By Angela Nkwocha
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, has said that the new Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will be a pedestal to drive the implementation of the Federal Government’s digital economy vision.
Pantami stated this during the virtual launch of the NCC’s five-year strategy plan in Abuja which was attended by few invited officials from the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission, other sister parastatals under the Ministry as well as critical stakeholders in the telecoms sector, who joined the launch virtually in compliance with the Federal Government’s directives on social distancing.
According to him, the launch of the SMP demonstrated the Commission’s serious improvement in performance matrix and its efforts in accelerating the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020 – 2025 of the Federal Government.
“I feel very excited for the fact that there is a serious improvement in the performance of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The launch of this SMP 2020 – 2024 is a clear indication of that. When a parastatal is performing, it will create an innovative idea on how to be more successful. When a parastatal is not performing, you will not hear anything on how to implement policies and come up with different strategies and plans,” he said.
He averred that despite the enhanced performance of NCC, there is a need for the Commission to redouble its efforts.
“We need to challenge and ridicule our previous successes by setting new records through the implementation of this SMP 2020 – 2024. The NCC Management must ensure effective implementation of this SMP,” he added.
Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the SMP is the fulcrum that will aid the NCC in driving its telecom regulatory mandate in the fast evolving telecoms industry, in the next five years.
He said it will serve as a roadmap for the future of the Nigerian telecoms sector, taking into consideration the current and emerging trends in the industry and the numerous expectations of the diverse Stakeholders.
“The Federal Government’s economic diversification plans are focused on a robust digital economy, which will improve employment generation, as well as encourage innovation. This was prime in our minds during the formulation of the SMP.
“We have invested great time and effort in ensuring that this document is pragmatic, and I am very confident and excited in its completeness to successfully guide the Commission in achieving the set objectives. We are committed to the implementation of this SMP,” the EVC said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Communications, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu who was represented by Distinguished Senator Obinna Agbo, praised the Commission for its exemplary performance and averred that the new SMP 2020 – 2024 would ensure the Commission is on course to deliver on the mandate of the Federal Government for a digital economy. Distinguished Senator Tinubu wished the Commission success in implementing the Plan.
In his goodwill message, President of the National Executive Council of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Olusola Teniola pledged support of the association for the realization of set targets in the Strategic Master Plan 2020–2024 designed by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).
“We congratulate Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC and the management of NCC. ATCON pledges to work with NCC in order to realize the listed deliverables of the plan for Nigeria and the generality of the people of our great country,” Teniola said.
