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Tag: Umar Danbatta

  • NCC remits N133.4bn to Federation Account in two years

    NCC remits N133.4bn to Federation Account in two years

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) said it had remitted N133.4 billion to the consolidated revenue fund of the Federal Government between 2015 and 2017.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo on Thursday in Lagos.

    Ojobo said that NCC’s primary role was not only to generate revenue for the government but to nurture and regulate the telecommunications industry.

    He said that the figures obtained from the commission showed impressive remittance of funds to the coffers of the consolidated revenue of the Federal Government, especially in the last two years.

    According to him, NCC’s last remittance to the consolidated revenue fund, which was on June 30, 2017, was N12.7 billion.

    “It came just less than 10 days after the NCC remitted the sum of N1.3 billion to the account,” he said.

    Ojobo explained that commission transferred N81 billion in 2016 comprising N35 billion transferred in March and N46 billion in December 2016 respectively.

    “In 2015 however, the commission remitted N23, 512,316,450 in October after paying N6, 856,182,132 in September of the same year.

    “It is noteworthy also that the quarterly contribution of telecommunications sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been consistently impressive in the last two years,” he said.

    NAN reports that recently, the Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta said that the sector contributed N1.549 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2017.

    It represented 6.68 per cent increase from the first quarter of the year contribution of N1.452 trillion.

    The National Bureau of Statistics report had confirmed that the telecommunications sector, during the second quarter of 2017, contributed 9.5 per cent to the GDP in contrast to 9.1 per cent contribution in the first quarter of the year.

    Similarly, Ojobo said that the nation’s quest for attainment of 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018, had received a major boost.

    He said the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development confirmed that Nigeria had achieved 21 per cent level of penetration, from less than 10 per cent two years earlier.

  • ‘NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018’

    ‘NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018’

    The Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC ) says it is committed to achieving the 30 per cent approved National Broadband Implementation Plan by 2018.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said this on Wednesday at the Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is sponsored by Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development ( CECAD ) in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Communication and NCC.

    The theme of the conference is “Building a New Nigeria in Digital Economy: Policy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’’

    Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Reuben Muoka, NCC Head of Public Affairs, said that the plan was part of the 8-point agenda conceptualised for comprehensive national economic growth.

    He said that Nigeria’s broadband penetration was empirically adjudged by the global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunications Union ( ITU ), as 21 per cent in 2017.

    “We have witnessed the success of online shopping malls, online banking and other transactions in a way that it is being experienced in far more developed countries.

    “We are supporting ICT innovations in our institutions of higher learning and among several youth organisations across the country,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that the Commission had taken the agenda as its guide in measuring regulatory impact and aligning development agenda in the course of regulating one of Africa’s biggest telecom market.

    The Executive Vice Chairman said that the NCC would not relent in its effort at promoting investment opportunities and selling the country’s investment potentials to the international telecom community.

    The NCC boss also said that the toll free 622 secondary consumer complaints initiative had been upgraded, adding that the success rate of resolution of consumer complaints on the platform had reached 75 per cent.

    “We have intensified our monitoring and compliance activities to achieve sanity and compliance to the rules of the game.

    “We are in the process of introducing a mandatory corporate governance code to improve the level of integrity of the industry,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria ( PIN ), said that lack of commitment to innovative ideas accounted for the 56 per cent unemployment rate in the country.

    Sesan, who recalled how he made headway through strong innovation in 1997, charged students to stop giving excuses, saying such could limit their future.

    “I don’t think there is a reason for any student to graduate without a skill with the presence of the internet. Stop complaining about government.

    “What you become in the future is the product of whatever you start now,’’ he said.

    Mr Sunday Afolayan, President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association ( NIRA ), said the association was committed to ensuring that the identity and investment of Nigerians was maintained and protected.

    Afolayan also said that the association would ensure that Nigerians participated favourably in the digital space.

    Mr Bayo Oyeleke, Deputy Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, thanked the organisers for choosing the institution as the venue for the conference in the South West Zone.

    Oyeleke said that the conference would open the windows for students who participate actively.

    NAN reports that the conference was organised to promote innovation in tertiary institutions and as an avenue for students to interact with stakeholders and experts in the digital innovation world.

  • NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018 – Danbatta

    NCC committed to achieving 30% broadband penetration by 2018 – Danbatta

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is committed to achieving the 30 percent approved National Broadband Implementation Plan by 2018.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said this on Wednesday at the Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is sponsored by Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD) in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Communication and NCC.
    The theme of the conference is “Building a New Nigeria in Digital Economy: Policy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’’

    Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Reuben Muoka, NCC Head of Public Affairs, said that the plan was part of the 8-point agenda conceptualised for comprehensive national economic growth.

