NCC seeks to improve Licensee – Regulator relationship.

In a bid to jointly examine and address issues that are negatively affecting licence compliance and industry growth, the Nigerian Communicatins Commission has put together Regulator – Licensee interaction tagged “Talk To The Regulator Forum”
The two-day Talk To The Regulator (TTTR) forum opened with the regulator urging the operators to present the challenges they are facing, with a view to providing solutions and resolving some of the challenges which required regulatory interventions.

Addressing the forum in Lagos with the theme ” Improving Stakeholder Satisfaction” the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta said the out come of the forum would help in quality regulatory framework and better service deliver to consumers.

Professor Danbatta who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu said the industry can only achieve the national interest objectives set out by National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, the Nigerian national broadband plan 2020-2025 and other policies if most of the Licensees are operating at optimal strength.

Prof Umar Danbatta said, the forum provides the Commission with a unique opportunity to engage with its licensees in a collaborative atmosphere which, in turn, enables both parties to jointly examine issues that are negatively affecting licence compliance and industry growth.
Pointing out that the forum is also an opportunity for stakeholders to jointly work out collaborative solutions and implementation programmes in the national interest.

Earlier in an opening remsrk, the Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, noted that holding the forum in in Lagos is significant because Lagos is arguably the hub of communications services in Nigeria and most of the licensees have their headquarters in Lagos which hosts the largest single concentration of telecoms infrastructure and telecoms subscribers.

The Director, Licensing and Authorisation, NCC, Mr. Mohammed Babajika, said the forum was to seek clarifications with respect to any issue regarding the operators’ licence obligations and renewal processes and procedures. And regretted that of the Licensees read or understand the licensing obligations which was handed over to them.
Mr Babajika advised licensees to always employ the services of legal practitioners to give them better understanding of the license obligations.
The list of challenges tends to be too long as some of the ooperators particularly the Valur Added Service Providers, allegef the Telecom network operators have been shortchanging them I’m sharing formula.
The Talk To The Regulator” TTTR stakeholder Consultative Forum was conceptualized to identify challenges experienced by the licensees in the course of doing business with a view providing regulatory interventions where it is within the commission”s mandate.
The forum is also a unique opportunity for the commission to extensively interact with licensees as well as foster a harmonious relationship with licensees, identifying their challenges, providing feedback on licensee fulfilment on their license obligations and to re emphasize the role of licensees in ensuring good quality of services.(QoS)
The Commission gave a full assurance that most of the issues within their regularly mandate would be resolved.

CHIOMA EZIKE