NCC to launch five-year strategic vision plan

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it will launch a five-year strategic vision plan (SVP) to boost operations in the telecommunications sector.

In a statement on Monday, Ikechukwu Adinde, director of public affairs at NCC, said the new SVP is part of the strategic projects to be unveiled by the commission.

Adinde said the need to develop a new five-year SVP 2021-2025 followed the expiration, in 2020, of the first SVP unveiled by Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in 2016.

He said the new plan will enable cross-functional infrastructure, ubiquitous services, and deepen consumer engagement to consolidate the growth of the telecoms sector.

“It has been widely acknowledged that the diligent execution of the first SVP initiative, under Danbatta, has helped to consistently lift broadband penetration, increase telephone access, boost the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” the statement reads.

“It will also enhance healthy competition in the industry, improve quality of service (QoS), as well as put the sector’s overall investment profile on an impressive growth trajectory, among others. 

Another project to be unveiled is the launch of a compendium of Danbatta’s speeches and presentations.

The projects will be launched at an event scheduled to hold at the Communications & Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, on September 7.

Titled: “Catalysing Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Transformation through Broadband Infrastructure,” the commission said the book is a compilation of carefully selected seminal speeches and presentations of Danbatta, touching on all strategic areas, since his assumption of office as the EVC/CEO of NCC in August 2015.

Ahmed Joda, the late former chairman of the NCC board of commissioners, wrote the foreword.

“The book will serve as a useful reference material not only for existing and prospective investors in the sector but also for researchers in the academia as well as policy analysts and others interested in any aspects of the telecom industry and regulation,” the statement adds.

“The book which also chronicles important milestones attained by the Commission under Danbatta’s leadership is a compelling read.”

The third project to be launched at the event is the ‘NCC Global Connect’ podcast.

Adinde said the podcast initiative was conceived in keeping with NCC’s core values of innovation and excellence.

He said it adds to the existing media channels, providing an inclusive medium to broaden our media platforms to educate external stakeholders on its regulatory activities irrespective of their circumstances through audio content.