The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has indicated interest to fund academic research in the Nigerian universities and polytechnics with a view of stimulating growth and development of the telecommunication industry in the country.
The Executive Vice-Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta stated this in Kano at a roundtable workshop organized to build mutual working relationship between the industry, the academic institutions and the regulator on Wednesday.
Dambatta emphasized the need for innovation in the telecom sector, stressing that for any telecommunication company to survive in the current competitive market it must always be ready to embrace new innovations.
“Every telecom provider will aspire to transform into a future-looking telecommunication company. Recognizing this increasing phenomenon, the commission has among other things directed funds to encourage innovation by boosting research and development in universities across the country” he said.
He added that the NCC is committed to research in the telecom industry was to facilitate contributions from the academia so as to ensure sustainability and economic growth.
He said any institution or researcher with a relevant research proposal that can benefit the industry is eligible to seek for the commission’s sponsorship.
The workshop with the theme “Synergy by Academia, Industry and Regulators as Accelerator for Innovation, Industry Growth and Sustainability” was attended by ten universities drawn from the northeast and northwest respectively.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Services, BUK, Prof. Adamu Idris Tanko, who represented the VC, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello at the opening session of the 2-day workshop expressed optimism in the collaboration.
He said it would pave way to address the longstanding issues bedeviling the telecom industry in the country.
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