Emmanuel OchayiProfessor Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has emphasised the crucial role of sustainable financing and fair taxation in driving the growth of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Danbatta, who spoke at the 18th Abuja International Trade Fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), highlighted the telecom sector’s pivotal role in the digital economy and called for taxation practices that foster innovation without stifling growth.
He revealed that active mobile subscriptions had reached 220.7 million, with 45.57 per cent broadband penetration in August 2023, and urged businesses to acquire digital skills for global competitiveness.
“In Nigeria today, the number of active mobile subscriptions reached 220,715,961 million as at August 2023, while Teledensity stood at 115.63 per cent at the same period. Also, the number of active Internet subscribers was 159,034,717 Million with broadband penetration at 45.57 per cent as at August, 2023,” Prof. Danbatta stated.
The NCC CEO also touched on the ongoing deployment of 5G networks, and assured improved consumer experiences. He invited the participants at the fair to visit the NCC’s exhibition stand for further insights and concluded with the NCC’s commitment to digital transformation through balanced financing and taxation.
“As you may be aware, the NCC is driving initiatives for the full deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria. Already, 5G spectrum licenses have been issued to companies for rollout. It is important to state that the 5G network will bring substantial network improvements, including higher connection speed, mobility and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities to communications services in Nigeria,” he assured.
Also speaking, Mallam Alkasim A. Umar, Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau in NCC, emphasized the commission’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of Telecom consumers and ensuring fair competition with the telecommunications industry.
Mallam Alkasim A. Umar outlined the critical role of the NCC in overseeing telecommunications services in Nigeria.
He stressed the importance of sustainable financing and taxation to ensure the industry’s long-term viability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
He said: “As a regulator of the telecommunications sector in the country, the Commission carries out its functions to ensure service availability, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability for all categories of consumers, who are leveraging ICT/Telecoms to drive personal and business activities.”
The Director reiterated the NCC’s dedication to its “Protect, Inform, and Educate” (PIE) mandate, which includes several consumer-centric initiatives. These initiatives encompass consumer education outreach programs, a comprehensive complaints management system, the introduction of the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) shortcode, Mobile Number Portability (MNP), and partnerships with law enforcement agencies to safeguard telecom infrastructure.
Mallam Alkasim A. Umar also reiterated the NCC’s campaign against the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards and the importance of the National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM linkage to enhance national security.
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Furthermore, the Director announced directives on data plan rollovers, enabling consumers to retain unused data when renewing their plans within specified time frames.
He also highlighted the introduction of harmonized short codes to enhance the quality of consumer experience across all mobile networks.
As the “NCC Special Day” unfolded at the Abuja International Trade Fair, Mallam Alkasim A. Umar encouraged attendees to visit the NCC Pavilion on the exhibition grounds to learn more about the Commission’s activities and engage with representatives of service providers to address any network-related concerns.
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