TheNewsGuru

Tag: NCC

  • For telecom, quality of service remains stubborn – By Okoh Aihe

    For telecom, quality of service remains stubborn – By Okoh Aihe

    Just when you think you have seen it all, something happens to convince you very strongly that all that journey is a circlical movement which has not taken you far from the point of departure at all. Like peddling away on a stationary bicycle at a fitness centre. Or expending so much energy and achieving very little result.

    Is that the story of the nation’s telecoms industry? Just when you think so much progress has been made in the industry, something happens immediately to question your claim.

    My friend is on a little get-away at the moment. Each time he calls home, the family members have to be moving from room to room searching for signals. Just like it was at the advent of the GSM era when people had to climb trees in some rural areas or look for high grounds in search of signals in order to make calls. One of my friends comes from one of those locations. They were even lucky. They had signals to search for. Some didn’t have any.

    Frustration, because of drop calls and very bad data and WhatsApp  connections, is hitting fever pitch. As it was in the beginning…..

    Quality of service (QoS) has remained a perennial problem in the telecommunications industry and the experience has spinned out of control in the past few months with all kinds of reasons and excuses being adduced.

    So much has  been written on this subject. Some actions have been taken by the regulator, the industry and even the government, and the journey is not half way done. Whether it is increasing tariffs, appealing to states to waive right of way (RoW) charges, or taking some other regulatory measures, it’s all about quality of service and improving the quality of experience by subscribers.

    Within the week, I typed quality of service into my rack and lots of materials tumbled  out. Just from this writer alone, not from the entire media ecosystem in the country, including writings by some of my colleagues who have tended to carry the weight of the industry on their shoulders; at times making suggestions on how to grow the industry. It has always been about quality of service.

    But it can be very exhausting, to write on the same topic over the years and you are not sure anymore if anybody is reading. Is this how frustrating it can be for a writer? Now I understand the experience of Okinba Launko. Years ago when Cordelia was being run in Daily Times and The Guardian by my mentor and friend, Prof Femi Osofisan (Okinba Launko), I had told him excitedly that the column was a must read every Sunday.

    Expressing surprise, he told me that he was almost stopping it as it didn’t appear anybody was reading, as there were no responses. It is heart-warming that venerated film director, Tunde Kelani, has turned the novella into a movie. It would never have happened at all. I can vouch for Kelani’s attention to details.

    Again, it is always about quality of service and the issue remains stubbornly. Let’s return to the materials on the rack. The first material was published with the title, A friend and his Nokia in a challenging telco environment, on May 17, 2022.

    “My friend lives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and naturally feels entitled to the good things coming from the seat of government; or modified slightly, feels entitled to the enhanced quality and bounteous provisions for the status of a country’s capital, the way other capitals of other countries of the world are treated. By way of living the life, he used to walk with some kind of gait, a little swagger which unfortunately has been humbled by reality. Yes, reality is a metaphor that sticks closer than the skin.

    “My friend called me within the week and was effusive at the other end but reality intruded. The phone simply went dead while he talked on. When we reconnected much later after several attempts from both ends, the first words that left his mouth was,  “I am returning to my Nokia 3310.” For me the laughter came very naturally and then, of course, irony quickly obliterated it.”

    This other quote is taken from another material published on November 1, 2023, under the title: For Telecoms and Broadcasting, let the eagle perch and services improve.

    “The flipside is that for an industry that has operated at peak level for over twenty two years, it is difficult to continue to plead excuses. As my old man would say, it is only the lazy farmer that would attribute failure to his farming implements. The telecoms subscribers in Nigeria need action and improved service delivery and not excuses about the Nigerian operating environment that has nearly turned inside out.”

    There are several other materials that can be taken from the rack, all on quality of service, and the story has hardly changed. How can an industry enjoying a boom suddenly hit a nadir? As it was in the beginning……

    The other day, it was the regulator instructing operators to always report service disruptions on their networks, including force majeure. A protracted outage would attract some compensation and even sometimes, punishment. So, how do you hold an operator responsible for a cable damage somewhere deep in the south or a bandit activity on the network somewhere up north. I would never understand that but failure on the network continues. As it was in the beginning……

    Perhaps as an intervening exemplification of the complexities of the the challenges confronting the industry, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), early July announced that some sudden migration on the platform of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has impacted all the mobile networks, causing some troubling confusion, including service delivery. Although the exercise is claimed to have been concluded successfully, my experience on the various networks does not validate that claim. As it was in the beginning…….

    Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs at MTN, has also added a cautionary voice. Speaking at the MTN Media Innovation Programme in Lagos, he appealed to Nigerians to take telecom infrastructure as national assets that shouldn’t be vandalised no matter the situation, pledging that MTN intends to remain, to grow, and to keep contributing positively to the nation’s development.

