TheNewsGuru

Tag: Umar Garba Danbatta

  • Teleology Holdings ownership of 9mobile not guaranteed

    Arising from Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) meeting held yesterday, there is no guarantee Teleology Holdings Ltd. will take over 9mobile after it had made a non-refundable deposit of $50 million for the acquisition of the Nigeria’s fourth largest mobile operator.

    This is so as the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta at the meeting on Monday in Lagos said the NCC will not approve the sale of 9mobile to any bidder without technical competence.

    He, however, confirmed a preferred bidder for 9mobile had emerged with the full participation of NCC, adding that the bidder was already undergoing financial evaluation.

    “Once the Central Bank of Nigeria has done the financial evaluation of the bidder, NCC will also examine the technical capacity of the preferred bidder.

    “If the financial evaluation process was not done properly, the CBN would address questions on that; the examination process is meant to be open and transparent.

    “The board of 9mobile was given the mandate with these requirements in mind,” he said.

    One of the technical requirements is that the eventual owner of 9mobile should have a certain technical expertise with a minimum of 3 years operational history which from all indications Teleology Holdings Ltd. is lacking.

    However, Teleology has entered an alliance with Safaricom, the largest network operator in East Africa, which could put Teleology in an advantaged position.

    If eventually, Teleology doesn’t get 9mobile, it means Smile Communication as the preserved bidder gets the offer.

    At the meeting, Danbatta also confirmed the NCC had licensed four infracos.

    “Recently, Zinox Technology Ltd. was licensed for broadband infrastructure provisioning for the South-East Zone while Brinks Integrated Solutions Ltd. was issued licence for the North-East Zone.

    “A subsidiary of MainOne Cable Company Ltd. had earlier been licensed to provide services in Lagos.

    “IHS was also issued a licence to cover the North-Central Zone including Abuja,” he said.

    Danbatta said that much work would still need to be done in the deployment of 4G LTE infrastructure needed to support data services.

    “For now, the directive is that 3G should be made 4G LTE infrastructure compatible,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that telecommunications contributed N1.45 trillion to the Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2017.

    He said that the figure rose to N1.5 trillion in the second quarter of 2017 in spite of economic recession.

    According to Danbatta, telecommunications industry had investment worth $70 billion at September 2017 although the sector could not boast of $50 million worth of investments as at 2001.

     

  • Murtala Muhammad, Ado Bayero get posthumous Kano Heroes Awards

    Former military ruler, late General Murtala Ramat Muhammad, late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, and a host of others, were yesterday honoured with Kano Heroes Awards.

    TheNewsGuru reports the event organized by Destiny Channels Broadcasting Network held at the Coronation Hall within the Kano state government house vicinity.

    The event was purposely organized to honour the illustrious sons of Kano both past and alive who have demonstrated dedication and commitment, integrity and selfless service to the development of Kano state and the nation at large.

    Amongst the passed illustrious sons honoured include: Murtala Ramat Muhammad, a former head of Nigeria; late Emir of Kano Ado Bayero; Audu Bako; Maitama Sule; Abubakar Rimi; Malam Aminu Kano.

    All were said to have demonstrated exemplary leadership and great virtues of integrity and sacrifice in the execution of their duties for the development of humanity. They are said to have left immortal footprints that the archives of history will never fail to produce.

    While those enlisted in the list of the living included: Abdullahi Ganduje, Badaru Abubakar governors of Kano and Jigawa, the former governor of Kano state Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Emir of Kano Malam Muhammad Sanusi II (CON), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta and many others too many to mention.

    The event opened with a great narration of the historical background of the ancient city that is blessed with businessmen, religious leaders and thinkers, technocrats and open boundaries to immigrants irrespective of their faith and origin in as much as they have something to offer for the advancement of the state.

    Professor Habu Fagge of the Bayero University Kano urged parents to imbibe and teach and inculcate in their children the virtues of greatness, integrity, sacrifice, commitment and dedication for selfless service.

    He said great nation states are made by its people and ideas, and their commitment to morality, discipline and selflessness. He further stated that great leaders are serving leaders; not self-serving leaders. We are here to honour those leaders that served us.

     

  • NCC processes infraco licenses for South South, South West

    Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says the Commission is currently processing licenses for four Infrastructure Service Providers (INFRACOs).

    He said the INFRACO licenses are based on NCC’s Open Access Model (OAM) in line with the National Broadband plan, adding that the licenses were being processed for the Infracos to cover for South South, South West and North West zones of the country.

    Danbatta made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He said the Commission is committed to leading the country to the destination of pervasive broadband services.

    TheNewsGuru reports that by the National Broadband Plan of 2013 to 2018, the country is expected to attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by end of 2018, with Danbatta saying the potential of broadband penetration were enormous, which explained why the entire global community was investing huge resources to exploit, and assimilate broadband.

    “The broadband penetration stands at 22 per cent and the target by the end of this year is 30 per cent and we have made progressed up to 70 per cent and I think that is a positive progress we have made,” he said.

