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Nigeria’s global ranking as a model in telecom regulation, and her status as a leading light in cross border collaboration received a boost recently when a delegation from the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) of Sierra Leone paid a visit to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for benchmarking of NCC’s regulatory policies, programmes and activities.
The Sierra Leonean delegation, led by Amara Brewah, NATCOM’s Deputy Director-General, was received in Abuja by Engr. Ubale Maska, NCC’s Executive Commissioner Technical Services (ECTS), on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta.
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Brewah expressed gratitude to NCC for the reception despite the short notice given, and stated that NCC’s gesture resounded the value it accords the relationship that exists between the two organisations. He thanked the NCC for the opportunity offered his team and described their interaction with many departments of the NCC as very engaging, “rewarding and very contextual, considering that the two countries operated under similar circumstances and have had to contend with similar operational issues.”
Maska, who warmly received the visitors, informed them that Prof Danbatta was scheduled to carry out an important international assignment before the planned visit of the Sierra Leonean counterpart was received by the commission.
Maska said that the value NCC places high value on sub-regional and continental collaboration. He assured that NCC looks forward unreservedly “to also learn how Sierra Leone handled some of its challenges in telecom regulation and other matters of similar interest, because we are also seek ways of improving our operations.”
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Bako Wakil, the Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity (DTSNI) at NCC, thanked the Sierra Leonean delegation and expressed NCC’s willingness to share more information with the visitors, especially as it relates to Quality of Service (Qos).
The NCC Management team that received the visitors include Reuben Muoka, Head Special Duties, Hafiz Shehu, Chief of Staff to Prof Danbatta, and Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head of Online Media, who represented the Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde.
Other members of the delegation from Sierra Leone were Hon. Brima Mansaray, Member of the Information and Communications Committee of the Parliament of Sierra Leone; Paul Squire Esq., Member of NATCOM Board of Commissioners; Abdul Bah, Director Information Technology at NATCOM; Harding Tommy, Director Policy and Government Relations; and Shaka Sasha, Manager, Fraud Management Systems. The delegation had engaging interactions with many arms of NCC including, the Departments of Digital Economy, Licensing and Authorization, Legal and Regulatory Services, TSNI, and Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis.
