Telecoms regulator explains policies, initiatives for technology innovations in Nigeria

*The Nigerian Communications Commission has highlighted several regulatory policies, programmes and initiatives the Commission currently implements to ensure continuous development of the country’s tech startups section of the telecoms ecosystem

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as the country’s foremost telecoms sector regulator, has restated its commitment to effective regulation of the industry in ways that will foster innovations, sectoral growth and socioeconomic development.

ConsumerConnect reports the NCC Thursday, December 2, 2021, noted it has outlined various policy and regulatory initiatives the Commission is implementing towards ensuring continuous development of the tech startups section of the telecommunications ecosystem in Nigeria.

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Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, enumerated these initiatives during the two-day Zonal Regional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Innovation Forum the Commission held in Enugu recently.

According to the regulator, the annual event with the theme: “Digital Societies and Emerging Technologies: Leveraging ICTs to Build Information and Knowledge Societies for Achieving the Nation’s Digital Economy”, was attended by representatives of strategic partners of the Commission, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), tech hubs, innovators and tech entrepreneurs, as well as venture capitalists among others.

Represented at the forum by Kelechi Nwankwo, Head of Research and Development of the Commission, Prof. Danbatta said the current momentum being witnessed in the Nigeria’s tech space is attributable to the regulatory approach of the NCC.

The Commission is committed to effective regulation of the telecoms sector in ways that will not inhibit competition but rather fosters innovation, industry growth and socioeconomic development, said the EVC/CEO.

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The NCC as the key driver in the ICT industry and responsive organisation, Danbatta stated, has implemented deliberate policy and initiatives creating an enabling environment for Nigerian startups to thrive and scale up for more global impact and value creation.

He explained these initiatives include the ongoing implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, aimed at increasing Broadband penetration to 70 percent by 2025; driving of the implementation of the National Digital Economy and Policy Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030; and the implementation of the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024, all of which are streamlined in the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 to ensure regulatory effectiveness in Nigeria.

“Danbatta declared that other similar initiatives emplaced by the Commission to facilitate the development and sustainability of the tech startup ecosystem are the ICT Hubs Support and Engagement Programmes; the annual ICT Innovation Competition and Exhibition; the Annual Hackathon, as well as the ongoing development of ICT parks across the country, NCC stated.

Giving insight into the ICT Park, the NCC EVC/CEO also noted that the telecoms sector regulator is currently building six technology parks across the geo-political zones of the country.

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According to him, the first phase of the project is nearing completion in four zones, namely, Enugu in the South East, Abeokuta in the South West, Maiduguri in the North East, and Kano in the North West.

Danbatta further said: “The project comes with a strategic intent of boosting digital skills among young people, promoting innovations, providing jobs for young Nigerians and ultimately supporting the Federal Government Digital Economy Agenda.”

The EVC/CEO as well emphasised that the ICT Park, which is at various levels of completion would deliver a fully-functional Tier-4 Digital Industry Complex (DIC) that would involve a commercial hub for ICT capacity building and digital skills, employment generation and entrepreneurial activities, and smart city deployment across the Complex.

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Commending the attendees for their active participation in the forum and their collaboration towards building a truly Nigeria digital economy, Danbatta expressed NCC’s unequivocal commitment to fostering strategic collaboration and partnership with the technology hubs.

He stated that the objective is to accelerate innovations, industrial growth and sustainable development in the country.

In his address on thr occasion, Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at NCC, underscored the essence of the annual programme.

Maska said the two-day Zonal Regional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Innovation Forum in Enugu, in the South-East, was conceived to facilitate and support ICT innovators, tech enthusiasts and tech entrepreneurs, as a strategy to leapfrog Nigeria into the digital economy.

He emphasised that the objectives are critical for reflating the country’s economy while improving the social wellbeing of the citizens.

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As a regulator of the telecoms sector in Nigeria, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, disclosed the NCC is focused on its responsibility, and hence, the introduction of policies, programmes and initiatives to promote innovation and facilitate tech entrepreneurship.

Represented at the forum by the Zonal Controller, Enugu Office of the Commission, Ogbonnaya Ugama, Maska said at NCC, “we believe that this is very critical if we must facilitate the introduction of new value added services that will improve consumer quality of experience, unlock entrepreneurial potential of our teaming youths, improve indigenous capacity, boost indigenous content development, and importantly, support the Presidential desire for us as a country to produce what we consumer and consume what we produce.”

The Commission added that it is set to convene the Regional ICT Innovation Forum in other geopolitical zones of the country, and is determined to rally all stakeholders to ensure inclusiveness while leveraging consultation, collaborative partnerships as two key operational principles for which the NCC is renowned.

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