Airtel, Other Telecoms Stakeholders Fete NCC Boss, Danbatta

Airtel Nigeria at the weekend joined other members of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in hosting a special reception in honour of Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman (EVC)/chief executive officer of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The event which held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, provided an opportunity for players in the industry to spotlight some of the challenges confronting telecoms services and its providers in Nigeria.

Speaking at the reception, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, Airtel’s CEO urged the Federal Government to grant Nigeria Telecoms industry more access to foreign exchange as the subsector contributes over 10% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the nation’s economy.

He told Danbatta that, as the head of telecoms apex regulator, “you are sitting on the industry that contribute 10% GDP. Use it as bargaining chip with government for more foreign exchange access for telecoms.”

He argued that every equipment that powers the industry is imported and to import operators require hard currency.

Ogunsanya added that the subsector that is a major driver of the economy is plagued with scarcity of foreign currency.

Ogunsanya challenged NCC Chief to use his position to influence the authorities to grant telecoms service providers more foreign currency.

Speaking at the event well attended by crème de crème of stakeholders in the industry, Mr. Olusola Teniola, president of ATCON, disclosed that the strategic reasons to specifically welcome Danbatta to the industry focused on, “offering Professor Umar Danbatta, EVC, NCC, the opportunity to share his plan for the industry with the relevant stakeholders; to give the industry the opportunity to meet with him and share some of the challenges that are impacting negatively on the telecom industry in Nigeria, and to formally to introduce the EVC to captains of the industry.

Teniola said that the Association and its esteemed members are aware that the EVC’s appointment was based on his pedigree as a thorough-bred professional with sterling leadership quality.

“We are confident that you are equal to the task ahead. Our Association, which is the umbrella body for all telecoms company operating in Nigeria is glad to welcome you and wish you a very successful tenure. We pledge our commitment to work with you and the Commission to sustain the growth and development of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria”.

“ATCON,” Teniola said, “is interested in the continuous development of the sector, but there are some issues that have constituted a threat to investment friendly and enabling environment for our members such as: national broadband plan-implementation; approval of draft national ICT policy; foreign exchange impact viz-a-viz network roll-out; proposed 9% communications tax Bill; local content within ICT sector, and dumping of counterfeit phone. We need anti-counterfeiting measures”.

He said that the sixth point, dumping of counterfeit phone, is a new growing problem for the industry hence ATCON pleads with the ‎Government to put in place anti-counterfeiting measures such as the facilitation of integrated Web portal based IMEI-IMSI collection to stem the menace of substandard or unregistered mobile phones circulating in Nigeria with obvious consequences of poor quality of service, loss of revenue to the government, loss of business by OEMs‎ and loss of jobs as well as in revenue to the Nigeria mobile market.

"For instance, we have more than twenty mobile phone brands that do not have NCC type approved certificate to operate in Nigeria. These unregistered/unapproved brands have over one hundred and fifty mobile phone models circulating in Nigeria

Responding on the honour done on him, Professor Umar Danbatta thanked the industry stakeholders led by ATCON for making out time to honour him and NCC for their efforts to address quantum of challenges in the sector.

He said that one year after he assumed office, NCC has vigorously followed critical measures to achieve its mandate tied to the eight-point agenda the Commission unveiled earlier in the year.

He said that the Commission has put in place various strategies that will enable it become a responsive, world-class communications regulatory organization that promotes a market driven communications industry that fosters universal access to Information and Communications Technology for all Nigerians.

He said that on whole, the essence of the 8-point agenda is to promote innovation, investment, competition, and consumer empowerment in and on top of the communications platforms of today and the future – maximizing the power of information and communications technology to grow our economy, create jobs and enhance national competitiveness through the deployment of broadband infrastructure to facilitate rollout of broadband services that will hold out opportunities and higher network quality of service for all Nigerians.

He pledged NCC’s commitment to aiding industry growth my engaging critical stakeholders at Federal, States and Local Governments levels to foster cordial relationship for the protection of critical telecom assets and provisioning of better business climate.

The Senate in November 2015 confirmed Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta as Executive Vice Chairman (EVC and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).