BY MOTOLANI OSENI
The Pervasive and Mobile Computing Research Group (PMCRG) at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to make public the findings of its 2022 study on Nigeria’s telecommunications competition landscape.
In a statement issued on Monday, signed by Adeniran Oluwaranti, coordinator of PMCRG Africa Centre of Excellence at OAU’s ICT-Driven Knowledge Park, the research group emphasized the importance of the report’s release for the development of the nation’s ICT sector.
The request, made under the Freedom of Information Act, highlights PMCRG’s commitment to promoting transparency and fostering innovation in Nigeria’s rapidly growing telecommunications industry.
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The 2022 study, commissioned by the NCC and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), aimed to evaluate key areas of competition within Nigeria’s telecom sector, particularly focusing on collocation and infrastructure sharing (CIS). Despite the completion of the study, its findings remain unreleased, prompting PMCRG to seek access to the report.
The group believes the report is vital for informing academic research, shaping policy, and driving industry-wide innovation. They underscored the significance of the CIS segment, which plays a crucial role in enhancing competition in the telecom industry.
Access to the report, they said, would provide stakeholders with valuable insights into the current competitive landscape, pinpointing both challenges and opportunities for growth.
“Our mission is to develop a regionally recognized model for ICT research and commercialization, offering solutions to Africa’s pressing technological challenges through high-quality postgraduate education, research uptake, and industry collaboration,” the group stated.
PMCRG’s request aligns with the Freedom of Information Act and Section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. The researchers stressed that the release of the study’s findings could have a significant impact on both consumers and businesses. For consumers, the report could reveal the state of competition in the telecom market, helping regulators to ensure fair pricing and service quality. For businesses, it could identify new opportunities for infrastructure sharing and improved market access.
The PMCRG urged the NCC to prioritize transparency and make the report available, as its insights could serve as a catalyst for further advancements in Nigeria’s ICT sector.
This call for action from the academic community reinforces the growing need for data-driven decision-making to drive progress in the nation’s telecom industry.
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