The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Mr Umar Danbatta, a professor of electrical and electronics engineering has lifted the Platinum Award of the Nigeria Academy of Engineering (NAEng). He received the award in Lagos at the weekend.
The honour was in recognition of his leadership of the nation’s telecom regulatory body, which has been hailed for its contributions to the growth of the engineering profession in the technological and economic development of the country.
According to the President of the Academy, Mr Azikiwe Onwualu, a professor of Agricultural Engineering, NCC deserved the award as it has done the profession proud in its telecom regulatory process and promotion of engineering.
While presenting the award to him at the 2023 Annual Technology Dinner of the academy, Vincent Maduka, former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority, said: “Prof Danbatta has contributed immensely to the sustainability of all initiatives of the professional body, just as his role in the development of the engineering profession, in general, is being felt in Nigeria, through his effective regulation of the telecommunications sector.”
Receiving the award, Danbatta, a member of the council, and a fellow of NAEng, expressed appreciation to the academy for finding NCC worthy of the award.
Danbatta dedicated the award to the “hardworking and diligent staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission,” who, he said, have continued to demonstrate commitment to supporting his vision to promote regulatory excellence towards sustaining the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
“I could not have done the good work you credited me with without the support and cooperation of NCC staff, and we are delighted that the public is watching, listening, and observing what we are doing. A testimony to this fact is the platinum category award we have just been given by the apex engineering body in the country,” the EVC stated.
Danbatta further said: “I want to assure the public that the NCC will do whatever it can, within its mandates, to bring out impactful initiatives that will drive the digital transformation process that will ultimately make telecom services pervasive and affordable to all parts of the country.”
He used the opportunity to speak about some of the initiatives of the commission that have had an impact on the socioeconomic development of the nation.
These, he said, include the initiative targeted at Nigerian youths across the country, where the commission trains youth and provides them with laptops and other equipment that can make them access the internet with a view to equipping them to develop their skills and earn a living.
Danbatta assured of the commission’s commitment to driving digital connectivity aimed at bridging extant clusters of access gaps in Nigeria.
“We have a target of 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, as contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP). We are around 50 per cent currently, and I can assure you that we are hopeful that we will achieve and surpass that target,” he said.
The Nigerian Academy of Engineering was established to pursue excellence in science, technology and engineering as well as provide a national platform for experts to harness their experiences and insights and make input into public and private technical policy
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