The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a review of the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) Business Rules to deepen competition and expand access to telecommunications services in the country.
The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said this at a one-day MVNO Business Rule Stakeholders Forum organised by the commission on Thursday in Abuja.
Maida said that the review was aimed at promoting innovation and enhancing the regulatory framework guiding MVNO operations while ensuring a more competitive and inclusive telecommunications ecosystem.
The EVC was represented by the Director of Licensing and Authorisation, Mr Usman Mamman.
He said that the introduction of the MVNO business rules reflected the commission’s broader commitment in line with its strategic objective of achieving digital inclusion.
“The MVNO business rules are designed to provide clarity on licensing, operational responsibilities and relationships with host network operators while safeguarding consumer interests and market integrity.
“At the same time, we expect full compliance, and the commission will continue to exercise its mandate to ensure that all operators adhere strictly to established guidelines,” he said.
In his own presentation, Mamman said the introduction of MVNOs into Nigeria’s telecommunications sector followed years of consultations with industry stakeholders.
He said that the framework was designed to accommodate different business models and varying levels of technical and operational capabilities, thereby creating opportunities for wider participation in the sector.
According to him, the framework allows qualified operators to provide mobile communication services by leveraging the infrastructure of existing Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) without owning radio spectrum or deploying nationwide radio access networks.
Mamman said hat the commission had issued 46 MVNO licences across the five operational tiers.
He said the distribution comprised one Tier 1 licence, 11 Tier 2 licences, 16 Tier 3 licences, seven Tier 4 licences and 11 Tier 5 licences.
Earlier, the Head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, Mrs Chizua Whyte, said the commission developed the draft business rules to provide a clear operational framework for MVNOs within Nigeria’s communications ecosystem.
According to her, the emergence of MVNOs presents significant opportunities to deepen competition, stimulate innovation, promote service differentiation and expand consumer choice.
She said the stakeholder forum was convened to obtain industry input that would strengthen the regulatory framework before its final adoption.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of Mobile Virtual Network Operators of Nigeria (AMVON), Mr Ken Nwabueze, urged the commission to address concerns relating to revenue-sharing arrangements and enforcement of the proposed business rules.
Nwabueze said clear provisions on revenue-sharing models and effective enforcement mechanisms would promote fairness and certainty for operators.
“As we define these rules, we plead with the commission to make enforcement a key component of the framework,” he said.
Meanwhile, a member of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Chidi Ibisi, identified onboarding processes as a major challenge facing MVNO operators.
Ibisi said delays in onboarding, occasioned by sequencing issues and internal processes of host operators, had slowed the commencement of operations by many MVNOs.
