NCC Holds Public Inquiry On Three Regulatory Instruments

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday held a public inquiry into three regulatory instruments in the telecoms industry.

The Executive Vice Chairman at NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, in his welcome remarks said the three key regulatory instruments that have been developed to address the challenges in the communications Industry and to further strengthen the market structure.

According to him, the instruments being reviewed are vital to ensuring that the regulatory frameworks that pertain to SIM Registration and Replacement in the communications industry meet the demands of the digital age.

He said, “The first instrument, the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, provides a regulatory framework for the registration of subscribers of communications services utilizing subscription mediums.  

“The second instrument, SIM Replacement Guidelines, provides guidance on the standards and procedure which Network Service Providers (NSPs) are expected to adhere to in the process of conducting a SIM Replacement, swap or upgrade. 

“It is pertinent to add that the Commission has also introduced Business Rules for SIM Registration and SIM Replacement to further ensure that the process for SIM activation and Replacement is seamless.

“The third instrument, which is the Spectrum Trading Guidelines, seeks to promote certainty and transparency in the processes of the Commission by outlining the detailed procedure and conditions for Spectrum Trading in the Nigerian communications sector.”

He explained that the availability of spectrum frequency is a necessary element in the deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) technology in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, said the objective of this Public Inquiry is to engage stakeholders as part of the rule-making process set out in Section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

“We believe that this is a vital ingredient in not just developing instruments, it also gauges the implementation efficacy of existing instruments that are undergoing review. 

“We hope to receive more comments from stakeholders, which would ensure that the final regulatory instruments will guide and guarantee the progressive development of the industry.”