The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) recently inaugurated its five-storey office building to complement its headquarters, reports BLESSING OLAIFA.
The inauguration of a five-storey building constructed by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) is meant to complement the Commission’s headquarters building. Located at 1253 Cadastral Zone, Mbora District, Abuja the project had been abandoned for a long period for lack of funds to complete the massive structure.
Besides providing nearly a hundred-room office accommodation, it was built with facilities such a swimming pool, lawn tennis courts, underground car parks and a 600 -seater auditorium for conferences and seminars.
Many give credit for the completion of the structure to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta. Since his appointment in 2015, the Professor of Telecommunications Engineering from Bayero University, Kano, had left no stone unturned in changing the narratives of the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
On assumption of office, he unfolded eight-point agenda to drive the vision of a telecom sector that could stand its ground globally, especially given the economic potentials of Nigeria and its population. Within a short period, the industry is perceived to have witnessed unprecedented growth with more Nigerians having access to telephony both in the rural and urban areas.
Amongst the eight-point agenda were the issues of improved quality service, protection and empowerment of consumers, expansion of telecommunications infrastructure and consumer-centric regulatory governance and policy administration.
Under his watch, the telecom industry has grown exponentially contributing about 12 percent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP). As of August 2019, broadband penetration has reached 35 percent while Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the telecom sector have also reached 1.84 billion dollars. From 2015 to 2018, telephone subscribers moved from 151 million to 173 million, while Tele-density and mobile penetration rate moved from 108 percent in 2015 to 123 percent in 2018.
Professor Danbatta also ensured that Research and Development is not left behind considering the rapid expansion and development in the sector with pervasive technology break-through, innovations and inventions in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. In 2013, the NCC awarded only one research grant. But by 2017, it improved to seven and in 2018, it increased to 11 research grants with the research portfolio of the Commission reaching a peak of 252.2 million naira.
Prof Danbatta told a gathering of over 60 University Vice Chancellors across the country at the Third Stakeholders Forum with Academia that the Commission intends to offer Research Fellowship positions for in-depth research and exploration of problems the industry is facing whilst improving the researchers’ experience of the industry.
The immediate past Communications Minister, Adebayo Shittu, had made frantic efforts to convert the newly commissioned building to an ICT university. But the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had rejected the idea. Thereafter, Prof Danbatta proceeded with the project till completion.
It is hoped that with rapid expansion in the industry and the introduction of the 4G and 5G technologies, coupled with increasing accommodation needs for the workers, the new facility will be put to maximum use for the benefit of the industry.
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