The Federal Government has been commended for its policies on telecoms and commitment to providing leadership and guide for industry growth.
The commendations came from cross section of participants at the ongoing 10th edition of the National Council on Communications and Digital Economy, which commenced at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Among those who applauded the Federal Government’s vision for the sector are the Secretary to Oyo State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun, who represented Governor Seyi Makinde and the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/NCC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta.
The commendations followed the listing of about 20 policies by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, aimed at promoting different areas of the digital economy.
These included the flagship National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020 – 2030 and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025 – all of which he said have started to yield concrete, positive results for the economy.
Pantami said recent assessments by the Foreign Development and Commonwealth Office (FDCO) and the KPMG Consulting adjudged the communications and digital economy sector as the best-performing sector in Nigeria.
He noted that the assessments were based on eight key priority areas, one of which was in revenue generation, where the sector has raised government revenue profile by 594 per cent.
Emphasising the centrality of digital innovation and digital entrepreneurship to a robust digital economy, the minister commended the participants for the quality of evaluation, recommendations, and criticisms that attended the memoranda presented at the Council.
Pantami urged the media to give the best coverage to the communique to be issued after the meeting and enjoined professionals in the media systems of communication to note specific recommendations and the corresponding role of each stakeholder in the implementation of each item in the communique.
Board Chairman, Digital Bridge Institute, Rt. Honourable Olusegun Gbeleyi (left); Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta (centre); and Chief Research Adviser to Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Sahalu Junaidu, during a visit to the Office of the Governor of Oyo State.
The minister announced that 110 memoranda and recommendations were presented to the Council, out of which 67 were approved for implementation.
The remaining 43 recommendations, he said, are to be reconsidered in the next meeting of the Council.
Pantami thanked the Oyo State government and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Dr. Lekan Ishola Balogun, Alliwo Okunmade II, for receiving him and his team on courtesy visits he earlier paid to the Governor’s Office the Palace.
In his goodwill message, EVC of NCC, Danbatta, praised the minister for his impeccable supervisory role as the leader of the sector.
Danbatta also praised the Federal Government for its policies on the telecoms industry and for being the most revolutionary administration in terms of commitment to the utilisation of digital resources for the growth of individuals, businesses and the national economy.
These, he said, the Federal Government demonstrated through design of policies to achieve concrete, measurable and remarkable deployment of cutting-edge technological applications.
On behalf of the Board and Management of NCC, Danbatta thanked participants for their attendance and active participation, which, he said, attested to the importance they all attached to the promotion of digital economy and culture.
The EVC said the participants’ commitment to government’s digital economy agenda has been well demonstrated in the methodical review of the recommendations of the ninth Council meeting, objective identification of achievements, and the frank approach taken to chart the path towards future goals and expectations.
Danbatta promised that “NCC remains committed to supporting all policies, strategies, plans and initiatives that promote the provision of modern, universal, efficient, reliable, affordable and easily accessible communications services and give the widest range throughout Nigeria.”
He also emphasised that it was in demonstration of its commitment that the Commission undertook a timely release of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band for the deployment of 5G services.
This, he said, was to ensure that Nigerian citizens, businesses, public institutions and other stakeholders are enabled with requisite infrastructure to engage in the emergent digital economy and culture.
