The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been named the ‘Public Sector Regulator of the Year 2021’ in appreciation of its vigilance in the auction of the processes for the implementation of Nigeria’s fifth-generation (5G) network.
Neptune Network Nigeria Limited presented the award during a ceremony held in Abuja in conjunction with the opening of the Lami Fatima Babare Cervical Cancer Awareness Foundation.
Hassan Gimba, the chief executive officer of Neptune Network Nigeria Limited, said at the award ceremony that the commission was adjudged winner of the award based on its historic auction of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum in preparation for the deployment of 5G services, which will become operational in the second half of this year.
The spectrum auction, according to Gimba, was not only competitive, but also rigorous, meticulous, and completed, with the final bid ending 30 per cent more ($273.6 million) than the opening offer of $197.4 million.
“This is not just historically significant in terms of the organization; it is laudable because it delivered significant cash into the Federal Government’s coffers to support the socio-economic growth of other sectors in Nigeria,” Gimba remarked.
Other grounds listed by the event’s organizers for deeming the commission deserving of the prize are acknowledgement of its varied regulatory efforts and strategic initiatives that have resulted in the telecommunications industry contributing to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This has helped the country emerge from recession and supported national recovery plans
The award was also given in recognition of the commission’s outstanding work in cybersecurity awareness programs aimed at informing, educating, and safeguarding the nation’s teeming telecom customers against cybercriminals’ schemes.
The organisers particularly placed on record the NCC’s establishment of the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), the telecom industry’s sectoral watchdog for cyber threats. The Neptune Network said it was gratified by the regular alerts to telecoms consumers on any novel cyber threats which were based on the works of CSIRT and the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), the national centre for the coordination of incident response and mitigation strategies for cyber threats.
Gimba commended the commission under the leadership of its executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, for creating an enabling environment for competition to thrive among operators in the industry and its unwavering commitment to expanding the nation’s frontiers of growth and development through accelerating broadband infrastructure deployment.
Receiving the award on behalf of the commission, in the presence of other eminent Nigerians, including the representatives of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, who was recognised as ‘Governor of the Year’, the NCC’s head of online media, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, thanked the management of Neptune Network Nigeria Limited for the recognition.
“On behalf of the board and management of the commission led by our inspiring executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, I convey the gratitude of the commission to the organisers of this event and thank them for this special recognition. The commission treasures this gesture and sees it as another wake-up call to do more in the effort to unleash the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy,” Ibietan said.
