ATCON seeks reps’ intervention to address telecoms’ infrastructure funding, investment gaps

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has called on the house of representatives to engage the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to assist in bridging the existing infrastructure funding gap in the country.

Anthony Emoekpere, president of ATCON, made the call on Friday during a courtesy visit to the house committee on telecommunications in Abuja.

The ATCON president raised issues of rising cost of business, wholesale tariffs for leased lines, right of way and the need for critical national infrastructure.

Emoekpere said these are central to the country’s socio-economic progress.

He said creating an enabling environment for investment and fostering growth and development in the sector, especially in rural areas are important.

“Telecom is a capital-intensive sector, requiring significant CAPEX investment to facilitate efficient communications service provision,” he said.

“We would like this committee to drive strategic engagement with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on behalf of the telecom sector to bridge the infrastructure funding gap.

“This can be done by providing accessible low-cost intervention funds for the rapid deployment of broadband infrastructure nationwide, including in rural areas.

“Though telecommunication is a global service, nations promote their local players in different ways, enabling them to compete regionally, and globally, thereby raising a multiplier effect in their economy to repatriation of profits.

“There is a need for a concerted effort to shape the future of youths by sponsoring a bill to ensure that a Nigerian content plan exists in the industry.”

He recommended that the committee adopt the model practised by the Nigerian local content management board for the local content fund in the oil and gas sector.

Responding to ATCON, Peter Akpatason,  chairman, house committee on telecommunications, said the challenges militating the growth of the nation’s telecoms sector would need to be looked into.

He said the legislature will collaborate with the private sector to drive growth and innovation, as well as ensure expertise inputs are considered in law-making processes.

Akpatason said the committee was ready to assist in providing necessary parliamentary interventions and support when the need arose.

“In line with the committee situation to strengthen and sustain a relationship with stakeholders, we will organise a legislative regulator’s stakeholders forum before the end of the year,” he said.

“This is for us to get acquainted and enhance our understanding of our challenges, goals, and aspirations, as well as gain valued insight into the telecommunication sector.

“We are going to set up a committee, consisting of members both from the legislature and the association to come up with recommendations on all the identified issues.

“The government is interested in ensuring that businesses grow because the government cannot employ everyone.”

On his part, Midala Balami, vice chairman of the committee, said in developing local content, there is a need to dwell on quality to meet global standards.

Balami also said the youthful population and skills of Nigerians needed to be harnessed to ensure that citizens enjoy real-time dividends of democracy.