- Visits NCC For Investment Conditionalities
By Angeline Mgbele, Senior Correspondent, Abuja
Following its careful analysis of the immense potentials of the Nigerian telecommunications market, international telecom investor-operator, the Orange Group, has committed to playing a big part in Africa’s biggest service space, in diversified areas including but not limited to mobile, data, fixed and financial technology support services.
This is according to a statement, earlier sighted by our correspondent, credited to the Director of Public Affairs(DPA)at the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), Reuben Muoka.
According to Mr. Muoka, a six-member team of Orange Middle East and Africa, led by Mrs. Victoria Adefala, delivered this message to the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer(EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, during a business visit to his office in Abuja recently. Mrs. Adefala said the group was fully determined to do all it took to get a slice of the Nigerian market.
“We are here to ensure steady investment for a long term. We also want to support the vision of the Commission in driving broadband penetration for a robust digital economy and leverage on local content development initiatives,” she said. The delegation including Orange’s Africa Director of Regulatory Affairs, Jean Chalhoub, sought clarifications on several regulatory and policy issues that would engender the company’s speedy entry into the country.
Adefala said Nigeria was missing in Orange Group’s portfolio of combined network of over 140 million subscribers across 18 countries of its operations. “The large market potentials buoyed by the huge population, impressive Gross Domestic product (GDP) figure, proximity to our operations in the neighbouring African countries, as well as the appreciable friendly operating environment are great motivators for our expansion plan into the Nigerian telecom market”.
NCC’s boss, Danbatta who welcomed the Group’s quest to invest in Nigeria, reassured the delegation of a robust policy and regulatory environment that provided quality enabling environment, had the full support of the Federal Government, as evidenced in the contents of such instruments like the Executive Order 001 on the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and the Federal Government’s Economy Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) with ample provisions to protect investors.
Prof. Danbatta said the Commission had also taken several other regulatory steps aimed at improving the operational environment such as the ongoing collaboration with Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) to reduce Right of Way (RoW) charges on telecom infrastructure deployments; signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with various government and institutional stakeholders across the country; developed guidelines and regulations to promote colocation of infrastructure; and upheld a fair competitive operating environment, among among others.
“We welcome more investments into the Nigerian telecom sector. We have enabling laws and regulations that help us to engender a highly competitive telecom market that benefits both the service providers and the consumers. The NCC is here to ensure we support our licensees to thrive while also ensuring that they comply with Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by the Commission because Nigerians will patronise an operator that provides them with affordable services at highest quality,” he said.
Danbatta who hosted the delegation with the two Executive Commissioners of the Commission, Engr. Ubale Maska (Technical Standards) and Barrister Adeleke Adewolu (Stakeholder Management), and some directors, said the successful auction of the 5G spectrum was a clear indication of investor confidence in the country, and that investment opportunities were available in voice, data, upstream and downstream of the sectors with certainty on investment returns.
