NCC calls for local participation in telecoms sector to cut capital flight

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has asked stakeholders to intensify efforts in the promotion of Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunications sector.

Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman, NCC, said this on Friday at an event organised by the policy implementation assisted forum (PIAFo) in Lagos.

The theme of the event was ‘Establishing trackable metrics for developing Nigeria’s indigenous telecoms sector’.

Danbatta, who said the development of the indigenous telecommunications sector was vital for the growth of the country, stressed on effective local participation in the sector’s value chain.

Danbatta was represented by Babagana Digima, head of Nigeria’s office for developing the indigenous telecom sector (NODITS).

The NCC vice-chairman also said the federal government launched the national policy for the promotion of indigenous content (NPPIC) for effective implementation to develop indigenous capacity in the telecom sector.

According to him, the NPPIC has articulated several targets and high-impact interventions, which were specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based (SMART).

“We have not only identified a number of critical stakeholders in the industry, but we have engaged over 30 different entities ranging from MDAs, mobile network operators, and SIM manufacturers and mast manufacturers via the Nigeria office for developing the indigenous telecom sector (NODITS),” Danbatta said.

“At a higher level, the commission had identified some time-based metrics for NPPIC which it classified into immediate, short term, medium term, and long-term items.

“Some of the activities include the creation of NODITS dedicated to guiding the policy, the constitution of the local content steering committee, and engagement with relevant internal and external stakeholders.

“Others include commissioning baseline studies on the level of indigenous content in the Nigerian telecoms industry, development of regulations, enforcement of key performance indicators and methodologies.”

Danbatta further said the transformation of the action points into metrics would not only streamline the implementation of the policy but also provide for a SMART system to show progress.

He said the commission was, therefore, counting on the efforts of industry stakeholders, watchdogs, and partners to create independent metrics that would ensure the achievements of the goals of the NPPIC.

He said that NCC was delighted to note that some of the actions it implemented through NODITS had yielded fruits.

On his part, Omobayo Azeez, lead executive at PIAFo and convener of the event, said the telecommunications sector had unarguably become one indispensable economic enabler for the country and its people.

He said in spite of the commendable trajectory, the sector remains grossly dependent on foreign inputs which at the end of every operating year resulted in capital flights above $2.16 billion.

Azeez said when operators had to depend solely on foreign talents, solutions, equipment and accessories, they would also have to deal with the hassle of accessing forex as one of the major problems.

“As such, operators and customers suffer and even our dear naira is also at a receiving end as it continues to lose value,” he said.

Azeez also urged the federal government to use its NPPIC to reverse this trend, to enable the telecoms industry and the country to grow.