The Interview Editors
The Emir of Bichi, Nasir Ado Bayero, has commended Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the agency for “the sound leadership and regulatory focus propelling the growth of telecoms sector in Nigeria.”
Bayero said this while receiving the Board of Commissioners of NCC, led by its Chairman, Professor Adeolu Akande, as part of activities lined up by the Commission for its ongoing 2020 Board Retreat in Kano State.
Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC’s director of public affairs said in a statement that, “The Emir particularly appreciated the NCC boss for ensuring effective regulatory initiatives are in place to achieve the successes recorded in the sector so far.
“During the visit, Danbatta reeled out a number of statistics that showed the growth of the telecoms industry, especially in the last five years.”
Danbatta, Adinde said, “pointed out that in the last five years, the NCC Management has built on earlier successes recorded, noting that broadband penetration moved from 6 percent to over 45.43 per cent; while sector’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP,) contribution rose from 8.5 percent to 14.30 per cent while active phone subscribers grew from 151 million to over 205.2 million.
“Also, basic internet subscriptions also increased from 90 million to 151.5 million; teledensity now stands at 107.53 percent while investment in the sector has increased from $38 billion to over $70 billion currently.”
Impressed by the statistics, the Emir noted that, as the regulatory authority of the communications industry in Nigeria responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry, the Danbatta-led NCC has consistently ensured the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout Nigeria.
The Emir acknowledged that over the years, the Commission has earned its reputation as the foremost telecoms regulatory agency in Africa;
“Your Commission has also excelled in achieving its mandate of establishing an effective licensing and regulatory framework for the supply of communications services in Nigeria,” he stated.
According to him, in the course of executing its mandate, the Commission has been seen to be guided by the principles of fairness and forthrightness, which have been the underpinnings of the core values of your institution, while urging the Commission to ensure that it remains the topmost regulatory agency in Nigeria and Africa.
“We are sure that the successes recorded by the Commission are as a result of sound leadership, honesty, hard work and professionalism of Prof. Danbatta and we urge to him to continue to provide quality leadership and the necessary strategic policy directions to ensure that the communications industry achieves greater heights,” he said.
The monarch, who is the Chairman of 9Mobile, one of the telecom companies in the country, also tasked the Commission to sustain its practice of regulatory excellence, while commending the EVC for his efforts in ensuring that 9mobile did not collapse during a financial crisis few years ago.
He said the NCC’s intervention saved millions of Nigerians from being rendered jobless with the attendant consequences, adding that Danbatta’s “excellent leadership and untiring efforts to ensure that competition is not undermined in telecommunications industry are highly commendable.”
