{"id":5918,"date":"2026-11-02T22:16:46","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T22:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=5918"},"modified":"2026-11-02T22:27:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T22:27:21","slug":"infocus-market-competition-and-nccs-interventions-for-telecoms-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=5918","title":{"rendered":"InFocus: Market competition and NCC&#8217;s interventions for telecoms sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>*<strong><em>The Nigerian Communications Commission has held the 2nd Stakeholder Engagement Forum on the competition level in the country\u2019s telecoms industry, in Lagos, to assess the study preliminary findings, and offer recommendations to guide possible targeted and proportionate regulatory interventions towards attaining a more resilient, sustainable telecoms sector<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect<\/p>\n<p>In consonance with its regulatory oversight, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has held the 2nd Stakeholder Engagement Forum on the Level of Competition in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry, especially as it pertains to voice and data market segments of the ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p>The NCC said the exercise is being conducted in line with its major responsibilities under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, and the Competition Practices Regulations 2007.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5923\" src=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7-1024x556.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7-768x417.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/HVvgkiZXIAAjUe7-1536x833.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>The NCC team in a group photograph with the PwC Nigeria partners at the event&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>ConsumerConnect<\/em> reports the Commission and scores of industry stakeholders, including network operators, service providers, and leaderships of industry associations Wednesday, October 28, 2026, converged on the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos State, to review the ongoing competition study findings.<\/p>\n<p>The telecoms sector regulatory Commission disclosed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria conducted the market survey.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"dPsPfH3RzP\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=5858\">Konga activates Yakata Black Friday with brand giveaways, promo to win brand-new SUV<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cKonga activates Yakata Black Friday with brand giveaways, promo to win brand-new SUV\u201d \u2014 Consumer Experience Is A Top Priority\" src=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=5858&amp;embed=true#?secret=62wcF2Tzde#?secret=dPsPfH3RzP\" data-secret=\"dPsPfH3RzP\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The participants in the well-attended forum critically reviewed the preliminary findings from the ongoing market study, including market definitions and areas of potential Significant Market Power (SMP) in Nigeria&#8217;s telecoms industry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>On core objectives of market study <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The NCC said the overarching objectives of the forum are to offer stakeholders and opportunity to assess the study findings, and offer recommendations to guide possible regulatory interventions for particularly smaller operators at the end of the process.<\/p>\n<p>The study also examined some barriers facing smaller telecoms operators in the SMP environment.<\/p>\n<p>According to the telecoms sector regulator, the study particularly examined barriers that might prevent smaller telecoms operators from competing effectively with larger players in the sector in Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>It explained that the study examined larger players in respect of market concentration, infrastructure control and the potential abuse of significant market power in the telecoms industry.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission said the study could shape how the regulator addresses &#8220;competitive imbalances&#8221;&nbsp; in Nigeria\u2019s telecoms market, where differences in scale, access to essential infrastructure and the ability to expand operations may influence operators\u2019 capacity to compete.<\/p>\n<p>The NCC as well clarified that its approach would focus on &#8220;preventing the abuse of market power&#8221;&nbsp; as against penalising Telcos simply because of their market size or commercial success in the ecosystem.<\/p>\n<p>It said the exercise with its findings and recommendations was equally aimed at promoting fair competition, universal access, and a more resilient, sustainable telecommunications industry in the country.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Highlights of key market findings, by PwC Nigeria <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Earlier, in their presentation of the preliminary findings, the PwC team divided the industry into three main categories \u2014retail, wholesale, and infrastructure\u2014 spanning 17 distinct market sub-segments in the country&#8217;s telecoms space.<\/p>\n<p>In regard to the Significant Market Power (SMP), the consulting firm said that the preliminary assessment particularly, identified network operators with SMP in six sub-segments, found no such operators in two sub-segments, and noted that analysis is still ongoing for the remaining nine sub-segments in the all-important sector of the Nigerian economy.<\/p>\n<p>Throwing more light on the findings, Mary Iwelumor, a partner at PwC Nigeria, emphasised the findings remained preliminary because data collection from network operators, and other stakeholders has not been completed as of the time of the 2nd Stakeholder Engagement.<\/p>\n<p>According to the team, the study initially, expected to take between four and six months has lasted about 10 months, reflecting the time required to obtain sufficient and representative industry data.<\/p>\n<p>Iwelumor, therefore, urged telecoms operators to respond promptly to outstanding information requests from the Commission and its other consultants across the telecoms space.<\/p>\n<p>PwC noted that complete data would strengthen the analysis, and improve the reliability of the final findings.