Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to extensive stakeholder engagement in the ongoing review of Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) and International Termination Rates (ITRs) to ensure a fair, transparent and sustainable telecommunications pricing framework.
NCC
The Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, stated this at a Stakeholder Consultative Forum on the review of the rates held in Lagos on Tuesday.
Ukoha described the forum as one of the commission’s most important stakeholder engagements because of its implications for the entire telecommunications value chain.
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She said the review was aimed at addressing critical industry developments and ensuring that the regulatory framework reflected prevailing market realities.
According to her, the exercise represents the first comprehensive cost-based review of MTRs in eight years, following the implementation of the current framework in 2018.
“The active engagement reflects not only the relevance of the issues discussed, but also a shared commitment to the sustainable growth and development of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector,” she said.
Ukoha noted that Mobile Termination Rates remained central to pricing structures, competition, service quality and consumer experience, making broad stakeholder participation essential.
She said discussions at the forum highlighted both the complexities and opportunities associated with the determination of termination rates.
The director encouraged stakeholders to continue submitting inputs, data and perspectives to support a balanced and forward-looking outcome.
According to her, the NCC will continue to incorporate stakeholder feedback into its regulatory frameworks to promote a resilient, inclusive and future-ready telecommunications industry.
Earlier, the commission had announced that the consultative forum formed part of a study being undertaken by KPMG on the determination of Mobile Termination Rates.
The NCC said the study was designed to ensure that telecommunications services remained cost-based while pricing remained transparent, fair and responsive to market conditions.
The commission added that the outcome of the review would support the development of an appropriate regulatory framework for interconnection pricing, promote competition, encourage infrastructure investment and protect consumer interests.
Presenting details of the review process, the Head of Competition and Tariffs at NCC, Mrs Omotayo Mohammed, described Mobile Termination Rates as wholesale charges paid by one telecom operator to another for completing calls on a different network.
She explained that the rates play a critical role in maintaining competition and ensuring fair pricing across the telecommunications ecosystem.
Mohammed noted that the current MTR stands at N3.90 per minute for established operators and N4.70 per minute for new entrants, rates that have remained unchanged since 2018.
She said the review had become necessary because the existing framework no longer adequately reflected prevailing economic conditions, inflationary pressures and technological advancements.
“The foundation of wholesale interconnection affects every stakeholder in this room.
“Misaligned termination rates can enable dominant operators to foreclose smaller competitors, deter infrastructure investment and ultimately burden consumers through inflated retail prices,” she said.
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Industry stakeholders, including telecom operators and associations, participated physically and virtually in the forum, providing feedback on the proposed framework and data collection process.
The NCC said the study would examine network, traffic, operational and financial parameters required for the development of a robust cost model for mobile termination services and the determination of appropriate rates.
