The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has commended the Swedish Government and Ericsson for their sustained strategic partnership with the commission on capacity building which has helped in strengthening the Commission’s regulatory activities.
Expressing the commission’s appreciation to the Swedish government and the ICT company at a workshop jointly organised by NCC and its Swedish partners within the framework of the Swedish Programme for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Developing and Emerging Regions (SPIDER), Danbatta spoke on the significant strides made by NCC in the field of ICT in recent years.
He explained that the workshop demonstrated the vital role the NCC, as a regulator, had been playing in the West African sub-region and its objective of adapting to the ever-evolving dynamics of the telecommunications sector.
The NCC’s boss reiterated the enduring commitment of the Swedish Government and SPIDER to the cause of ICT development in emerging regions and acknowledged their roles in improving access to healthcare, education, income generation, and employment opportunities in West Africa, thereby contributing to poverty reduction.
The EVC expatiated: “This periodic strategic engagement under the auspices of SPIDER over the years has made the Commission a more effective regulator and enhanced it contribution to the development of the telecommunications sector. This contribution will further support the creation of an ecosystem that is beneficial to the economies and people of the region.”
In her speech, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs. Annika Hahn, highlighted the significance of ICT regulation and capacity building as key drivers for economic development and social progress.
She also commended the NCC for hosting the event and fostering collaboration between the two nations, harping on the pivotal role ICT has played in Sweden’s economic growth being the birthplace of Ericsson, one of the world’s oldest and largest ICT companies.
Speaking on the global technological revolution and its potential to catalyze industrial and economic development, the envoy spoke on the need for modern and adaptable regulations to guide the rapidly-evolving ICT landscape.
Hahn also maintained that “to cope with this new and swiftly-developing environment, we need to regulate in a modern and adaptable way. Therefore, human capacity building in ICT regulation is crucial for all of us.”
Photo Caption
L-R: Country Manager and Managing Director, LM Ericsson Nigeria Limited, Peter Ogundele; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta; Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria-Ghana and Cameroon, Annika Hahn; Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Ubale Maska and Director, Special Duties, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde at the workshop engagement for regulators in the West African region organized by Ericsson and Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing and Emerging Regions (SPIDER) at the NCC’s Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja.
