NCC keeps telecoms industry in dark, withholds 6-month industry statistics

•Maida’s QoE target for improved telephony service drags

The Nigerian Communications Commission has failed to release telecoms industry data since March 2024, The Guardian checks have revealed.

The telecoms regulator is mandated by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2023 to frequently, in this case monthly, release statistics relating to industry performance to allow investors and other industry stakeholders to make informed decisions.

However, checks by The Guardian showed that the last time the NCC posted its monthly statistics was March 2024, keeping the industry in total darkness over the last six months.

The statistics, which include the country’s teledensity (telephone density or teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area); number of subscriptions (active); operators’ market share; percentage of market share by generation of technology; Internet and Broadband users and usage; mobile number portability (MNP) and even the end of the year report for 2023.

These data, which usually come monthly, have ceased coming in the last six months. These data are crucial for both local and foreign investors. It usually reveals the progress and otherwise of the sector. It enabled investors to make investment decisions.

A source in the industry described the hiatus in the release of industry data as “an unprecedented dark period in the history of Nigeria’s telecoms industry.”

The source noted, with regret, that since the current Management of the Commission led by Dr Aminu Maida, as the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, came on board on October 17, 2023, the telecoms industry has witnessed a ‘somewhat cold atmosphere” as against the energetic fervour the NCC is known for, as the country’s over $75 billion telecoms sector is now characterised by unusual slowness and tardiness.

“When Maida came on board, he came to meet us as industry CEOs in Lagos and informed us there that NCC, under his leadership, will be data-driven. Unfortunately, the apparent laxity on the part of NCC, particularly in withholding monthly industry data for six consecutive months smacks of a leader, who doesn’t want investors to have data to plan their decisions in the industry,” the source, who was at Maida’s first meeting with stakeholders in Lagos stated.

Maida had listed five pillars that would guide his vision for the industry. They include people, collaboration, being data-driven, compliance, and digitalisation.

Also at the Lagos meeting, Maida had said his administration at the regulatory body will tolerate no story on the issue of quality of service, warning the telecoms operators to up their game.

Maida, who read the riot act, stressed that his administration will listen more to the consumers than what the key performance Indicators (KPIs) of the operators say because most often, there is a sharp disparity in both stands.

Maida said that the commission where the issue of quality of service in the sector is non-negotiable.

He told the gathering that his top priorities are to improve coverage and connectivity by bridging access gaps between rural and urban communities through increased broadband infrastructure as well as increasing the QoS largely through QoE for the consumers to enable them to get value for money.

Almost 10 months after making that promise, telephone service quality in the country has not been satisfactory with subscribers’ complaints on the rise.

Speaking with The Guardian, a telecoms expert, Kehinde Aluko, the sector telecoms sector has been very cold since the beginning of this year.

Aluko admitted no data for investors to make informed decisions and expansion plans. “I think the NCC under the new leadership should stir up activities in the sector. There is a kind of lull in the sector. No data to work with! Operators have been clamouring for tariff hikes, and NCC just kept mum. There should be a definitive stance on the matter.

The industry should not just be kept on autopilot. The sector should be stirred up with activities that can channel investments and others into the sector. Operators have been on deposit money banks (DMBs) for the payment of the N200 billion they are owed for the use of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), they have been at it for the past five years, the NCC and the Ministry just kept mute. I think something should be done fast to rescue to sector.”

He said if operators should have access to the N200 billion, a substantial amount will go into network upgrade and expansion, which subsequently leads to improved telephony service in the country.