Ben Uzor Jr
If Nigeria intends to sustain the impressive growth recorded in the telecommunications industry beyond 2010, the Goodluck Jonathan administration must protect the independence of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe, past, executive vice chairman, NCC has revealed. This warning is coming in the wake of alleged political interference in the agency’s affairs.
He further observed that the huge telecom growth did not come because the country suddenly became the preferred investment haven or on account of its huge population, but mainly due to stable regulatory and policy environment that existed in the last 10 years. Ndukwe spoke on Friday at an event to honour him for his meritorious service to the country as Nigeria’s telecom regulatory chief, which ended in April organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
Under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Ndukwe was hired in 2000 to head the NCC and was provided the needed independence to stir the affairs of the commission, he said. Whilst paying kudos to the former president for granting autonomy to NCC, he underscored that the nation’s highest political leadership is always crucial to the success of the telecoms regulator to effectively perform its roles.
“Quite honestly, I say it in international forums where I go to deliver speeches on regulatory issues that without the support of government at the highest level, it is always difficult for a regulatory to perform well. During the tenure of president Obasanjo, he gave us free-hand to operate. That sowed the seed for the subsequent regimes that followed. Even the first minister of communication, Mohammed Arzika was trying to get involved in the telecom regulatory issues. The president called him and told him to leave the NCC alone. That is very critical for the development of the industry”, he explained.
To sustain this growth, he urged the current administration to ensure the operational and financial autonomy of the telecoms regulator to ensure that the dividends are sustained by the new leadership of the NCC. Moreover, the ceremony also had in attendance the new executive vice chairman, NCC, Eugene Juwah, industry associations, operators and major players in the Nigerian ICT ecosystem.
Stressing the significance of guaranteeing a conducive operating environment for telecoms companies, the former NCC boss pointed advised Juwah to avoid actions that might constitute disincentive to investment or even challenge the sustainability of return on investment capital.
In the same vein, Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ALTON) condemned the increasing interference in the affairs of NCC, further asserting that it could undermine development of the sector. Adebayo also expressed concern over multiple regulations of telecoms in Nigeria, a development he charged the new leadership of NCC to urgently address.
According to him, the telecoms industry has come under attacks from some agencies of government over the issue while bringing the attention of NCC to the issue that, “more of enemies within than without.“EVC, you must exert your authority as industry regulator from interlopers” to continue to see growth and development in the telecoms market in Nigeria.
On his part, as part of his recipe for fuelling telecoms growth in Nigeria, Ndukwe urged policy makers refocus the growth of telecoms into rural and underserved parts of the country to grow the teledensity from approximately 50 per cent today to 100 per cent. Furthermore, efforts should be channeled towards efficient management of national frequency resources, adding that they should also be made available in a timely manner as “spectrum is the oxygen that supports the wireless ecosystem.”
He further added that there should be continuous investment in the deployment of broadband infrastructure to improve internet penetration in the country. Paying kudos to his successor, Ndukwe describes the new EVC as a “consummate industry person”, who will leverage his wealth of experience in bringing the desired leadership to the nation’s telecoms regulatory agency.
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