Journal of Education & Social Policy

Evaluation of Salient Provisions of the Nigeria Communication Commission Act, 2003
PIWUNA Morgan Goson LL.M, BL, PGDM

Abstract
Telecommunications is an essential public service and has witnessed a marked revolution and departed from the conventional system of telecommunications services by the state, to a private sector-run system of telecommunications service provision. The sector was deregulated and the private sector took over the provision of telecommunications services from an ineffective State–owned monopolistic service provider. The importance and strategic position of telecommunications however demands that it cannot be left to the private sector alone. Hence the need to have a body to superintend telecommunications in Nigeria underscores the need for the establishment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with a view to ensuring compliance with set codes of conduct and international best practices. The NCC was created by the Nigeria Communication Commission Act 2003 and saddled with enormous powers to regulate the sector. It is one thing however to saddle the Commission with powers and another for the Commission to utilise the said powers effectively to achieve the purpose for which those powers were given. This presentation therefore, considered the nature and scope of these powers in juxtaposition with the assumption that the Commission has failed to utilise its powers effectively towards fully attaining the objects of the Act.

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