Danbatta Stirs Telecommunications Industry With 8-Point Agenda

Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, few months after assuming office as the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has released a pointed roadmap to excite the telecommunications industry and attract fresh local and international investment to the sector.

Tagged The 8-Point Agenda, the roadmap is conveniently seated on the 3-A tripod of Availability of service, Accessibility of Service, and Affordability of service. It is informed by the change mantra of the Buhari administration which revolves around an ideological shift in creation of structures for social benefits and inclusiveness for national development.

Captured under broad headlines and followed by Vision and Strategy for implementation, the agenda, according to Danbatta, will catapult the industry to the next level of growth, and create wealth and development for the people who are being encouraged to take advantage of the steady growth and relevance of the telecommunications industry.

Valued at over $32bn at the moment, the Buhari administration expects the sector to play a lead role in its drive for development and a re-focusing of the nation’s economy by way of weaning it from perennial dependence on oil. With oil prices hitting an all-time low in the international market, the agenda has become a timely intervention.

Danbatta is very confident that with this solid Strategic Vision Framework, we shall effectively confront any challenge that comes our way and make a visible contribution to actively facilitate the development of a knowledge-driven, inclusive, globally competitive and prosperous Nigeria.

His 8-Point Agenda to drive the Commission’s vision for the next five years are listed as follows:

1. Facilitate Broadband Penetration
   Vision: Provide and optimize access to and use of affordable fixed and mobile broadband everywhere in Nigeria.
   Strategy: Facilitate and support availability of broadband services by promoting deployment of universally available, fast and reliable network infrastructure that will stimulate seamless broadband penetration to drive technology innovations and overall productivity of the economy.
2. Improve Quality of Service
   Vision: Promote the availability of reliable, interoperable, rapidly restorable critical information and communications technology infrastructure that are supportive of all required services.
   Strategy: Strengthen measures for Quality of Service (QoS) regulation, through improved oversight/internal controls and facilitation of active infrastructure sharing amongst telecoms operators in ways that will encourage seamless adoption of next generation technologies and remove all barriers to smooth operations.
3. Optimize Usage and Benefits of Spectrum
   Vision: Maximize the availability of spectrum in order to provide diverse and affordable ICT services and ensure spectrum acquisition does not distort market competition.
   Strategy: Develop and implement flexible, market-oriented spectrum regulation policies that promote highly efficient use of spectrum in ways that stimulate innovation, investment, and job creation and increased consumer benefits.
4. Promote ICT Innovation and Investment Opportunities
   Vision: Promote ICT innovation in ways that improve the nation’s ability to compete in the global economy, through increased investment in youth and promotion of SMEs for the delivery of new business breakthrough.
   Strategy: Facilitate and support the deployment and use of broadband networks as a platform for economic growth, innovation, job-creation, and global competitiveness by fostering increased strategic support for technology startups and SMEs.
5. Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership
   Vision: Develop effective partnership with relevant stakeholders to foster ICT for sustainable economic development and social advancement.
   Strategy: Foster avenue for synergy with government MDAs, Communities and relevant local and international non-state actors to advance the use of ICT for Development (ICT4Dev) by facilitating and supporting the development, adoption and usage of technology innovations for improvement in Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Security.
6. Protect and Empower Consumers
   Vision: Protect consumers from unfair practices through availability of information and education required to make informed choices in the use of ICT services.
   Strategy: Strengthen initiatives to educate and inform consumers in their use of communications services and act swiftly and consistently whenever necessary in the use of enforcement to protect telecom services consumers’ rights and privileges.
7. Promote Fair Competition and Inclusive growth
   Vision: Ensure a competitive market for communications services that fosters fair inclusion of all actors, in innovative ways that facilitate new investment, job creation and consumer satisfaction.
   Strategy: Foster the assurance of fair competition through regulations that ensure strict compliance to obligations imposed on dominant operators in ways that stimulate the growth and sustainability of smaller players in the Mainstream, Value Added Services and Ancillary services sectors of the telecom service provision ecosystem.
8. Ensure Regulatory Excellence and Operational Efficiency
   Vision: Ensure an effective regulatory framework, efficient processes, strict compliance monitoring and enforcement, efficient management of internal resources and structure, and maintain a commitment to transparency.
   Strategy: Strengthen regulatory and operational systems and processes in ways that make them more result-oriented by further internalizing the Commission’s rules, culture and values, and integrating technology where necessary to improve efficiency, effectiveness and stakeholder satisfaction.

For Danbatta, the telecommunications industry retains a primary placement in the change agenda of the Buhari Administration. He therefore pledged that the Commission under him will always act responsibly, impartially, transparently and independently in the discharge of its statutory functions in order to validate these expectations for the common good of all Nigerians. As published by www.NCC.gov.ng

What I find puzzling is how this 8-point agenda will stir the industry and bring in more investment badly needed in the industry. It lacks specifics, depth and clarity of direction that can promote fresh investment.

The new boss, shows he is a professor in our antique universities that are totally disconnected with the industry, but not being a practitioner himself is also revealed in this 8-point agenda.