Tertiary Institutions Develop 10 Telecom-Based Prototypes From N500m Research Grant– NCC

Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator said universities, Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions have submitted 10 prototypes out of 49 telecom-based research grants it funded.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed in a statement on Monday that it spent over N500m to facilitate research and innovations in the ICT space which would benefit the Nigerian telecommunications industry.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made the disclosure during a two-day Regional Roundtable with Academia, Industry and Other Stakeholders in Kano.

Danbatta said the funds were committed to research grants to universities and tertiary institutions, including professorial chairs in the universities.

“The Commission collaborates with the Academia in maximising the contributions of tertiary institutions to innovations and sustainable development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry as finance is needed to drive possible success of these endeavours, ” Danbatta said.

According to him, the Commission is focusing on supporting the academia in the commercialisation of the prototypes from these innovative researches as this is relevant to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s policy towards achieving indigenous technology for sustainable development of our country.

The NCC boss said “Ideas, inventions, and improvements that emanate from the academia are required by the industry for improved efficiency and productivity.

“Appreciable impacts had been achieved since the Commission reinvigorated research grants for telecommunications-based research innovations from Nigerian academics, focusing on successful commercialisation of locally developed solutions to foster and deepen the uptake of indigenous technology by Nigerians.”

Ubale Maska, NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, disclosed that “49 telecom- based research grants to the academia out of which 10 prototypes were successfully developed and displayed to industry stakeholders.”

Maska said the research and Development drive of the Commission were targeted at achieving the 8-point Pillar Eight of National Digital Economy Policy.