By 
NCC, ATCON Reaffirm Commitment to Deeper Industry Collaboration
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have reaffirmed their commitment to a closer and more strategic working relationship aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
RELATED: ATCON warns of imminent telecom blackout in Lagos and Ogun amid severe diesel crisis
The renewed collaboration followed a courtesy visit by an ATCON delegation, led by its President, Tony Emoekpere, to the leadership of the NCC in Abuja. The delegation also included ATCON Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman.
High-Level Engagement with NCC Leadership
The ATCON team was received by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, alongside the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, and the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama.
The meeting provided a platform for both organisations to reinforce collaboration and deliberate on critical issues affecting the Nigerian telecommunications industry, including regulatory policies, infrastructure expansion, and enhanced stakeholder engagement.
Focus on Infrastructure, Regulation and Investment
Discussions during the engagement centred on addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, regulatory bottlenecks and emerging investment opportunities within the telecoms ecosystem. Both NCC and ATCON acknowledged the need for stronger cooperation to support the sector’s growth, resilience and long-term sustainability.
The organisations also expressed a shared commitment to shifting the industry from consolidation to expansion, ensuring broader digital inclusion and improved service delivery nationwide.
Key Shared Goals for Telecom Sector Growth in 2026
Both bodies outlined priority areas that will define their collaboration going forward, including:
- Infrastructure Expansion and Protection: Accelerating fibre optic rollout, promoting active and passive infrastructure sharing, and safeguarding telecom assets against vandalism.
- Quality of Service (QoS): Improving user experience through clearer benchmarks, performance monitoring and service quality reporting.
- Regulatory Efficiency: Aligning regulatory frameworks with industry realities to create a more enabling environment for investment and innovation.
- Digital Economy Objectives: Supporting the National Broadband Plan and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020–2030.
- Addressing Industry Challenges: Tackling high Right of Way (RoW) charges, foreign exchange volatility and rising energy costs affecting operators.
Enabling Growth Across the Telecom Value Chain
The discussions also focused on creating a more supportive operating environment for all categories of telecom operators, ranging from Tier-1 mobile network operators to smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Dr. Maida reiterated the NCC’s role as a fair and independent regulator, stressing that the Commission’s mandate is to protect consumer interests while ensuring the telecommunications sector remains a strong contributor to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Outlook for Nigeria’s Telecom Ecosystem
Both NCC and ATCON expressed optimism that sustained collaboration will unlock new growth opportunities, improve service quality and attract fresh investment into Nigeria’s telecom sector as it enters a critical expansion phase in 2026.
