Gambian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ousman Bah, said Nigeria’s giant strides in telecom regulation are the reason that the nation’s telecoms development has become a reference point.

Bah, who led a Gambian delegation, including industry regulators on a courtesy visit to the management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Abuja at the weekend, said the visit was prompted by the success, which Nigeria has witnessed in the sector, and the need for The Gambia to follow the same path of success.

He said it is for this reason that the West African nation has completed arrangements to establish an independent regulatory commission for its telecommunications industry like the NCC of Nigeria.

“The current industry statistics is proof that Nigeria is achieving her goals of digitisation of its economy,” he said.

He sought the Commission’s advisory support and strategic collaboration to accelerate economic growth and improve efficiency in both countries and strengthen all sectors across the African continent.

Director of Legal and Regulatory Services at NCC, Josephine Amuwa, who received the delegation on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, highlighted the impact of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003.

She said the NCA 2003 empowers the Commission to effectively carry out its regulatory mandate, one of which is to create an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry, as well as provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country.

Amuwa spoke about the Commission’s role in ensuring that the mandate of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), is accomplished, and that has led to implementation of various programmes to the benefit of Nigerians.

“The USPF was also established by the NCA 2003 to ensure that services are extended into the rural communities to ensure that telecoms services are available in unserved and underserved areas, even in the urban areas, to meet government objectives,” she said.

Amuwa also cited the consultative and collaborative approach to telecom regulation as one of the factors for Commission’s successes.

“The Commission adopts a participatory rule-making process where key players in the industry are invited to a public hearing for further deliberations to ensure that the stakeholders’ views are considered in establishing these regulatory guidelines,” she said.

Amuwa encouraged the delegation to visit the Commission’s website to study published regulatory guidelines on all necessary matters. She explained that the guidelines give full effect to the provisions and administration of the NCA 2003.

As two management staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) complete the final stage of their disengagement with the regulatory body, the staff of the Commission have continued to eulogise their eventful tenure at the Commission.

Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, who retired as the Head of Administration, and Chief Okechukwu Aninweke, Head of Risk Management, retired from the Commission upon attainment of 60 year mandatory age of retirement, and were celebrated at different occasions by the staff, who listed their sterling qualities and track record of achievements.

Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, commended Mallam Aliyu for his enormous contributions to the Commission in the 26 years of serving in different departments, including a stint as the Zonal Controller of Lagos Zonal Office.

Pouring encomiums on the two staff, Adewolu appreciated the duo and extended the commendation of the “the Board, Management and entire staff of the Commission to them for their laudable and impressive contributions to the sustainability of the nation’s telecoms industry.”  The ECSM prayed God to grant them sound health and minds to continue to positively flourish in their future endeavours.

Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Ephraim Nwokonneya, recalled that both Aliyu and Aninweke’s track record were known for their passion, commitment, and integrity as consummate civil servants, who were sticklers to work ethics and provisions of civil service rules.

“The retirement of Aliyu and Aninweke should expectedly come with the tons and tons of tributes and commendations that we have witnessed so far. This is because these two distinguished individuals have come, seen and conquered. Indeed, they left their feet in the sand of times for their sterling performances in various capacities where they creditably served while in the services of the Commission,” he said.

Mr. Usman Malah, Director, Human Capital and Administration, while praising Aliyu for his dedication and several achievements, including some monumental achievements while he served at the Kano Zonal Office, chronicled his sojourn since he joined the NCC in May 1996. He recalled his achievements in Kano Zonal Office in January 1997 as a Senior Manager, and his feats after his redeployment to Lagos Zonal Office, once again as Principal Manager in January 2001. Malah spoke about how he, Aliyu, never rested on his oars even when he became the Zonal Controller in Lagos, and later  Zonal Controller in Kano.

Aliyu was later redeployed to the Policy Competition and Economic Analysis Department, where he headed the Economic Analysis as Assistant Director and later promoted as Deputy Director and appointed Head of the Administration Department in October 2018. Aliyu also had a stint at Consumer Affairs Department, Project Department, and back to Administration Department from where he retired.

In his momentous sojourn at the Commission, Aninweke was noted to have traversed several departments in NCC, including Licensing (Tariff and Charges), and Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME), before he was redeployed to the Lagos Zonal Office as Principal Manager to head it as Zonal Controller in July 2011.

Aninweke, through his performances and contributions, made tremendous impact at the Lagos Zonal Office as Zonal Controller for almost six years, and he is fondly remembered for his performance in Lagos during which he won the award of the best performing Zonal Controller.

Described as a man that has given his best to the Commission and the nation, Chief Aninweke who joined the NCC in 2001 as a Deputy Manager, had also had track record of eventful and credible performance at the Commission.

Director of Project, Mrs. Abigail Sholanke, recall the entrance of Aninweke, and his dedication to duty, leading to many visible achievements in all the areas of his posting. He said Aninweke’s type will be hard to forget because of his self-motivation, fearless disposition to carry out responsibilities and his knack for excelling in his assignments.

After his performance as Zonal Controller in Lagos, he was redeployed to the Corporate Planning, Strategy and Risk Management (CPSRM) Department at the Head Office in 2017, where he headed several units, including Performance Management, Policy Review, Strategy, Risk Management, and then Digital Economy (which started as a Unit in CPSRM). While in CPSRM Department, Aninweke articulated and laid the foundation for the take-off of the current Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024.

Apart from his duties at the Commission, he was elected twice as the President of NCC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, a position he fittingly and cumulatively occupied for four years while in service, and with high achievements and impactful leadership.

On the sports scene, Aninweke is ranked in the high echelon of professional football referees, where he had served as match commissioner in Nigerian football for several years.