The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on Thursday, said that innovative approach in the telecommunications industry was a key driver to success and excellence.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this disclosure in a keynote address at the Nigeria Innovation Summit 2016 in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Danbatta, was represented by Mr Tony Ojobo, the NCC Director, Public Affairs on the occasion.
Danbatta spoke on the theme: Innovation in the Telecommunications Industry: The Role NCC has played as a Regulator’’.
He said any regulator restricting itself to doing the basics, risked missing the addition of valuable contributions to the country’s socio-economic growth.
“Any telecommunication regulator, who fails to apply innovative approaches in the scheme of its regulatory activities may end up being bugged down by bureaucracy.
“There is one popular concept that tells businesses to innovate or die and the commission has embraced innovation to give its best to the community.
“Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with innovation is a key element to spur growth in economic crisis and a game-changer in enabling emerging economies to sustain future economic growth,’’ Danbatta said.
He said the commission had contributed to the innovations in the telecommunications industry through its telecommunications regulations, economic growth indices and financial inclusion.
The NCC chief said other innovations included, expanded social media platforms, new malls on cyberspace, promotion of enabling environment for tech innovators, and enabler of other sectors of the economy.
“As regards telecommunications regulation, the commission is able to achieve this through a very transparent process and wide industry consultation, which helped in achieving stability.
“With financial inclusion, there is total transformation of the banking industry with online and mobile banking pervading the landscape.
“Spurred by the improved telecoms regulation and availability of smart phones, social media enthusiasts in the country, cutting across ages, have found solace in the new world boosted by innovation,’’ he said.
Danbatta said that to bridge the manifest digital divide and produce generations of youths, who had a flair for ICT, the commission invited innovators from higher institutions to compete and win research grants every year.
He said the commission was poised to promoting innovation as part of its eight-point agenda.
“By this, the commission makes conscious efforts to promote ICT innovations in ways that improve the nation’s ability to compete in the global economy.
“It increases the nation’s investment in youths and promotes new small and medium enterprises,’’ the NCC chief said.
Mr Tony Ajah, the Director, Nigeria Innovation Summit, urged the public to collectively embrace hi-tech innovation to achieve a sustainable growth in the country.
“It is on record that Nigeria ranks 114 out of 128 countries, according to the 2016 global innovation index and this is not good for us.
“This reflects the present reality of a country that does not invest in innovations with its rich human and capital resources,’’ Ajah noted.
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