By Abdulfatah Babatunde
The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) has applauded the giant stride of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta.
In a statement, Chike Onwuegbuchi, National Chairman of NITRA, noted that NCC had recorded “unprecedented achievements in Nigeria’s telecom sector”.
It stated that under Danbatta’s leadership, Nigeria’s telecom sector witnessed astounding transformation, attracting $77 billion in investments in eight years.
“This has catapulted the sector to the forefront of the nation’s economic landscape.
“The financial impact of the sector is undeniable, with a recent report from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealing a N2.508 trillion contribution to the nation’s GDP in the first quarter of 2023.
Onwuegbuchi singled out Nigeria’s adoption of 5G technology as one of the key achievements of Danbatta.
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According to him, this has positioned Nigeria as an early adopter in the global digital economy.
“This strategy generated $820.8 million for the federal government from 5G spectrum license fees paid by leading operators.
“Furthermore, the issuance of a license to Elon Musk-owned SpaceX for Starlinks broadband services, a satellite-based wireless broadband offering with nationwide coverage potential, has been a game-changer for the industry,” he said.
The growth in telephone users, internet subscribers and broadband users under Danbatta’s stewardship, NITRA chairman said, has lipped to 219 million, 159 million and 89 million respectively.
“These figures, along with the creation of numerous jobs, have underscored the sector’s pivotal role in Nigeria’s economic development.”
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