In a recent visit to the Hon. Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, underscored his commitment to transparency as the bedrock of his leadership. This pledge, according to Maida, is integral to building a resilient, accountable, and efficient institution to oversee Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
During the courtesy visit to Abuja, where Maida briefed the minister on his activities, vision, and strategies since assuming office in October 2023, he emphasized the role transparency plays in self-regulation for regulatory bodies.
“Transparency is key. It is by transparency that we can self-regulate even as regulators. And by so doing, we would be putting ourselves on our toes, which in the long run will drive the Commission forward to achieve our goals of operational excellence,” Maida stated.
Maida commended Minister Tijani for his leadership style, highlighting transparency as a key attribute that has the potential to transform the industry, making it accountable to both the public and industry players.
Expressing gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting him with the responsibility to lead a critical sector of the economy, Maida shared his vision and priorities with the Minister. These priorities align with the 5 pillars of the Strategic Plan unveiled by the Minister.
“I have been on this seat for about six weeks, and it has afforded me the privilege of a bird’s eye view to understand things better, and identify areas that we urgently need to work on. We are currently carrying out an in-depth study and critical review of issues within the industry. One of the areas we are placing priority on is Quality of Experience,” Maida told the Minister.
“At my meeting with industry leaders, we were unambiguous that quality of experience (QoE) will not be negotiable. The Commission will take compliance in this regard seriously, and a standard of what is least acceptable will be set,” the NCC CEO stated.
Maida also highlighted the need to maximize the potential of innovations, particularly in the 5G revolution, to create more opportunities within the industry and boost connectivity.
The NCC CEO revealed an ongoing review of internal processes to enhance efficiency and responsiveness, including the digitization of operations.
“Under my leadership, the Commission will give priorities to the improvement of our regulatory activities. With this, we hope to see more investors come into the telecommunications industry in Nigeria, with the attendant creation of vertical businesses and increased Foreign Direct Investments, revenue generation, and employment”, Maida stated.
The EVC also said that “In all these, the goal is for the Commission to achieve optimal operational excellence which underpins the success of all other priority areas that we have set to achieve a significant all-round growth of the telecommunications industry”
Reflecting on his visit to the Digital Bridge Institute in Lagos, Maida acknowledged its vast potential and pledged to prioritize its revamp, retooling, and redirection in line with the “Knowledge Pillar” of the Strategic Plan unveiled by the minister.
“Consequently, we will be prioritizing the revamp, retooling, and redirection of the Institute towards extracting its optimum value in line with our objectives,” the EVC said.
Minister Tijani welcomed Maida warmly, acknowledging the NCC’s pivotal role in achieving the nation’s digital aspirations.
“The NCC is a stellar agency, and you have my respect for the work that you do. There is no future for the country without the NCC. Already, the quality you have is good; what we need to do now is to tap into this quality to bring about greater value for the country,” Tijani said.
“I want to assure you that you have the best partner in me. We will work together to achieve the goals and vision we have set,” the Minister assured the NCC CEO.
