NCC Engages PwC to Review Competition in Telecoms Sector

The Nigerian Communications Commission has commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct a comprehensive review of competition within Nigeria’s telecommunications industry amid growing concerns about market dominance and fair competition.

The study was announced at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos and is designed to assess existing competition policies against current market realities shaped by rapid technological and structural changes.

According to the Commission, evolving revenue models, rising investment costs and changing consumer behaviour have significantly altered competitive dynamics in the sector, raising concerns about market concentration and barriers to entry.

Officials noted that the last industry-wide competition study was concluded over a decade ago, with subsequent reviews focusing only on specific market segments. The new study aims to deliver a holistic, data-driven assessment across the entire telecommunications value chain.

Representatives of PwC described the review as timely, citing slowing global telecom growth, declining average revenue per user and increasing pressure on traditional business models. They added that emerging technologies such as 5G and future 6G networks will further reshape competition, although adoption in sub-Saharan Africa remains constrained.

The Commission stressed that the exercise is diagnostic and evidence-based and not intended to single out any operator.