    As you can see, quality of service remains an issue. As it was in the beginning….

    The government seems to be throwing everything in the ring to mitigate the issue. Since June 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed an Executive Order declaring telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure that is protected by law, which also criminalises the activities of vandals. The government expects the law to be obeyed but that has not happened!

    The regulator is taking some actions to reinforce the current thinking of the government. In a fresh campaign through a Facebook post, the NCC wrote: Protect our connectivity. Stop vandalism! Cutting telecom cables or damaging masts disrupts calls and internet access, putting lives, and businesses at risk.

    Only those from the kingdom of the wicked will fail to agree with the NCC or even in their own wimp imagination, refuse to understand the ubiquitous importance of telecommunications. I appeal that we, at least, try to get one thing right. There is no road infrastructure connecting the states, no water, no light and no safety.

    We can start from telecom. Let’s make it work, instead of adding it to the list of failures. It will be for our common good.

  • NCC unveils famework to unlock pathways for digital growth

    NCC unveils famework to unlock pathways for digital growth

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled its General Authorisation Framework (GAF) to enhance growth in the industry and empower underserved communities.

    The commission did the unveiling during a stakeholder engagement for the Nigerian Telecoms Industry on Thursday in Abuja.

    The event brought together key players from the telecommunications sector to discuss the future of digital innovation in Nigeria.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said that the sector had become a symbol of innovation and progress, revolutionising communication, improving access to information, and reshaping business operations.

    Maida, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, highlighted the tremendous progress made in the telecommunications sector over the past 24 years.

    He said that the sector was at a turning point, where disruptive innovations were accelerating the evolution of the communications ecosystem.

    “This progress has been driven by the rapid uptake of mobile technologies, surging data consumption and an increasing appetite for digital services.

    “We are now at a turning point where the nature of innovation demands a regulatory paradigm that is not only responsive but enabling.

    “Broadband Penetration continues to grow, while digital literacy is on the rise,” he said.

    According to him, these are creating a solid foundation for a vibrant digital economy driven by accessibility, innovation and inclusivity.

    Maida said that technological innovation was accelerating across the world, and across the nation.

    He emphasised the need for a regulatory paradigm that was not only responsive but enabling.

    He said that it would allow innovators to experiment without unnecessary restrictions, adding that the framework is introduced as a key initiative to achieve this goal.

    “The framework has introduced three key instruments that would provide a platform for innovators to test and validate their ideas, assess risk, and measure outcomes before deployment.

    “The success of the framework depends on the active participation of stakeholders, including mobile network operators, service providers, infrastructure companies, OEMs, startups, civil society and academia,” he said.

    The EVC said that the framework aimed to promote inclusive innovation, expanding access, closing connectivity gaps and empowering underserved communities.

    “This is an objective that lies at the core of the NCC’s latest initiative, the General Authorisation Framework.

    “By adopting this approach, we are providing a platform for innovators of various sizes, whether they are startups or established companies, to demonstrate feasibility, assess risk, and measure outcomes before deployment.

    “This model encourages experimentation and responsible innovation while safeguarding consumer rights and public interest,” he said.

    Maida expressed optimism that the stakeholder engagement would spark curiosity, refine the collective vision and accelerate the journey towards a more connected, innovative and prosperous Nigeria.

    He called for collaboration and partnership to refine the approach and ensure that it worked for Nigeria.

    He said that the future of Nigeria’s digital economy was unfolding rapidly, with the communications sector at the heart of this future.

    Earlier, NCC’s Director, Licensing and Authorisation Department, Mr Usman Mamman, said that GAF was the outcome of extensive research, cross-departmental collaboration and evaluation of global best practices, and local industry dynamics.

    Mamman described it as a flexible and forward-looking approach to licensing that promotes innovation while ensuring regulatory oversight, consumer protection and market integrity.

    According to him, the NCC conducted an internal review of recent service applications and pilot proposals, revealing a growing need for a flexible pathway to test new and emerging ideas.

    He said that a benchmark study was also carried out to learn from other countries, including the UK’s Ofcom Sandbox model and Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (MDA) testbeds.

    “This shows a growing need for a flexible and well-structured pathway to test new and emerging ideas,” he said.

    He called on stakeholders to ensure that the framework becomes a solid bridge between innovation and regulation, between start-up visionaries and established players, and between present limitations and future possibilities.

  • The agama lizard allegory for telecoms – By Okoh Aihe

    The agama lizard allegory for telecoms – By Okoh Aihe

    When we were children and worked in fresh farms with our parents, we didn’t understand the heroic story of the agama lizard and the tall palm tree somewhere in the farm. Once in a while, you were alerted to the base of the tree by the sound from the lizard which had just landed on its stomach after a jump from the top. The agama was not only cool but nodded its head in some kind of solemn communication. We would never understand the meaning of that.

