Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The National Communications Authority (NCA) on Monday convened a one-day stakeholder consultation to review and gather feedback on the draft Telecommunications Consumer Protection Regulation.
The meeting brought together telecommunications operators, internet service providers (ISPs), submarine cable companies, consumer representatives, and other key stakeholders to examine the structure of the draft regulation and provide recommendations for its effective implementation.
Discussions focused on the regulation’s policy objectives, guiding principles, and core provisions, including consumer rights, service quality standards, pricing transparency, and contractual terms.
Opening the session, NCA Director General Mustafa Yasin Sheikh underscored the importance of strengthening consumer trust as Somalia’s digital market continues to expand.
“A fair, transparent, and accountable telecommunications environment is essential for building public confidence and supporting the country’s digital transformation. Protecting consumer rights is a shared responsibility between the Authority and service providers,” he said.
The draft regulation sets out clear protections for consumer rights and quality-of-service benchmarks, reinforces transparency in pricing and contracts, defines operators’ obligations and compliance requirements, and establishes enforcement measures and penalties to ensure accountability across the telecommunications sector.
Stakeholders offered perspectives on implementation challenges, timelines, and compliance readiness. Participants also reviewed findings from a Consumer Protection Survey and discussed the roadmap for finalizing and enforcing the regulation.
The National Communications Authority said it will consider all feedback received before issuing the final version of the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Regulation, reaffirming its commitment to fostering a competitive, secure, and consumer-focused telecommunications market across Somalia.