    Danbatta said that a major milestone was achieved recently with the licensing of four Infrastructure Service Providers (INFRACOs).

    He listed the INFRACOs as Zinox Technology Ltd. for broadband infrastructure provisioning for South East Zone, while Brinks Intergrated Solutions was issued license for the North East Zone.

    According to him, a subsidiary of Main One Cable Company Ltd., had earlier been licensed to provide services in Lagos while IHS was issued a license to cover the North-Central zone including Abuja.

    “With a combination of licenses for infrastructure provision and spectrum auctions, and reframing of some of the existing spectrum to make them more efficient, we hope to attain the recommendation of the National Broadband Plan, and possibly surpass it by the end of 2018,” Danbatta said.

     

  • How NCC’s strategic vision plan is impacting telecoms in Nigeria

    The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has said the strategic vision plan unveiled by his commission two years ago in form of 8-Point Agenda has so far made a significant impact on the growth of telecommunications sector in Nigeria.

    Danbatta who spoke at a panel session of the just concluded 2018 World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Spain, however, called on the global policymakers in the telecommunication industry to ensure not only renewed thinking in the development of policy frameworks but also to promote innovation and investment in the sector.

    “In Nigeria, we are trying to digitally transform and the process is on-going as I am talking to you. Hence we’ve been paying attention to 5 interdependent elements of the digital transformation processes: enabling policies and institutions, human capital, applied ICT industry, communications infrastructure ICT applications and institutional change,” he stated.

    Speaking further, Danbatta observed that broadband penetration in the country merely stood at about 8 per cent when he took over the mantle of the leadership of the industry, but it is now 22 per cent, according to the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.

    “We also decided to look at how we can improve Quality of Service consistent with key performances indicators that characterize the quality of service. The information we are getting from the consumers as well what we source from network operators is that Quality of Service has improved. The experience by consumers through their accounts also indicate significant improvement,” he noted.

    He also told the gathering about successful auctioning of the spectrum, 2.6 GHZ band, which he said has already been assigned, which contributes to broadband penetration in the country.

    To empower the consumers of the industry in the country, the EVC noted that, the year 2017 was dedicated as the year of the consumer.

    “When we started the campaign, we were inundated with a deluge of complaints, especially on unsolicited text messages sent to consumers, and in many cases, they were surcharged. We have put behind this menace in Nigeria through the campaign.

    “As I am talking to you we have a Do- Not- Disturb- facility, which is very easy to use by consumers. More than 9million users have activated this facility. Again, close to that number have gained access to our 622 toll-free line which is provided to consumers to lodge their complaints on the quality of service provided by the telecommunication firms,” he explained.

    He, however, observed that: “There is a need for renewed thinking in developing policy and regulatory framework in the industry. The Regulator should promote innovation, investment and better quality of service, as well as put in place mechanisms that will limit unfair pricing and exploitation of consumers”.

    Other notable industry giants who participated in the panel discussion include, Ajit Varadaraj Pai, the Chief Regulator of the United States Federal Communications Commission, Ram Sewak Sharma, the Chief Regulator of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, and German Dario Arias Pimienta of Communications Regulatory, Colombia.

     

  • Nigeria to host investment forum in South Korea

    Nigeria to host investment forum in South Korea

    Plans for Nigeria to host an investment forum at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference that will hold later in the year in South Korea are in the offing.

    This was made known by a spokesman of Nigeria’s telecoms regulatory commission in a statement today, saying broadband Nigeria will be the focus of discussions at the investment forum.

    “Nigeria will host an investment forum at ITU Telecom World 2017 and Broadband Nigeria will be at the focus of discussions.

    “The participation of Nigeria at the yearly International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference will focus on deepening the growing broadband segment of the market in the country,” the spokesman said.

    The ITU Telecom World 2017 is a global platform for major industry players, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Countries and Organisations to network and share ideas about new developments and technologies that would lead to better connected societies.

    It is an event for International visibility of innovative Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Products/Services and solutions from around the World.

    In general terms, it involves high level debates on the core issues affecting ICT industry, sharing knowledge and working for sustainable development.

    The event is due to hold in Busan, South Korea, from September 25 – 28, 2017.

    According to the statement signed by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, Nigeria’s high level delegation to the ITU conference will be led by the Minister of Communications, Barrister Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu.

    Nigeria’s Chief Telecoms Regulator and Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, industry stakeholders and operators will be on the delegation.

    Although Nigeria has had a very robust telecommunications sector with active connected subscribers in the region of 150 million and about 110 percent teledensity, the NCC believes that more efforts should be deployed to deepen broadband penetration in the country.

    By the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the country is expected to attain 30% broadband penetration by 2018, which currently stands at 21%.

    Given that 2018 is around the corner, with the conference, the Ministry of Communications, and its driving force, the NCC, hope to bring back investment to Nigeria that will steer the achievement of the 30% broadband penetration in the country.