In a bid to create an enabling environment for competitive operations among Nigerian telecommunication stakeholders and information technology
providers as well as ensuring quality services throughout the country, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has said that it is ready to catalyze the sector to drive national development.
The Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta made this known while briefing newsmen at the unveiling of the commission’s 8-point agenda covering 2015-2020 today in Kano.
Prof. Danbatta noted that the new vision is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra. He noted that the agenda is to work towards enhancing innovation, investment, competition and consumer empowerment. He said that operators within the sector would use cutting edge technology and efficient service delivery to grow the country’s economy, create jobs and enhance national competitiveness.
While giving his address, he stated that over the years NCC has earned a reputation as a foremost Telecom regulatory agency in Africa, emphasizing that the commission has initiated several programmes such as State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) and Wire Nigeria Project (WIN) to help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of an ICT knowledge-based society in Nigeria.
According to him, “this strategic vision hinges on eight pillars and it is premised on three ‘A’s, which are the hallmarks of universal access and services and they include, Availability of service, Accessibility of services and Affordability of service vis-a-vis the change Agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari which revolves around an ideological shift in creation of structures for social benefits and inclusiveness for national development”.
Prof. Danbatta said that the 8-point Agenda which is aimed at facilitating Broadband Penetration, Improve Quality of Service, Optimize Usage and Benefits of Spectrum, Promote ICT Innovation and investment Opportunities, Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership, Protect and Empower Consumers, Promote Fair Competition and Inclusive Growth, and Ensure Regulatory Excellence and Operational Efficiency, would impact gainfully in the country’s Economy growth and Competitive markets for communication services that will be sustainable.
He added that wealth creation through application of human knowledge and creativity is steadily out spacing wealth creation through extraction and proceessing of natural resources.
“knowledge has increasingly become an important means for value creation. Hence with this globalization and 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 NCC recognises the immense socio-economic importance of ICTs to national development and therefore it must seek appropriate infrastructures are made available, guarantee broadband services for all citizens at affordable rates.
Danbatta reiterated that, ‘broadband is the next frontier in the ICT industry which will help in the speedy transformation of the Nigerian Economy”.
The NCC Boss reiterated that the commission will continue to focus its energy and resources towards achieving a common goal and called on all stakeholders to join hands with the commission in achieving its patriotic obligations.