NCC Hires PwC To Assess Collocation, Infrastructure Sharing Among Telcos

The Nigerian Communications Commission has hired Price Waterhouse Cooper, a consulting firm to conduct a study on the level of competition in the Collocation and Infrastructure Sharing (CIS) segment of the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

The Commission said in statement that the study will enable it to have insightful and evidenced-based facts to glean the dynamics and ensure growth of the CIS segment of the telecom sector.

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In Nigeria, infrastructure amenable to sharing are those that can be shared without an attendant risk of lessening competition.

PWC is expected to submit its findings between April and July, 2022, according to the regulator.

The NCC said seventy-eight licensed operators are currently exploring the market segment.

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

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“Already, the Commission has engaged the services of Messrs. Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC), one of the world’s reputable consulting firms, to conduct the study on its behalf, in exercise of NCC’s regulatory functions as provided in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003.”

The Director, Policy, Competition and Economy Analysis (PCEA) at NCC, Yetunde Akinloye, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the study is in line with the NCC mandate to ensure enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry.

He said the NCC periodically conducts studies to assess the level of competition in the industry.

Akinloye said, “Having successfully conducted competition assessment studies in 2005, 2010 and 2013, the Commission had issued determinations based on the findings of the studies while 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.

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“Therefore, in line with NCC’s participatory approach to regulation, this initial stakeholders forum has been convened to formally introduce the project and the appointed consultants to the industry”.

Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Bako Wakil, said the study is in the interest of the CIS licensees, other players and the consumers.

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