By MKPE ABANG
These may be exciting times again for the Nigerian telecommunications industry as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta stepped out and made public his agenda for the industry, promising openness and a readiness to engage all stakeholders, especially the media, giving indications of a sharp departure from the immediate past.
Danbatta was appointing executive vice chairman in acting capacity on August 4, 2015; on November 26, 2015 the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the Senate, confirmed his appointment, thereby solidifying his resolve to take the industry forward.
In his historic first press conference, held in Lagos, Prof. Danbatta’s electrifying presentation laced with pledges to be accessible at all times, indeed instantly endeared him to the over 100 journalists in attendance who specialised in reporting the information and communications technology.
But as if his openness was not enough, as if his immediate ability to take all questions – penning them down himself, and responding right from his own jottings – was not enough, Prof. Danbatta did what only charismatic leaders are wont to do: stepping down from the high table where he made his presentation, to personally shake hands with all – emphasis ALL – the journalists and other guests in attendance, and exchanging pleasantries with each one as he shook their hands.
Thus, pushing through a new camaraderie of candidness, Prof. Danbatta who practically won the hearts and minds of the journalists who attended his first press conference since assuming office, promised to be accessible, available and open always to engage especially the ICT journalists whom he praised for job they have done in creating awareness for the industry.
Indeed, making public his eight-point agenda comes after due consultations from far and wide, to ensure he has everything well covered. And, his agenda will cover 2015 to 2020; that is his tenure of office of five years in the first instance. And that will form his vision for the industry that was once the best window to the world for Nigeria.
And vision is anchored on the desire “to promote innovation, investment, competition and consumer empowerment in and on top of Communications platforms of today and the future-maximising the power of Information and Communications Technology to grow our economy, create jobs, and enhance national competitiveness through the deployment of broadband infrastructure to facilitate roll out of broadband services that will hold out opportunities and higher network quality of service for all Nigerians.”
Prof. Danbatta’s eight-point pillars rest on a tripod of three “A”s namely Availability of Service, Accessibility of Service and Affordability of service, which he said is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘change agenda,’ an ideological shift in creation of structures for social benefits and inclusiveness for national development.
He listed the eight-point agenda as follows:
- Facilitate Broadband penetration through provision and optimization access to and use of affordable fixed and mobile broadband in Nigeria;
- Improve Quality of Service by promoting the availability of reliable, interoperable, rapidly restorable critical ICT infrastructure that are supportive of all required services;
- Optimize usage and benefits of spectrum by maximizing availability of spectrum in order to provide diverse and affordable ICT services and ensuring that spectrum acquisition does not distort marketing competition;
- Promote ICT innovation and investment opportunities. By this, ICT innovations will be promoted in ways that improve the nation’s ability to compete in the global economy, increased investment in youth and promotion of SMEs for new business delivery breakthroughs;
The agenda includes
- Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders to foster ICT for sustainable economic development and social advancement;
- Protect and empower consumers from unfair practices through availability of information and education required to make informed choices in the use of ICT services;
- Promote fair competition and inclusive growth by creating a competitive market for ICT services that foster fair inclusion of all actors in innovative ways that facilitate new investment, job creation and consumer satisfaction; and
- Ensure regulatory excellence and operational efficiency through effective regulatory framework, efficient processes, strict compliance monitoring and enforcement efficient management of internal resources and structure and maintain a commitment to transparency.
Danbatta said
“Wealth creation through application of human knowledge and creativity is steadily outpacing wealth creation through extraction and processing of natural resources. Knowledge has increasingly become an important means for value creation. Hence, with globalization and the technological revolution of the last few decades, knowledge has clearly become the key driver of competitiveness and is now profoundly reshaping the patterns of the world’s economic growth and activity.”
He maintained that “the policy goals of the Nigerian Communications Commission recognize the immense socio-economic importance of ICTs to national development and therefore seeks to ensure that the infrastructure necessary to provide ubiquitous broadband services is available and accessible to all citizens at affordable rates. Broadband is the next frontier in the ICT industry which will help in the speedy transformation of the Nigerian economy.”
Hence He added “This Strategic Vision 2015-2020 responds to this by setting out the foundations, for future growth and competitiveness that will be sustainable and inclusive and which would address our principal societal challenges as a nation.”