To modernise the communications sector and enhance the digital economy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed new board members to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which is led by Idris Olorunnimbe.
This announcement comes shortly after Nigeria’s telecom providers revealed plans to establish the Telecom Infrastructure Protection Trust Fund. This initiative aims to finance equipment protection in light of a troubling rise in infrastructure sabotage, with the NCC noting that major mobile operators are now facing over 1,100 fibre-optic cuts each week.
Dr. Aminu Maida, who has served as the NCC’s executive vice chairman and CEO since October 2023, will retain his position.
The newly appointed board also includes representatives of the Universal Service Provision Fund Board. This program promotes widespread information and communication technology access, especially in rural, underserved, and unserved areas.
Further, this new board is part of Tinubu’s broader strategy to reposition Nigeria for sustainable growth and prosperity through his Renewed Hope Agenda. This agenda encompasses multiple sectors and seeks to drive improvements in key areas such as the economy, security, agriculture, infrastructure, and social welfare.
The NCC anticipates that the board’s collective expertise will positively influence the communications industry, fostering transformation in Nigeria’s digital economy by leveraging its knowledge, strategic insight, and robust governance to enhance the commission’s regulatory functions.
The NCC expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for these appointments, emphasising its eagerness to collaborate closely with its supervising ministry and the newly formed board to fulfil the president’s vision for Nigeria’s digital economy.
