Nigeria’s telecom sector rakes in 8.83% to GDP

ITRealms:

Telecommunications sector contributed an estimated 8.83 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria, according to the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, reports ITRealms.

In his opening remarks at the Corporate Governance Forum hosted by the Commission at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja-Lagos, today, Prof. Danbatta, said that the liberalization of the telecommunications industry opened investment opportunities for both local and foreign companies, hence contributing significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He pointed out that though the economy regressed to -0.36 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, the telecommunications sector contributed in progressive and real terms, about 8.83 per cent to the GDP within the period under review.

This, he also said represents an increase of 0.5 per cent relative to the growth in the last quarter of 2015.

Similarly, EVC said, apart from attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in excess of $38 billion and reflating the economy, the telecoms value chain, either formal or informal, have continued to create significant number of job opportunities for the teaming youths in the country.

“Other positive spin-offs include increasing local content and rising income per capita/per head for employees in the sector,” he said, stressing that NCC would not rest on its oars as the Commission is committed to sustaining and building on the formidable structures established over the years for the industry to thrive beyond current generation.

NCC, he said, desires an industry that will grow bigger, better and be more relevant to successive generations, just as he underscored the fact that the essence of today’s meeting centres on sharing of thoughts and perspectives on how to meet the commitment to the principles of inter-generational equity in the sector.

In addition, he said, the meeting examines how this generation would leave a lasting legacy of a strong and virile industry, fit for bequest to future generations.

It is in this regard, Danbatta said, that NCC in 2012 set up a multi-stakeholder Corporate Governance Working Group (CGWG) with membership drawn from across the nation’s telecom industry, the Commission and corporate governance practitioners, with a mandate to determine the industry’s needs and the best approach to be adopted in addressing corporate governance issues thereof.

“The CGWG developed the Code of Corporate Governance for the telecoms industry, which was published in 2014,” Danbatta said.

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Pix: Prof. Danbatta and Prof. Fabian Ajogwu at forum.

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