    Master storyteller, Chinua Achebe, would explain that communication much later when we were growing up in our educational pursuit. The agama lizard, which jumps down from the palm tree said if there was nobody to praise him, he would praise himself by nodding his head. This is my little attempt at summarising one of those witty tales by the master himself, which could explain the condition of a great performer lifting up his spirits if there was no one close by to do so, or if people intentionally overlooked his efforts.

    Once Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, last week, announced the N3bn contribution by communication powerhouse, MTN, to support the government’s 3MTT programme, my mind went to the story of the agama lizard, quietly doing great things but nobody was really very interested in doing any clapping.

    3MTT is an acronym for 3 Million Technical Talent, a bold initiative and a critical component of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda which is aimed at developing a local pool of technical talent for the country and the global tech ecosystem.

    “I acknowledge MTN Nigeria’s long-term support for the 3MTT Nigeria programme, with cumulative investment of N3 billion since inception.

    “This kind of collaboration is what drives our vision of building a future-ready workforce and positioning Nigeria as a net exporter of technical talent,” Tijani enthused.

    Previously, the Airtel Africa Foundation had contributed a handsome N1 billion to support the same programme, while infrastructure service provider, IHS Tower, has entered an agreement worth another N1bn with the Ministry to build learning communities across the nation for the 3MTT programme.

    Without a doubt, Tijani’s vision for the future of technology in Nigeria and the place of the youthful population, is very rich. Even when he does not enjoy my praise for his inability to persuade the President to reconstitute the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), it is good to observe that the minister is on a journey into a future that accommodates the young people of this nation who were hitherto frustrated, vilified and used, in the main, as mere election cannon fodder.

    3MTT is beyond wagering for elections. It is supported by facts, figures and verifiable products. The tech talent will be trained in cohorts. The programme started with

    30,000 Nigerians, which was one percent of the 3 million target, while another 270,000 were later selected for the second cohort to bring the number to 10 percent.

    The 3 Million Tech Talent will be trained in areas of specialty including: Digital Marketing, Project Management Software, Cloud Platforms Navigation, Data Analysis and Visualisation,Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), CRM Management, Accounting Software, Graphics Design and UX/UI Design, among others.

    Tijani is lucky to be minister over a sector that has capacity, whose operators have enthusiastically embraced him with funds to bring his grand vision to life and give some fortunate ones the opportunity to aspire to a life of quality and meaning. Ironically the industry does not enjoy such understanding or deserved appreciation.

    When confronted with any challenges and they are legion, the industry attracts criticisms instead of empathy. The sector is exposed to a cocktail of taxes and not even the lawmakers who question them over quality of service and sundry payments to government, have done anything about it. The telecommunications sector is the tap with endless supply of resources that are milked from the federal, down to the local councils. Their sites are shut down at the pleasure of the state government and not many people have a thought for the investment or the fact that, in challenging times, telecoms remain a critical national infrastructure.

    Apart from the well documented fact that telecommunications provide the levers for every other sector of the economy and, I want to add, every fabric of life, I am afraid the sector is often overlooked in terms of prioritisation or scale of importance when critical decisions are being taken. For instance, after several appointments have been made by this government in the past two years, the administration has forgotten to appoint a Board for the NCC and, thus putting the agency in a knowledge deficit in terms of contributions by would-be other members of the Board. Without doubt, the activities and decisions of the Board would usually add fillip to the efforts of an agency struggling to recover from the pains of the past.

    I am happy the industry is behind Tijani in his endeavours but it is a clear case of irony, as I am not very sure the minister has given the sector commensurate support and encouragement. Yet the future of this country means more to everybody, including the service providers who are putting their money on the youth for knowledge opportunities that will transform lives and nation.

    It is still a long way ahead but the most difficult steps have been taken. And Tijani says, “As we scale the 3MTT Programme, we look forward to deepening our partnerships with the private sector to unlock more opportunities for our people and economy.”

    This sounds good and inviting, but I am told Tijani is a solo player, so immersed in his ideas that he hardly accommodates the concerns of those around him, meaning that he may have more vision than followers. He has less than two years to change his ways and give the telecommunications industry the push it deserves.

    0724 for Lebara

    The name strikes a chord in a nearly forgotten background in my being. I cannot remember at what point I used a Lebara line but I remember very well the line was easy to get and that was what I needed at the time.

    Lebara has been given the 0724 number series by the regulator. Chief Operating Officer of Lebara Nigeria, Mary O. Akin-Adesokan, says the completion of interconnectivity setup with all major mobile operators, underlines Lebara’s “unwavering commitment to seamless integration, customer freedom, and market inclusivity.”

