The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, was warmly welcomed by industry players at a special reception hosted by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Lagos.
The event, held at the weekend, served as a platform for ATCON to introduce Maida to industry leaders and showcase the Association‘s role in the Nigerian telecom sector.
ATCON president, Mr. Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, emphasized the Association‘s commitment to working with the NCC, highlighting ATCON‘s longstanding role in representing industry interest and facilitating dialogue between regulators and operators.
“It is our tradition to host all key stakeholders and we believe that the EVC of NCC is a major stakeholder in our industry. We do this from time to time and we are very privileged and honored to have Maida here in our presence. We pledge to continue to work with the Commission as we have done in the past,“ Emoekpere affirmed.
We have been in existence for over 30 years and the Association is made up of all critical players in the ICT sector,“ stated the president of ATCON. “In fact, we have more than 200 members enrolled, and we are leading the industry in performance. We are only using this gathering as a means of relaxing as we welcome EVC to the business and introduce him to important figures.“
ATCON’s members commit
In the same manner, members of ATCON have publicly declared their support for Maida’s administration. For instance, the CEO, Open Access Data Centers, Dr Ayotunde Coker, averred that Maida’s agenda are structured in a way that will position the industry for significant growth, adding that there are huge opportunities in the industry. He urged players to take the bull by the horn, by building on the opportunities in the sector.
Coker assured the EVC of his full support to his leadership, adding that, “As we journey together under your celebrated regulatory leadership, we wish you all the best and your team in everything you do.”
“Though, there are many challenges in the industry, but I trust that with the new leadership at NCC and with the cooperative arms that we have been seeing over time, we will be able to get through the challenges in a short period of time,” the managing director, VDT Communications, Mr Biodun Omoniyi added.
Maida has given tech companies a platform to impact the lives of Nigerians, the MD/CEO TECNO Mobile, Mr Chidi Okonkwo asserted, adding that, “We have provided smartphones that have impacted the lives of Nigerians and we will continue to provide affordable devices to all citizens of this great country. I want to welcome you and say a very big thank you. We look forward to getting more support from you and the industry advocacy group.”
The MD/CEO, MainOne, Miss Funke Opeke, said ATCON has been an important platform for the telecoms industry, as it has built a big tent, while commending NCC’s boss for all the initiatives that he has put in place since he took office last year. “We know that this engagement will be a fruitful one, building the relationship between ATCON and your administration and that we would look for strategies and outcomes that will benefit the industry and indeed all Nigerians,” she added.
The MD/CEO, Net Access Systems Limited, Mr Lekan Balogun, also expressed confidence in Maida’s administration in ensuring that all Nigerians are connected to the internet. “This is crucial because, i spoke with some startups – about 10 of them and these are young folks who are using different services and different applications to run things. All they wanted is connectivity for their customers. EVC, you have a golden and great opportunity in your hand in changing and transforming our nation even at a time like this. You are going to find people depending more and more on connectivity to expand their businesses. I really want to thank you for your leadership and the support that you have given to us so far. I must commend everyone for coming tonight to celebrate with the EVC,” he added.
Chief strategy/executive officer at Zoracom Communications, Mr John Nwachukwu added, “I really appreciate your leadership as the EVC because we have seen that NCC has been a progressive government agency that each of us have benefited from. We hope you will continue to come up with policies that help us to also innovate and also be empowered.”
The MD/CEO, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, IXPN, Mr Muhammed Rudman asserted, “You are a silent achiever and you have an excellent team around you. We are happy to have you as our EVC and we are reaffirming our commitment to supporting you in any way possible.”
“They say that some people are born great, some achieve greatness and others have greatness entrusted upon them. You are controlling 14 percent of the GDP of Nigeria. The country has put this whole industry under your leadership. You started very well by meeting with critical stakeholders in the industry. Please keep it up,” the MD/CEO, Liquid Intelligence Technology Limited, Mr Wole Abu stated.
Reaffirming commitment to boosting sector’s growth
In his response, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has assured stakeholders of the commission‘s commitment to working collaboratively to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
While acknowledging the difficulties facing the industry, the EVC stressed the Commission‘s commitment to resolving these issues. „I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you,“ he stated. „I want to reassure you that the Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, along with the Commission, take the difficulties you confront in the field extremely seriously. We are working diligently to develop the right policies that ensure the long-term sustainability of this vital sector.“
He highlighted the telecommunication industry‘s significant contribution to the Nigerian economy, stating, „The telecommunications industry is a major contributor to Nigeria‘s GDP, currently at 14 pet cent. But, we believe we can push it even further, aiming for a 25 per cent contribution. The President himself recognizes the critical role digital infrastructure plays in our nation‘s future.“
The EVC also underscored the importance of striking a balance between the interests of the industry and consumers. „As regulators, we understand we have a responsibility to both the industry and the consumers,“ he explained. „It is about finding the right balance so everyone gets a fair deal.“
Reacting to the need to boost connectivity in the country, the NCC boss also noted that the Commission and the stakeholders have work to do to boost connectivity in the country. According to him, although Nigeria has close to 200 million connected lines, more than half of them are still on 2G.
Recall that data from the Commission’s website showed that out of the 219 million active subscriptions recorded in March this year, 56.97 per cent of them were on 2G, while only 32.74 per cent were on 4G.
“There is a lot of work to be done, especially in addressing challenges faced by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for long-term sustainability. I think even the president realizes the importance of the digital infrastructure to the future of Nigeria for this great nation,” Maida said.
He concluded his remarks by expressing his appreciation for the industry‘s collaboration and commitment. „Let‘s continue these frank and candid conversations in a respectful manner, fostering a true partnership that leads to a better future for the Nigerian telecom industry,“ he said.V
