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Tag: NCC

  • NCC commences aggressive enforcement of code of corporate governance

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has started an aggressive enforcement of the agency’s codes of corporate governance to address customers’ dissatisfaction.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission made this known in an address at the 80th edition of the Telecoms Consumer Parliament (TCP) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Danbatta, who was represented by Mr. Sunday Dare, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders, NCC said that the enforcement was necessary to ensure that operators in the industry continued to operate as viable businesses.

    The theme for the 2017 edition of TCP is tagged: “Celebrating the Telecoms Consumer “.

    Danbatta said that this year’s theme was apt as it focused on the continued improvement on telecom operators provide for consumers in the country.

    He said that in order to ensure consumer satisfaction and protection, the commission had initiated SIM card registration, mobile number portability, and broad band policy implementation.

    He said others are development of 2442 and 622 short codes as well as various consumers’ awareness campaigns.

    He said that more emphasis had been placed on the quality of service, protection and empowerment of telecom consumers.

    He said that in view of the role of telecom consumers in the overall achievement of the growth of telecom Industry, the commission had declared 2017 the year of Nigerian telecom consumers.

    “Consumers have continued to spend a significant portion of their disposal income on telecommunication services as it continued to improve quality of life, businesses and social engagement.

    “Let me underscore the fact that if all initiatives, projects, investment and efforts were met with low consumer patronage, the telecommunication revolution will have been an unqualified failure.

    “It is really the investment of the consumer through patronage of services that have encouraged and supported service provision.

    “Thus, there is need to celebrate and recognise the consumer as the boss of the industry and as boss, he pays the piper and as such must dictate the tune,” he said.

    Danbatta noted that the key focus of this declaration were continuous improvement of quality, ubiquitous and affordable services to the consumers and increasing consultative engagement with the consumers.

    He said that other focus include ensuring that services yield improved customers satisfaction by supporting better access to life changing opportunities, career development, quality education and social engagement among others.

    Earlier, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC said the input of TCP had continued to help in the feedback mechanism to meet the mandate of the commission.

    He said that the parliament had reawaken network operators on the consciousness that without the consumers, they would be out of business.

    The Acting Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr Adamu Cifawa, said that the commission tried to ensure that the consumers of services it regulate enjoyed maximum satisfaction to keep the industry growing.

    He therefore called on NCC as a regulatory body of telecommunications to continue to toward ensuring satisfaction of customers.

    The TCP is a forum organised by NCC, which began in 2002 to bring together stakeholders in the telecommunication industry for knowledge sharing, idea generation and discussions to move the industry forward.

     

  • Contravention: FG to probe Dangote’s company, 6 others

    Contravention: FG to probe Dangote’s company, 6 others

    Federal government has reportedly threatened to prosecute Alheri Engineering Company Limited, a telecoms business unit of Dangote Group and six other companies for contravention Nigerian communications laws, according to Technology Times.

    Alheri is the telecoms business unit of the business group owned by businessman Aliko Dangote which was granted a 3G licence by national telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Mr Tony Ojobo, director of Public Affairs at NCC was quoted by Technology Times as saying that a 14-day pre-enforcement notice has been issued the seven companies for allegedly operating with expired licences.

    NCC said that the alleged default by the affected communications companies contravenes Section 31(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 — the law guiding telecoms operation in the country.

    NCC cited the relevant provisions of the Section to read thus: “No person shall operate a communications system of facility nor provide a communications service in Nigeria unless authorized to do so under a communications licence or exempted under regulations made by the Commission under this Act.”

    Meanwhile, “Alheri Engineering Company Ltd, a Dangote Group company, was issued a third generation (3G) licence by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2007, allowing the company to provide carrier and 3G wireless services,” the website of Dangote Group says about its telecoms unit.

    According to NCC, the six other affected companies include First Astria Comm. Tech Limited; Elcomserve Nigeria Limited; Egogo Nigeria Limited; EM West Africa Limited; TC Africa Telecoms Networks Ltd and MJ Global Network Services Limited.