    He said that Nigeria’s broadband penetration was empirically adjudged by the global telecom regulator, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), as 21 percent in 2017. no

    “We have witnessed the success of online shopping malls, online banking and other transactions in a way that it is being experienced in far more developed countries.

    “We are supporting ICT innovations in our institutions of higher learning and among several youth organisations across the country, ’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that the Commission had taken the agenda as its guide in measuring regulatory impact and aligning development agenda in the course of regulating one of Africa’s biggest telecom market.

    The Executive Vice Chairman said that the NCC would not relent in its effort at promoting investment opportunities and selling the country’s investment potential to the international telecom community.

    The NCC boss also said that the toll-free 622 secondary consumer complaints initiative had been upgraded, adding that the success rate of resolution of consumer complaints on the platform had reached 75 percent.

    “We have intensified our monitoring and compliance activities to achieve sanity and compliance to the rules of the game.

    “We are in the process of introducing a mandatory corporate governance code to improve the level of integrity of the industry,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), said that lack of commitment to innovative ideas accounted for the 56 percent unemployment rate in the country.

    Sesan, who recalled how he made headway through strong innovation in 1997, charged students to stop giving excuses, saying such could limit their future.

    “I don’t think there is a reason for any student to graduate without a skill with the presence of the internet. Stop complaining about government.

    “What you become in the future is the product of whatever you start now,’’ he said.

    Mr Sunday Afolayan, President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), said the association was committed to ensuring that the identity and investment of Nigerians was maintained and protected.

    Afolayan also said that the association would ensure that Nigerians participated favourably in the digital space.

    Mr Bayo Oyeleke, Deputy Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, thanked the organisers for choosing the institution as the venue for the conference in the South West Zone.

    Oyeleke said that the conference would open the windows for students who participate actively.

    NAN reports that the conference was organised to promote innovation in tertiary institutions and as an avenue for students to interact with stakeholders and experts in the digital innovation world.

  • Etisalat’s Debt Crisis: We Did Not See It Coming – NCC Boss

    Etisalat’s Debt Crisis: We Did Not See It Coming – NCC Boss

    The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, admitted yesterday that it never anticipated the daunting challenges thrusted upon the telecom sector this year, particularly the indebtedness of Etisalat Nigeria to a consortium of banks to the tune of 1.2 billion dollars.
    The Commission ,however, said the problem was being managed by concerned regulatory bodies in such a way that Etisalat’s 21 million customers would continue to enjoy its services, while not a single worker would be fired in the company as a result of the crisis.
    The NCC’s  Executive Commissioner in Charge of Stakeholders Management, Mr Sunday Dare, made the remarks at the opeing ceremony of the 80 edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.
    He noted that while the forum was to find answers to various issues agitating the minds of the consumer, the regulatory body has been consistent in its resolve to protect the rights of the consumer in line with international best practices and standards.
    Dare who represented Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC at the forum maintained that the NCC declared this year “The Year of Telecom Consumers” to underscore the fact that if all the initiatives, projects and investments in the telecom sector had met with low consumer patronage, the telecom revolution would have been a failure.
    It is really the investment of the consumer through patronage of services  that has encouraged build out and supported service provision. Thus there is need to celebrate and recognize the consumer as the boss of the industry, Prof Danbatta stated.
    Danbatta further said: ” the commission has taken steps to ensure that the telecommunications sector remain vibrant and has carried out its regulatory functions to ensure that the companies operating in the country are healthy.
    “Where necessary NCC has made interventions to prevent disruptions to consumers experience. In addition, to ensure that licensees in the industry continue to operate as viable business, we have commenced aggressive enforcement of the NCC’s Code of Corporate Governance”.
    Acting Director General of Consumer Protection Council, Akinju Opelola noted that the telecom consumers have become vulnerable due to series of abuses in the sector and urged the regulatory body to enforce necessary penalties for the protection of the consumers.
    She listed invasion of consumers privacy, fraudulent and unstructured services and unsolicited messages as part of the abuses, saying the NCC should ensure the rights of consumers to standard services, value addition, and rights to healthy environment.
  • NCC to license five infrastructure coys in July, says Danbatta

    NCC to license five infrastructure coys in July, says Danbatta

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Sunday it would license the remaining five Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) awaiting permit by July.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, made this known to newsmen at the Tell Communications Ltd. Awards, 2016, held in Lagos.

    The permit allows for the deployment of metropolitan fibre-optic infrastructure and associated transmission equipment on an open access, non-discriminatory and price-regulated basis.

    As outlined by the regulator’s ‘Open Access Next Generation Fibre Optics Broadband Network’ paper, which was published late last year, the InfraCos will be responsible for providing a national broadband network to service providers.

