ALTON Endorses New NCC Board Chairman, Predicts Improved Stability for Telecom Industry

ALTON Endorses New NCC Board Chairman, Predicts Improved Stability for Telecom Industry

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has thrown its weight behind the newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, saying his emergence comes at a crucial time for Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

ALTON Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, stated this when he led a delegation of telecom chief executives and senior industry stakeholders on a congratulatory visit to the new board chairman on Thursday. He said operators across the country were united in their support and ready to work closely with the board to strengthen the industry.

According to Adebayo, Olorunnimbe’s background in law, entrepreneurship and public service equips him with the capacity to provide effective strategic direction and oversight for the regulator.

He noted that prior to his appointment, Olorunnimbe served on the board of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund where he chaired the Stakeholder and Governance Committee. He is also the founder of The Temple Management Company, a firm involved in talent, media, sports and entertainment management.

“Your track record of institutional leadership, administrative discipline and proven results in complex organisations gives the industry confidence that the commission is in safe hands,” Adebayo said.

The ALTON chairman described the appointment as coming at a defining phase marked by recovery, recalibration and renewed investor confidence in the sector, expressing optimism that the board would exceed expectations.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assembling what he called a well-balanced and competent NCC board, noting that the composition reflects government’s commitment to strengthening regulatory institutions and ensuring sustainability in the communications sector.

Adebayo further praised the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, for guiding the industry through difficult challenges, particularly the long-standing USSD debt crisis which had accumulated to about ₦300 billion over four years.

He explained that through coordinated engagement and firm regulatory leadership, the issue was resolved and the system migrated to an end-user billing model.

“Today, there is no outstanding USSD debt. What once posed a major systemic risk to telecom operators and the digital financial ecosystem has now become a sustainable framework,” he said.

On pricing reforms, Adebayo observed that the sector endured more than a decade of stagnant tariffs despite inflation, exchange rate volatility, ageing infrastructure and rising energy costs. He said the recent approval for cost-reflective tariffs helped stabilise operators and prevented potential industry collapse.

According to him, companies are gradually returning to profitability, network performance has improved and long-term investment planning has resumed.

He also linked recent improvements in the sector to broader economic reforms, particularly foreign exchange policy adjustments. Telecom companies, he explained, earn revenue in naira but pay for bandwidth, software licensing, satellite services and network equipment in foreign currency.

He said improved forex availability has reduced operators’ exposure to foreign debt and strengthened investor confidence, attracting renewed global interest in Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure.

On infrastructure protection, Adebayo welcomed the Federal Government’s designation of telecommunications facilities as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), describing it as a major step toward safeguarding network assets.

He disclosed that officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser were already engaging operators to develop security and protection mechanisms for telecom installations nationwide.

Despite the progress, ALTON identified persistent operational challenges, especially frequent fibre cuts caused by federal and state road construction contractors. He noted that such incidents often lead to nationwide service disruptions and affect banking, education and security operations.

Adebayo therefore called for a structured coordination framework, including pre-construction fibre mapping, to prevent infrastructure damage and service outages.

He also emphasised the importance of preserving the regulatory independence of the NCC as provided under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, stressing that independence must be evident in practice to sustain investor confidence.

The association further raised concerns over overlapping oversight by multiple government agencies, which it said results in duplicated investigations, conflicting directives and higher compliance costs for operators. It urged clearer legislative recognition of the NCC as the primary authority for telecommunications regulation.

On taxation, ALTON warned that excessive levies imposed by sub-national authorities and enforcement measures such as site shutdowns threaten connectivity and service quality. The group advocated a harmonised national telecom taxation framework to support broadband expansion and digital inclusion.

Adebayo called for sustained engagement between the NCC and key stakeholders including the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the National Assembly, the National Economic Council, the Office of the National Security Adviser and fiscal authorities to improve policy coordination.

He reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to cooperate fully with the new board and invited the chairman to visit a Nigerian-operated call centre employing hundreds of young people as proof of the sector’s contribution to job creation.

“Your appointment comes at a moment of renewed promise for the industry. Stability is returning, reforms are working and confidence is improving. We believe this board will lead the telecommunications sector into a stronger era of innovation and national impact,” Adebayo added.