The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced a comprehensive review of interconnection rates in the telecommunications sector, a move that industry stakeholders say could reshape competition, investment and pricing across Nigeria’s telecom market. The review, expected to be the first major reassessment of the framework, is taking place against a backdrop of rising concerns that legacy interconnection fees no longer reflect the current operating environment, profoundly affected by soaring inflation, a weakened naira, 5G adoption, and changing customer preferences. The interconnection rates known as Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs), are the wholesale charges telecom operators pay one another for completing calls across different networks. Although the charges are not paid directly by subscribers, industry experts note that they influence retail call and SMS tariffs, competition and network investments. Speaking in Lagos during a stakeholders consultative forum, Head of Competition and Tariff Unit at the NCC, Omotayo Mohammed, described the exercise as a critical regulatory intervention aimed at aligning the commission’s framework with developments in the telecommunications ecosystem. Mohammed said, “For regulation to remain effective in a fast-moving market, our frameworks must evolve in step with it.

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