Nigeria’s telecommunications industry has thrown its weight behind the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) proposed Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) business rules, describing the framework as a major step toward improving competition, innovation, and digital inclusion. However, industry players have also called on the regulator to ensure strict enforcement of the rules to tackle ongoing operational and commercial challenges between MVNOs and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). The position was made clear during the NCC’s Mobile Virtual Network Operator Business Rules Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum held in Abuja.
Representing the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Commission’s Director of Licensing and Authorisation, Usman Mamman, said the proposed framework was designed to bring greater clarity to the rapidly evolving MVNO ecosystem. According to him, the rules will define licensing requirements, operational responsibilities, commercial relationships, consumer protection measures, and dispute resolution mechanisms while ensuring that the interests of both operators and subscribers are protected.
Mamman noted that the draft framework was developed following extensive consultations with industry stakeholders and addresses several concerns that have emerged since the MVNO licensing regime was introduced. The proposed rules cover key areas such as onboarding processes, technical integration, infrastructure access, quality-of-service obligations, numbering resources, SIM and eSIM management, and revenue-sharing arrangements. He emphasized that the NCC remains committed to fostering a transparent, fair, and non-discriminatory environment that encourages investment and innovation across the telecommunications sector.
The NCC also highlighted the progress made since regulatory planning for MVNOs began in 2017. Following a market readiness assessment, the Commission introduced a five-tier licensing framework that allows operators to offer mobile services using existing network infrastructure instead of building nationwide radio networks. So far, 46 MVNO licences have been issued across the different categories, a development the regulator believes will lower entry barriers, promote infrastructure sharing, and expand access to communication services across Nigeria.
While welcoming the initiative, the President of the Association of Mobile Virtual Network Operators, Ken Nwabueze, urged the NCC to place enforcement at the heart of the new framework. He argued that compliance can only be achieved when operators are held accountable to the rules. Nwabueze also called for clearer guidance on revenue-sharing arrangements between MVNOs and MNOs, describing it as one of the industry’s biggest unresolved issues. Drawing from the experience of Vitel Wireless, Nigeria’s first MVNO to launch commercial services in October 2025, he said operators now possess valuable market data that can help the Commission refine the final framework and ensure its long-term success.
source: punch
