The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it will dismantle 693 unused telecommunications towers across the country, if owners do not comply with an ultimatum, according to WebAfrica.
The NCC said the towers have been abandoned, and gave owners 90 days to “rehabilitate, commence usage or dismantle and remove” the infrastructure.
The edict comes as the regulator says Nigeria still needs 30,000 base stations to ensure reliable telecommunications services. The goal is to have 80,000 operational towers.
A statement from the NCC reads: “In line with the provision of the Guidelines on Technical Specifications for the Installation of Telecommunications Masts and Towers, owners of the abandoned masts and towers are hereby given notice to rehabilitate, commence usage or dismantle and remove the masts/towers from the relevant locations within 90 days of this notice.”
NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Henry Nkemadu, added that tower owners “will be required to reimburse the Commission for expenses in this regard.”
In April 2019 ITWeb Africa reported the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) threatened to demolish about 7,000 communication towers, claiming the infrastructure did not comply with regulations, specifically height restriction.
In response, the Association of Telecommunications Companies President Nigeria Olusola Teniola said, “Dismantling them would be an economic loss to the country. [A] huge amount of money was spent to build them. If the government had addressed several issues confronting the operators, most of them would have remained active and able to maintain their facilities.”
August 22, 2019
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