By Na’ankwat Dariem, Abuja.
Prof Umar Garba
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta says the Commission has generated and remitted three hundred and thirty three point seven billion naira to the country’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in the last five years.
Professor Danbatta disclosed this while briefing the House Committee on Telecommunications, led by its Chairman, Hon Akeem Adeyemi, during a legislative oversight function to the Commission in Abuja.
Danbatta stated that this contribution has boosted the revenue drive of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, stated that the NCC Boss attributed the successes of the Commission in the last five years to the harmonious relationship between the Commission and the National Assembly, noting that such relationship, the diligent oversight by the lawmakers and necessary legislative support have brought forth a lot of dividends for the industry.
“Through the support of the lawmakers, especially the House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications, which the NCC leadership has worked with in the last five years, the Commission has been able to generate and remit N344.71 billion to Federal Government Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) from spectrum fees and operating surplus,” he said.
Danbatta explained that telecoms sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 8.5 percent in 2015 to 14.30 percent as of the second quarter of 2020. In financial value, the 14.30 per cent translates to N2.272 trillion in Q2. He also said that telecoms investment grew from around $38 billion in 2015 to over $70 billion currently.
He said the NCC is promoting financial inclusion by encouraging the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to actively participate in providing financial services towards actualising FG’s 80 per cent financial inclusion target by 2020.
According to him, through the collaboration of critical stakeholders as the National Assembly, the NCC has been able to increase broadband penetration from 6 percent in 2015 to 45.43 per cent as of September, 2020 while basic active internet subscription grew from 90 million to 143.7 million.
“Between 2015 and September, 2020, active voice subscription has increased from 151 million to 205.25 percent million with a teledensity standing at 107.53 percent as at end of September, 2020.
We are also empowering and protecting the consumers and ensuring we are able to sanitise the industry of improperly-registered Subscriber identification Module (SIM) cards through our impartial regulatory approach,” Danbatta said.
Danbatta enumerated key areas of collaboration with the House Committee in order to collaboratively advance the development of the industry.
“These include, speedy passage of the Commission’s budget, enhancing mutual working relationship and knowledge transfer sessions/capacity building for Committee members for better understanding of the workings of the Commission and the industry,” the NCC Boss added .
Meanwhile, Hon. Adeyemi said the over sight function was in line with relevant sections of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers the House to carry out its role of checks and balances on the executive arm of government under which the NCC, as a Federal agency, falls.
The committee commended the leadership of the Commission for its transparency in ensuring remittances to CRF of the Federal Government, considering the current revenue drive of the government.
The committee also urged the NCC to sustain its current template of ensuring effective regulation of the telecoms sector in a manner that would be more mutually beneficial to the industry players, the consumers of the telecoms services and to the Nigerian government.
