By Our Reporter
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has called for stronger regulatory independence for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), harmonisation of telecom taxes, and improved protection of fibre infrastructure to sustain investor confidence and drive the country’s digital economy.
The operators made the call on Thursday during a congratulatory visit to the newly appointed Chairman of the NCC Board of Commissioners, Dr. Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe.
Speaking on behalf of the telecommunications industry, ALTON Chairman, Engr Gbenga Adebayo said Dr. Olorunnimbe’s appointment comes at a critical time for the sector, which is currently undergoing recovery and recalibration after years of pricing pressures, infrastructure challenges, and foreign exchange constraints.
He expressed confidence that the NCC Board under Olorunnimbe’s leadership would meet — and surpass — the expectations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in strengthening institutional governance and ensuring sector sustainability.
ALTON also commended the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, and his management team for resolving the long-standing Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt crisis, which had grown to nearly ₦300 billion over four years and posed systemic risks to both the telecom and digital financial services ecosystems.
According to the association, the migration to end-user billing has eliminated the debt burden and created a more sustainable framework for telecom operators and financial service providers.
The body further noted that the Federal Government’s approval of cost-reflective tariff adjustments last year helped avert a potential collapse of the industry after 13 years of static pricing amid rising inflation, currency volatility, ageing infrastructure, and escalating energy costs.
“Investment slowed and networks became increasingly strained. The sector was approaching a stage where service rationing was becoming a real possibility,” the ALTON Chairman said, adding that the tariff review had enabled operators to gradually return to profitability and resume capital expenditure planning.
On macroeconomic reforms, ALTON acknowledged recent foreign exchange policy adjustments by the Federal Government, noting that improved forex availability has allowed operators to meet international obligations related to bandwidth, satellite capacity, software licensing, and equipment sourcing.
The association said renewed investor confidence was already evident in recent infrastructure investment announcements in Nigeria’s telecom tower segment.
ALTON also welcomed the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) through an Executive Order of the Federal Government, describing the move as transformative for network protection against vandalism and fibre damage.
However, it raised concerns over frequent fibre cuts caused by federal and state road construction contractors, which it said result in nationwide service disruptions, destruction of digital infrastructure, and interruptions to banking, education, and security services.
The association called for the establishment of a structured pre-construction fibre mapping system and mandatory coordination framework to mitigate infrastructure damage during road projects.
Among other key recommendations, ALTON urged legislative reinforcement of NCC’s independence as provided in Sections 1(b) and 25(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, warning that overlapping regulatory interventions by multiple government agencies were creating duplicative investigations, conflicting directives, and increased compliance costs for operators.
It also advocated the creation of a harmonised national telecom taxation framework to curb excessive sub-national levies and enforcement actions such as site shutdowns, which adversely affect service quality and national connectivity.
ALTON pledged the industry’s full cooperation with the NCC Board and extended an invitation to the new Chairman to visit a Nigerian-operated telecom call centre employing hundreds of young Nigerians, as part of efforts to demonstrate the employment potential of the sector.
The association maintained that sustaining Nigeria’s digital economy would depend on securing three key pillars — a visibly independent regulator, a clearly defined single-sector authority, and a harmonised and predictable fiscal environment.
