NCC caution 104 licensee operators against operational, financial defaults

The Nigerian Communications Commission has warned licensed operators in the telecommunications industry against violation of financial remittance and operational limit of the regulation.

Besides, the commission restated the commitment to liberalising the telecom industry despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to 5G deployment in the country.

Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, issued the warning in Kano at the “talk to the regulator” forum, a stakeholder meeting with about 104 licensee operators in the Northern zone, which comprises the 19 Northern states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The licensee operators in attendance include those of Unified Access Service, Colocation Service Providers, National Non-Distance Operation, Value Added Service Providers, Infrastructural Sharing Providers, International Data Access, Local Service Operation and Aggregation Service Providers.

Professor Danbatta, who raised concern over the increasing numbers of licensees of various operations who are yet to regularise their Annual Operation Licence (AOL), reminded me of legal implications awaiting defaulters.

Danbatta, represented by Director, Licensing and Authorisation, Alh. Muhammad Baba Jika, decried a situation where operators resorted to seeking a staggered payment system to ease refund of the backlog of remittance after years of neglect.

While stressing the commission’s commitment to improve and standardise quality services of telecommunications and other related functions in the ecosystem for better customer delight, he reminded the operators of the need to comply with all guidelines and conditions.

On operators deploying services without or beyond the limit of the operating license, Danbatta cited section 31 of the Constitution, which empowered NCC to institute legal proceedings and prosecute any illegal operators.

He said the stakeholder’s forum “provides a unique opportunity for the commission to extensively interact with telecom operators as well as the foster harmonious relationship with the licensees, identifying their challenges, providing feedback on licensees fulfilment of their license obligations and to reemphasise the role of licensing in ensuring good quality of services.

“The commission is further liberalising the telecom industry by finalising the reviewing of existing regulations, finalising the Information Memorandum for 5G deployment, ensuring trends like the Internet of things IoT, Artificial Intelligence AI, Over Top OTT service and Big Data Analytics.

Danbatta said all the plans are aimed at initiating strategies to improve service delivery that is accessible and affordable.