The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, on Thursday, said the telecommunications sector contributed 16 per cent in the second quarter of 2023 to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
He stated this in his keynote address delivered at the annual Telecom Executives and Regulators Forum hosted by the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Success Factors and Barriers to National Broadband and Digital Economy Aspirations’, he revealed the giant strides being made by the Commission.
According to him, from a 14.13 per cent contribution in the first quarter of 2023, and up from the hitherto 15 per cent all-time-high record contributed in the second quarter of 2022, the telecommunications sector added 16 per cent to the national GDP in the second quarter of 2023 to set a new record.
“Through sustained regulatory excellence and operational efficiency by the Commission, the industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the past two decades and this has impacted on all other sectors of the economy. The effective regulatory regime emplaced by the NCC and with the support from all stakeholders has been our major success factor as an industry,” Danbatta said.
He further stated that while there are barriers to broadband deployment in the country, ranging from the issue of the right of way, fibre cuts, high capital requirement for deployment, and multiple taxations and regulations, among other challenges, the NCC is navigating regulatory complexities, digital divide and literacy, security concerns with firmness and increased collaborations with necessary stakeholders such as ATCON to create measures towards tackling the challenges.
“However, these challenges can be overcome through determination, innovation, and strategic planning. By focusing on the success factors and addressing the barriers, we can create a future where every Nigerian have access to the opportunities that the digital world offers,” he added
