No fewer than 150million Nigerians currently have access to Internet, while over 80million can access high speed internet, the Executive Vice chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said.
He also revealed that in line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020 – 2025), the NCC is providing industry leadership to facilitate the achievement of 90% Broadband penetration by year 2025, and well above 50% at the end of 2023.
Danbatta made this known in a keynote address at the Talk to the Regulator (TTTR) Forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state holding on Thursday and Friday.
He said The ‘Talk-To-The Regulator` Forum is a common platform for non-discriminatory interaction on a one-on-one basis, between the Licensees and the Regulator on several industry issues, pertinent to the Licensees and of national interest.
According the EVC, the Nigeria Communications Commission, in keeping with its mandate, has created opportunities to interact with its licensees on industry issues and new trends via stakeholder fora, with a view to gathering relevant information that would further advance the development of the industry, while improving regulations and service delivery to telecom consumers.
He noted that “To keep up to date with developments in the industry, the Commission has equally taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development. Some of the interventions and responses of the Commission includes but are not limited to:Facilitating the Roll-Out of 5G Service provision.
“Introduction of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas”.
He said the Commission is currently reviewing the scope and structure of its existing licenses to make them more robust and to accommodate some of the identified new industry trends.
Earlier in an address by Venny EzeZonal Controller, Nigerian Communications Commission, Port Harcourt noted that the event, is coming at the heels of the licensing of the 5G network, and the effort by stakeholders to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of telecommunications services to all Nigerians.
According to Eze, the event, is the second, in the series of the Nigerian Communications Commission`s engagement with licensees, in the South-South, having held similar forum, in Port Harcourt for the licensees in the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones in 2021.
“Today`s event, provides a veritable platform for interaction between the regulator and the licensees, on one hand, and other industry stakeholders, on the other hand. It is a rare occasion that would enable the Commission to identify the challenges confronting” he said.
Also speaking, Adeleke Adewolu Esq theExecutive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission said the forum is an opportunity for Critical Stakeholders to share their respective challenges, experiences and also suggest viable solutions to the Regulator.
He said “constant engagement with the Regulator is the path towards regulatory efficiency as it preserves the integrity of the regulatory instruments issued by the Regulator whilst securing the buy-in of all Stakeholders”.
Similarly, Mohammed Babajika, Director, licensing and Authorisation department, NCC, saidthe Commission has also finalized the framework for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) and is currently in the process of licensing MVNOs.
He however added that the licensing of MVNO will improve the telecommunication output of the country, enable the expansion and availability of quality mobile coverage and close the gap to the unserved and underserved population in Nigeria.
