NCC Calls for Collaboration in Ecosystem to Unlock Potentials in the Sector

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has allocated different short codes to over 200 value added service, VAS providers in the country to empower their innovative abilities.

The commission further called for collaboration of stakeholders in the ecosystem so as to unlock the immense potentials in the sector.

Engr. Bako Wakil, director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC stated this at the 2019 VAS stakeholder’s forum in Lagos.

He explained that the information and communications technology, ICT sector cannot replace oil as economy mainstay without the huge revenue that accrues from the multimillion dollar VAS market.

He advised providers and developers of Value Added Services and their telecom operator counterparts to form innovative alliance to achieve effective development in the Nigerian ICT sector.

According to him, “As the ICT ecosystem is transforming daily, VAS content developers and providers will have to collaborate and partner with other stakeholders in the telecom ecosystem, to drive development and proliferation of applications that will meet the needs of consumers.

“It is in this regard that the Nigerian Communications Commission organized this Stakeholder’s forum.

“This Forum is intended to create more awareness, guide participants in understanding the social and economic benefits of VAS, assist different stakeholders in the value chain to understand the importance of collaboration and partnership in the new ICT world where content is king”.

On the commission’s achievement in the past few years, he said: “The geometric increase in the number of VAS Licensees recorded by the Commission in the last few years is an indication of the growing interest in the segment.

“It is also a reflection of how creative, innovative and enterprising we have become, considering that many applications which provide solutions to our everyday needs are now riding on the back of telecoms infrastructure as VAS services.

“For instances, you can now recharge your mobile phone, pay utility bills, make mobile payments through VAS platforms.

“VAS has thus made life simpler, contributed in promoting the financial inclusion policy of the government and facilitated the creation of wealth for many Nigerians,” he said.

He added that the Commission has allocated Short Codes to over Two Hundred VAS licenses for the provision of different VAS services and this has immensely enhanced service delivery in the VAS sector of the Nigerian ICT industry.