The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on telecommunications operators and industry stakeholders to contribute verifiable data and practical industry experience to its assessment of competition in the Nigerian telecommunications industry, ahead of possible regulatory interventions.
The Commission disclosed that the exercise was to establish an objective framework of market conditions, identify barriers to effective competition and ensure that regulatory decisions promote investment, innovation, improved service delivery and consumer protection.
The Director and Zonal Controller, Lagos Zonal Office of the NCC, Mr. Tunji Jimoh, made the disclosure while delivering the Commission’s welcome address at its second Stakeholder Forum on the Study of the Level of Competition in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry, held last week Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Commission’s Lagos Zonal Office.
Jimoh delivered the address on behalf of the Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida.
The forum ushered in industry stakeholders, representatives of telecommunications service providers, government agencies, members of the media and consultants from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which is carrying out the study for the Commission.
The engagement followed the first stakeholder forum held in January 2026, where the commission outlined the objectives, scope and proposed methodology of the assessment and received contributions from industry participants.
According to the Commission, those initial contributions helped refine the approach, identify relevant market issues and strengthen its evidence-gathering process during the study process.
The October meeting, he noted, provided an opportunity for PwC to present preliminary findings from surveys and Requests for Information (RFI) circulated to licensed operators and other relevant stakeholders.
Emphasising the economic importance of the exercise, Jimoh stated that, “efficient competition remains a fundamental driver of innovation, investment, service quality, consumer choice and affordable telecommunications services.”
He explained that the study would examine more than the number of operators and their respective market shares, noting that competition assessment also required an understanding of market concentration, barriers to entry and expansion, control of essential infrastructure and the conduct of market participants.
The identification of operators with Significant Market Power (SMP) was another important component of the exercise, particularly in determining whether market dominance could undermine fair competition.
The NCC, however, cautioned against interpreting significant market power as automatic evidence of anti-competitive conduct.
The Commission maintained that larger operators could legitimately attain market strength through sustained investment, innovation and commercial success, while smaller operators should not be disadvantaged simply because of their limited operational scale.
“The focus of the Commission is therefore on ensuring that market power does not undermine effective competition,” Jimoh said.
He added that any regulatory intervention would be proportionate and targeted at preserving competitive market conditions, encouraging investment and innovation, and delivering better service quality and value to consumers.
The Commission also acknowledged that the reliability of the assessment would depend on the quality, completeness and consistency of information supplied by industry participants.
It therefore assured stakeholders that identified data limitations would be clearly stated and that findings affected by such limitations would be interpreted cautiously.
“We particularly encourage stakeholders to support their observations with verifiable data and practical industry experience,” he said.
He stressed that the consultation was part of the NCC’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and participatory regulation, adding that the Commission would welcome written submissions from stakeholders within a timeline to be communicated by its secretariat.
The study is anchored on the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and the Competition Practices Regulations 2007, which provide the regulatory framework for promoting competition in the telecommunications sector.
The question-and-answer session moderated by Engr. Kings Adeyemi, Assistant Director and Head of Wireless Network at the Technical Standards and Network Integrity Department, who represented the department during the engagement, saw stakeholders raising important issues.
Other NCC officials present included: Deputy Director, Mrs. Toluwase Omodele-Rufai; Principal Manager, Mrs. Olutunde Osunleye, and delegation of the Commission’s Public Affairs Department.