    Lebara holds a Tier 5 Mobile Virtual Network Operator License (MVNO) which empowers it to ride on other people’s networks, given interconnectivity, to deliver niche services. I am told by an NCC source that MVNO is usually the fruit of a maturing telecommunications market. There are several hundred in the UK and USA. Quite a number have also been licensed in Nigeria.

    “The coming of Lebara is to enhance competition and provide niche services. They may also provide voice and data but mostly their services are niche,” a source said at the NCC.

    It is encouraging that there is always something good about the telecommunications sector in spite of all the pressure. There is always something fresh, like Lebara, like contributing life-changing sums to life-changing programmes by the minister. The sector may not go the agama lizard way, but there are those clapping for the operators, like the rural folks who are able to connect with their loved ones in the cities and receive mobile transfers that bring balm to a nearly defeated life.

  • I can’t criticise President Tinubu on the NCC Board – By Okoh Aihe

    I can’t criticise President Tinubu on the NCC Board – By Okoh Aihe

    There is something that age does to a man. It doesn’t just equip him with more rags than the Millennials, the Gen-Z or the Generation Alpha, as Chinua Achebe would have loved to put it in one of the greatest books ever,  Things Fall Apart; age slows down a man  and tempers his views with ancient wisdom.  Instead of volcanic eruptions at little irritations, age cautions otherwise.

    Now when confronted with the actions of some people in high places – private or government, and someone would ask: why would he take such a decision? Instead of a rambunctious  response as it would have been a few years ago, I can hear myself saying, he is the chief executive; you are not privy to the information available to him. Being a chief executive doesn’t have to do with age but being in a position to apply expertise and cosmopolitan wisdom in taking informed decisions based on available information.

    For this reason, I am the least qualified to ask President Bola Ahmed Tinubu why he has not reconstituted the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)  which is one of the most important agencies in the country. He is the President of Nigeria. Apart from other baskets of worries, he has access to information that may never be made public. But as they say,  the buck stops on his table, a slight variation of “the buck stops here,” which was the way former president of the United States, Harry S. Truman audaciously accepted responsibility for his actions and decisions.

    The buck stops on President Tinubu’s table and he has not been negligent in taking bold decisions even if some of those decisions impact the people with reverse expectations.

    While one will acknowledge that quite a number of boards have been reconstituted since his assumption of office just over two years ago, it is also safe to observe that NCC is clearly and surprisingly missing from the list. Yet the President has his information which may make it difficult for anybody to question his reluctance and, not failure, to do so. Whatever that information may be, this is a humble reminder that the NCC is a vital organisation whose activities, in terms of last-mile benefits, impact almost everybody and all sectors of the economy.

    The status of the NCC at the moment is that it has three Executive Commissioners – Dr Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Engr Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS), and Rimini Haraya Makama, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM). All three were appointed by President Tinubu but the Communications Act expects more.

    The entire communications industry of which the NCC is the regulator, rests on the solid pillars of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. The Act details the constitution of a Board with a five year tenure for the members.

    The Act in Section 5 says there is established for the Commission a Governing Board charged with the administration of the affairs of the Commission. The Board Commissioners shall be persons of recognised standing, qualification and experience in one or more of the following fields – finance or accounting, law, consumer affairs, telecommunications engineering and information technology, among others.

    The Board shall have capacity to make standing orders for the regulation of its proceedings and meetings howsoever and acts of the Board shall be deemed to be acts of the Commission.

    The Board shall consist of 9 Commissioners made of – the chairman, a chief executive who shall also be the Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), 2 Executive Commissioners and five non-executive Commissioners. But at  any particular time, it must have 6 Commissioners serving on the Board, which shall  be drawn from the 6 geo-political zones of the country subject to the approval by the Senate.

    The foregoing is an abridgement of the relevant sections of the Act for the purpose of this material. However, the Act also states very clearly that not even the President can remove a board member without being given an opportunity for a defence in case of misconduct and cannot also sack an Executive Commissioner without a recourse to the National Assembly.

    Things took a drastic turn at the NCC in 2015 with the coming of the APC government headed by President Muhammadu Buhari. The organisation was a major target. The Board members were swept away without being accorded any little respect in deference to their contributions to building an industry, and without recourse to the Act, even when their tenure had recently been renewed. The APC action violated the Act. That intrusion nearly torpedoed the system if it wasn’t well managed.

    It doesn’t come with any surprise therefore that with the coming of President Tinubu, the Board was again dissolved along with so many others, even though the NCC Act states otherwise. Those who harassed their predecessors out of office were now given a little dose of their illegitimate action. This appears to be the APC tonic for the telecommunications industry, but this tonic doesn’t invigorate at all; instead it has the reverse effect, putting the industry into uncertainty or what my friend, may God bless his soul, would have called a state of hugger-mugger.

