Nigeria- cyber cafe operators to register by March 15–NCC sets deadline

AS the deadline for registration looms for all cyber café operators in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission has warned these businesses to register or face reprisals.

NCC Executive Vice Chairman Ernest Ndukwe has issued a final warning to unlicensed operators whom he warned to meet the March 15 deadline.

He said the move to register the players in the industry was necessary in order to curb cyber crimes and bring sanity to the telecommunications sector in the vastly-populated country.

“In line with its mandate to promote a vibrant telecommunications industry as well as improving access and penetration of telecommunication services in the country, the commission had earlier simplified the process for the regularization of the operations of cyber cafe, sales and installation of terminals equipment, payphone, repairs and maintenance.

“These categories of service providers are only required to obtain a class license from the commission at the cost of N10,000 only,” said Ndukwe in a statement.

NCC said recently that it was monitoring the services of all players in the telecommunications industry.

Cybernet cafés have emerged as a lucrative sector in Nigeria.

However, many operators have not registered with the NCC and are therefore plying their trade illegally.

Okoro Chinedu