The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has called on the House of Representatives to support various initiatives aimed at advancing the development of the telecommunications sector. This appeal was made during a courtesy visit by ATCON’s National Executive Council to Rep. Peter Akpatason, Chairman of the House Committee on Telecommunications, and other committee members in Abuja.

The visit was part of ATCON’s efforts to inform lawmakers about its upcoming 30th anniversary, highlight challenges facing the telecom sector, and explore potential collaborations with the committee. During the meeting, ATCON President, Mr. Anthony Emoekpere, outlined several issues hampering the sector’s growth, including the need for a conducive environment to attract investment, local content promotion, funding gaps, multiple regulations, and rising business costs.

Emoekpere stressed that the telecom sector is capital-intensive and requires significant capital expenditure (CAPEX) to deliver efficient communication services. He urged the committee to facilitate strategic engagement with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address the sector’s infrastructure funding gap by providing low-cost intervention funds, which would accelerate broadband infrastructure deployment across the country, particularly in rural areas.

The ATCON President also highlighted the importance of promoting local players within the telecom industry, similar to other nations, to ensure their competitiveness at regional and global levels. He recommended the adoption of a local content model similar to that of the Nigerian Local Content Management Board in the oil and gas sector to help develop local content within the telecom industry.

Other key issues raised included the rising cost of business operations, wholesale tariffs for leased lines, Right of Way challenges, and the need for critical national infrastructure, all of which are essential for the socio-economic progress of the country. Emoekpere also called for the Federal and State Governments to leverage Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across governance, healthcare, education, and agriculture to enhance socio-economic development.

In response, Rep. Akpatason emphasized the importance of collaboration between the legislature and private sector to foster growth and innovation. He assured ATCON of the committee’s readiness to provide parliamentary support when needed and announced plans to organize a legislative-regulatory stakeholders’ forum before the end of the year. This forum would enhance mutual understanding of challenges, goals, and aspirations within the telecommunications sector.

Additionally, Akpatason revealed that a joint committee, comprising both legislative members and representatives from ATCON, would be set up to provide recommendations on the issues identified. He emphasized that the government is committed to creating a business-friendly environment as a means of driving economic growth, given that the government alone cannot provide employment for everyone.

Rep. Midala Balami, Vice Chairman of the committee, also underscored the need to ensure that local content development meets global standards, stressing the importance of quality in the pursuit of developing local content within the sector.