By Daniel Tyokua
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said plans to strengthen telecommunication sector under President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda will be revealed to Nigerians by the end of January, 2024.
Executive Vice chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida disclosed this during a meeting with the leadership of Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) in Abuja.
He said part of the blueprint for 2024 will be how to improve quality of service by telcos and solutions to the Right of Way, RoW challenge for operators.
Maida explained that the Subscribers Identification Modules linkage to the National Identity Number Policy will improve and secure digital services in the country’s telecoms industry.
He sought more support from the media to enhance development of the sector.
Maida said: “The strategy the minister of Communications and Digital Economy put forward was very clear regarding policy direction, and we have to try to achieve it. We also need to ensure we are telling the story fairly and simply, whether to the man on the street or internationally; I see you being very critical in telling that story.
“Be assured that our guiding principle is the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Strategic Roadmap set out by the Minister, and of course, there are some aspects that are specific to us that we will add to that.
“At the end of January, we will be releasing our Strategic Plan for the NCC and, by and large, for the industry in line with the RHA.But there are also areas we have started work.
“We need to change the narrative about the RoW, moving away from saying it is about the charge to opening up and allowing infrastructure to be there and see what can happen, like in Edo, Kaduna.
“Again, we are trying to push forward the work started by our predecessors to link NIN to SIM. Although we are being pragmatic in dealing with the challenges, the job must be completed because the benefits far outweigh the pains.
“Today, if we can tie everybody to an identity, other sectors have similar identities, like banks, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Federal Road Safety Corp, FRSC. Bringing it all together to NIN gives us a foundation whereby a lot of digital services can be built, and there is a security aspect as well because we know our challenges.
“I think we need to focus on the fact that we need to do this as a nation; we are not doing it to cause pain; we are doing it so that the economy can grow; there is so much in our Plan”
In his remarks, the president NITRA, Abuja Chapter, Blessing Olaifa commended Maida for hitting the ground running upon the assumption of office.
“With your appointment, we are confident you have the capacity and competence to drive this institution to greater heights.
“The telecom institution is growing very fast, not only in Nigeria but across the globe.
“We believe you will build on the performance of your predecessor”, he said.
The NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Engagement, Barr Adeleke Adewolu, The Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, Engr Ubale Maska and the Director of Public Affairs, Dr Reuben Muoka, took turns commending media’s contribution to the telecoms sector development.
