Abubakar Bawa

Nigerian Communications Commission

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is the independent National Regulatory Authority for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. The Commission is responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country. NCC powers derived from an Act (Nigerian Communications Act 2003) passed by the National Assembly - Nigeria's Bi-Cameral legislature. • Give written directions to Licensees. • Consult with consumers, commercial and industrial organizations. • Delegate its functions to a committee constituted by it. • Summon persons to appear before the Commission. • Enter into contracts with any company, firm or persons. • Establish and maintain subsidiaries to enable the discharge of its functions. Over the years NCC has earned a reputation as a foremost telecom regulatory agency in Africa. In June 2016 NCC received the EUROPEAN AWARD FOR BEST PRACTICES IN THE GOLD CATEGORY from the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR). Its receptacle of trove of awards has continued to swell all year round. The Commission has been visited by many international institutions and its counterparts from different countries across the world for commendation and for benchmarking. Importantly, NCC hopes to catalyze the use of ICTs for different aspect of national development. The Commission has initiated several programs such as State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI); Wire Nigeria Project (WIN); the University Inter-Campus Connectivity programme (UNiCC) and numerous intervention programmes and projects to help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of a knowledge society in Nigeria; and it is the key driver of the National Broadband Plan designed to cascade availability of broadband services across Nigeria.