Abstract

The communications sector in Nigeria has witnessed enormous growth since 1992 when it was liberalised and deregulated. However, much more significant developments have been witnessed since 2001 when the Global System for Mobile Networks (GSM) licensed to private operators in the sector. This article examines the existing legal and institutional framework for the operations of GSM providers in Nigeria. The aim is to determine how the regulatory framework in the sector has improved the quality of service provided to subscribers by the GSM operators. The article reveals that in spite of the elaborate legal and institutional framework for the regulation of GSM operators in Nigeria, the services are far from being satisfactory and consumers in the sector do not feel adequately protected. Accordingly, the article recommends the enactment of a ‘generic competition law’ in Nigeria, which would, along with other measures, help to address the inadequacies of Nigeria’s legal framework in the communications sector.