The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has restated its commitment to enhancing the benefits of digital economy for the benefits of the country.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, said this as the NCC recently won double awards at the 2022 Tech Innovation Awards (TIA).
The telecom regulator was named ‘The Innovative Telecom Regulator of the Year’ at the 6th edition of the annual awards which took place in Lagos.
Danbatta, who was honoured with the Telecom Industry Leader Award at the event, assured that the NCC would ensure that it brings full benefits of the digital economy to Nigerians for the overall development of the country.
This was contained in a press release by the NCC Director, Public Affairs, Mr Reuben Muoka, who received the two awards on behalf of the NCC and Danbatta.
Danbatta said the NCC leadership is committed to the implementation of progressive policies, plans, strategies, and regulatory initiatives to ensure continuous development of the Nigerian digital economy for the benefits of Nigerians.
According to him, among several government policies and strategies on digital economy which the NCC has continued to vigorously drive, include the implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP), 2020-2025, through which Broadband penetration has hit 44.5 per cent.
He added that the commitment included the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030, both of which have been streamlined in the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 and the Strategic Vision Plan 2021-2025.
Danbatta dedicated the awards to the staff of the Commission who are working tirelessly to ensure that the internal processes for effective regulation run smoothly.
He promised even deeper commitment to advancing the frontier of digital connectivity in all nooks and crannies of the country.
“Great leadership usually starts with a willing team, a positive attitude and a desire to make a difference.
“Our team at NCC has been relentless to see that the Commission’s strategic objectives, as enshrined in the SMP 2020-2024, and other extant policies bring the benefits of a digitised economy to the citizens of Nigeria.
“These wonderful staff, who are my foot soldiers, are tirelessly working to improve stakeholder collaboration, promote innovative regulatory services, and improve communication’s resource and project management.
These awards prove that our efforts are visible and appreciated,” Mouka said on behalf of the NCC Executive Vice Chairman.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of InstinctWave, organisers of the annual awards, Akin Naphtal, said the two awards went the way of the Commission in recognition of its leadership finesse.
This quality, he said, has helped in innovatively fulfilling the promise by the NCC to promote a connected environment of endless opportunities.
Naphtal said the annual awards, the Nigerian tech ecosystem’s equivalent of Oscar, sets the highest industry standard for honouring organisations and individuals in the telecom and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Africa.
He added that the awards also recognise innovative individuals and organisations at the forefront of digitisation that is taking place in Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem and beyond.
