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The Executive Vice Chairman Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida has said that the commission is at the forefront of digital technology drive so as to put the domestic economy on the global space.
Dr. Maida said, the NCC remains committed to providing an enabling environment for the building of the critical infrastructure required to power a strong digital economy, guarantee improved access to quality broadband connectivity, and the efficient management of the nation’s spectrum resources.
The NCC EVC who made this remarks on Wednesday at the City Business News Summit/Award, with the theme ‘Repositioning Nigerian Economy: 2023 And Beyond’ said as one major cardinal quess of the current government, the commission is more than ever poised to help deepen growth and development through digital technology.
Represented at the occasion by Mr. Ismail Adedogba, Director Research & Development, said this has further accentuated the NCC reimagining of the sector which is driven by five pillars which are interwoven with each other to deliver on the goal of fostering economic growth and development.
According to him, “these pillars which include policy, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship and capital, trade, and knowledge, are the bedrock of the Strategic Vision Plan (2023 – 2025) and form the guide to channel our efforts to harness the potential of the telecommunications sector and drive positive change in Nigeria.
“The vision is thus to accelerate the growth of Nigeria as a global technical talent hub and a net exporter of talent; to deepen and accelerate our position in global research in key technology areas and raise the complexity and dynamics of our economy by significantly increasing the level of digital literacy across Nigeria. In this regard, the Honorable Minister is looking to create a pipeline of three million technical talents. This program, which has commenced already with over 1 million applications by potential trainees is expected to increase the level of digital and technical skills among Nigerians, especially young and middle-level talents, to 70% by the end of 2027. This will position Nigerians to productively contribute to the economy and place us in the top 25 percentile of research globally in the key areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, and Additive Manufacturing in keeping with the strategic plan unveiled by the Honourable Minister.
“We believe that attaining these targets will increase our pool of technically skilled persons to the global market. With more talents in these areas, we expect that potential employers of digital and technical skills in the international scene will begin to engage more Nigerians.
“The Commission will focus on the continued implementation of the National Policy on Telecommunications, which was revised in 2020. It will regulate the sector to sustain its fast-paced growth and contributions to the national economy while accommodating changes in technology, standards and markets. This is in preparation for moving the country to the next phase of technological advancement.
“In this regard, our goal is to increase the net GDP contribution of the telecommunications sector to 22% of GDP by the end of 2027; increase the annual net revenue of the telecommunications sector to the Federal Government by 100% over the next four years; achieve at least 15% year-on-year increase in investments into the telecommunications sector; achieve a 50% improvement in Quality of Service (QoS) by the end of next year, and reduce the access gap in rural areas to less than 20% by 2027.
“We recognize that the rapid pace of technological advancement is disrupting industries across the globe. Nigeria is no exception. Our vision is rooted in the belief that embracing this disruption and fostering innovation will propel our nation toward sustainable growth, economic diversification, and enhanced living standards for all Nigerians.
“One of the five pillars of the Honorable Minister’s vision for the Digital Economy is INFRASTRUCTURE. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recognizes that economic prosperity is linked to a healthy and robust digital infrastructure. The Nigerian Communications Commission remains committed to providing an enabling environment for the building of the critical infrastructure required to power a strong digital economy, guarantee improved access to quality broadband connectivity, and the efficient management of the nation’s spectrum resources.
“As we work with our supervising Ministry – Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy – to take these steps to provide the enabling environment for repositioning the Nigerian Economy through telecommunications in 2023 and beyond, we call on Nigerians—and especially our compatriots in the media—to tap into the aspects of these interventions that are relevant to them. The ambitious plans we have set out may seem lofty and even incredible, but through strategic partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders, we believe that they are achievable.”
