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NCC, GSMA harp on capacity development for telecoms’ growth

By on February 8, 2016

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the umbrella body for all mobile operators, equipment manufacturers and vendors have advocated constant capacity development among telecommunications operators as a means of growing the mobile network sector.
The disclosure was made in Abuja over the weekend, when the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC/CEO) of the commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, received the Director, Africa Region for GSMA, Mr. Mortimer Hope, in his office.
Mortimer said the principal purpose of the visit was to explore the gains inherent in capacity building based on different industrial expertise especially from the global body, adding: “We came here to discuss with NCC and also to introduce GSMA new management.” He said: “We are available always for capacity building that will boost mobile connectivity, improve data transmission and mobile money that will break all the barriers inhibiting growth.”
He stressed that Nigeria is a very important market hence the need for the report on digital inclusion and the role of mobile money technology transfer in Nigeria, which the association has carried out a report on.
According to him, the report was inspired by GSMA’s digital inclusion programme which supports the connection of an additional two billion people to the mobile internet by 2020.
The programe, he said focuses on working with mobile operators, development organisations and governments to address the barriers to mobile internet adoption through network infrastructure and policy, affordability and tax, digital literacy and local content.
The GSMA team however decried the multiple taxation, poor quality of service, and right of way, which are drawbacks to the expected growth of the sector. They also bemoaned lack of spectrum for the mobile companies to effectively reach those underserved and unserved areas.
In a remark, Danbatta told the visiting GSMA team that the regulator is already abreast with mobile inclusion and all of these are captured in the five year strategic plan of the commission’s 2015-2020 strategic 8-point agenda recently unveiled which is in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) strategy to increase mobile penetration through broadband.
On right of way, multiple taxation, Danbatta, said NCC has opened talks with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) with the hope that it will yield positive results.

 

[ThisDay]