The NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar
Danbatta, made this disclosure in a keynote address at
the Nigeria Innovation Summit 2016 in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
Danbatta, was represented by Mr Tony Ojobo, the NCC
Director, Public Affairs on the occasion.
Danbatta spoke on the theme: Innovation in the
Telecommunications Industry: The Role NCC has
played as a Regulator’’.
He said any regulator restricting itself to doing the
basics, risked missing the addition of valuable
contributions to the country’s socio-economic growth.
“Any telecommunication regulator, who fails to apply
innovative approaches in the scheme of its regulatory
activities may end up being bugged down by
bureaucracy.
“There is one popular concept that tells businesses to
innovate or die and the commission has embraced
innovation to give its best to the community.
“Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
with innovation is a key element to spur growth in
economic crisis and a game-changer in enabling
emerging economies to sustain future economic
growth,’’ Danbatta said.
He said the commission had contributed to the
innovations in the telecommunications industry
through its telecommunications regulations, economic
growth indices and financial inclusion.
The NCC chief said other innovations included,
expanded social media platforms, new malls on
cyberspace, promotion of enabling environment for
tech innovators, and enabler of other sectors of the
economy.
“As regards telecommunications regulation, the
commission is able to achieve this through a very
transparent process and wide industry consultation,
which helped in achieving stability.
“With financial inclusion, there is total transformation
of the banking industry with online and mobile banking
pervading the landscape.
“Spurred by the improved telecoms regulation and
availability of smart phones, social media enthusiasts
in the country, cutting across ages, have found solace
in the new world boosted by innovation,’’ he said.
Danbatta said that to bridge the manifest digital divide
and produce generations of youths, who had a flair for
ICT, the commission invited innovators from higher
institutions to compete and win research grants every
year.
He said the commission was poised to promoting
innovation as part of its eight-point agenda.
“By this, the commission makes conscious efforts to
promote ICT innovations in ways that improve the
nation’s ability to compete in the global economy.
“It increases the nation’s investment in youths and
promotes new small and medium enterprises,’’ the
NCC chief said.
Mr Tony Ajah, the Director, Nigeria Innovation Summit,
urged the public to collectively embrace hi-tech
innovation to achieve a sustainable growth in the
country.
“It is on record that Nigeria ranks 114 out of 128
countries, according to the 2016 global innovation
index and this is not good for us.
“This reflects the present reality of a country that does
not invest in innovations with its rich human and
capital resources,’’ Ajah noted.
