Professor Umaru Garba Danbatta, who was Tuesday named as Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, has kicked off his first week on the job with sweeping reshuffling in the nation’s influential telecoms industry regulator.
“Under the plan,
Danbatta has approved the redeployment of Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, who was
moved from his former position as the Secretary of the Universal
Service Provision Fund (USPF), the special fund established to extend
telecoms penetration into rural areas nationwide.”
Technology Times has just learnt that the reshuffle effected
weekend by the new regulatory chief affected key officials across
several cadres in NCC and will soon be made public in the next few days,
barring any change of mind by the new boss of the agency.
Under the plan, Danbatta has approved the redeployment of Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, who was moved from his former position as the Secretary of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), the special fund established to extend telecoms penetration into rural areas nationwide.
The shake-up of USPF is one of several changes at the top cadre of NCC, people conversant with unfolding developments Abuja, the headquarters of the Nigerian telecoms industry watchdog today confirmed to Technology Times.
Details are sketchy as to the new boss of USPF, which manages a multi-billion wallet set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and universal service to information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, un-served and under-served areas across the country.
Indications have however emerged that Danbatta will be looking inwards for a new USPF Secretary, who may likely be a serving Chartered Account in NCC simply identified as Ayuba, according to an insider.
NCC internal structure and organogram
Technology Times can authoritatively confirm that following the new changes made by Danbatta, Maikano has been transferred to head the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB), a unit of NCC with the broad mandate to disseminate information through various channels on the rights and obligations of telecoms consumers “with a view to enlightening and empowering consumers and other stakeholders in the industry.”
Abdullahi Maikano, ex-Secretary of USPF
With his redeployment, Maikano, the former Secretary of USPF, who is responsible for the operations and administration of the Fund, will be returning to a familiar turf.
Prior to being posted to USPF, Maikano served in various departments in NCC and was once Head of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Head of Business Development Department, Head of Corporate Planning & Strategy Department and Head, Projects Department from where he was posted to the USPF.
On the other hand, Mrs. Maryam Bayi, who until the change was Director in charge of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, has been moved to the Human Capital and Infrastructure Group.
According to insiders, Engr. Fidelis Onah, who was the Director, Human Capital and Infrastructure Group may be named the new Director in charge of Spectrum Administration Department, which oversees Spectrum Planning, Spectrum Assignment, Spectrum Utilisation & Monitoring as Spectrum Database Management units of NCC.
Mrs Iyabo Solanke, Director of Finance of NCC was also affected in the shake-up as well as Ms. Funlola Akiode, Director of Special Duties, who are being assigned new responsibilities in the telecoms regulatory agency.
Meanwhile, the emergence of Danbatta as new EVC of NCC opens a new chapter in the annals of the telecoms regulatory agency, which oversees the lucrative telecoms industry, a crucial sector of the Nigerian economy counting a growing ecosystem of several mobile phone companies, communication network operators, value added service providers, optical fibre cable companies, among others.
“The emergence of Danbatta as new EVC of NCC opens a new chapter in the annals of the telecoms regulatory agency, which oversees the lucrative telecoms industry, a crucial sector of the Nigerian economy counting a growing ecosystem of several mobile phone companies, communication network operators, value added service providers, optical fibre cable companies, among others.”
Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, new EVC of NCC
President Muhammadu Buhari had Wednesday appointed Professor Danbatta, who succeeded Dr Juwah as Executive Vice Chairman of NCC for a tenure of five years as chief of the nation’s telecoms regulatory agency.
Engr. Fidelis Onah, who was Director, Human Capital and Infrastructure Group in NCC