    I write with some level of certainty that the three Executive Commissioners, led by the EVC, are trying their best to pick up the pieces of a regulatory institution that was nearly in ruins, but even at their best, the Board is still expedient, not only for performance but even for representation, a hallmark of democratic governance.

    An industry insider told this writer that President Obasanjo followed the letters of the Act when he appointed members of the NCC Board in 2000 as primary agents of change in the industry. Writing in June 2023, under the topic: Sustaining the revolution in Nigeria’s communications sector, Dr Tony Ojobo, a pioneer staff and latter a Director at the Commission, listed some members of the Board as follows:

    Ahmed Joda, renowned technocrat, Chairman; and Engr Ernest Ndukwe, former President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), technocrat and astute engineer, as the executive vice chairman and chief executive of the Board. Others include: Engr Olawale Ige, a former Minister of Communications, Engr Austine Otiji, a former managing director, who turned NITEL into a productive business entity, Engr Patrick Kentebe, Engr Shola Taylor, Engr Isaiah Mohammed, Engr Zimit, and Engr Don Udeh, among others.

    The team was selected based on competence and track record, and a readiness to take even a hazardous dive to give President Obasanjo the needed result.

    “Ahmed Joda’s Board understood the enormity of the responsibility placed on them and set out to build one of the most respected regulatory bodies in the world. The Board embarked on extensive consultations worldwide with regulators such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States of America and other regulatory bodies worldwide. The Commission also approached the World Bank for assistance and support. It engaged the services of consultants such as Deloitte & Touché, Detecon GmB of Germany, USAID, and Growing Businesses Foundation, among others, to assist with building a strong, independent regulatory body for the communications sector.

    As can be seen from the foregoing, there is a reason a Board is important to agencies like the NCC. It brings form, substance and structure to the operations of the agency. A good Board serves as a buffer and shields the agency from regulatory capture.

    The pioneer Board of NCC under Joda built an industry whose structures still hold forth today despite noticeable intimidations under the previous administration. Members made convivial collegiate contributions of knowledge to excite the industry and made Nigeria a telecom haven. The succeeding Board tried to build on the structure until decline and near anarchy intruded, although an NCC source would insist that the Joda era was the last Board of technocrats.

    But speaking to this writer, an industry source appealed to President Tinubu to urgently reconstitute the Board of the NCC.

    “The industry is so important that the Board must be repopulated by high calibre people who are stars in their own right. Such appointment should not be based on political gratifications but professionals in various fields of endeavour,” the source advised.

    One other thing. Without a Board, a meddlesome Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy can overwhelm the regulator and put investment in the sector in great jeopardy. I am not saying that is happening at the moment but sometimes, power can inebriate more than the strongest wine.

    Even with all their aggregated brilliance, the three Executive Commissioners at the NCC need some help; they need the profound well of experience, expertise and empathy of other well-meaning individuals who are qualified for a Board appointment in a regulatory agency, not the kind of politician that wears avarice as rubric.

    President Tinubu has information that is not available to the rest of us which makes it impossible to question some of his actions and decisions. But such information should be deployed to the overall good of the people. The NCC needs a Board urgently. Further delay could hurt the telecommunications industry in the long run.

  • Telecom services crucial for national security- NCC

    Telecom services crucial for national security- NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said telecom services are crucial for ensuring national security, particularly in addressing issues that require effective communication.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said this during an interactive session with technology reporters on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that achieving national security would be impossible without effective telecommunication.

    Maida was represented at the event by Mrs Nnena Ukoha, Head, Corporate Communications Management, Public Affairs Department.

    He said NCC had resolved to work with security agencies to arrest and prosecute vandals of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) across Nigeria.

    “Anyone found liable for damaging or disrupting CNII will be prosecuted going forward.

    “We are working with relevant agencies like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to tackle these problems and prosecute offenders.

    “We started highlighting the need for an order to protect the infrastructure so that people will know that those infrastructure are critical to service provision.

    “We all know that telecommunication services are now vital in all aspects of the economy. If the infrastructure are not well maintained all socio-economic activities will be affected,” he said.

    He said that a stable telecommunication infrastructure is essential for every sector of the economy.

    “We all know that telecommunication infrastructure plays a vital role in national security due to increasing cyber threats and vulnerabilities that can damage and disrupt communication infrastructure.

    “Telecommunication also plays a vital role in public welfare, contributing to the growth of a digital society.

    “It provides an enabling environment for socialisation and access to services. Without a robust telecommunication infrastructure, the public cannot fully enjoy these services provided,’’ he said.

  • USSD charges: How we determine service rates – NCC

    USSD charges: How we determine service rates – NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed how telecoms service tariffs and rates are determined for mobile network providers in the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida made the disclosure during an interactive session with technology reporters in Abuja on Thursday.

