The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has given some explanations regarding the three regulatory instruments, unveiled by the Commission and were subjected to a public inquiry last week.
According to Prof. Danbatta, the three regulatory instruments; Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG), Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, and the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Replacement Guidelines will offer enabling provisions that will help the country in tackling security and insurgency; as well as to enhance spectrum availability to facilitate the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) technology.
While speaking at the semi-virtual public inquiry, which on-site operation was conducted at the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja, Danbatta explained that the three regulatory instruments have been developed to address the challenges of the ever evolving communications industry and to further strengthen the market structure.
“The first instrument, the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, provides a regulatory framework for the registration of subscribers of communications services utilising subscription mediums. The second instrument, SIM Replacement Guidelines, provides guidance on the standards and procedure which Network Service Providers (NSPs) are expected to adhere to in the process of conducting a SIM Replacement, swap or upgrade.
“Besides the instruments, two Business Rules that relate to SIM Registration and SIM Replacement, introduced by the Commission will further ensure that the process for SIM activation and Replacement is seamless and align with the national identity management policy.
“The third instrument, the Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG), seeks to promote certainty and transparency by outlining the detailed procedure and conditions for spectrum trading in the Nigerian communications sector,” he explained.
He said the public inquiry was held in line with the Commission’s consultative approach in all its regulatory interventions, as the regulatory instruments being reviewed are vital to ensuring that the regulatory frameworks that pertain to SIM registration and replacement in the communications industry meet the demands of the digital age and also further enhance the flexibility of the spectrum trading regime.