MOGADISHU (SD) – Telecommunication companies in Somalia have been given an ultimatum of less than two weeks to secure licences, failure to which they will be suspended, the country’s National Communications Authority (NCA) confirmed.

In a statement, NCA has directed the companies to apply for apply license to operate in the horn of African nation before the end of August this year, the companies will be forced to cease operating in the country.

According to the NCA, applications for national communications infrastructure providers carry an initial fee of US$5,000.

Licensees then need to pay an initial operating fee of $275,000 and an annual fee of $50,000.

The agency issued a warning that they will have to conform with the country’s unified licensing framework which complies with national communication law.

The law covers operators of communications infrastructure, plus application and service providers, including mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), internet service providers, suppliers of terminal equipment, providers of satellite services and registrars for Somalia’s .so domain, said the NCA.

Since last July, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has been raising awareness among the various players in the national telecom market on the need to work within a legal framework.

According to the NCA, the unified licensing framework was designed to promote technological innovation and provide a more conducive environment for market growth and improved welfare.

In October 2019, the NCA opened a consultation to establish a licensing framework for ICT and telecoms – the first ever in Somalia.

 The process was successful and the Unified Licensing Framework was formally implemented in February 2020.