Danbatta Tasks NODITS On Effective Delivery Of Mandates To Promote Indigenous Contents

Danbatta Tasks NODITS On Effective Delivery Of Mandates To Promote Indigenous Contents

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has urged the Nigeria Office for Developing the Indigenous Telecom Sector (NODITS) on the need to ensure effective delivery of its mandates with respect to the promotion of indigenous contents in the nation’s telecoms sector. 

Danbatta made this call in a keynote address delivered at a two-day brainstorming and team-building session organised by NODITS team, which started in Abuja on Thursday, November 25, 2021. The EVC said the Office is very critical to effective mainstreaming of local content development in the nation’s burgeoning telecoms sector. 

NODITS is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) designed to stimulate the creation and development of top quality indigenous content in the telecommunication sector. The creation of the NODITS on July 5, 2021, and its domiciliary in the Commission was a sequel to the signing of the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Telecommunication Sector (NPPIC) by the President in March 2021. 

Represented at the event by the Director, Human Capital, and Administration, NCC, Usman Malah, Danbatta said the development of NPPIC, facilitated by the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, is essentially aimed at driving the desire of the current administration and the NCC to ensure that indigenes become more active participants in Nigeria’s telecoms sector.  

Speaking on Management’s expectations from NODITS, the EVC said, as an SPV under the purview of the Commission, NODITS would be expected to get involved in the development of new guidelines and regulations bordering on indigenous content, local manufacturing of telecom equipment, outsourcing services, construction and lease of telecoms ducts, succession planning in the telecoms sector, among others. 

Danbatta Tasks NODITS on Effective Actualisation of Mandates
Engr. Babagana Digima, Team Leader, NODITS, gave his opening remarks at the brainstorming session.
Danbatta Tasks NODITS on Effective Actualisation of Mandates
Engr. Babagana Digima with staff of NODITS.

He also implored the NODITS team to adhere to regulatory and ethical principles held in high esteem by the Management of NCC. “The Commission’s commitment to maintaining high standards, ethical conduct, and superior performance is a priority of the Management, hence by extension, NODITS should reflect the established values, guiding principles, strategic awareness and the goodwill associated with the NCC,” he said. 

Besides, the EVC said NODITS would be involved in working with various stakeholders towards reducing capital flight, as local manufacturers would be encouraged to participate in the design and manufacturing of devices. This vision will also ensure that manpower requirements towards making indigenes active participants in Nigeria’s telecoms development are met. 

“In essence, NODITS will be expected to initiate strategic programmes and projects that will stimulate the growth of the telecoms sector through an approach that is visionary, focused, sustainable, and based on incentives to indigenous telecom stakeholders,” EVC said added. 

The EVC rounded off by congratulating the pioneer team of the new Office. He pointed out that they were carefully selected by NCC Management based on their background, dedication, integrity. He urged the team to work harmoniously within the Office and with other relevant stakeholders to fast-track seamless delivery of its mandates, as clearly spelled out in the NPPIC. 

In his remarks, the Team Lead, NODITS, Babagana Digima, spoke about the mission and vision of NODITS, as he made his presentation on the progress so far recorded by the team in five months of its existence. He said while the Mission of NODITS is “to deliver on the objectives of the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the telecom industry and the Executive Orders 003 & 005,” its vision is “to harmoniously integrate indigenous content in the Nigerian telecoms sector.” 

Executive Order 003 mandates all the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to always grant preference to local manufacturers of goods and service providers for procurement; while Executive Order 005 seeks the promotion of Nigerian content in contracts bordering on science, engineering, and technology. 

Digima itemised some of the activities being carried out by NODITS within the last five months of its creation. This includes visiting the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); visitations to various Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) manufacturers; engagements with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs); ongoing training of 60 young entrepreneurs, and developing industry-relevant proposals for incentivising Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies by the Federal Government, among others. 

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