Tighter rules for private telecoms firms

Nigeria’s government on Tuesday announced tighter rules for private telecommunications companies, banning them from offering international services and increasing fees for mobile operators, news organisations reported on Tuesday.

A minimum fee of US $500 million was set by the government as a requirement from any investor seeking a licence to run Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM), ‘The Guardian’ reported.

It said the government had voided all existing licences for GSM and named the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and the Nigerian Mobile Telecommunications Limited (M.Tel), both state firms, as the first two beneficiaries of GSM licences under the new policy.

According to Reuters, a key aim of the new policy is to block private companies that have invested in providing international services, and get them to integrate their facilities with NITEL.

Communications Minister Mohammed Arzika said at the launch of the national telecommunications policy that the changes would help Nigeria meet its aim of adding two million fixed lines and 1.2 million mobile lines over the next two years. Nigeria has some 500,000 connected lines for a population of more than 108 million people, Reuters said.

Arzika announced the new policy even though the House of Representatives had asked Obasanjo to hold it for at least one month to allow for a public hearing, ‘The Guardian’ reported.