By Tunde Abatan
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC has a tall dream.That dream is encapsulated in it’s untiring efforts at ensuring all round development and promotion of the sector for contributing it’s quota to national growth.
Hence,the Professor Umar Danbatta led board has of recent embarked on a multi faceted development programme aimed at lifting the sector and making it one of the cash cows of the country besides the oil sector.
As part of this, the NCC has initiated a competition among Nigerian undergraduates in the nations institution of higher learning for NCC’s 2021 National Essay Competition.
This It stated is part of it’s efforts to stimulate learning and growth in the nations education sector.The entry closes on Friday July 30.
Danbatta, chairman, NCC
Stimulating Research in institutions to grow domestic technology:
Another strategic area for NCC intervention is the desire to encourage local inventors on technology in the telecommunication sector among the nations scholars.
This, the Danbatta led board believes will enhance the contribution of the sector to national development especially in view of need to conserve foreign exchange needed to service the ever dynamic sector.
On this score,the research is meant to focus on breaking new grounds in 5G
Technology, Others.
This poses a direct challenge to scholars and researchers in the various faculties of technology in the institutions of higher learning to put their theories to practice and fill the technology gap and meet up with developed economies which are already miles ahead in deployment of the 5G which is the latest in the telecommunication sector.
The initiative is in conformity with it’s regulatory role in the communications industry, is to change the narrative of research papers on innovation gathering dust in the various institutions of higher learning in the country.
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Another core area which the NCC has intervened and in which it is poised to change the narrative among other agencies of government is the the floating of Nigeria Security Incidence Report Team,NSIRT.
This scheme is aimed at securing nation’s cyberspace.
In this regard, the NCC has commenced work with all stakeholders to ensure a secure cyberspace that is safe for the operators and consumers of communications services and infrastructure in Nigeria.
The following details the news, structures, projects and activities being undertaken by the Commission to secure achieve the stated objective.
Projects &
Activities
CyberSecurity
Resources
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CSIRT
Polls &
Surveys
Projects & Activities
National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM)
This initiative is coming at a time when the Month of October is the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
This is observed annually and focuses on raising awareness about Cyber security, providing the public with general knowledge and tools to help them keep safe when on the Internet.
Educating consumers on online safety, through awareness and sensitization campaigns, empowers them by making them aware of both the positive and negative potentials available online and measures to take in safeguarding themselves.
In this regard,the NCC has established a CSIRT for the telecommunication industry.
The NCC CSIRT will provide its constituency with services and support surrounding the prevention and management of potential cyber security related emergencies.
The Overall function of the NCC CSIRT will be to responding to computer security incidents to regain control and minimize damage, providing or assisting with effective incident response and recovery and inhibiting computer security incidents.
The strategy is such that the NCC CSIRT Team will collaborate with the National CSIRT (ngCERT) at the office of the National Security Adviser.
Development of Local Content in Telecommunications:
The Danbatta led NCC has expressed the resolve of the commission to key into federal government promotion of local content for various sectors of the national economy among which is the telecommunications sector.
The aspect of it’s innovation is being powered by its NODTIS team.
Led by Engineer Babagana Digima,who represented Dambatta , unfolded the key policy thrust of the commission while delivering a keynote address at the Virtual Maiden Edition of Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (Piafo-001) on National Policy for Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector.
According to him, the policy will enable the Commission to deliver on the stipulated targets in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025.
Towards achieving this goal, the NCC has developed a licensing framework to enable infrastructure companies (INFRACOs) roll out optical fibre cables for communications in the 774 Local Government Areas that make-up the Federation.
Professor Danbatta said the Commission also ensures full utilization of spectrum for deployment of services through Re-farming, Re-planning and Auctioning.
Said he, “As we are all aware, the Federal Government has put in place very robust policy and legal framework for local content within the oil and gas sector.
According to NCC helmsman,” the advent of local content in the Nigerian Telecoms sector is probably as old as the Nigerian telecoms revolution itself adding that the National Telecommunications Policy posited that the domestic production of telecommunications hardware and software is desirable for national development. It further states that, Government shall encourage domestic production of telecommunications equipment, components and software to meet local and export demands.”
“With the constitution of the NODITS, the industry should expect new Guidelines and Regulations bothering on indigenous content, local manufacturing of telecom equipment, outsourcing of services, construction and lease of telecoms ducts, succession planning in the telecoms sector, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, etc. as the need arises”, said .
Towards achieving this goal,the NCC has already constituted a standing licensing review committee that is currently examining all its licenses.
This is being done not only to reflect the current realities of technology and development but also to consolidate, bundle or un-bundle individual licenses or even create new licenses.
The NCC noted that this novel approach is in realization of the need to key into President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, policies when he recently unfolded the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecom Sector.
The Policy (a.k.a NPPIC) seeks to accelerate the pace of indigenous digital capacity development and thereby enhance national competitiveness and prosperity for indigenous/local players in Nigeria.
Towards this goal, Departments within the Commission are equally saddled with responsibilities that help to inculcate indigenous participation in the telecom sector.
Said he,“Efforts being made by the Research & Development and Licensing Departments are worthy of mention in that regard. Under the auspices of the Research & Development Department, the Commission has sponsored research efforts in several universities across the country.
