We Are Leading Africa’s Quest For Digital Transformation, Says NCC Boss

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said that the role of the commission at the the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has boosted the transformation of Africa’s Digital space .

Danbatta also declared Nigeria’s intention  to be re-elected  as a member of the ITU Council during the forthcoming Plenipotentiary Conferences. 

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference for this year is scheduled to take place in Bucharest, Romania, from Monday, September 26 to October 14, 2022.

The ITU is governed by the Plenipotentiary Conference and the Administrative Council. The Plenipotentiary Conference is the supreme organ of the Union.

The EVC declared Nigeria’s intention while addressing global actors in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry at the ongoing Session of the ITU Council.

The event’s venue is at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and will last from March 21-31, 2022.

While addressing members of the ITU, the EVC NCC’s membership in the body has aided the effective implementation of government policies and stimulating regulatory initiatives focused on advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation. 

“We look forward to a robust Council session and subsequent support for Nigeria during the forthcoming elections.

“Over the years, as a member of ITU, Nigeria has chaired World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC)-15; chaired ITU Council Standing Committee on Administration and Management (SC-ADM), in 2019 and 2022; as well as chaired the Ad-Hoc Committee on ITU Regional Presence”, a statement from the NCC on Friday quoted the EVC.

Reiterating Nigeria’s contribution in the ITU, Danbatta said, “Nigeria had also chaired ITU-Standardization (ITU-T) Study Group 20 Regional Group for Africa; served as Vice Chairman, ITU-T Study group 20;  served as Vice-Chair, ITU-T Study Group 12; Vice-Chair, ITU-Development D Study Group 2; as well as provided Financial Support to ITU Headquarters Building, among others.”

Danbatta said the COVID-19 pandemic proved the resilience of the ICT sector and its importance to the global economy.

The ICT sector accounted for over 12 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP in the forth quarter of 2021 and is the fasted growing sector in the country, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. 

“It is as a result of the enabling experiences in the ITU ecosystem that Nigeria continue to be active and forward-looking regarding the activities of the ITU as the leading organ of the United Nations (UN) in the area of ICT, Danbatta said.

According to him, Nigeria has utilised ICT as a driver of socio-economic development not just for herself, but also for the benefit of the sub-region and the continent, given its role as a founding member and flagship promoter of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA).

“This robust experience in ITU has continued to enable Nigeria, through NCC, and was particularly instrumental to the recent management of a globally-acclaimed transparent auction of Fifth Generation 5G licence in 2021; achieve 40.88 per cent broadband penetration in Nigeria as at December 2021; implement robust financial inclusion initiatives; as well as in the promotion of universal access across institutions and communities in Nigeria through the NCC’s Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). 

“All these were made possible through the successful launch and implementation of policies to foster use of ICTs across all sectors and enhance a digital economy,” he said.