Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Vice President / Chief Executive Officer Professor Umar Danbatta says the telecommunications industry has positioned itself to push forward the federal government’s economic diversification plan.
Professor Danbatta made this claim in his presentation to Course 29 participants at the National Defense College, Nigeria, on Monday.
Speaking on a topic, “The telecommunications industry and national development in Nigeria: The NCC’s roles in promoting the digital economy,” he said, The telecommunications sector is the life wire that will drive the Policy and Strategy National Digital Economy (NDEPS) of the federal Government. “
He noted that the sector plays a dual role by contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and being a facilitator for other sectors of the economy.
“Telecommunications are key to the diversification of the Nigerian economy, as the telecommunications sector played a dual role of contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and being an enabler for other sectors of the economy.”
The EVC reported that the commission remitted more than N362.34 billion in income in five (5) years to the consolidated income account of the Federal Government.
He listed the fixed broadband infrastructure gap, right of way (RoW), currency exchange, vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, electric power supply, multiple taxes and regulations as some of the challenges facing to the industry.
On the fixed broadband infrastructure gap, Danbatta said, the commission will reinforce existing fiber optic infrastructure across the country by 38,296 km through the InfraCo project Initiative.
Regarding the RoW, he reported that the engagement with the Nigerian Governors Forum on the adoption of N145 / m as RoW rates has yielded results in Kaduna, Katsina, Imo, Ekiti and Plateau State.
Therefore, he urged other state governments to contribute to the success of boosting the digital economy by reducing RoW rates and other charges directed at telecommunications service providers.
Professor Danbatta’s paper delved into a variety of topics, including the correlation between broadband and GDP, the contribution of telecommunications to national development, the trend of investment in telecommunications in Nigeria, the contribution of telecommunications to the digital economy , the conceptualization of the digital economy, among others.
In his comments, the Commander of the National Defense College, Rear Admiral Mackson Kadiri thanked the EVC, describing his article as profound, incisive and timely, giving the fundamental role that the telecommunications sector plays in guaranteeing National Security and National Development. .
