NCC to enforce fixed telephony service on operators

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

By Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze, Abuja
* Endows professorial chairs on varsities
In efforts to revive fixed telephony services in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), will embark on mandatory enforcement of provisions of the universal service and access licence given to telecom operators. This is even as the NCC is partnering with the academia to leverage the huge potential in ICT to address societal and developmental challenges confronting Nigeria through cutting edge research. To this end, the Commission has endowed professorial chairs on the Bayero University, and the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), for the 2019-2020 academic year with the provision of N20 million each to encourage research and innovation in the institutions.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Professorial Chairs in Abuja, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof umar  Danbatta, opined that despite that the universal service and access licence given to operators cover both mobile and fixed line services, telecom operators only concentrate on deployment of mobile services to the detriment of the fixed line.
He said, “The Universal service and access license that were given covers fixed line services. We don’t understand why operators give more attention to mobile services while they have the authority through the licence to also provide fixed telephony services. We will come up with a mandatory enforcement of the provisions of the licence.”
Danbatta noted that the telecommunications sector can play an important role in improving the life of citizens through its contributions to the GDP, adding that the professorial award is a testimony of the Commission’s commitment to tap from the wealth of experience available in the universities. 
He observed that NCC is expecting cutting edge research that would improve quality of service in the industry, result in faster broadband penetration, and proffering solutions to the multitude of problems in the industry.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Rasheed, said the professorial chair endowment would facilitate research in selected areas and would help in executing the general mandate of NCC. He observed that digital and genetic revolutions are shaping the new world and changing the way we see and do things
Rasheed said: “The endowment of Chairs on the two universities is a step in the right direction, and will assist research in wide areas of IT. This will help tap from the wealth of experience in the universities in the area of research, which is an important component of any country’s strategic plan. “The endowment will also facilitate research in selected areas and would help in executing the general mandate of NCC.
Digital and genetic revolutions are shaping the new world and changing the way we see and do things, the endowment of Chairs on the two universities is a step in the right direction and will assist research in wide areas of IT.”The Vice Chancellors of the two universities urged Nigerian youths to unleash their potentials through research adding that they wiill not disappoint the commission.