth of the economy; Commitment to full realization of the objectives of the Nigerian Broadband Plan 2020-2025; Actively engaging in strategic collaboration with stakeholders who have crucial roles to play in the growth and development of the Nigerian economy with emphasis in the telecommunications sector and encouraging industry stakeholders to seek and explore opportunities.

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He posited that digitization of the economy can only come into being when the ISPs are fully encouraged and that is what the Commission is focusing on to ensure the enabling environment is created through the development of regulatory instruments that will address the concerns of ISPs in particular and the telecommunication sector at large.

He applauded the Business Remarks Limited; and the convener of the Forum, Mrs Bukola Olanrewaju for providing the window of engagement, adding that the concrete outcome generated in the course of the engagement would not only be useful to the Nigerian Communications industry, but to the Nigerian economy as a whole.