Akande, Danbatta set to reposition NCC for telecoms industry growth

LAGOS, Nigeria – As the three-day 2021 Board and Management Retreat (BMR) organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) comes to a close, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has re-emphasised the confidence of Management in the continuous support of its Board of Commissioners towards actualising the set targets and goals for advancing the growth of the telecoms industry.

 On the heels of Danbatta’s declaration came a pledge by Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akanade, ‘to go to the drawing table’ in ensuring the Commission is well positioned to deliver on its mandates. The Chairman promised that the Board will work on issues that will help strengthen the regulator to deliver more effectively on its mandates.

 Speaking at the wrap-up ceremony of the Retreat, which started on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja and ended on Saturday, November 13, 2021. Danbatta expressed confidence in the leadership of the Board of the Commission, noting that the support of the Board has been invaluable in the accomplishments of the Commission.

According to Danbatta, “I must commend the Board of Commissioners under the chairmanship of Prof. Adeolu Akande for their support. From the first day of assuming office as NCC Chairman, Prof. Akande has demonstrated his commitment to work with the management towards ensuring that NCC delivers its functions more efficiently and effectively.”

Danbatta stated that, as an effective, efficient and independent regulatory agency of the Federal Government, the NCC has been consistent in living up to stakeholder expectations and this is seen in the contribution of the telecom sector to the national economy.

“Without the staunch support of the Board for the Management’s vision and mission, it would have been difficult for us to achieve our goals. Therefore, I commend the Board for providing the necessary policy directions required to drive management’s daily activities,” Danbatta said.

Danbatta also appreciated the effective coordination of the 2021 BMR by the retreat consultants led by Prof. Pat Utomi, in ensuring effective facilitation of proceedings, deliberations and brainstorming sessions at the retreat.

With the theme: ‘Expect More, Deliver Result’, this year’s strategic annual retreat of the Commission’s Board and Management, was attended in-person and virtually by Board members and Senior Management Staff of the Commission.

The retreat follows the unveiling of two key documents – the Strategic Management Plan (SMP), 2020-2024, and the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP), 2021-2025. The SVP is a streamlined version of the SMP, and the SMP took life out of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) and the Federation Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

The SVP, which has five central vision, also has three supporting documents, namely: implementation strategies and timelines; monitoring and evaluation framework; and implementation responsibility matrix. The objective of the SVP is to enhance regulatory focus and efficiency in the delivery of NCC’s mandate.

Within this context, the Commission has focused this year’s retreat on taking account of remarkable successes recorded in the last one year and how the Commission hopes to innovate its way toward addressing industry challenges militating the consolidation of the growth of telecommunications sector.

 At the end of the three-day retreat, an eight-point communique was read out as a synthesis of all the deliberations for submission to NCC Board and Management to guide the regulatory activities of the Commission over the next one year. Implementation of the communique is expected to birth a new lease of expectations and dedication towards making 2022 a more rewarding year of  innovation and growth for the telecom industry.

Over the years the NCC, as a world-class regulatory agency, has held annual Board and Management retreats, affording it the opportunity to rejig its culture, processes and strategic objectives for enhanced operational efficiency and regulatory excellence.