Telecom
NCC to Review Rules for Robust Consumer Quality Experience
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) said it is currently reviewing the rule base to ensure a robust set of rules for the industry, primarily to achieve fair competition and consumer quality experience.
Mr. Ephraim Nwokonneya, head, Compliance Monitoring at the Commission, speaking at a capacity building workshop for ICT journalists in Lagos said that, ‘Nigerian telecommunication revolution’ in the last 12 years has brought with it, increase in investments in the industry especially Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), significant growth in the number of operating companies, massive growth in subscriber population, intense competition resulting in innovative tariff plans and promotions.
He added that the revolution also has attached challenges like quality of service which has tested the regulatory competence of the Commission amongst others.
Hence, the Commission is currently reviewing its rule base to ensure a robust set of rules for the industry.
“Consistent with the above and the powers conferred on NCC by Section 70 of the NCA 2003, the Commission developed the Nigerian Communications (Enforcement Processes, Etc) Regulations 2005; Commence enforcement actions/investigation following results of prior compliance monitoring exercise or verified consumer complaints; Provide evidence of alleged violations to the responsible service provider; Provide opportunity for the service provider to respond; Propose relevant sanctions to be enforced on erring service provider in accordance with NCC Enforcement Processes Regulations; Obtain management’s approval and communicate sanctions to the service provider and Provide opportunity for appeal”.
Nwokonneya, reiterated that NCC has followed international best practices in enforcement procedures.
Comparing countries like Brazil, Singapore, United Kingdom and Nigeria revealed the similarities on enforcement procedures and timelines involved. For instance, timeline for offender’s defence/response shows Nigeria is ahead of Brazil and Singapore that give 15 days’ respectively, while Nigeria and UK give 14 days and 10 days respectively.
Also, final decision is reached on such cases after 30 day from conclusion of investigation in Brazil, 60 days in the UK and Singapore and 30 days in Nigeria. All the countries involved usually publish their final decisions.
Aside that, Nwokonneya said, “Every regulator has a variety of sanctioning tools to enforce compliance to its rules and regulations. However such sanctioning rules must ensure that the severity of sanctions matches the severity of the offence/violation. Some regulators have a specific schedule of fines e.g Nigeria. Some regulators levy fines based on a percentage of the offending licencee’s revenue e.g Peru, Poland, Turkey”.
He listed typical enforcement sanctions applied within the industry to include, “Administrative fines; The specific administrative fines are contained in the Second Schedule of the NCC Enforcement Processes Regulations. Schedule 3 of the NCC Qos Regulations 2012 also contain fines for contravention of each KPI.
“Cases of the N1.17B and N.647B fines against operators in 2012 and 2014 respectively for poor quality of service come to mind here. Confiscation of equipments; Denial of regulatory services; Revocation of licence”.
Although, some schools of thought have argued whether monetary sanctions by way of fines is the most effective way of enforcing compliance with rules and regulations in the industry, adding that the fines may not be severe enough to deter wrong doing and monetary sanctions deny operators the needed funds for network expansions, the Head of Compliance Monitoring at the Commission, said that Monitoring and Compliance can only be effective within the orbits of the available rules and regulations.
He maintained that the Commission would always draw strength from the provisions of Section 70 of the NCA, 2003 to develop a robust set of rules and regulations to guide operations of every facet of the market necessary to ensure ethical practices and to achieve consumer protection.
Presently, NCC boasts of over 20 Regulations, Guidelines and Directions.
These include, Numbering, Type approval of telecoms equipments, Interconnection, Competition practices, Consumer Code of Practices, Universal Service, Quality of Service and Enforcement Processes.
Others are Registration of Telephone Subscribers, Frequency Pricing, Number Portability, Annual Operating Levy, Lawful Interception of Communications and Technical Specification for the Installation of Masts and Towers etc.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
Nigeria’s corporate elite gathered recently to bid farewell to one of the nation’s most influential business titans, Dr. Pascal Gabriel Dozie.
The Nigerian Exchange Group’s headquarters in Marina, Lagos, played host to an ‘Afternoon of Tributes’ that saw industry captains, financial moguls, and family members celebrate the extraordinary legacy of a man who helped reshape Nigeria’s economic landscape.
MTN Nigeria Chairman, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, captured the mood of the gathering when he described the late Dozie as “a visionary leader, a true patriot, and a trailblazer” whose impact continues to reverberate across Nigeria’s business terrain.
“Thanks to his remarkable foresight and unwavering dedication, MTN Nigeria didn’t just find its footing—it soared,” Ndukwe told the distinguished audience.
“Today, it stands not only as the largest telecommunications company in the country but also as one of the most highly valued corporations on the NGX Premium Board.”
The symbolic bell-ringing ceremony—a highlight of the event—paid homage to Dozie’s pivotal role in transforming both Nigeria’s capital market and telecommunications sector.
Speaker after speaker painted the portrait of a man whose influence transcended conventional boundaries. Beyond founding Diamond Bank and steering MTN Nigeria to unprecedented heights, Dozie was celebrated for embodying the rare combination of business acumen and ethical leadership.
Throughout the afternoon, the late business icon was remembered not merely as a successful entrepreneur but as a nation-builder whose contributions spanned critical sectors from banking and telecoms to public policy and education.
More than his corporate achievements, however, it was Dozie’s personal qualities that dominated tributes—his uncompromising integrity, innovative thinking, disarming humility, and lifelong commitment to service.
As the event concluded, it became clear that the gathering was more than a memorial—it was a celebration of possibilities, a testament to what can be achieved when purpose meets passion and when leadership is firmly rooted in service to others.
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