    Dr Maida disclosed that telecoms service rates are determined through comprehensive cost study to analyse the actual costs of providing a service.

    Maida said the NCC played a crucial role in regulating the telecom sector, ensuring that rates charged by service providers were fair and cost-oriented.

    “Rates were not simply pulled out of thin air. Instead, the commission conducts a comprehensive cost study to analyse the actual costs of providing a service,” he said.

    According to him, by analysing these costs, the commission can determine a fair and reasonable rate for services such as USSD charges.

    “You are asking about the rates, specifically the N6.98 Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) deduction from airtime recharge. Where did we get this figure from? Did we just pull it out of thin air?

    “What we normally do at NCC is conduct a cost study before allowing anyone to charge a particular rate. This means we analyse how much it costs to provide the service.

    “We have done this for USSD charges and are currently conducting a comprehensive cost study. Once completed, we will issue a determination based on all relevant factors.

    “This approach ensures that charges imposed are based on real costs, rather than arbitrary figures,” he said.

    He said that the NCC’s cost study considered various factors, including the cost of infrastructure, maintenance, and personnel.

    The EVC said that the telecom sector, which was liberalised, ensured that any charge or rates imposed were cost-oriented.

    “Consumers may not directly participate in rate determination discussions, the NCC protects their interests by scrutinising the costs and justifications behind service providers’ proposed rates.

    “For instance, if a provider wants to charge a certain rate for calls, they must justify the cost breakdown to us. This ensures that rates are fair and based on actual costs.

    “The level of expertise required for these discussions makes it challenging for ordinary consumers to participate directly,” he said.

    The clarification is coming after NCC directed deposit money banks to stop deducting charges for USSD transactions directly from customers’ accounts.

  • NCC, stakeholders tackle rural connectivity challenges

    NCC, stakeholders tackle rural connectivity challenges

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has collaborated with the Association for Progressive Communications and other institutional stakeholders towards addressing challenges confronting rural network connectivity in Nigeria.

    The collaboration resulted in a two-day workshop hosted in Abuja from June 3-4, 2025, to explore policy framework for enabling community networks towards bridging the digital divide and accelerating socio-economic development in Nigeria’s underserved and unserved communities.

    The forum brought together regulators, community leaders, technical experts and potential foreign investors, among others, to examine policy and regulatory barriers, explore innovative funding mechanisms, ensure sustainable renewable solutions and strengthen collaboration with stakeholders.

    Addressing participants at the workshop, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the workshop is important to bridging the digital divide in Nigeria and foster inclusive social economic development.

    “This workshop is an opportunity for all of us to harness the expertise, insights, and experiences of diverse stakeholders present here which includes the regulators, community leaders, technical experts and potential foreign providers to address the critical challenges such as affordable devices, access, licensing, spectrum allocation, infrastructure development, sustainability and institutional monitoring,” said Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC at the event, Abraham Oshadami.

    Maida said the workshop demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to advancing digital inclusion, particularly in underserved and unserved areas. “At NCC, we recognise the transformative potential of community center networks in achieving this important goal,” he said.

    The EVC said NCC was committed to “this journey and views this workshop as a catalyst for meaningful change,” stating that the expertise, perspectives and commitments will shape the future where every Nigerian, regardless of his or her status, will have meaningful access to opportunities from digital connectivity.

    In her remarks, Co-manager of the Association for Progressive Communications’ Local Network (LocNet) initiative, Kathleen Diga, noted that the collaboration was to tackle identified hindrances to digital inclusion. “This is a space where we can be open and exchange ideas of possibilities, opportunities that will remain in realising values of a diversified ecosystem.”

    Diga said, “I believe this workshop presents a moment in time that we can explore the bottom-up approach in local communities, small social enterprises, corporative among others, which have the ability to fill some of the digital gaps that remain unfilled,” she said, adding emphasising the need to recognise that community centre connectivity exists and they are grow throughout the global south, which, she said, are a “strategic response to digital exclusion.”

    The workshop featured presentations from the NCC, the Association for Progressive Communications and other institutional stakeholders such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) all geared towards exploring a joint policy framework to address rural digital divide.

    The Association for Progressive Communications is a 35-year-old international network member-based organisation encouraging digital inclusion in the unserved communities, particularly with communities in the global south and the workshop, through its LocNet initiative aimed at crafting an enabling inclusive regulatory framework for community networks in Nigeria.

  • For the regulator, little things that matter – By Okoh Aihe

    For the regulator, little things that matter – By Okoh Aihe

    There is something they say about digging yourself into a hole. It usually takes more  time to claw your way back. That is, if you ever want to see light again.

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) did not intentionally dig itself into a hole. Some people, given the responsibility to curate the day-to-day operations of the regulatory authority, dug the system into a hole. The Commission has been trying to fight its way back ever since, although it will take a longer time because of the absence of a board.

