Telecommunication investors around the world and prospective internet broadband companies have once again been assured of enabling business environment in Nigeria, as the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector remains home and friendly with no dangerous regulations on investors, this, the industry regulator; Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has said.
The Executive Vice, NCC, Umar Danbatta, averred that the commission is not in any-way over-regulating existing national and international operators in the industry explaining that this has in a long way enhanced growth recorded in the sector and its contribution the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Danbatta who made this known on Friday while fielding questions during the 3rd Quarterly Seminar of Nigeria Information and Communications Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA with the theme: “Implication of Over-Regulations On Quality of Service in Telecoms Sector” in Lagos, however explained further that there are parameter and key performance indicators is not to witch hunt but to ensure healthy business environment for existing and prospective operators and value in consumers services.
REPORTERS CONCERN
President of the Nigeria Information and Communication Technology Reporters’ Association, Mr Emmanuel Okonji; Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo; Head of Legal & Regulatory Services,NCC, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye; President of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr.Gbenga Adebayo during the 3rd Quarter Seminar of Nigeria Information and Communications Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) which held at the Lagos on the 16th of September, 2016.
Represented by NCC’s spokesman, Tony Ojobo, Danbatta said the theme of the forum provided a “haunting” concern for the regulators and industry operators.
“You have said the Nigerian Communications Commission should look at the regulatory perspective of this subject of discourse,” Danbatta said.
“We are encouraged by your concern, because we can see that apart from the primary stakeholders there are so many people that are concerned with the health of the sector.
“Your fears are genuine as anything contrary to the good figures coming out of the industry will spell doom for a very promising sector.
“The operating word in your theme, over-regulation, connotes something dangerous and harmful to the telecommunications industry.
“It’s either we are too strict with what we are doing at the Commission to the extent that we are impacting negatively on the industry we are created to protect, or there are other bodies whose incursion into the Commission’s terrain is creating too much discomfort for those operating in the sector.”
WE ARE DOING OUR JOB
He went on to say “we are serious with our job at the NCC. But we also know the reason for our existence; to create and nurture an industry that serves the needs of our people and investors.
“That thought is uppermost in our minds as we strive to create accessible and affordable telecommunication services across the country.
“Point number two: we do also agree that some sister agencies tend to be over zealous in trying to help us do our job and in the process create unnecessary difficulties for our operators. However, this is being addressed at the various levels of government and I can promise that the story will be much better very soon.”
Danbatta said “in spite of a seeming convolution of activities which affect the health of the industry, we stand here to acknowledge that there is always a good story to tell about the sector.
“As experienced reporters of the industry before being organisers of this event you are the ones who help tell most of the stories.
GROWTH in GDP
“The telecommunications sector of the Nigerian economy contributed N1.580 trillion to gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2016, or 9.8 per cent, which represents an increase of 1.0 point relative to the previous quarter.
“According to a new data just released by National Bureau of Statistics, this is the largest contribution to GDP made from this sector in the rebased period, which emphasizes that growth in telecommunications has remained robust when compared to total GDP.”
STEMMING OVER-REGULATION
Danbatta revealed that NCC has taken several efforts toward stemming over-regulation in the telecoms sector. He said some of the efforts include meetings with the individual State Governors and the Nigeria’s Governors Forum with the view of convincing them to take another look at the telecoms industry and create environments that will favour operators and thus be able to contribute more in terms of investment, employment and taxes.
“Currently, the NCC has met the Governors of Kano, Ogun and Kaduna State and they have promised their support towards helping the Commission create and sustain an enabling environment that would allow telecom operators and services to grow,” he said.
OTT REGULATION
The EVC also reassured that the Commission has no plans at regulating Over-The-Top Services (OTT), which include but are not limited to Whatsapp, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), Skype, Facebook and Youtube.
“if we had regulated OTT, Nigeria would not have recorded over 97million internet users,” he explained.
