Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory agency in the telecoms sector, has announced that Nigeria will be licencing mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to operate in the country. MVNOs are reseller-type operations that do not have their own infrastructure, and so use the existing infrastructure of the major telecom operators to provide telecom services to the public.
If you are familiar with telecom services in the United States, for example, there are scores of MVNOs providing services by using the networks of Verizon, T-Mobile and ATT. This is the same way that MVNOs in Nigeria will be licensed to provide telecoms services by riding on the backs of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile. NCC has spelt out five tiers of MVNO licenses available. They are:
- Tier 1: Virtual Operator
- Tier 2: Simple Facilities Operator
- Tier 3: Core Facilities Operator
- Tier 4: Virtual Aggregator/ Enabler
- Tier 5: Unified Virtual Operator
MVNO Fees
The NCC says that tier 1-4 applicants will pay 5% of the License fee as non- refundable administrative charges, while tier 5 applicants will pay Fifty Million Naira (₦50, 000,000) non-refundable administrative fees prior to negotiations with the big four mobile network operators.
Applications for MVNO Licence in Nigeria
If you are interested in acquiring one of the listed MVNO licences, you have 30 days from 11th of August 2022 to submit your application. Source.
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