The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has again allayed fears that it was going to clamp down and regulate activities on social media platforms like Whatsapp, BBM, Facebook and others. There is no such plan to do so, the nation’s telecom regulator said.

This was part of the highpoints of the on-going 4th edition of the Lagos Social Media Week.

‘’Fears are being expressed that the NCC wants to start regulating OTT services. These fears are misplaced. What the NCC paper has done is to elevate the value and quality of discourse on the issue’’, the NCC said.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, represented by Mr Tony Ojobo, Director Public Affair said that at the ITU Global Symposium for regulators which held last year in Gabon, some operators expressed concerned about the activities of OTT (over-the-top) content operators and how they affect baseline returns in the country.

According to NCC, “a particular operator suggested that OTT players are eating the operators’ ‘’lunch’’ since they are not regulated and have no investment to increase their cost base.’’

Danbatta said: ‘’In summary report of the symposium, Analysys Mason, an analysis and advisory services on the telecommunications, media and technology market counselled that operators and regulators alike should consider carefully before coming to any conclusion on whether OTT players should be regulated or whether existing regulations should be withdrawn.

” The regulators objective is to catalyze additional opportunities offered by OTT services to the benefit of the consumers and to support competition while avoiding the OTT-related risks in the areas of security and data protection’’.

Nigeria has been awash with rumour that NCC was planning to regulate the use of social media platforms which has become the toast of most Nigerians.