The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it has temporarily suspended the issuance of new licenses in some categories.
The commission said the categories included interconnect exchange license, mobile virtual network operator license and value-added service aggregator license.
The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Dr Reuben Muoka, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, said the commission acted in line with its powers under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003.
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“This temporarily suspended the issuance of new licenses is necessary to enable the commission to conduct a thorough review of several key areas within these categories, including the current level of competition, market saturation and current market dynamics.
“The public is invited to note that during the suspension period commencing on May 17, new application for the aforementioned licenses will not be accepted.
“This is without prejudice to pending applications before the commission will be considered on their merits.
“Any enquiry or clarification in respect of this suspension notice should be forwarded to: [email protected].
About the NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is the independent National Regulatory Authority for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. The Commission is responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country. NCC powers derived from an Act (Nigerian Communications Act 2003) passed by the National Assembly – Nigeria’s Bi-Cameral legislature.
Over the years NCC has earned a reputation as a foremost telecom regulatory agency in Africa. In June 2016 NCC received the EUROPEAN AWARD FOR BEST PRACTICES IN THE GOLD CATEGORY from the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR). Its receptacle of trove of awards has continued to swell all year round.
The Commission has been visited by many international institutions and its counterparts from different countries across the world for commendation and for benchmarking.
Importantly, NCC hopes to catalyze the use of ICTs for different aspect of national development. The Commission has initiated several programs such as State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI); Wire Nigeria Project (WIN); the University Inter-Campus Connectivity programme (UNiCC) and numerous intervention programmes and projects to help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of a knowledge society in Nigeria; and it is the key driver of the National Broadband Plan designed to cascade availability of broadband services across Nigeria.
