How Aminu Maida is driving innovative transformation at NCC

Aminu Maida assumed office as the executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in October 2023.

Within two months, the information systems engineer is poised to reposition the NCC in line with the five pillars of the strategic plan unveiled by Bosun Tijani, the minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy.

In a recent visit to the office of the minister in Abuja, Maida pledged that transparency would form the bedrock of his leadership as Nigeria’s chief telecom regulator. He said it will enable a solid foundation for building a resilient, accountable, and efficient institution.

“Transparency is key. It is through transparency that we can self-regulate, even as regulators. And by so doing, we would be putting ourselves on our toes, which in the long run will drive the commission forward to achieve our goals of operational excellence,” Maida told the minister.

​​Infrastructural development is one of the key focal points of the NCC, which revolves around the five strategy blueprints of the federal government—knowledge, policy, and communications infrastructure—with about seven submarine cables, including two Meta, which are bringing in a few months to drive connectivity and improve investment.

Recently, Maida received a delegation from Meta, led by the company’s Vice President for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, Kojo Boakye. He emphasized the importance of regulatory support for all investors, including operators in Nigeria, urging them to play by the rules and regulations guiding the sector.

The Meta team solicited NCC’s support in sailing through all necessary legal and regulatory hurdles in landing the submarine cable to complement existing backbone infrastructure in Nigeria. Meta, through a consortium, plans to land 2Africa cable simultaneously in Lagos and Akwa-Ibom “to ensure those not yet connected are connected while those already connected are given the opportunity for enhanced and affordable access.”

Since the beginning of his administration, Maida has made a strong push for quality service. He had said his administration at the regulatory body would not tolerate poor network service, warning the telecom operators to up their game.

In November 2023, he met with stakeholders in the telecom industry in Lagos, admonishing them to improve the quality of service, as the commission will continue to check key performance indicators and KPIs of the operators. The commission, under Maida, is currently carrying out an in-depth study and critical review of issues within the industry.

He told industry leaders that quality of experience (QoE) would not be negotiable, adding that the commission would take compliance more seriously and set an acceptable standard for the industry.

The NCC CEO has also reflected on the need to maximise the potential of innovations in some technological evolutions, such as the 5G revolution, to create more opportunities within the industry and further boost connectivity.

He recently informed the minister that a review of internal processes at the NCC is ongoing to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of the commission, including the digitization of operations.

“Under my leadership, the commission will give priority to the improvement of our regulatory activities. With this, we hope to see more investors in the telecommunications industry in Nigeria, with the attendant creation of vertical businesses and increased foreign direct investment, revenue generation, and employment,” Maida said.

Broadband connectivity is said to be one of the biggest enablers of the digital economy and financial inclusion, which Maida believes aligns with the 5-pillar agenda of the federal government.