“Notable areas of research conducted include Development of All Weather Solar Systems For Energy Optimization in a Mobile Communications Base Stations (at Ekiti State University of Technology); Design and Fabrication of Meta-material Inspired UWB/MIMO Antenna for the 5G-Sub 6GHz Application (at Taraba State University); and “Intelligent Autonomous Multi-UAVs (Multiple Drones) Swarm Monitoring for Effective Surveillance and Situation Awareness in the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry (at Gombe State University),” he disclosed.
He expressed the readiness of the commission for ” Nigerians to play a major role in the design and manufacture of devices, in meeting the manpower requirements and in becoming an active part of the telecommunications ecosystem of the country.”
Through this activities, the Commission was seeking to identify with and harness local resources in Nigerian institutions of learning for the benefit of the industry. The NCC is vigorously promoting local investment in digital infrastructure and competition in the provision of accessible high speed broadband infrastructure. This will in turn enable the Commission to deliver on the stipulated targets in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025. Towards achieving the mandate, the Commission has developed a licensing framework to enable infrastructure companies (INFRACOs) roll out optical fibre cables for communications in the 774 Local Government Areas that make-up the Federation. The Commission also ensures full utilization of spectrum for deployment of services through Re-farming, Re-planning and Auctioning.
Judicial backup and legal framework to deter and punish vandals who inflicted damage to Telecommunication infrastructure facilities:
Not unaware of the various damages and infractions to telecommunications infrastructures in the country and lack of requisite detergent and punishment fir vandals,the NCC mindful of the discouragement of investors also initiated the putting up of legal framework in the industry to render quick dispensation of justice to vandals arrested so as to protect investments.
Danbatta said this initiative is to stem the damage and theft of infrastructures which are inimical to the progress of the sector; and we appreciate the ways and manners such criminal cases are being dispensed by the judiciary.
This is a testimony to the kind cooperation NCC has been enjoying from the judiciary,” he observed.
To reassure investors confidence, Danbatta, said the commission will never fold its arms while unscrupulous citizens cause havoc on telecommunications infrastructure since that affects the quality of service innocent citizens enjoy.
To give legal teeth to this task of punitive measures,the NCC also organized a NCC Judges Workshop held in Abuja, which was an initiative of the Commission to continuously collaborate with members of the judicial arm of government through updating them with the trends and regulatory dynamism of the sector with a view to improving their knowledge for effective dispensation of justice.
Setting up of Digital Literacy Training For Youths:
Another area where the NCC is intervening to broaden the scope of it’s participation and uplifting of the telecommunications sector is setting up if Digital Training Institute for Youths. This involved the training of youths at different centres in the country in order to support federal government’s efforts at reducing unemployment among youths.
Through this programme youths who go through the training to be concluded I’m all the various geopolitical zones in the country is to put their digital skills and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to appropriate and legitimate use.
The youths who participated in the zonal trainings are expected to help in their own way to complement the commissions efforts.
At the closing ceremony of the NCC’s Digital Literacy Training for the North-West held at the Kano Campus of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).Danbatta challenged the youths to live up to expectations of the opportunity.
Said he, “The training has provided for you, useful skills, which you have acquired to earn a living for yourself without necessarily relying on government to give you a job.
It is our hope at NCC that you will apply the skills appropriately and impact on your friends and associates. I also urge you to resist the temptations to sell the laptops and other IT tools you are going to be provided with,”
The NCC helmsman commended President Muhamamdu Buhari; Dr. Isa Pantami, the supervising minister of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Governing Board of the Commission for the implementation of the digital capacity-building initiative, describing the scheme as an important intervention approved by the Federal Government to make more Nigerian youths self-reliant.
“We, therefore, express our profound appreciation to the President and to our Ministry for making this particular training, which is a practical demonstration of one of the important pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030, possible,” he pointed out.
He contended that the Federal Government’s policy in this direction is aimed at lifting Nigerians, particularly the youths, out of poverty, stressing that to achieve this, there was a need to impact skills to the youths who will, in turn, use the skills for self-employment.
“It is consistent with this important policy of President Muhammadu Buhari that the Board of the NCC, two years ago, set up a committee of experts chaired by the former EVC of the Commission, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, to develop modalities and syllabus for the digital training of youths across the six geo-political zones of the country,” he explained.
According to him, the implementation of the recommendations of the committee of experts, as approved by the government, gave rise to the training, which targets 1,000 Nigerian youths to be digitally trained for self-employment.
Earlier, the President of DBI, Prof. Muhammad Ajiya, who praised Prof Dabatta for his untiring efforts to ensure the implementation of the Federal Government’s policy, said the various modules of the digital, moral and leadership skills given to the youths during the course of the training will go a long way in making the beneficiaries earn a living and be self-reliant.
Participants also expressed appreciation to the Commission for the digital skills acquisition and empowerment programme.
The training, a brainchild of the Commission, which was aimed at implementing the Federal Government’s policy to lift Nigerians out of poverty, held for two weeks across each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
Across the zones, the youth were not only trained by subject-matter experts in ICT but were also given laptops, Internet Mi-Fi, financial support and certificates certifying the digital skills.
There is no doubt that the NCC is living up to its biking and laying down an enduring framework to develop the telecommunications sector and make it compliant with the 21st century challenge .
