Telecommunications: NCC evaluates competition in collocation, infrastructure sharing

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is assessing the current level of competition in the collocation and infrastructure sharing (CIS) segment of the telecommunications sector.

A statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, explained that; “This is to enable the Commission to have insightful and evidenced-based facts and ensure the continuous growth of the CIS segment of the telecom market.

According to the NCC, seventy-eight licensees are currently operating in the CIS segment

“The NCC takes this issue as a priority in view of the critical role played by the collocation and infrastructure sharing segment of the telecom ecosystem in ensuring robust services.

“Already, the Commission has engaged the services of Messrs. Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC), a globally renowned consulting firm, to conduct the study on its behalf, in the exercise of NCC’s regulatory functions as provided in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003. The study is expected to be concluded between April and July, 2022.”

Speaking at the NCC’s stakeholders’ forum recently organised in Lagos on the commencement of the study, the Director, Policy, Competition and Economy Analysis (PCEA) at NCC, Yetunde Akinloye, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission (EVC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the forum was organised to intimate operators in the CIS segment of the telecom market on the study

Akinloye explained that the NCC periodically conducts studies to assess the level of competition in the industry.

“Having successfully conducted competition assessment studies in 2005, 2010 and 2013, the Commission had issued determinations based on the findings of the studies while the outcome of such studies has also enabled the Commission to come up with various regulatory interventions and initiatives to continuously provide a level-playing field for the interplay of market forces. These procedures are emplaced by the Commission to ensure fair, efficient and sustainable competition in the Nigerian telecom industry.”

The NCC Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Bako Wakil, said “The study is in the interest of the CIS licensees, other players and the consumers. It will also provide the Commission with useful and evidenced-based insights necessary to ensure healthy competition and a level-playing ground in the CIS segment and ensure sustainability in the growth of the telecommunication industry.

“Also, rest assured of the confidentiality of any information provided to the Commission in the course of this study, no matter how sensitive.”

In her presentation to telecom stakeholders, Partner at PwC, Mary Iwelumo, urged them to cooperate with the firm in providing accurate responses as this would ensure that sufficient information are obtained to address the challenges in the sector.

PR/PIAK