The following are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Licensing and obtaining a Licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission.
A Communications Licence is an Individual Licence or a Class Licence issued by the Commission which authorizes the holder to provide communications service, in line with Section 31 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
To be eligible for a specific Licence, the applicant must be duly incorporated in Nigeria by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and have valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) issued to the company by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). A duly registered Business Name is also eligible to apply for a Class Licence in Nigeria.
You are required to apply new Licence and renewal of existing Licenses on Licensing Application Management System (LAMS). Support are also provided through Chabot on the application platform.
The Zonal offices are Primarily established to oversee Licensees and Communications services within their states of coverage.
- Upload Shareholder and Company Secretary Information just the same way you uploaded Director.
- Company Shareholder and Shareholding as well as Company Secretary must be listed on CAC Company Status Report.
A. The requirements for Class Licence
Sign up on esevices.ncc.gov.ng and click on Licensing Application Management System to apply:
1. Fill the form and upload the relevant documents listed below:
You can process your Licence directly with the Commission. NCC has not appointed any agent for the purpose of processing and obtaining Licences on behalf of applicants.
Short code inquiries or renewal - Contact [email protected] or [email protected].
Steps for Applying for new Individual Licence:
Step 1
The NCC does not grant Licences for radio broadcasting. You may contact the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission for further information on establishing a FM Radio Station.
A tutorial video is available on the LAMS application portal on how to use the application. You may contact the Commission at [email protected] for any further enquiries.
An applicant must be adequately capitalized to provide the proposed service. Evidence of sufficient funding is one of the requirement for Licence.
- Once your Licence application is successfully submitted, channel all further enquires via the comment section of the Licensing Application Management System (LAMS)
- Log into your profile
- Open your ongoing application
- Send you comments via chat window at the top right-hand corner of the dashboard.
- Contact:
Tel: +234-9-4617055, and 234-9-4618714
Send an email to [email protected]
The Licence fees payable vary according to the services. Please visit the Commission’s website: www.ncc.gov.ng under licensing link for the fee structure or contact the Commission for the applicable fees.
Kindly visit our fees & pricing page here to view the list.
A Company applying for a Licence must be registered in Nigeria by the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C)
- The Commission does not grant a Licence for SIM registration
- You can apply for Sales and Installation Class Licence for sale of recharge cards.
- Kindly visit the NCC website at https://eservices.ncc.gov.ng and choose a category of the Class Licence that suits the services you wish to offer.
- Individual Licence: According to the provision of the Nigerian Communication Act 2003, the Commission is required to convey its decision to the applicant within 90 days of receipt of the application for an individual Licence with complete documentation that is not the subject of a competitive bid.
The Commission has a surveillance programme aimed at identifying illegal operators and appropriate sanctions/enforcement action against any defaulter who fails to regularize operations. The Commission would be pleased to receive information from the public on only suspected illegal Operator.
- Click on Licensing Application management System
- Select Provide Licence details
- Submit your Licence information for verification and approval
- If you are a Local Company, select your company's ownership type.
The outcome will be communicated via the status tab on the Licensing Application Management System portal.
- Ensure the necessary information has been provided
- Review your Company Details,
- Add and wait for validation of your Tax Identification Number (TIN) by FIRS.
- Ensure your undertaking is properly ticked
- Select company representative
- make payment
- Click on the submit button. (You can only submit your application once the submit button is enabled.
- Sign up on the Commission’s eservice portal via the link: esevices.ncc.gov.ng,
- click on Licensing Application Management System (LAMS),
- view your Licence and
- click on renew to apply for renewal of Licence
(Please note that to successfully submit an application for Licence renewal, the licensee is required to provide/upload the evidence of compliance with relevant Licence obligations. Compliance with Licence obligations is required for Licence renewal.)
The obligations are;
Note that you are required to register your company and then apply for the Licence by clicking on the Licensing Application Management System (LAMS) to begin the Licence application process.
Yes, all applications are saved automatically.
Submit a formal request for refund to the Commission in writing attaching all supporting documents.
Kindly visit the License Documents and Frameworks page to view the documents and frameworks for our Licences.
Please note that TCC and TIN verification and validation is done by FIRS. The Commission does not reject / process TCC or TIN. Kindly contact FIRS for further assistance.
Licensing & Authorisation Department
Nigerian Communications Commission
Plot 423, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja,
Federal Capital Territory, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Tel: +234-9-4617055, 234-9-4617054 and 234-9-4618714 or
Send an email to [email protected]
Memorandum and Article of Association must include telecommunication as an object clause that allows the company to provide telecommunication service in Nigeria.
A Unified Access Service Licence is an individual Licence that allows the licensee to provide a bouquet of services under a single Licence. The licensee is permitted to provide Digital Mobile and Fixed telephony services, National Long Distance, International Gateway services under one Licence.
Upload your CAC Status Report in place of MEMART if it is not a limited liability company. However, note that your Principal Business Activity must include a telecommunication clause.
You require a Class Licence to operate a cybercafé in Nigeria.
- Total number of allotted shares must sum up to 100% for information to be saved successfully.
- Share allotment must conform to the information filed with the CAC.
The Commission is authorized to issue communications Licences for the operation and provision of communications services or facilities by way of Class or Individual Licences
Please visit the Commission website under Licensing & Regulation, click Guideline you will see the Commission’s Guidelines on International Gateway Access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
- Information for each Shareholder must be complete and accurate as filed with the CAC.
- You may add, remove, or modify each shareholder’s rating, one after the other until it sums up to 100%, then click on Save.
- Note that the total rating must conform to the information filed with the CAC.
Please visit our web site: www.ncc.gov.ng under Licensing and Regulation, click list of Licensee etc.
NCC does not regulate technology; however an interested operator must have an operating Licence and the required frequency to be able to provide the service.
- Provide the name(s) of the proprietor(s) and give it a 100% shares. After that make sure you tick the undertaking.
- Select the company’s authorized representative.