    Alheri Engineering came into limelight in 2007 when it won a 3G licence for $150 million in a spectrum sale by NCC.

    The Dangote company pulled off this feat alongside Celtel Nigeria Ltd. (now Airtel Nigeria); Globacom Ltd and MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd that also won the same licence at $150 million each.

    The Alheri 3G licence was later sold by the company to Etisalat Nigeria by the Dangote Group after the former’s telecoms market entry into the country as the fifth GSM Network operator.

    Meanwhile, NCC has threatened to prosecute the affected companies for allegedly operating with expired licences.

    According to Ojobo, “Pre-enforcement notice is hereby given to the said companies to within 14 days from the date of this publication commence the renewal process of their expired licences. Failing which, the Commission may consider appropriate enforcement action, including, but not limited to reporting your activities to the Nigeria Police for investigation and prosecution.”

    According to him, “Members of the public who deal with these companies are hereby advised to insist on sighting a valid licence or evidence of licence renewal process.”

     

  • Etisalat gives 3 weeks ultimatum to phase out of Nigeria completely

    Etisalat has announced pull-out from Nigeria, giving a 3-week ultimatum to phase out of the country completely, after loan restructuring talks collapsed, according to a Reuters report.

    The Abu Dhabi’s telecoms firm operating in Nigeria as Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), otherwise known as Etisalat Nigeria, terminated its management agreement and gave the business time to phase out the brand in the country completely, the chief executive of Etisalat International told Reuters on Monday.

    The Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have intervened on several occasions in talks with the telecoms firms’ lender banks to renegotiate the $1.2 billion loan in order to save the firm from the collapse to no avail.

    “All UAE shareholders of Etisalat Nigeria have exited the company and have left the board and management,” Hatem Dowidar told Reuters in an interview.

    He said discussions were ongoing with Etisalat Nigeria to provide technical support, adding that it can use the brand for another three weeks before phasing it out completely.

    >>Also read: Etisalat Group willingness to release brand name conditional

    >>Also read: Etisalat going down, down: CBN, NCC intervention not enough rescue

    Key changes had been on-going at the telecoms firm — that included restructuring of the management board, changes to its shareholding and trading name — before this recent development.

    The operator had said operations and services would remain normal and would in no way be affected, as it pledged to continue to deliver quality services to the subscribers.

    “We will continue to tap into the rich, creative and innovative resources within our workforce to build a stronger business upon the stable foundation we have laid in our 9yrs of operations,” Etisalat Nigeria said in a press release.

    Also, telecoms regulators, NCC, had in June assured that the network’s integrity of Etisalat Nigeria would not be compromised amid the loan disagreements, with NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo saying the commission was fully aware of the situation and that the commission is doing all it could to salvage it.

    But as it stands, the direction Etisalat Nigeria is headed is verily verily unknown.

     

  • NCC debunks membership of Etisalat’s new board

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was not among the members of the new board of Etisalat.

    The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo said this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

    Ojobo said that the attention of the commission had been drawn to a report by some media organisations to the effect that NCC was represented on the new Board of Etisalat.

    “The Commission hereby makes it clear that it is not on the Board of Etisalat.

    “As the regulator of the telecommunications sector, there was a recommendation suggesting that NCC should be on the new board of the company but the commission declined.

    “The NCC considered it necessary to bring this to the attention of the general public,” he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Etisalat Nigeria on Tuesday, July 4, confirmed the appointment of Boye Olusanya, a former Deputy Managing Director of Celtel Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria) as its Chief Executive Officer.

    The telecommunications company said that Olusanya was replacing Mr Matthew Willsher, who stepped down as the CEO on Monday, July 3.

    It also said that Mrs Funke Ighodaro had been appointed as the Chief Finance Officer, to take over from Mr Olawole Obasunloye, who also resigned on July 3.

    “Etisalat Nigeria today confirms that as a result of the ongoing restructuring efforts, a new board has been constituted.

