Telecom
Danbatta, New NCC Boss Resumes, Pledges to Tackle QoS
Professor Umaru Damabatta, newly appointed executive vice chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who has resumed duty in acting capacity pending confirmation by the Senate, has promised to tackle the quality of service issues in the industry very seriously.
Professor Danbatta who addressed a cross section of top management and Staff of the NCC at the headquarters in Abuja on Friday, said that he will bring his experience to bear in confronting the challenges of the telecom industry in Nigeria.
“I want to pledge that I will bring to bear, my wealth of experience in tackling the issue of quality of service in order to meet the expectations of the public that we are servicing’ he said.
The Professor of Electronics engineering, said he would focus on those internationally acceptable ideals in telecom regulation, as stipulated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that makes quality of service a compelling attraction for the achievement of universal service.
“The concept of universal access is premised on three ‘A’s, as the hallmarks of universal access and they include Availability of service, Accessibility of Service, and Affordability of service. Those will dictate at all times what we do, and I am sure those were the dictating parameters for improvement in the quality of service”, he said.
Professor Danbatta admitted there are challenges in the telecommunications industry but that they are not insurmountable. He enjoined the support and cooperation of the staff of the Commission to succeed, affirming that NCC still reckons as the number telecom regulator in Africa and the need for the staff to brace up for sustaining the prime position in the interest of the nation.
“We will judiciously use the resources of the Commission to ensure that we maintain this position in a manner that will enhance the image and prestige of the Commission as well as serve as a reminder to government of the important role that this agency can play in improving the GDP. This we can only do if all of us live up to our responsibilities as ambassadors of the Commission, and in these I urge everybody’s cooperation to enable us accomplish this very important task for the country”, he told the staff.
Prof Danbatta’s experience in the telecom regulatory sector spans the academia, as a university don and the industry where he once serviced as Vice President of the NCC-owned Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).
Professor Dambatta, who specialized with a Ph.D in Electronics Engineering, is not new to the telecom industry and telecom regulation and was until recently, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Kano University of Science & Technology, Wudil until his appointment as the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC. He takes over from Dr. Eugene Juwah, whose five year tenure at the NCC ended July 28, 2015.
Professor Dambatta an accomplished academician of repute, has served as a lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Technology Bayero University, Kano for 28 years, where he taught courses in telecommunications engineering, and electronics and held academic positions of Dean of the Faculty and Head of Department at different times.
The new NCC boss was born in Danbatta Local Government Council of Kano State, obtained his Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, and Ph.D degrees from the Technical University of Wroclaw in Poland, and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology UK, respectively.
The new NCC helmsman has also held high profile administrative responsibilities, including Chairmanship of the Implementation Committee of Kano State University of Science & Technology, and subsequently became its pioneer Deputy, and Acting Vice-Chancellor when it took off in 2001.
He had served two terms of five years as a Member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), is also a COREN registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).
Nigeria’s telecom operators recorded 155, 397 fibre-cut incidents between April and May 2026, and these they blame on why internet or calls suddenly stop working.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed fibre-cut incidents increased from 74 276 in April to a record 79 121 in May, bringing the two-month total to the highest level recorded by the industry.
This represents a 2 428% increase from the 5 934 incidents reported during the first quarter of 2026.
Vandalism remained the leading cause of fibre cuts, accounting for more than 54 000 incidents despite telecom infrastructure being designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure, a classification intended to strengthen protection of key digital assets.
Also road construction constantly damages fiber where iggers and machines tear up buried cables during road repairs or construction.
Even with all these, some state governments make it hard for companies to fix cables quickly across different areas with all manners of fees and levies.
The NCC designation provides for penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for offenders, but operators continue to face widespread infrastructure damage.
Proposed solutions, including Nigeria’s Dig-Once policy and AI-powered fibre sensing technologies, have yet to achieve widespread adoption.
The NCC is developing a cost-based framework for shared underground duct infrastructure, while operators are exploring AI-powered fibre sensing technologies that can detect cable damage in real time and improve network resilience.
Nigeria is pursuing ambitious broadband targets under its National Broadband Plan and has expanded fibre deployment to about 35 000 kilometres.
However, infrastructure protection has not kept pace with network expansion, leaving subscribers vulnerable to unreliable connectivity despite continued operator investment.
Standard Bank has partnered with Helios Towers to provide a $29 million Social Documentary Credit Facility. According to the financial services company, this transaction marks Standard Bank’s first Documentary Credit Facility structured in a Sustainable Finance format.
It notes that the facility will support the procurement and importation of telecommunications infrastructure and related services across Africa.
It will also provide payment certainty to suppliers, while supporting Helios Towers’ working capital requirements and infrastructure expansion programme, the bank adds.
Structured in accordance with the Loan Market Association’s Social Loan Principles, the financing is designed to promote digital connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure development in underserved markets.
This will help Helios Towers further expand its footprint and enhance mobile network coverage and connectivity across the continent.
Helios Towers operates one of Africa’s independent telecommunications tower platforms, enabling mobile network operators to extend coverage across multiple markets.
Standard Bank notes that the facility supports the expansion of tower infrastructure and services, increased network densification and improved connectivity in underserved markets and remote regions across the African continent.
It will also drive digital inclusion and tackle the digital divide while supporting economic growth and socio-economic development.
“This transaction demonstrates the power of innovation in trade finance. By combining a first-to-market Social Documentary Credit Facility with a cross-border funding solution, Standard Bank has supported Helios Towers’ growth ambitions while helping extend digital connectivity to underserved communities across Africa,” says Benoit Samouilhan, global transaction banker at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking.
According to the bank, this facility enables positive social impact by increasing and improving network coverage and connectivity in some of the world’s most remote regions.
“Reliable digital infrastructure is fundamental to Africa’s future growth and development,” says Alex Carter, group finance director at Helios Towers.
“This facility provides us with the flexibility and certainty needed to support our ongoing infrastructure investments while advancing our mission of expanding connectivity across the continent. We value our longstanding relationship with Standard Bank and look forward to building on this partnership.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will on Thursday convene a stakeholders’ consultative forum to review the draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.
NCC
The forum, scheduled to hold at 10 a.m. at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja, is expected to bring together telecommunications operators, industry associations and other stakeholders to provide input on the proposed regulatory framework before its finalisation.
The commission announced the event on its official social media platforms, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in the consultation process.
The engagement is part of the NCC’s efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for MVNO operations and promote greater competition, innovation and consumer choice in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators are telecommunications service providers that offer mobile services by leasing network capacity from licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), rather than owning spectrum licences or telecommunications infrastructure.
The NCC has identified the MVNO licensing framework as one of its initiatives aimed at deepening competition, expanding access to telecommunications services and driving digital inclusion across the country.
The consultative forum is expected to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to review the draft business rules, make recommendations and contribute to the development of a robust operational framework for the emerging MVNO segment.
The commission is expected to issue further details on the outcome of the consultation after the meeting.
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