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The current broadband penetration in Nigeria as of June 2022 stands at 44.30% with more than eighty-four million internet subscriptions in the country, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Prof Danbatta disclosed this at the conference hall of the Commission’s headquarters on Tuesday, being the first day of a three-day public inquiry on five (5) regulatory instruments.
Danbatta also disclosed that broadband penetration in Nigeria has increased by 91.70 per cent in the last four years, stressing that the country’s broadband penetration increased from 21.21 per cent in April 2017 to 40.66 per cent in April 2021.
“The Commission’s data show that in April 2021, 77,605,500 million Nigerians were connected to the Internet, up from 40,481,570 million in April 2017. The current broadband penetration as at June 2022 stands at 44.30% with more than eighty-four million internet subscriptions in the Country. While the Industry’s contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen from 9.81% in Q4 2018 to 12.61% in Q4 2021,” the EVC said.
Danbatta said these strides are outcomes of the Commission’s regulatory management of the telecoms industry as well as its focused implementation of policies and strategies of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He disclosed that the public inquiry, holding from August 9 to 11, 2022, is a key element in the Commission’s consultative engagements as part of its rule-making process and a key ingredient of regulatory excellence.
TNG reports the first instrument is the type approval regulations, which provide a framework for the approval of communications equipment for connection to communications networks in Nigeria, pursuant to sections 130 to 134 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. The Commission has also introduced Business Rules for Type Approval to address issues that cannot be catered for in the Regulations and ensure that the Type Approval process is seamless.
The second instrument, Guidelines on Short Code Operation in Nigeria, is intended to prescribe a standard of practice for providers of short code services and to provide a revised framework for the provision of these services and for the protection against misuse.
The third instrument, being the Guidelines on Technical Specifications for the Deployment of Communications Infrastructure, provides standards to be adhered to by Communications services providers/operators, designers, fabricators and installers of Communications towers and laying of fibre optic cables towards ensuring environmental safety and sound engineering practices.
The fourth instrument, is the Guidelines on Advertisements and Promotions, which provides minimum requirements and standards for promotional advertisements by licensed telecommunications operators in Nigeria.
Finally, the fifth instrument, which is the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations, amongst other things, sets rules for consumer protection and prescribes the procedures to be followed by a Licensee in preparing approved consumer codes of practice, in accordance with section 106 of the Act.
Danbatta stated all (5) five regulatory instruments are existing instruments which are being amended to reflect current realities.
“One of such realities is that with the deployment of 5G, it will become necessary for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to invest heavily in communications infrastructure. Also, with the technological advancements anticipated in the coming years, it is expected that there will be a proliferation of devices in the industry. It is therefore essential for the Commission to ensure that the regulatory framework can accommodate such eventualities,” he said.
The NCC EVC expressed confidence that the review process will improve the standards and procedures for Type Approvals, Operation of Short Codes and Advertisement and Promotions, ensure a more robust framework for the deployment of Communications Infrastructure and guarantee that the procedures to be followed by a Licensee in preparing approved consumer codes of practice are in tandem with current realities.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Ms. Helen Obi, Head, Telecoms Laws & Regulations, Legal & Regulatory Services Department of the NCC disclosed that the draft of all the regulatory instruments regulations have since been published on the Commission’s website and comments from external Stakeholders have been received and reviewed.