By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
New fee and spectrum price guidelines are being sketched by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in annual operating regulatory levy on telecom operators.
This is to ensure all licensees are properly assessed towards regulatory expectations and standards, according to NCC Executive Vice Chairman Umar Danbatta, who spoke at a public inquiry on two regulatory instruments drafts in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported him as saying that the two instruments tailored to strengthen market structure are the Annual Operating Regulations and the Frequency Spectrum Regulations, which fees and pricing fall under.
His words: “The first instrument will bring the regulations in line with current realities and sustain the enviable contributions of the communications sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The second instrument is a vehicle that enables the Commission to meet its role and exclusive mandate in Section 121 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 by assigning this scarce national resource in an equitable manner.
“The regulations also ensure that frequency spectrum are assigned and managed in a way that ensures fair pricing and efficient deployment of attendant services.
“The public inquiry is precursor to the commission’s current drive to ensure efficiency in spectrum management and unveiling of next generation services through varied enablers.”
Deployment of 5G
Danbatta said the NCC has started Fifth Generation (5G) technology which depends on appropriate frequency spectrum that raises prospects for secondary reliance on different approaches to maximise frequency spectrum, including spectrum frequencies for 5G deployment.
“We must be prepared on both ends of the industry to push the country forward for these remarkable changes, while the licencees continue to invest in deployment.
“The Commission will sustain its drive by ensuring regulatory efficiency and excellence.”
He urged stakeholders to ensure inclusive contribution and raise issues that would help develop regulations that contribute to telecom development.
All spectrums covered
NCC Legal and Regulatory Services Director Josephine Amuwa said the Annual Operating Levy Regulations review will look at the current licensing structure and ensure that all the spectrums of licensees will be properly covered.
“On the other hand,” she added, “the review of the second regulation, the Frequency Spectrum (Fees and Pricing) Regulations is expected to provide more guidelines on the parameter for determination of proper fees and pricing of spectrum.”
Nairametrics reported the NCC in July as saying that it generated more than N150 billion revenue from spectrum licence fees win the first five months of 2021, exceeding its N36 billion projection for the year.
This figure represents more than 400 per cent increase in budgeted revenue with respect to spectrum fees generated by the NCC in the first quarter of 2021.