    “A Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Joseph Nnanna, will be the Chairman of the board, taking over from Hakeem Bello-Osagie, who resigned, as part of the agreement reached for a seamless transition.

    “Other members of the board comprise of Mr Oluseyi Bickersteth, Mr Ken Igbokwe, Mr Boye Olusanya and Mrs Funke Ighodaro,” it said.

     

     

    NAN

  • House of Reps directs NCC to probe telecoms operators

    House of Reps directs NCC to probe telecoms operators

    The House of Representatives has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to immediately carry out financial forensics on all telecoms operators in the country.

    The directive came yesterday as telecoms operators in the country once seen as flourishing are today battling to survive.

    The situation has forced some telcos to rationalize staff; some have moved their Network Operating Centres (NOCs); while some are faced with difficulties in meeting with their creditor obligations, with Etisalat Nigeria recent predicament of indebtedness being a typical example.

    Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, Chairman, House Committee on Telecommunications, issued the directive in Abuja after an emergency meeting with the management of the NCC, led by Mr Sunday Dare, its executive commissioner (Stakeholder Management).

    Fijabi said the action became necessary in order to determine the true situation of things in the operations of the telecoms operators in the country, to prevent further loss of revenue to the federal government and loss of jobs by Nigerians in the sector.

    TheNewsGuru recalls what telecommunications operators are facing today was the same with Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators which cumulated in distress of all the operators in the subsector of the industry.

    When it started, stakeholders cried out to government and the NCC for intervention in order to save the operators of imminent distress to no avail.

     

  • Olusanya emerges CEO of Etisalat as firm constitutes new board

    Mr. Boye Olusanya has emerged the new Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria in a move the telecoms firm is taking to constitute a new management board in aftermath of its indebtedness crisis.

    Mr. Olusanya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, with an M. Sc in Environmental Civil Engineering from Liverpool University and another MSc. in Computer Science from Manchester University.

    He is one of the pioneer staff of Vee Networks at inception in February 2001, and had formally served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Celtel Nigeria.

    In a statement in Lagos yesterday, the management of Etisalat said Olusanya would replace Matthew Willsher, who stepped down as the CEO on Monday, July 3.

    Etisalat also said Mrs Funke Ighodaro has been appointed as the Chief Finance Officer to take over from Mr Olawole Obasunloye, who also resigned on the same date.

    “Etisalat Nigeria today confirms that as a result of the ongoing restructuring efforts, a new board has been constituted.

    “A Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Joseph Nnanna will be the Chairman of the board, taking over from Akeem Bello-Osagie, who resigned as part of the agreement reached for a seamless transition.

    “Other members of the board comprise Mr Oluseyi Bickersteth, Mr Ken Igbokwe, Mr Boye Olusanya and Ighodaro,” it said.

    Etisalat said that the consortium of lenders working with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the CBN were committed to the ongoing efforts to restructure the company.

    The management said that the restructuring was toward a path of long-term success of the business.

    According to Etisalat, the appointment of a seasoned board of directors and top management is a testament to the long term success.

    It said that the decisions reached so far reflected the high confidence all the stakeholders had in the continued viability and sustainability of the business.

    Etisalat said that the smooth transition was also proof of the management’s commitment to ensure that the operations of the company ran seamlessly.

    “It is to ensure that customers continue to enjoy superior network quality and positive customer experience.

    “Etisalat Nigeria remains committed to continuously serving our subscribers through the provision of innovative products and services with its committed staff, partners and vendors.

    “We are committed to empower the needs of our customers and improve their experience on the network.

    “We thank all our customers for their loyalty, understanding and continued patronage,” the management said.

     

  • Etisalat Nigeria: Why subscribers need not panic

    Ongoing discussions to ensure the crisis rocking Etisalat Nigeria is yielding some positive results meaning subscribers on the Etisalat network need not panic, but there is more.

    In response to stakeholder enquiries regarding the current position on Etisalat Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently reinstates that subscribers on the network are assured of quality of service.

