In view of the need to ensure smooth and effective spectrum allocation and to align with federal government’s efforts at tackling insurgency and insecurity through citizen identity management, the nation’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has thrown open for public inquiry, three telecoms regulatory Instruments.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the Public Inquiry, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta disclosed that the Public Inquiry is also in line with the Commission’s consultative approach in all its regulatory interventions.
The three instruments are on Spectrum Trading, Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations and SIM Replacement Guidelines.
According to Danbatta: “The Public Inquiry is a precursor to the Commission’s current drive towards ensuring that frequency spectrum is readily available to Licensees through a rapid and effective process. Also, in view of the resolve of the Federal Government to tackle insurgency and insecurity through citizen identity management, it has become necessary to ensure that the provisions of the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations and SIM Replacement Guidelines are in alignment with the National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration and related activities.”
He further explained that the regulatory instruments being reviewed are vital to ensuring that the regulatory frameworks that pertain to SIM Registration and Replacement in the communications industry meet the demands of the digital age and also further enhance the flexibility of the Spectrum Trading regime.
The first instrument, the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, he explained, provides a regulatory framework for the registration of subscribers of communications services utilizing subscription mediums. The second instrument, SIM Replacement Guidelines, provides guidance on the standards and procedure which Network Service Providers (NSPs) are expected to adhere to in the process of conducting a SIM Replacement, swap or upgrade.
To this effect, the Commission also introduced Business Rules for SIM Registration and SIM Replacement to further ensure that the process for SIM activation and Replacement is seamless.
The third instrument, which is the Spectrum Trading Guidelines, Danbatta said, seeks to promote certainty and transparency in the processes of the Commission by outlining the detailed procedure and conditions for Spectrum Trading in the Nigerian communications sector. “The availability of spectrum frequency is a necessary element in the deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) technology in Nigeria. Furthermore, the recent approval of the 5G Deployment Plan by the Federal Government makes this process expedient.”
He concluded with an expectation that: “This review will ensure a more robust framework for the registration of subscribers of communication services, improve the standards and procedures for SIM Replacements and ensure effective and efficient utilisation of frequency spectrum.”
Also speaking at the Public Inquiry, Executive Commissioner Stakeholders’ Management at NCC, Barrister Adeleke Adewolu expressed confidence that the review presents “a vital ingredient in not just developing instruments, it also gauges the implementation efficacy of existing instruments that are undergoing review.”
The Public Inquiry is the final step before new guidelines are published for adoption and progressive development of the industry.
The drafts of all the regulatory instruments Regulations have been published on the Commission’s website and comments from all Stakeholders have been received and reviewed.
The Public Inquiry was an avenue that enabled the Commission to develop and review its regulatory instruments by incorporating the comments and suggestions of industry stakeholders.