    I was recently informed that the regulator will institute the Telecom Identity Risk Management Platform (TIRMP)) by the last quarter of this year, to streamline the activities of churned numbers in the industry. That may not seem much but it’s one of the several actions the regulator is taking to fight its way out of the abyss. I am pretty sure that, at the end, people will be happy that such a step was ever taken. In the meantime, let’s do a little flashback to prove that, also in the last quarter of last year, the Commission executed some actions to demonstrate a seriousness that was more positive than pretentious. I will state just two.

    One. Early last year, the regulator revised its telecommunications statistics to reflect Nigeria’s updated population estimates of 216,781,381, as projected by the Nigerian Population Commission (NPC) in 2022. The adjustment replaced the previously used 2017 population estimates of 190m.

    There was only going to be one sure outcome. The teledensity dropped from 115.63% to 102.30% as the subscriber base also plummeted to 154.6m. It was a bold decision that jolted the industry into reality, an action that could hardly be contemplated previously when it was needed most.

    Two. And this is connected to the foregoing. At the conclusion of the NIN-SIM regulation exercise, a much criticised programme,  jointly executed by the NCC and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the number of lines on the mobile networks dropped to 154m, with one operator losing as much as 40m lines. The announcement was made in October. It caused a lot of discomfort and business reimagining.

    One would say that such an industry would have a lot of churned numbers. But it is much more than that. There are other reasons. At the dawn of the mobile industry, it was a thing of prestige for one subscriber to carry as many phones as the pouch can accommodate, those who wanted to enjoy the full expression of conspicuous consumption, although it was more of the limitations of the networks that were having a lot of headache in rolling out services after being jilted by a government that had promised so much.

    The story has changed. Growth has plateaued and the economy has not been any kinder. For over a decade now, there are so many people slipping into multidimensional poverty for whom telephony means very little. For these people, it is a matter of the stomach first, the art of the mastery of survival in challenging times, while for the rest of us who had luxuriated in class, the economy has levelled everybody. Without seeking economic lessons, a number of subscribers have resorted to using one phone. So, there are more reasons for churn numbers in the industry; which is why it is salutary that the regulator has taken a decision to sanitise their use.

    For more understanding of the churning process, the regulator explained that “when a phone number (MSISDN) has not carried out any Revenue Generating Event (RGE) – outgoing or incoming calls or SMS, charged USSD sessions, data use, or any other activity on the line that generates income for the operator – for over 180 days, the MSISDN is deemed as inactive. If this inactivity continues for another 180 days, that is a total of 360 days, the line becomes eligible for churning, and recycling.”

    Literally, the number has gone into a recycling bin where it can be retrieved by the operator and reassigned to a new subscriber, according to the QoS Regulation and Business Rules 2024.

    But that’s just the beginning of a new journey as the dangers are embedded in the old number which could be harmful to the previous owner or be put to some unsavoury use by the new owner.

    According to the regulator, the recycling of lines presents challenges, particularly when the previous owners of the reassigned numbers still have those numbers linked to services they used before the numbers were recycled. It presents issues of security and integrity of phone number ownership.

    This is the reason the TIRMP is being put in place, to serve as some kind of clearing house for those numbers, help maintain their integrity and prevent innocent phone users from being harmed.

    An NCC source gave further understanding. Any time a number is recycled, sensitive details of the previous user, like bank details including balances, fintech details and even health, could still be in the number that can be manipulated by unscrupulous individuals. The Commission, according to the source, is therefore working with all the stakeholders, including the Security Agencies, the Central Bank, Banks, Fintechs and Telecoms Service  Providers, to ensure that every churned number will go to the platform which will automatically notify all the stakeholders. Is that what they call flagging?

    The NCC is only acting within its regulatory powers to ensure that industry phone users are protected. For instance, in  the UK, Ofcom, the communications regulator, is responsible for overseeing the recycling of mobile phone numbers.

    In the UK, an MNO is allowed to deactivate an unused number, which is given a dormancy period of between 30 to 90 days, depending upon the carrier, before the number is reassigned. Although the operator is allowed to reset or erase data linked to the number, it is generally accepted that traces of its history can still be present, especially with online services that use SMS-based two-factor authentication.

    Numbers are a limited resource which are strictly managed by the regulator and assigned to the operator. As it is in Nigeria, so it is in the UK where Ofcom ensures the reassignment of numbers by operators after the dormancy period due to the limited pool of available numbers.

    But the Federation of Communications Services (FCS) of the UK has published procedures for mobile phone recycling that aims to discourage fraudulent activities and provide a clear defence against charges of handling of goods. A feature of such procedures is to ensure “that operators will place blocks on the records of devices for a wider variety of reasons.”