    In a press release signed by Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, the Commission noted that Etisalat and its creditors have successfully reached an amicable resolution of key issues pertaining to its indebtedness, and that a smooth transitional process is currently ongoing on mutually agreed terms.

    “The Commission is confident that the amicable resolutions reached by the parties will further strengthen Etisalat’s capacity to continue to provide services to its over 20 million customers and to fulfil its obligations to its other stakeholders as a going concern, regardless of any changes that the parties have agreed to Etisalat’s Ownership, its board and/or its executive management,” said Ojobo.

    The telecoms regulator assured that, empowered by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, it will continue to work assiduously with all industry stakeholders to ensure that the Nigerian telecommunications industry remains capable of playing its critical role as a key driver of national socio-economic development.

    “NCC is mindful of the need to sustain the industry’s significant contribution to National GDP, employment and infrastructure roll-out at all times,” the Commission spokesman said.

    He said the Commission’s intervention in the Etisalat crisis was informed by these considerations, and that the Commission is pleased at the success of the ongoing process.

    NCC, however, acknowledged the pivotal role of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in resolving the matter in a manner that protects the interests of all stakeholders – especially the creditor banks and Etisalat’s over 20 million customers.

     

  • Nigeria to host investment forum in South Korea

    Nigeria to host investment forum in South Korea

    Plans for Nigeria to host an investment forum at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference that will hold later in the year in South Korea are in the offing.

    This was made known by a spokesman of Nigeria’s telecoms regulatory commission in a statement today, saying broadband Nigeria will be the focus of discussions at the investment forum.

    “Nigeria will host an investment forum at ITU Telecom World 2017 and Broadband Nigeria will be at the focus of discussions.

    “The participation of Nigeria at the yearly International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference will focus on deepening the growing broadband segment of the market in the country,” the spokesman said.

    The ITU Telecom World 2017 is a global platform for major industry players, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Countries and Organisations to network and share ideas about new developments and technologies that would lead to better connected societies.

    It is an event for International visibility of innovative Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Products/Services and solutions from around the World.

    In general terms, it involves high level debates on the core issues affecting ICT industry, sharing knowledge and working for sustainable development.

    The event is due to hold in Busan, South Korea, from September 25 – 28, 2017.

    According to the statement signed by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, Nigeria’s high level delegation to the ITU conference will be led by the Minister of Communications, Barrister Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu.

    Nigeria’s Chief Telecoms Regulator and Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, industry stakeholders and operators will be on the delegation.

    Although Nigeria has had a very robust telecommunications sector with active connected subscribers in the region of 150 million and about 110 percent teledensity, the NCC believes that more efforts should be deployed to deepen broadband penetration in the country.

    By the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the country is expected to attain 30% broadband penetration by 2018, which currently stands at 21%.

    Given that 2018 is around the corner, with the conference, the Ministry of Communications, and its driving force, the NCC, hope to bring back investment to Nigeria that will steer the achievement of the 30% broadband penetration in the country.

     

  • Telcos pressure NCC revisits suspended Data Floor Price

    Telcos pressure NCC revisits suspended Data Floor Price

    Telecommunications operators have urged Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to as a matter of urgency revisit the suspended data floor price in order to save them from distress.

    Data Floor Plan Price is a partial price control measure, which is the lower limit price to check unhealthy but foster healthy competition among players.

    The price floor is a means of controlling anti-competitive behaviours by operators considered to have attained the dominant status in the industry.

    Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) stated this at breakfast meeting organized by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), in Lagos, at the weekend

    He explained that floor price is a partial price control measure, which is the lower limit price to check unhealthy but foster healthy competition among players.

    “The price floor is a means of controlling anti-competitive behaviours by operators considered to have attained the dominant status in the industry. Earlier, there was a limit to how low ISPs could charge for data services, the regulator in October 2015, approved the removal of data floor price, giving internet service providers opportunity to drop their data prices as low as they can in order to survive.”

