Jude Diugwu
The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said that in line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025), the commission is providing industry leadership to facilitate the achievement of 90per cent broadband penetration by 2025, and well above 50per cent at the end of 2023.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Licence and Authorisation, Mr Usman Mamman, the NCC CEO spoke during the first ‘Talk to the Regulator Forum’ for 2023 held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in the South-south region.
Danbatta also said currently, over 150 million Nigerians had access to the internet, while over 80 million could access high speed internet.
He said: “You will agree with me that the telecom industry has witnessed milestones in more ways than one, including the rapid growth in technology, which is redefining service delivery, and creating wide and high expectations from all stakeholders.
“To keep up to date with developments in the industry, the Commission has equally taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development.
“Some of the interventions and responses of the Commission includes but are not limited to: Facilitating the roll-out of 5G service; introduction of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas; and reviewing the scope and structure of its existing licenses to make them more robust and to accommodate some of the identified new industry trends.”
He said that the forum is a common platform for non-discriminatory interaction on a one-on-one basis, between the licencees and the regulator on several industry issues, pertinent to the licensees and of national interest.
He, therefore, appealed to customers to feel free to ask questions, provide feedback and proffer possible solutions that would address the concerns that might be raised during the two-day interactive sessions.
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Mr Adeleke Adewolu, said the essence of the forum was to create awareness about the activities of the Commission as a Regulator and also obtain feedback from critical stakeholders on how the industry affects their daily lives as well as the role of the Regulator in enhancing same.
He said it also served as an educational platform where misconceptions about the Commission and its processes were explained.
Represented by an official from the Office of the Executive Commissioner, Damilola Ogunsipe, the executive commissioner said the sector had continually ensured that the digital economy agenda of the Federal Government was established on solid foundations.
He said the sector had proved to be the catalyst for entrenching the activities of both the public and private sector in the digital space, seamlessly.
Adewolu said a market study had shown that the deployment of 5G Technology Services would result in $13.2 trillion in global economic value by 2035, generating 22.3 million jobs in the 5G global value chain alone.
He said the NCC had played an effective role in placing the nation at a vantage position in order to reap the benefits, noting that the exponential growth of the telecommunications sector was largely attributable to effective policies, legal and regulatory framework implemented by the Federal Government through the NCC.
In his opening remarks, the Director, Licensing and Authorisation Department, NCC, Mr. Mohammed Babajika, said the Commission recognized that technological advancements in the industry such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data and Internet of Things (IoT) are redefining service-delivery and therefore in line with global trends, it is currently reviewing its license categories.
Babajika hoped that licencees would take advantage of the Forum to seek clarifications with respect to any issues such as license obligations, renewal processes and procedures and emerging trends in the industry.
