Press Release: NCC hosts African Telecom regulators in Abuja

How regulatory activities of the 54-member nations of African Union (AU) can be integrated for seamless connectivity to boost customer satisfaction, is the fulcrum of a 3-day Conference of African Telecommunications Regulators on Consumer Affairs (CATCO) 2019, with the theme: "Empowering the Telecom Consumer in an Era of Technological Evolution."

Slated to hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital from August 20 - 22, 2019 by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, CATCO 2019 is a follow-up to the one held in Lagos in 2013.

"This year’s event is geared towards pursuing a continuous collaboration between African telecommunications regulators of individual countries and their regional bodies such as West Africa Telecommunication Regulatory Assembly (WATRA), East African Communications Organisation (EACO), and others,” said Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta.

According to Danbatta, the Conference will provide the platform for Africans to establish unity, solidarity, collective self-reliance amongst African nations, “thereby building on the principle of pan-Africanism within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) space; and sustaining a robust collaborative regulatory environment where current and future challenges are addressed.”

Participants are expected to provide varying and fresh perspectives to burning issues affecting telecoms consumers and service delivery in Africa. Also, vital discussions will focus on the current state of telecom industry in Africa, ways to improve it and how to sustain a healthy telecom industry.

Other areas that will be looked into are: challenges confronting African telecoms regulators, international best practices, emerging technologies and their applications for the benefits of consumers, amongst others.

Stakeholders from various African countries, legislators and government officials, Consumer Advocacy Groups, African Telecommunication Regulators and Regional bodies such has West Africa Telecommunication Regulatory Assembly (WATRA), Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) and others are expected to be at this year’s event.

The NCC hosted the first edition in 2013, in Lagos with the theme, “Harnessing Regulatory Policies to Protect Telecom Consumers in Africa”. It was a huge success with no fewer than 15 African countries in attendance.
According to Danbatta, this year’s conference will advance on the gains of CATCO 2013 because it has been specially designed and tailored towards improving Africa telecommunications industry in the 21 century.

Signed:

Henry Nkemadu,

Director, Public Affairs, NCC.

August 14, 2019.