    Danbatta said about 60 companies had applied for the licensing of the remaining zones for InfraCos licenses.

    “This is a massive number and we are about to complete the processes of the licensing of the remaining five InfraCos very soon.

    “And I am talking about July. We will come out with the information about the successful bidders.

    “And those who are successful will be offered the licenses in consistence with the conditions of the regulatory framework of the open-access model that is driving the deployment of broadband infrastructure in the country.’’

    He said InfraCo licenses had been offered to two legal entities: MainOne for Lagos zone and IConnect, a subsidiary of IHS, for the North-Central zone.

    According to him, the regulatory body had been monitoring the progress made so far by the licensed two InfraCos.

    “We are quite happy about the miles so far achieved in the deployment of fibre networks in the Lagos zone.

    “For the North-Central zone, we are not happy and action is being taken to ensure a remedial measure is put in place, in order to speed up deployment in the area,” he said.

    Danbatta said that the licensing of the five companies was the second phase for the deployment of fibre optic infrastructure broadband network.

    He said the InfraCos to be licensed would be for the North-East, North-West, South-South, South-East and South-West zones of the country.

    The executive vice chairman said that the InfraCos, according to the Open Access Model adopted by NCC, would offer fibre penetration available on a non-discriminatory basis to telecommunications operators.

    “The Open Access Model has been examined and found to be an appropriate model for Optic Fibre backbone infrastructure in Nigeria to bridge the current broadband gap and deliver fast, reliable broadband services to households and businesses.’’

  • Nigeria yet to harvest dividends of ICT revolution – NCC

    Nigeria yet to harvest dividends of ICT revolution – NCC

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says Nigeria has yet to acquire the full dividends of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution.

    Danbatta made this known during the 8th Edition of Beacon of Information and Communication Technology (BoICT) Lecture and Awards in Lagos.

    Represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, NCC, Mr Sunday Dare, he said that the ICT revolution had no barriers or frontiers.

    “Nigeria, though already plugged into the ICT ecosystem, is yet to harvest fully the dividends of the ICT revolution sweeping across the world.

    “While our youth have fully embraced ICT, our government, institutions both public and private are still in the process of adopting ICT in their operations and activities. Yet, the future lies in ICT.

    “Nigeria must make deliberate policies that will accelerate ICT penetration.

    “Our educational curricular must integrate ICT at all levels of education and our systems and institutions must be brought into compliance by training and re-training our people,” Danbatta said.

    He said that though government had made some commendable strides in adopting ICT in various aspects of its operations, more systematic and accelerated approach was still needed.

    Danbatta said that ICT had become a one-stop shop for modern tools of development, innovation, employment opportunities and for a smarter world.

    He said that as the world moved towards the Fifth Generation (5G) revolution and the Internet of Things (IoT), Nigeria must embrace fully the opportunities offered by the ICT.

    He said that Nigeria’s ICT initiatives must focus on cyber crimes, cyber security, indigenous software development, digital multimedia platforms, amongst others.

    The convener of BoICT, Mr Ken Nwogbo, said that the lecture aimed at charting the way forward for the ICT sector and put the country on the global ICT map.

    Nwogbo said that the awards were to reward best practices and recognise outstanding contributions to the growth of the sector.

    He said that the awards were given based on merit and designed to reward individuals and firms that had helped make life better for Nigerians.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NCC won the awards of ”Regulator of the Year” and ”Best Use of Social Media”, while it’s Public Affairs Director, Mr Tony Ojobo, won the ”Spokesman of the Year” award.

     

  • NCC plans to extend telecoms services next year

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Friday provisions have been made in its 2017 budget to extend telecommunications services to additional 40 million people across the country.

    The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Dambatta, made this known in Lagos during a sensitization workshop organised by NCC for law enforcement agencies on telecommunications matters.

    Dambatta, represented by the Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the commission had conducted a survey, which identified about 200 communities nationwide with access gap.

    He said through the Universal Service Provision Fund (ISPF) being managed by a department under NCC, 40 million people in these areas would be covered in 2017.

    According to him, the empirical studies have shown correlation between usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social development.

    “As you are aware, the growth witnessed in the telecommunications sector in the last 15 years has been phenomenal by all standards, “the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the NCC chief as saying at the forum.

    “From less than half a million lines on the eve of our democratic revival, today, active connected telephone lines are about 150 million, which has come with a contributing increase in tele-density.

    “Development in other sectors of the economy had been shaped positively and measurably by the potent realities in the telecommunications sectors.

    “We look forward to seeing greater development in the sector, because we are irrevocably committed to full implementation of the National Broadband Plan.”