MainOne CEO says No to idea of single gateway for Nigeria
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MainOne CEO says No to idea of single gateway for Nigeria

Funke opeke 13x8.jpg

MainOne CEO Funke Opeke has criticised a proposal from a number of data companies in Nigeria to create a single international gateway.

According to reports from Nigeria this week, licensed international data access providers want all data traffic into and out of the country to come through a single pipe.

“We are equally shocked,” Opeke told Capacity, “and I think all operators and carriers in Nigeria are providing feedback to the regulator that this is a terrible idea/proposition. So, the general industry view is negative.”

Stern opposition is also coming from mobile operators that are members of the Association of Licensed Operators of Nigeria (Alton).

The organisation’s chair, Gbenga Adebayo, told ThisDay newspaper that the idea was not in the national interest. It “would create network congestion, since all network operators would be compelled to route their incoming and outgoing calls through the single channel that would be controlled by few IDA operators”, said Adebayo, according to ThisDay.

Opeke told Capacity that the idea does not come from the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). She said: “I do not think the regulator is in favour either since the idea did not originate from them, but they have to be the arbiter of this situation.”

ThisDay reported that the idea is being driven by individuals who are unhappy with the revenue share between mobile operators and international access companies.

Opeke agreed with this analysis. She told Capacity: “The information we have is that this is a proposition of certain interconnect providers who I think have dubious intentions.” It would work against Nigeria’s economic interests and those of the telecoms and ICT industries in the country, she added.

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