Open Internet: NCC’s balancing Act for telcos and OTTs by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

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As WhatsApp, Zoom, and Netflix among others disrupt communication, Nigerian operators sought control. REMMY NWEKE, in this edition of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, writes how the NCC defended innovation, safeguarding digital freedom and powering Nigeria’s Over-The-Top (OTT) revolution.

Introduction:
When Over-The-Top (OTT) communication platforms began to dominate Nigeria’s telecom landscape between 2015 and 2016, a quiet battle erupted in policy circles. Apps such as WhatsApp, Zoom, Telegram, and Skype were changing how Nigerians communicated, offering instant messaging, video calls, and file sharing at virtually no extra cost beyond mobile data.

To mobile network operators (MNOs), this disruption was alarming. They had spent billions of naira building infrastructure, paying regulatory fees, and expanding coverage. Yet, consumers were now bypassing traditional voice and Short Messaging Service (SMS) offerings through Internet-based alternatives that rode on the very networks MNOs built.