The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to providing a regulatory environment that supports innovation, protects stakeholders, and ensures that the telecommunications sector continues to thrive.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC)/CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida gave the assurance in his welcome address at the Virtual Stakeholders’ Forum on the Draft Application-to-Person messaging (A2P) Licensing Framework held on Friday, December 20th, 2024.
The EVC, who was represented by Ag. Head, Legal & Regulatory Services of NCC, Mrs. Chizua Whyte, emphasized the vital rolesA2P messaging plays in today’s digital world.
He noted that A2P is a critical segment of the telecommunications ecosystem that affects businesses, consumers, and service providers alike.
The EVC expressed regrets that despite its undeniable value, the international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces significant challenges, including consumer protection, fraud prevention, and ensuring industry fairness.
“These gaps have led to issues such as fraud, spam, data privacy concerns, and an unequal distribution of value across the ecosystem. Such challenges not only affect businesses and consumers but also pose a threat to the sustainable growth and potential of this crucial communication tool” he said.
The NCC boss stated that the goal of the Commission is “to create a sustainable and thriving A2P messaging ecosystem that protects consumers, promotes fair competition, and unlocks new opportunities for growth.”
Maida said: “A2P messaging plays a vital role in today’s digital world. It has become the go-to platform for businesses to send notifications, whether transactional, promotional, or service-related, directly to consumers. From bank alerts and healthcare reminders to promotional campaigns and government updates, A2P messaging drives efficiency, enhances communication, and supports our socio-economic development.
“At the Nigerian Communications Commission, our strategic focus is centred on three key stakeholders: the government, consumers, and the industry—our licensees. Each of these stakeholders plays a vital role in the success of the A2P messaging platform.
“For the government, A2P messaging is a powerful tool for communication with citizens, enabling the efficient delivery of public services and information.
“For consumers, it guarantees timely, secure, and reliable access to essential updates and services.
“For the industry, it creates opportunities for businesses and service providers to innovate, drive competition, and achieve sustainable growth.”
The forum, he said marked a pivotal step toward addressing these challenges. “Today we will be presenting the proposed regulatory framework for A2P messaging was presented to stakeholders, for deliberation. “This framework represents our commitment to fostering innovation while ensuring that all players in the value chain operate in a fair, transparent, and secure environment.
“At the NCC, we firmly believe that effective regulation stems from inclusivity and collaboration. This forum is an opportunity for all of us—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to engage in meaningful discussions. We want to hear from you—your perspectives, experiences, and recommendations—so that together, we can refine this framework to ensure it meets the needs of all of us.
“Our goal is to create a sustainable and thriving A2P messaging ecosystem that protects consumers, promotes fair competition, and unlocks new opportunities for growth. To achieve this, your active participation today is essential.
The Commission, at the event, presented the various feedbacks received as inputs into the A2P Licensing Framework being proposed by the Commission and gave NCC’s responses to each or the observations and recommendations made by the licensees.
The NCC said it will continue to engage internal and external stakeholders ahead of the Final Draft of the A2P Messaging Services Licensing Framework in line with its participatory rule making process.
In her presentation, an Assistant Director at the Licensing and Authorisation Department of the NCC, Mrs. Truddy Tony-Awusaku, described (A2P) messaging as a communication format in the telecommunications sector used to send Short Message Services (SMS) or notifications from an application directly to a recipient’s mobile phone.
The A2P is initiated through the internet but recipients receive messages via Cellular Connection.
According to her, A2P enables businesses to send SMS directly to recipients via mobile networks.
She listed the challenges facing International A2P messaging in Nigeria.
According to her, besides the lack of regulation, there is the problem of revenue leakage, as payments often bypass local systems, thereby reducing economic benefits.
Other challenges she noted are increased spam, fraud, and illegal activities as well unregulated termination rates which lead to inconsistencies.