Licensees must meet their obligations, says NCC amid MTN-Glo dispute

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it would strongly exercise its regulatory authority and ensure that licensees comply with their obligations and meet agreements.

Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman (EVC) of NCC, spoke during a press conference in Lagos on Thursday.

Speaking on the commission’s vision and strategy for the year, Maida said compliance would be a major focus that would be driven strongly.

He said licensees must be ready to comply with the standards of the commission as well as ensure they keep to their part of any agreements made in any deal.

“Compliance is also another driver. As a regulator, as empowered by the NCA Acts and regulations we put in place. We have the powers to hold our licensees to their obligations,” Maida said.

“So over the past couple of years, I think the industry has been in what I would say development phase, but it’s time we push ourselves into a maturity phase whereby we will be really driving compliance. 

“Compliance would be something you’re going to be seeing that we drive very strongly. 

“Whenever our licensees have an obligation to meet, we will be expecting them to meet those obligations.  If they have agreements between themselves, we’ll be expecting them to meet those agreements.”

The EVC’s statement is coming amidst the recent interconnection debt dispute between MTN and Globacom Limited (Glo).

The regulator, on January 8, 2024, permitted MTN to commence the partial disconnection of Glo with effect from January 18, 2024, due to the long-standing interconnection debt dispute between the parties.

Less than two weeks after, NCC suspended the disconnection, saying the telecom companies had reached an agreement and the debts must be settled.

The commission gave an ultimatum of 21 days starting on January 17, 2024.