The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its commitment towards diversification of the nation’s economy, leveraging telecom, which it disclosed contributed 12.45 per cent to the nation’s GDP in 2020 and was central and pivotal in taking the nation out of recession.
The Director of Public Affairs at the Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who stated this while receiving two awards on behalf of the regulatory body, also promised that NCC will not rest on its oars but rededicate itself towards demonstrating its worthiness of the public trust and confidence reposed in it.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission is unwavering in its commitment to expanding the nation’s frontiers of growth and development within the context of its mandate,” he assured at the ceremony where NCC receives The REGULATOR OF THE YEAR Award for 2021, while its Executive Vice Chairman Prof. Umar Danbatta, received the PUBLIC OFFICIAL OF THE DECADE Award.
The awards were issued by Nigerian NewsDirect, a multimedia firm at an impressive event at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, organised by the firm to commemorate its 11th Anniversary.
The award came on the heels of a public lecture, titled, Public Sector Financing: The Oil Revenue, Challenges, Solutions and Prospects, which eloquently expressed the significance of telecom sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
It was delivered by Dapo Okubadejo, Ogun State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor.
Okubadejo’s paper reflects essentially on the increasing challenges of the nation’s dependence on oil revenues for public sector financing. The paper offers solutions to better public sector financing from the context refocusing on the opportunities and prospects inherent in the oil sector but particularly in other sectors.
By sheer coincidence, or conscious contextual social intervention, the topic of the Lecture and its treatment were not just poignant reflections of the state of the economy, they were fluent and persuasive of the role of NCC in midwifing and enabling the utilisation of telecoms and ICTs applications for economic recovery and growth. A fact that gives concrete expression to the imperative of diversification of the nation’s economy from oil, which is being vigorously pursued by the Federal Government and which NCC is a key sectoral driver.