The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has said that a resilient Telecoms Infrastructure is the key enabler in delivering ICT services.
Danbatta spoke during the virtual forum on Right of Way Reforms and Planning Permits for Masts and Towers in Nigeria organised by the British Government’s Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme in collaboration with Nigerian Communications Commission and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy on Thursday.
Represented by the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, the EVC described the technical conference as apt, as it provided effective solutions to Right of Way challenges amongst other issues confronting the telecoms industry.
Danbatta noted that the input of the conference will assist the Government in further reducing the encumbrances bedevilling ICT infrastructure, especially in the provision and building of resilient fixed Infrastructure in the federation.
“Equally, this event will further assist in our quest to deepen broadband deployment and penetration in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, ubiquitous broadband will propel social and economic development and growth of citizens, as in; local content development and innovations, the proliferation of ICT industries, building digital skills, etc,” he said.
The NCC helmsman disclosed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with the UK Government Prosperity Fund-Nigeria Project, especially on the reformation of the administration of Right of Way (RoW) and planning permits in Nigeria.
“We note, the short, medium, and long-term actions set up in the report and we will work assiduously to their achievement.
“We also, encourage our service providers to appreciate some of the challenges faced by the state government and hope this will enable them to collaborate with the state government to effectively overcome the challenges,” he said.
While thanking the UK Government Prosperity Fund Digital Access Project team for organizing the event, Danbatta commended the robust contributions of all stakeholders and the general support of the UK Government to Nigeria’s digital transformation processes.
“It is a conversation of ideas that will support existing policies and commitment to Broadband for all,” Danbatta noted.
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim (Pantami); the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme Adviser and Country Lead, Idongesit Udo; Governors of Ekiti, Katsina, Sokoto, Imo, Plateau and Kwara were some of the key stakeholders, who participated at the virtual conference.
Other participants include the representatives of state governments; members of the Presidential Committee on Broadband Plan monitoring and implementation; industry and private sector leaders in the tech and telecommunications sector, civil society groups as well as the media.
