Last week’s approval of the merger between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) by the Federal Government, is a boost for the Ministry of Communications Technology.

When the Ministry of Communications Technology was created in July 2011, and Mrs. Omobola Johnson, was appointed minister, so many things must have gone through her mind. Being the first minister of the new ministry, which had long been clamoured for by the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, she must have wanted to address every single issue emanating from sector with passion, just to prove a point that she is capable. But she had to start from somewhere, which she actually did.

Among others, the issue of policy harmonisation of the ICT sector, establishment of ICT incubation centres in some states of the federation, and the planned merger of NCC and NBC, were paramount to the minister. It is expected that these issues must have given her some sleepless nights.

Her first assignment as a minister was to work towards the harmonisation of ICT policies into a single and all-encompassing policy document that will guide the industry. She set up a committee that came up with a draft ICT policy and went ahead to organise a stakeholders’ meeting designed to garner views of technology experts on the contents of the new policy. Today, Nigerians are awaiting the new policy as promised by Johnson.

Again, the minister set the ball rolling by putting in place, the machinery for the establishment of incubation centres, where technological ideas will be groomed and nurtured to maturity before implementation. While all these were going on within one year of her administration, the minister was silently pushing to get government’s nod for the planned merger of NCC and NBC, which industry stakeholders have been clamouring for, long before the creation of the Ministry of Communications Technology.

Determined to succeed in putting the proper framework and structures in place, Johnson kept pushing in a very subtle way into convincing government on the need for the merger, as demanded by industry stakeholders, owing to the convergence of technologies in recent times. Her dream became reality when she tactfully raised the issue at last week’s FEC meeting, where she eventually got the approval for the planned merger.

A Merger Long Overdue

The Nigerian Communications Commission is the independent national regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry. The commission is responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country. Over the years, NCC has earned a reputation as a foremost telecoms regulatory agency in Nigeria and Africa.

On the other hand, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is a government parastatal, empowered to regulate the broadcasting industry. The commission is responsible for advising the federal government, on the implementation of the National Mass Communication Policy, with particular reference to broadcasting, as well as cable licensing, and all terrestrial radio and television services.

NBC is also responsible for undertaking research and development in the broadcast industry, upholding the principles of equity and fairness in broadcasting and establishing and disseminating a national broadcasting code while also setting standards with regards to the contents and quality of materials broadcast.

Although the two agencies have over the years worked independently of each other, industry stakeholders felt there was a clash of interests between the two agencies, especially in the area of spectrum management and licensing, owing to the convergence of technologies. The situation compelled several stakeholders to call for the merger of both agencies, long before the Ministry of Communications Technology was created in July last year. As soon as Johnson assumed office last year as the minister, she was faced with the challenge of the merger, among other issues, but she took it upon herself to pursue it to fruition.

Bent on accomplishing her desires for the ICT industry, Johnson, it was gathered, kept pushing for the approval from government, until it was granted last week. THISDAY gathered that the approval was given in principle, awaiting a new policy that will guide and strengthen the new body that will emerge from the merger.

Before the approval, there had been clashes of interests between NCC and NBC over the regulation of the ICT industry. Telecoms operators get operational license from NCC, but they still went to NBC to get spectrum allocations. NCC was responsible for the issuance of operating licences and spectrum allocations, until it ran out of spectrum, a situation that forced telecoms operators to seek approval from NBC for spectrum allocations, after getting operational licences from NCC.

Indeed, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had announced that it would not issue spectrum licences to operators until 2015 when telecoms broadcasting operators must have migrated from analogue to digital spectrum. Juwah, who lamented the shortage of spectrum licenses in the country, said by the end of the migration, most of the frequency slots currently being occupied by broadcasters would become available for auction.

He said the commission was already in talks with Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators that are currently using the 790 Mega Hertz and the 862 Mega Hertz frequency bands to free them up by migrating to Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in carrying out their operations. According to him, the frequencies that were hitherto auctioned to them were not being fully utilised, insisting that such frequencies are better utilised for broadband penetration.

Merger’s Prospects

Reacting to the Federal Government’s approval in principle, some industry stakeholders were of the view that the advantages of the merger between the two agencies cannot be over-emphasised. They were of the view that merger will, among other things, put an end to conflicts between the two agencies and will further enhance the regulation of the ICT industry in a seamless manner, just as it obtains in other parts of the world.

President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, who spoke with THISDAY, said the planned merger was a welcome development that would help the industry to grow rapidly, just like in other economies.

According to him, “Technologies are converging and the regulators of such technologies need to converge as well. With a single technology device, people could listen to radio commentaries, watch television, make calls, watch and stream videos among others.” It is just appropriate that NCC and NBC merged into a single large regulator, in order to move the country forward, he said.

However, President of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, said both NCC and NBC are separate regulatory bodies that have succeeded in their own rights and that government should be careful not to destroy the structures set up by both agencies through the planned merger.

Adebayo, who wondered what would become of the role of the Ministry of Information with direct supervision of NBC and the role of Ministry of Communications Technology that supervises NCC, said government must consider these issues and many more, while thinking of merger.

“Technology is converging and there is need for the regulators to converge but my fear is that I have not seen government agencies that had successful mergers in the past,” Adebayo said.

Source: thisdaylive.com