The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to shut down the operations of 115 internet service providers (ISPs) after it declared them as illegal since the expiration of their instrument of operations.
The service providers are, by the provision of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA 2003), licensed for a period of five years before they are renewed.
Though, Nigeria has about 184 ISPs, 115 of them are expected to update the commission with their current business contacts/addresses before the end of March, in order to ensure seamless correspondences.
The Guardian reported that 22 other ISPs are to renew their licences in 2016; 18 in 2017 and by 2018 and 2019, 21 and 20 others are to renew theirs respectively. The 184 ISPs operate in different parts of the country and have helped in making Internet services readily available to individuals, businesses and governments.
According to the Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis at NCC, Ms. Josephine Amuwa in an advertorial, those 115 ISPs are reminded of their licensing obligations with respect to information pursuant of sections 64 to 66 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
Amuwa said the commission might be compelled to declare those who do not respond as illegal operators.
