By The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), led by Professor Umar Garba Danbatta since 2015, has made significant strides in improving Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. One of its major initiatives was the launch of the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025, which aims to develop the sector in line with the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003.
The previous plan (SVP 2015-2020) ended in December 2020, and the new SVP outlines key goals to enhance operations, improve efficiency, and ensure regulatory excellence. It focuses on supporting infrastructure development for Nigeria’s digital economy, enhancing the Quality of Service (QoS) to improve customer experience, encouraging fair competition, fostering growth, investment, and innovation in the telecom sector, and promoting partnerships and collaborations.
In addition to the SVP, the NCC introduced the Strategic Management Plan (SMP) for 2020-2024. This plan, named “ASPIRE 2024,” focuses on five main areas. It aims to create flexible and sustainable regulations, expand broadband access across the country, support the growth of the digital economy, foster a dynamic telecom market that drives innovation, and build strong collaborations with industry stakeholders.
Both the SVP 2021-2025 and SMP 2020-2024 align with Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy (2020-2030) and the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025). The NCC has made considerable progress in meeting the objectives outlined in these plans.
Looking ahead, the NCC’s key focus areas for the next three years include reaching 70% broadband penetration by 2025, improving broadband infrastructure, protecting and empowering consumers, and ensuring better use of the available radio frequencies through spectrum trading.
Recently, the NCC conducted a restructuring exercise to boost operational efficiency. As part of this, Dr. Alhassan Haru and Mr. Efosa Idehen were redeployed to lead the Technical Standards and Network Integrity (TSNI) and Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) departments. Other staff members were also reassigned following the retirement of directors who reached the age of 60.
Under Professor Danbatta’s leadership, the NCC continues to focus on improving service quality, attracting investment, and promoting competition in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
