License Requirements & Procedures

One of the primary instruments for the actualization of the Commission’s twin mandate of regulating and promoting private sector participation in the deregulated aspects of the telecommunications industry is the licensing of existing as well as intending private operators of telecommunications services.
All telecommunications service operators are required to apply to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for relevant licenses by obtaining the Commission’s relevant application forms and to comply with requirements there in.

The licensing requirement process is as follows:

                   Obtain Application form for each licence required at the cost of N1,000.00 only payable in bank draft, to the Nigerian Communications Commission.

                   Complete the Original application form and produce copies (as applicable)

                   Submit the completed application form with the following documents (in each copy)

• Certificate of Incorporation

• “ Certified true copy” of Article and Memorandum of Association

•  Tax Clearance certificate

•  Feasibility reports on the Proposed service, where applicable

•  Passport  photograph  of authorised representative

                   Non-Refundable Administrative fee, which is 5% of the relevant licence fees and is payable in bank draft on submission of the application.

The licensing procedure, leading to the award of Licences and Permits are as follows:

Step One:

Obtain Application form(s)

Step Two:

Receipt and Acknowledgment of receipt of application.

Step Three:

Evaluation of application

(a) Legal Check:

	Check Bona-fide status of Applicant in terms Company incorporation and other required/prescribed documents.
	Undertake search with Corporate Affairs Commission, as well as confirm share-holding and board structures.

(b) Licence Check:

Check and confirm if applicant holds any Licence/Permit, or if previously refused licence anywhere, or if licence had been revoked anywhere in the past, and to assess circumstances as applicable.

(c) Service Check:

Check to confirm that the service for which licence is sought is available and could be licenced.

(d) Business Plan:

Basic licences and permit may not require the submission of a business plan, however, submission of business plan is a requirement consideration of all major licences.

(e) Technical Plan:

	Examine technical information given relative to:
	Viability of system technology;
	Equipment/apparatus compatibility with existing systems;
	Equipment/apparatus previous existence in Nigeria;
	Equipment/apparatus approval elsewhere;
	Equipment/apparatus approval elsewhere;
	Examine Radio Engineering (if applicable) in terms of:
	Location and/or coverage of operation;
	Frequency requirement, confirmation of availability and allocation/approval.
	Examine proposed service coverage relative to permissibility of new operators.

To ascertain level of technical competence in relation to viability of system technology.

(f) Organization Plan:

	Examine organisation structure relative to staffing, involvement of expatriates, as well as training program
	To examine organizational capability and competence in terms of experiences of key personnel and the company.

Step Four:

Presentation of project implementation plans and status report ( This is designed specifically for network and network based services).

This is to demonstrate applicants' understanding of the service, ascertain status of project implementation in terms of: interconnection agreement, equipment type-testing, frequency approval, technical partnership, and to clarify any possible ambiguity in the project proposals.

Step Five:

Recommendation

This is to present the applicants’ suitability, or otherwise, for licensing.