    A clear point here, however, is to ensure that subscribers are preserved and that operators do the right thing by going through the platform which the regulator is putting in place. It portends a win-win for all stakeholders, including the subscribers.

    “It will reduce fraud risks and improve our digital and financial services by enabling service providers to proactively detect and act, particularly to high-risk numbers, while updating customer KYC details where applicable,” the regulator said.

    It is a good step in the right direction to checkmate the little demons that usually coalesce into giant forces to trouble the wider ecosystem. Much like the journey of a thousand miles beginning with one step. The challenge is to take the step at all, and that’s what the NCC has done.

  • NCC donates digital ICT Park to University of Ibadan

    NCC donates digital ICT Park to University of Ibadan

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on Tuesday inaugurated an ultra-modern digital ICT park donated by the commission to the University of Ibadan (UI).

    NCC’s Executive Vice-Chairman, Dr Aminu Maida, in his remarks at the inauguration and handover ceremony in Ibadan, said that the park was an integral part of NCC’s broader agenda to foster innovation.

    Maida noted that the park was one out of six NCC flagship digital infrastructure projects, strategically established in selected institutions to strengthen research capacity.

    Represented by the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Mr Abraham Oshadami, Maida noted that the park would also accelerate development of Nigeria’s digital economy.

    “In today’s world, technology stands as one of the most powerful drivers of economic and social transformation. For Nigeria’s evolving economy, it represents our greatest opportunity for inclusive growth.

    “The ICT Park concept is a manifestation of our vision to cultivate innovation and digital entrepreneurship, while supporting research and development that translates ideas into commercially viable, real-world solutions.

    “This is why our ICT Parks—aptly named “One Roof, All Possibilities” are purpose-built as multidisciplinary innovation hubs.

    “Each park brings together cutting-edge infrastructure under one roof, including high-capacity computer laboratories, simulation rooms, intelligent networking systems, collaborative workspaces, and multipurpose halls.

    “Their establishment aligns directly with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, as well as the Strategic Vision of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani,”he said.

    Speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, said that the park stood as a testament to NCC’s dedication to bridging digital divide and fostering a knowledge-based economy.

    He noted that the world was currently undergoing fourth industrial revolution, driven by digital technologies.

    Adebowale further said that nations that would thrive in current revolution remained those that invest strategically in digital infrastructure, nurture digital skills and foster innovations.

    “The University of Ibadan, as Nigeria’s premier university, recognises its critical role in preparing the next generation of leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers equipped to navigate and shape this digital future.

    “The NCC Digital ICT Park arrived at a pivotal moment, perfectly aligning with our strategic vision to become a world-class institution for research, innovation, and digital excellence, “he said.

    The ICT Park featured a 100-seat main hall, five dedicated ICT hub halls, a 24-seater lounge with eight dual-computer workstations, multiple shared workspaces, and administrative offices.

  • NCC to make strong move against inactive phone lines

    NCC to make strong move against inactive phone lines

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced plans to update its Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy (TIRMP). This update will enable mobile operators to recycle inactive phone lines after a 12-month period.

    According to sources at the NCC, the revised policy framework is expected to be officially launched in the fourth quarter of 2025. This initiative is part of a broader strategy designed to combat fraud, improve telecom services, and protect digital identities.

    The new policy aligns with the commission’s strategic vision plan, which aims not only to meet the quality-of-service expectations of telecom consumers but also to enhance their overall experience.

    This encompasses all interactions within the telecommunications ecosystem, from onboarding processes like SIM registration to offboarding when customers choose to leave a network.

    Under the new guidelines, a phone number will be considered inactive if it has not engaged in any revenue-generating activity—such as making or receiving calls, sending SMS messages, using charged USSD sessions, or consuming data—for a period of over 180 days.

    If the number remains inactive for an additional 180 days, totaling 360 days, it will become eligible for recycling

    The source said, “The QoS Regulation and Business Rules 2024 provides that after 365 days without any Revenue Generating Event carried out on a line it can be churned by the operator.

    “Numbering resources, such as telephone numbers and short codes, are the backbone of modern telecommunications. They are governed globally by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, under Recommendation E.164, which ensures efficiency, and equitable access to numbers across borders.’’

    The NCC stated that numbering resources were inherently scarce because each number must conform to a fixed length and format, yielding only a finite set of valid combinations.

    Information on the commission’s website states, “In Nigeria, the NCC, mandated by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, manages and allocates these critical resources on behalf of the federal government.

    “The NCC assigns number ranges to licensed operators and services (mobile, fixed, and special) in a manner that promotes fair competition, protects consumers, fosters innovation, and aligns with ITU standards and global best practices.

    “The recycling of lines presents challenges, particularly when the previous owners of reassigned numbers still have those numbers linked to services they used before the numbers were recycled. It presents issues of security and integrity of phone number ownership.”