Revised AOL, SPR Will Enhance Competition – Danbatta
BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said that the ongoing amendments of two major regulatory instruments of the Commission will help in strengthening and ensuring a fair and competitive telecoms market in Nigeria.
Danbatta in a statement said the two regulatory instruments are the Annual Operating Levy Regulations (AOL) and the Frequency Spectrum (Fees and Pricing, etc.) Regulations.
The statement which was signed by the Director, Public Affairs of theNCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, said that the first instrument on AOL will ensure that all licensees are properly and equitably assessed for the operating levy as well as meeting both statutory and regulatory expectations.
According to the Commission, its review is expected to bring the regulations in line with current realities and sustain the enviable contributions of the communications sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Danbatta also said that the second instrument on frequency spectrum fee and pricing will enable the Commission meet its sole and exclusive mandate as enshrined in Section 21 of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003 by assigning the scarce national resource in an equitable manner.
He further said that the regulations also guarantee that frequency spectrum are assigned and managed in a way that ensures fair pricing and efficient deployment of attendant services.
The NCC boss said the public inquiry will not only reflects the Commission’s strategic mission and vision to promote regulatory excellence through effective regulatory processes but also signposts the Commission’s consultative approach to all its regulatory initiatives.
He said the public inquiry was a precursor to the Commission’s current drive for efficiency in spectrum management and the unveiling of next generation services through varied enablers, adding that it was in this regard that the Commission issued a Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG) in 2018, to make frequency Spectrum readily available to licensees through an effective process.
According to Danbatta; “Furthermore, the Commission has commenced the process of deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) technology in Nigeria the success of which largely depends on the appropriate frequency spectrum. The efficacy and reliability of the initiatives will be hinged on proper market valuation of the frequency spectrum and fair assessment of levies,” he said.
Presentations were made on the comments, inputs and recommendations received from external stakeholders on the two regulatory instruments prior to the public enquiry as well as the amended sections and new provisions made to the two regulations.
The public enquiry was attended by the Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande; Board Member, Salman Abdul-Azeez; Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Ubale Maska; Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Adeleke Adewolu; Senior Management staff and other industry stakeholders.
