Over the past 10 years, Nigeria's telecommunications sector has grown almost exponentially, despite what the government said recently was poor service, and has become a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Eugene Juwah said at the International Communications Lecture organized by the Swedish Chamber of Commerice in Lagos. Juwah added that regulatory advancements have contributed “significantly” to the telecom sector's growth in GDP impact. He also added that the impact of a number of telecom investments in the country have spurred growth, but warned “against the danger of the excitement of the telecom revolution” in Nigeria. Juway continued to say that telecom industry “may become deceptive to many stakeholders who may come under the illusion that the Nigerian telecom industry is on auto pilot, where the telecom regulator should fold hands and watch things happen.” His comments come less than a month after he lashed out at mobile operators for not supplying customers with quality coverage and customer service, demanding that they initiate programs to bolster their efforts. Analysts said the comments could hurt potential investment in the IT sector in Nigeria, but did add that Juwah was correct in his assertions that investors must be cautious in their investing in order to maintain services. “It could be a step back, but in the long run Juwah is highlighting the need for companies looking to invest in Nigeria to take a step forward on the services they provide. This will ensure quality coverage and a better investment atmosphere,” said one analyst. BM
