The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced it has adopted technology neutrality in its licensing processing. Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah said this in Lagos.
He said the decision was taken in order to promote innovation in the country’s telecoms industry.
“The reason for this is to provide opportunity for creativity and innovation in the provision of services. Restriction of service to specific technologies may not allow for innovation,” he said.
“From a regulatory point of view, innovation is key to the telecoms industry. After the initial discoveries and development in the telecom sector, it is innovation that has catapulted growth in the sector to the height that it is achieved today. Innovation in the industry is also an attribute that is not exclusive to nations or states. The ready examples of uncountable number of apps developed in different parts of the world, riding on all available networks or platforms, shows that innovation is driving the industry.”
“Provision of choice with the entry of multiple providers, and encouraging competition using regulatory tools is also designed to encourage local innovation in the provision of services. It is well known that innovation provides mutual benefit to bother the service provider and consumer of the service,” Juwah said.
He said NCC would continue to encourage innovations in all aspects of the industry, as it is appropriate to predict that when broadband services become very much available in Nigeria as planned, it will also come with inevitable push for more innovations in the ways services are delivered today.
