By Tajudeen Atitebi
Lagos, Dec. 1, 2023 – For Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the just concluded ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) 2023 was a successful outing.
The conference, held in November 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, provided a platform for telecommunication regulators, operators and experts to discuss issues affecting the global telecommunication industry.
The WRC is held every three to four years to review the treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.
The conference is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the specialised agency of the United Nations on information and communication technologies.
The WRC conference was the first international assignment for Maida since his appointment as the Chief Executive of NCC.
Maida, who led the Nigerian delegation to the conference, had the opportunity of conference to meet with some other telecom regulators, scholars and operators.
He met Mrs Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, the Chief Executive of Dubai Telecom Authority and Cosmas Zavazava, the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The NCC boss also met with Mario Maniewicz, the Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, as well as Seizio Onoe, the Director of the Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau.
He also met with a team from Meta led by Mr. Kojo Boakye, Vice President for Africa, Middle East and Turkey.
During the four-day event, Maida took to his X, formerly Twitter, account (@Dr_AminuMaida) to share his daily experiences on the conference.
At the conference, Maida took every opportunity to advance the cause of Nigeria, while also sharing its challenges.
His chance meeting with Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary-General of ITU, on the sidelines of the conference, offered him the opportunity to discuss potential areas of collaboration and increased Nigerian representation at the ITU.
Maida said that during the meeting with Bodgan-Marin, he shared his priority and vision of the NCC.
He expressed his unwavering commitment to improving the quality of experience of consumers and advancing broadband penetration across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
“At the top of the agenda of the NCC engagements with the community of leaders here is to advance the interest of Nigerian telecommunication as well as push for increased representation of our country in global telecommunication activities.
Maida’s engagement with Mario Maniewicz, the Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, also offered an opportunity for discussion on areas of collaboration between the NCC and the ITU.
Their discussion delved on crucial topics of enhancing skills development and addressing cybersecurity challenges within the telecommunications sector.
“We delved into the current agenda of the ITU, covering essential aspects like skills development and cybersecurity threats.
“Our conversation also centred around our joint commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Maida described his meeting with Majed Sultan Mesmar, the Chief Executive of the Dubai Telecommunication Authority as very inspiring and profound.
They exchanged views on the common vision, goals and ways of doing things shared by the two countries.
The two regulators agreed on the need for a paradigm shift in operational strategies on sectoral transformation in their respective countries.
The NCC boss said he was impressed by the transformative progress made by the UAE telecom industry under the leadership of Mesmar.
He expressed enthusiasm with the remarkable strides in spectrum management and investment facilitation achieved by the Dubai telecom industry regulator.
“My meeting with my Dubai counterpart, Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, the DG of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, was both inspiring and profound.
“I was excited, even challenged, by the advancements the authority has made over the years, especially in areas of spectrum management and facilitating investments in the telecommunications industry in Dubai.
“We both share a common vision that if we must transform telecommunications in both our countries, then we must radically change the way we do things.
Maida also met with Meta delegates at the conference where they discussed issues on increased investments in internet connectivity in the country.
He described the meeting as mutually beneficial.
The conference, no doubt, offered opportunity for the NCC and Maida to explore ideas and tap opportunities to develop the Nigerian telecommunication industry. (GBN)
