The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced plans to commence the periodic release of telecoms performance data in order to enhance transparency, corporate governance, and competitiveness in the sector.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this in Abuja during an interactive session with the media.

He said the new measure would complement the traditional regulatory model of rules and enforcement with an information disclosure strategy aimed at driving industry growth.

According to Maida, the Commission will from late September begin publishing quarterly performance reports on network quality across states, using real-time, consumer-generated data.

The initiative, accordingto him, will provide Nigerians with independent information on key indices such as download speeds, latency, and webpage loading times.

“By the end of this month or early September, we are also going to release a public map for network performance, based on aggregated data from consumers. This is not data from operators but from users themselves, and it will be made available publicly,” he stated.

He added that the move is designed to spur competition among operators, noting that those who fall behind in performance will face pressure from their boards and investors to improve.

“We need to let Nigerians know who is first, second and third. The one who comes last will have to explain to his board why, and possibly secure long-denied investments to improve service,” Maida explained.

Highlighting the evolution of telecoms regulation in Nigeria, the NCC boss noted that while the earlier model of rules and sanctions served the country well in the days of voice and text services, the modern data-driven era requires a complementary approach.

“With over 1,000 licensees in today’s telecoms market, it is impossible to scale using enforcement alone. Information disclosure and transparency are powerful tools to drive competitiveness and accountability,” he said.

Maida pointed to recent initiatives such as the Major Outage Notification Portal, tariff simplification processes, and population rebasing as part of the NCC’s broader transparency agenda. He stressed that the Commission would continue to correct and publish accurate data to stimulate industry action.

On corporate governance, the EVC emphasized its importance in boosting financial performance, service delivery, and regulatory compliance. “The stronger the corporate governance indicators, from board composition and tenure limits to listing on the stock exchange, the stronger the company performs across all metrics,” he said.

He expressed optimism that these reforms would ultimately benefit consumers, who sit at the center of the telecoms value chain. “The happier the consumers, the more the industry prospers, and by extension, the government benefits through an expanded tax base,” he added.

Maida acknowledged that stricter governance and transparency requirements may be uncomfortable in the short term for some local players but insisted that they are necessary for long-term sustainability.

He expressed a personal desire to see a wholly-owned Nigerian telecoms company rise to prominence under the reformed regulatory framework.

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