<\/p>\n<p>The PwC partner also tasked operators to communicate clearly where requested information was unavailable rather than leave requests unanswered.<\/p>\n<p>It is equally noted the scope of the study was expanded during its inception phase to include telecoms infrastructure alongside voice and data markets, allowing the assessment to examine a wider range of factors that may influence competition in the industry in Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>Stakeholders as well hinted that for smaller operators, the infrastructure dimension of the study is particularly relevant because the ability to access essential facilities and expand network capacity could affect the cost and speed of market entry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maida: Market share not only proof of anti-competitive behaviour in telecoms<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking on the presented market study on the level of competition in the sector, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC\/CEO) of the Commission emphasised that commercial success or market size alone is not proof of anti-competitive behaviour.<\/p>\n<p>Represented at the event by Mrs. Omotayo A. Mohammed, Head of Competition and Tariffs at NCC, Dr. Maida stated smaller operators were assured that limited scale in telecoms market would be supported through targeted, proportionate interventions.<\/p>\n<p>The NCC said such targeted regulatory intervention, however, would be with the objective of preserving &#8220;competitive market conditions&#8221; while encouraging investments, innovation, better Quality of Service (QoS) quality and improved consumer experience cum value.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission also affirmed the market findings the PwC team presented are yet provisional, and subject to broader stakeholder validation before the telecoms regulator publishes the final determinations for industry stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p>Responding to questions, and making clarifications during an interaction session on the occasion, Mrs. Mohammed said the quality and reliability of any market assessment depended largely on the completeness, accuracy and consistency of the underlying data.<\/p>\n<p>She also stressed the strategic importance of availability of credible industry data in ensuring the study reflects prevailing market realities, and provides a sound basis for regulatory decisions in telecommunications.<\/p>\n<p>Underlining the essence of the exercise, the NCC Head of Competition and Tariffs said the assessment was designed to provide an evidence-based understanding of competitive conditions, identify potential barriers to effective competition and guide regulatory interventions where necessary.<\/p>\n<p>Mohammed further averred: \u201cSmaller operators are assured that limited scale is not, in itself, a disadvantage, while larger operators should equally recognise that Significant Market Power (SMP) status alone is not indicative of anti-competitive behaviour.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stakeholders receive presentation for \u2018detailed review and comments\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, sequel to the 2nd Stakeholder Engagement on discussing the market findings in Lagos, the Commission has forwarded the presentation to relevant industry stakeholders for what it described as their &#8220;detailed review and comments&#8221;, to help enhance the outcome of the study.<\/p>\n<p>The NCC, which disclosed this development through a communication to stakeholders Monday, November 2, 2026, stated:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We would appreciate receiving all submissions on or before Wednesday, 11 November 2026.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>By implication, the industry stakeholders now&nbsp; have a veritable opportunity to submit additional comments and information in writing within this stipulated timeline to the secretariat of the forum.<\/p>\n<p>It is believed that the final market assessment is expected to help the telecoms regulatory Commission to determine whether further measures are required to address identified competition concerns or otherwise.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>*The Nigerian Communications Commission has held the 2nd Stakeholder Engagement Forum on the competition level in the country\u2019s telecoms industry, in Lagos, to assess the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"Mrs. Omotayo A. Mohammed, Head of Competition and Tariffs, Representing the Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of NCC, Making a Presentation at the Forum, in Lagos","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_customify_content_layout":"","_customify_sidebar":"","_customify_page_header_display":"default","_customify_disable_header":"","_customify_disable_header_top":"","_customify_disable_header_main":"","_customify_disable_header_bottom":"","_customify_disable_page_title":"","_customify_disable_content_vertical_padding":"","_customify_disable_footer_top":"","_customify_disable_footer_main":"","_customify_disable_footer_bottom":"","_customify_breadcrumb_display":"","_customify_header_transparent_display":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,4,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlights","category-markets","category-special-reports"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1.jpg",900,503,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1-300x168.jpg",300,168,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1-768x429.jpg",768,429,true],"large":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1.jpg",843,471,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1.jpg",900,503,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/NCC-telecoms-competition-review-900x6002-1.jpg",900,503,false]},"author_info":{"info":["ConsumerConnect"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=20\" rel=\"category\">Highlights<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=4\" rel=\"category\">Markets<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=15\" rel=\"category\">Special Reports<\/a>","tag_info":"Special Reports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5918"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5927,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5918\/revisions\/5927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}