The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says it remitted N362.34 billion revenue to the Federal Government’s consolidated account in five years.
NCC Executive Vice-Chairman Umar Danbatta said this while making a presentation to Course 29 Participants of the National Defence College, in Abuja.
The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Adinde said that Danbatta spoke on the theme, “The Telecommunications Industry and National Development in Nigeria: The Role of NCC in Promoting Digital Economy.
He said that the telecoms sector was the life-wire that would drive the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) of the Federal Government.
He noted that the sector plays a dual role in contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and that of being an enabler to other sectors of the economy.
“Telecommunications is key to the diversification of the Nigerian economy, as the telecom sector plays a dual role of contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and being an enabler to other sectors of the economy,” he said.
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He listed fixed broadband infrastructure gap, Right of Way (RoW), Foreign Exchange, Vandalism of telecoms infrastructure, Electric Power Supply, Multiple Taxations and regulations as some of the challenges bedevilling the industry.
On fixed broadband infrastructure gap, he said, the commission would bolster the existing fibre optic infrastructure across the country by 38,296 km through the infraCo project Initiative.
On Row, he explained that the engagement with the Nigerian Governors Forum on the adoption of N145 per metre as RoW fees has yielded results in Kaduna, Katsina, Imo, Ekiti and Plateau.
He also spoke on other issues, including the correlation between broadband and GDP, telecom contribution to national development, telecom investment trend in Nigeria, telecom contribution to digital economy and conceptualisation of digital economy.
He, therefore, urged state governments to key into the success of the digital economy drive by reducing RoW fees and other charges targeting telecom service providers.
In remarks, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Mackson Kadiri appreciated Danbatta, describing his paper as in-depth, incisive and timely.