ICT

NCC Doles Out N500m for Research in Universities

By Dwelleth Morountodun

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has committed over N500 million to the Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions across the country to facilitate research and innovations to promote developments in the Nigerian telecommunications industry.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof Umar Danbatta who disclosed this at a two-day Regional Roundtable with Academia, Industry and Other Stakeholders which ended in Kano at the weekend, said the funds have been committed to research grants to universities and tertiary institutions, including professorial chairs in the universities in salient areas to drive technology development.

Danbatta said the Commission is now focused on supporting the academia in the commercialisation of the prototypes from these innovative researches as this is relevant to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s policy towards achieving indigenous technology for sustainable development of our country. He said the roundtable organized by the Commission was to provide the necessary platform to support the commercialisation of locally- developed telecommunications innovations which NCC has been sponsoring.

NCC Ad

“The Commission collaborates with the Academia in maximising the contributions of tertiary institutions to innovations and sustainable development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry as finance is needed to drive possible success of these endeavours. ” Danbatta said.

The NCC boss, said these efforts has enabled the Commission to contribute to national efforts to ensure overall growth of the industry and create wealth for innovators, saying all these are fundamental to the objective of the NCC’s R&D-oriented programmes.

On the basis of these, he said ideas, inventions, and improvements that emanate from the academia are required by the industry for improved efficiency and productivity.

Danbatta, said appreciable impacts had been achieved since the Commission reinvigorated research grants for telecommunications-based research innovations from Nigerian academics, focusing on successful commercialisation of locally developed solutions to foster and deepen the uptake of indigenous technology by Nigerians.

NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska, also disclosed that the Commission, has so far awarded 49 telecom-based research grants to the academia out of which 10 prototypes were successfully developed and displayed to industry stakeholders.

He said the R&D efforts of the Commission were aimed at actualizing some of the 8-point Pillar Eight of National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030, focusing on Indigenous Content Development and Adoption.

The event, which featured series of panel session discussions, particularly focusing on sub-themes that addressed the overarching theme of the stakeholders forum from different perspectives, drew participants from the academia, telecoms industry stakeholders, financial services sector and other critical sectors or the economy.

Participants deliberated on understanding commercialisation and entrepreneurial model within the university and industry perspectives as well as brainstormed on investment/ funding opportunities for prototype development, sustainability and the sale of new products in the market place.

Related Posts

Why Nigeria’s Telcos Industry is a Reference Point – Gambian Minister

Extraordinaire News

Global IT spending to Hit $3.9trn in 2021 – Report

Extraordinaire News

Phase3 Celebrates 18 Years of  Robust Telecoms Service Delivery

Extraordinaire News

NITDA Bridges Gender Divide, Commences Training for Female Business Founders on Digital/ICT Skills

Extraordinaire News

FG Issues Code of Practice for Online Platforms, IT Operators, Others

Extraordinaire News

Broadband: Phase3 Telecom, YahClick in Exciting Deal, Offer World ICT Services

Extraordinaire News

NITDA: Digital Innovation Ushering Better Lives for Africans

Extraordinaire News

NCC Boss Seeks Stakeholders’ Support for Ubiquitous ICT Penetration

Extraordinaire News

Entrepreneurship Education in Tertiary Institutions and Nigeria’s Unemployment Conundrum

Extraordinaire News

Leave a Comment

* By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.