Nigerian regulator tells mobile networks to share

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) vice chairman, Ernest Ndukwe, has urged mobile operators in the country to start sharing network infrastructure. This needs to be done in order to improve telecommunications services to its citizens.

He said the congestion characterizing the Nigerain mobile networks would be minimized, if the companies shared infrastructure among themselves.

Says Ndukwe: “Operators should take co-location and infrastructure sharing very seriously and make it a policy to promote infrastructure sharing because it will boost telecommunication in the country,”

Nigeria has more than 70 million cellular phone subscribers, one of the highest numbers in the developing world. Many Nigerians have more than one cellular phone from different network providers, to combat the lack of network coverage of these operators in specific regions.

A lack of a sufficient number of base stations has been identified as the main factor behind the incessant congestion and dropped calls that plague mobile phone users.Nigeria has multiple mobile network providers, including Zain, MTN, Etisalat and Globacom.

— Okoro Chinedu