The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that it has begun the issuance of licences to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the country. MVNOs are firms that do not own mobile spectrum licenses but sell mobile services under their brand name using the network of a licensed mobile operator.
Mohammed Babajika, director, licensing and authorisation, NCC disclosed this while speaking during a recent two-day stakeholders consultative forum tagged ‘Talk-To-The Regulator’, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.
He said the commission has finalised the framework for MVNOs and was currently in the process of licensing them.
Babajika said the licensing of MVNOs will improve the telecommunication output of the country, enable the expansion and availability of quality mobile coverage and close the gap between the unserved and underserved population in Nigeria.
“While the commission is fully committed to discharging its mandate, it can only achieve this with the cooperation and support of licencees,” Babajika said.
“The Commission knows the importance of various service providers and seeks to constantly engage with these service providers to protect the health and growth of the telecoms industry.”
Speaking on the licence, Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of NCC who was represented by Usman Mamman, head, pre-licencing, NCC, said the commission was reviewing the scope and structure of its existing licences to make them more robust and to accommodate some of the identified new industry trends.
He said that NCC had taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development to keep up to date with developments in the industry.
“To keep up to date with developments in the industry, the Commission has equally taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development,” Danbatta said.
“Some of the interventions and responses of the Commission include but are not limited to Facilitating the Roll-Out of 5G Service provision. Introduction of Mobile Virtual Network Operator, (MVNO) Licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas.”