    He added: “before then, NCC had set the data floor price limit as a way of ensuring smaller ISPs and ‘upcoming’ telcos had the chance to compete with the bigger, already established ones. The ISPs could compete for customers with low prices. This has now come to hurt the industry very badly, as the smaller operators are finding difficult in a recessed economy to survive due to the ‘heavy weight of the bigger players who are able to cross-subsidize the array of services they offer.”

    According to him, ‘statistics available has shown that bigger players lost some market share when the floor price was set and smaller operators got some space in the market place.

    The Internet service providers have been badly hurt by none determination of a floor price as they are left to compete at prices below their costs.’

    He noted that demand for data have increased in recent times following a rapid growth of mobile phone subscribers in the country as there has been an influx of smartphones and other data consuming gadgets into the Nigerian market in recent years.

    “The social media Over the Top (OTT) like the Facebook, Whatapp, Instagram, etc have taken over the voice revenues. The activities of the social media operators have greatly eroded the revenue of the legacy operators. The industry is going through a lot of challenges; it is now inevitable for the NCC to review the Data Floor Price that was suspended. This is necessary to save the industry. Mobile data revenue is growing while the growth of mobile voice revenue is declining.”

    “More subscribers are dropping the voice call to embrace the OTT operations which are offered free of charge on data services. Since the OTT operators do not have any regulatory obligations, no taxes and no operational levy, there is the need to revisit the suspended Data Floor Price in order to save the telecom industry.”

    Adebayo also decried the challenge operators are facing in purchasing foreign exchange to fulfil their contractual obligations to equipment suppliers and foreign vendors.

    “This situation is adversely impacting our network operations and also some recent developments in the industry have alluded very clearly to the risks at hand. The prevailing scarcity of FX has occasioned a situation where the Banks are unable to obtain FX for an upward period of six months.”

     

  • Recession: FG yet to prioritize telecoms industry for Forex – ntel laments

    Recession: FG yet to prioritize telecoms industry for Forex – ntel laments

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ntel, Mr. Kamar Abass, on Thursday cried out that the unavailability of foreign exchange (Forex) for telecommunications firms is fatally affecting telecoms service delivery in the country.

    Speaking in an interview on the challenges of the telecoms industry and the need for increased broadband access to address poor service quality, among other issues, Abass said, “There are issues of poor service quality, occasioned by the economic recession, which the country is currently facing”.

    “We are providing the best of telecoms services, but infrastructure is a challenge because we do not have the required number of base stations that will give full telecoms coverage across the country,” he added.

    The ntel CEO stated that since the commercial launch of the telecoms firm last year, the firm has been able to do the much it could given the prevailing circumstances posed by the recession.

    “We raised money to acquire the business, we also raised money to commence the first commercial rollout, and since then we have been in the business and we are now about to begin the process of raising another money to expand the business beyond our existing three cities,” he said.

    The ntel CEO believes ubiquitous broadband will drive telecoms growth in the country, and noted that telecoms operators are not yet on the priority list of the federal government for those sectors that should have easy access to foreign exchange.

    Telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it is doing all it could to make forex available for telecoms firms to ease the business of the operators for them to deliver on the quality of service key performance index.

    “We are in a world where we have to deal with issues affecting us. But if the NCC is making efforts to create a window of opportunity for telecoms operators in the forex market, we will welcome it as a good development because it will come with some forms of relief,” said Abass.

    “The truth is that telecoms operators, alongside the ministries of communications and finance, have been lobbying for easy access to foreign exchange (Forex), and as a priority sector that needs to purchase the needed equipment in foreign currencies, the telecoms operators need such window of opportunity to enable us have access to Forex.

    “Although it is an ongoing discussion between NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but we are yet to benefit from it, because the telecoms operators are not yet on the priority list of the federal government for those sectors that should have easy access to foreign exchange,” he further stated.

    The ntel boss, however, hopes that ongoing negotiations will yield positive results.

    “The negotiation is ongoing and we are glad that the ministries are supporting our request to be part of the priority list of the federal government for access to forex,” Abass said.