Telecommunications operators and industry stakeholders have endorsed the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), describing the proposed framework as a critical step towards strengthening competition, expanding digital connectivity and improving regulatory certainty in Nigeria’s telecoms sector.
However, industry players warned that the success of the framework will depend largely on effective enforcement, particularly in resolving commercial and operational disputes between MVNOs and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
The endorsement was made during the MVNO Business Rules Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum held in Abuja, where the NCC presented the draft regulations for industry review before final adoption.
Representing the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, the commission’s Director of Licensing and Authorisation, Usman Mamman, said the proposed rules were designed to provide greater clarity on licensing obligations, operational responsibilities and commercial relationships between MVNOs and host network operators.
According to him, the framework is intended to promote competition, encourage innovation, protect consumers and support Nigeria’s broader digital inclusion agenda.
Mamman said the draft rules address several implementation challenges identified since the introduction of the MVNO licensing framework. Key provisions cover onboarding procedures, technical integration, infrastructure access, hosting arrangements, interconnection, numbering resources, SIM and eSIM management, quality-of-service standards, revenue-sharing principles, consumer protection and dispute resolution.
He added that the NCC expects full compliance from all licensed operators and will continue to exercise its regulatory mandate to ensure adherence to established guidelines.
Nigeria introduced the MVNO framework following a market readiness assessment initiated in 2017, which concluded that the country’s telecommunications industry had matured sufficiently to support virtual operators. Unlike traditional network operators, MVNOs deliver mobile services by leasing network capacity from existing MNOs rather than building nationwide radio infrastructure, reducing entry costs while encouraging more efficient use of existing assets.
The NCC has so far issued 46 MVNO licences across its five-tier licensing structure, reflecting growing investor interest in the segment despite operational challenges.
Industry participants welcomed the regulatory framework but stressed that enforcement remains the sector’s biggest concern.
President of the Association of Mobile Virtual Network Operators, Ken Nwabueze, urged the commission to ensure that the final rules are backed by effective regulatory action.
He noted that consistent enforcement would improve compliance, reduce disputes between operators and create a more predictable business environment. Nwabueze also identified revenue-sharing arrangements between MVNOs and host MNOs as one of the industry’s most pressing unresolved issues.
Speaking at the forum, the NCC’s Head of Legal and Regulatory Services, Chizua Whyte, said MVNOs can stimulate innovation by serving niche customer segments, expanding telecommunications services to underserved communities and creating greater consumer choice.
The consultative forum forms part of the NCC’s stakeholder engagement process, with industry feedback expected to shape the final version of the business rules. Analysts say a transparent and enforceable regulatory framework could accelerate investment, improve infrastructure sharing and support Nigeria’s ambition to deepen broadband penetration and build a more competitive digital economy.
