Tag Archives: International Telecommunication Union

NCC’s Danbatta to receive Zik Prize award

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Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice-chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is to be honoured with the prestigious Zik Prize Professional Leadership award in Lagos.

Umar Garba Danbatta

The award ceremony will take place on December 6 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos and will be presented by the Public Policy Research & Analysis Centre.

Danbatta and other prominent personalities were selected for their contributions to national development. According to the organisers, he has led the charge to drive Nigeria’s industrial revolution and knowledge-based economy leveraging telecommunications.

“Telecommunications’ contribution to the gross domestic productof Nigeria has grown by 70% from 2015 to 2020, while broadband penetration has increased significantly to over 45%,” said the organisers.

“Danbatta’s leadership has enhanced transparency and innovation in the sector, such that recently NCC was acknowledged by the International Telecommunication Union as one of Africa’s foremost regulators.

“The NCC boss has transformed the commission into a regulator of global acclaim and the establishment and implementation of the NCC’s auspicious strategic Eight-Point Agenda under Danbatta has given the direction to the activities of the commission.”

This year’s event also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Zik Prize series, which will be chaired by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, while the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, will function as the royal father of the day.

The organisers also noted that the sector’s improved contribution to GDP, as well as improvements in quality of service delivery, broadband infrastructural development, broadband penetration, effective spectrum utilisation, consumer empowerment and technology innovation have been phenomenal under Danbatta’s leadership.

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Government seeks $500m to digitise NTA

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The federal government is seeking a US$500m loan in order to digitise Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) stations in the country.

Lai Mohammed

According to Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, the fund will be used to improve the creative industry in Nigeria as well as create 100,000 jobs for young people.

“The fund will aid in the establishment of a media and cultural training centre which will help train Nigerian broadcasters and filmmakers and also generate revenue for the nation. The International Telecommunication Union has given a dateline for nations to migrate from analogue to digital television broadcast,” he said.

He added that the digitalisation of all NTA stations would help to improve the quality of the nation’s television programmes.

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NCC set for mobile 5G trial

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed it is ready to roll out fifth-generation (5G) mobile broadband licensing.

Umar Garba Danbatta

Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the NCC, told the International Telecommunication Union’s Telecom World event in Budapest, Hungary, that the 26, 38 and 42GHz spectrum frequencies have been reserved for 5G.

“We are waiting in anticipation for the standardisation process to be completed at the World Radio Communication in Egypt and then we can see how we can go forward with licensing process in the three frequencies,” he said.

“The other important step that African countries are taking is to address new forms of social anxiety occasioned by this emerging technology, 5G. There’s also the regulatory anxiety. Therefore, to do that, because of the practice we had in the past, every service we deploy is normally preceded by proof-of-concept trials. And 5G is not an exception.

“This is ongoing in Nigeria. The steps we are taking during the trials will involve the security agencies, who have a say on the security dimension of this new technology when it’s eventually rolled out. So we want to ensure they are fully involved.”

The NCC boss said the 5G roll-out will enhance broadband mobile services in various countries as well as address the anxiety of citizens by giving information about this important new technology.

“Whether all African countries will be ready by 2020 for the roll-out of commercial 5G services is something I cannot answer immediately, but I know our state of readiness is such that spectrum is being reserved in many countries and many are also doing trials. Nigeria is getting ready to do this trial.

“In Nigeria, we have divided the country into seven zones, and each has been assigned an infrastructure company to deploy broadband infrastructure.”

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