An Appraisal of Legal History of Telecommunication System in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper focuses on the legal history of telecommunication system in Nigeria, starting from the point of approved traditional means of communication of the different ethnic groups in the Country. It discusses the means and methods of communication during the pre-colonial era which served as a foundation and a stepping-stone for the subsequent revamping and development of the modern communications regime. It further discusses the colonial and present developments which cellular telecommunications system has recorded, and provides concise profiles of the major GSM mobile operators and the regulatory body on communication system in Nigeria – the Nigerian Communications Commission. The paper adopted doctrinal method of research by consulting written materials on the area of research. The paper found out that despite the efforts of Nigerian government in regulating telecommunication system, more need to be done particularly in the area of network coverage and stability as well as customer satisfaction. The paper then suggests that the Nigerian government should encourage the network providers in acquiring the needed technology that would boost their stable network coverage to the remotest area of the Country thereby providing deserving products to their teeming customers.