News
Automation, Next Stage of Service Delivery in Public Sector – Danbatta
Nasiru Yusuf
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Umar Garba Danbatta has said leveraging the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to automate service delivery should be the next frontier of excellent service delivery to Nigerians by public institutions.
KANO FOCUS reports that Danbatta made the assertion in a goodwill message presented on his behalf by NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Ikechukwu Adinde, at the opening ceremony of a three-day SERVICOM retreat, which started on December 1, 2021 at the Communications and Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja.
The retreat focused on, ‘Charter Performance Monitoring and Reporting’, was aimed at monitoring the implementation of the NCC’s Client Service Charter, identifying gaps, measuring and evaluating the progress of service delivery in the Commission.
SERVICOM, an acronym derived from SERVICE COMPACT WITH ALL NIGERIANS, speaks to a special social contract between the Federal Government through its institutions (Ministries, Department and Agencies) and the Nigerian people that ensures services are delivered in a courteous, prompt and efficient manner.
Speaking at the event, attended by staff of NCC, Adinde said the NCC has been living up to its expectation as one of the public institution that has continued to implement the Service Charter with all its various stakeholders.
The Director Public Affairs stated that the digital economy drive of the Federal Government should mean that more services be delivered online to the people of Nigeria and in a more efficient manner in line with the philosophy of SERVICOM.
He said the NCC is an important partner of SERVICOM in its journey towards service delivery and excellence, and invited the participants to recall that fact in the passion and commitment of Prof. Danbatta in ensuring that telecom service providers deliver optimal service to varied categories of stakeholders.
“Therefore, from our perspective as regulator of the digital ecosystem in Nigeria, we feel that automation of service should be the next stage of service delivery.
While we have started this journey with the example of REMITA, which has brought about a lot of efficiency and transparency into the payment remittances by public and Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of government,” Adinde stated.
On the implementation of the NCC Charter for SERVICOM, Adinde said the NCC boasts of one of the best and brightest brains that could be found in the public sector as civil servants, who are ingrained with good work ethics and culture.
“Our staff are renowned for their warmth and geniality when dealing with internal and external stakeholders. They work as a team on the principle of achieving Specific Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives of the Commission,” he said.
Adinde also listed the roles of the Commission in collaborating with other MDAs in various ways, in order to achieve policy objectives of government in many fronts.
He also highlighted a number of corporate social responsivity (CSR) projects of the Commission being implemented singly or jointly with other MDAs towards achieving the objective of government to serve the citizenry better.
As a further demonstration of the duty NCC owes telecoms consumers, whose interest must be protected in line with Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003, Adinde said NCC created the Consumer Affairs Bureau in September 2001, to ensure consumer protection through policy development and monitoring, advocacy, as well as information and education of all shades of stakeholders.
“Consequently, NCC is one of the few MDAs that has a dedicated toll-free number, designed specifically for the escalation of issues between telecommunications service providers and consumers.
We also constantly monitor the Quality of Service (QoS), ensuring that service delivery issues are within the acceptable key performance indicators (KPIs),” Adinde said.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of SERVICOM, Nnena Akajemili, in her remark at the event, commended NCC for contributing to the cultivation of effective communication between the Commission and its various stakeholders for improved service delivery.
Akajemili acknowledged the commitment of NCC towards facilitating major activities, even as she affirmed that the Commission had improved significantly in delivering its key regulatory functions.
Akajemili also observed that NCC went the extra mile in engaging its stakeholders as well as creating affinity between itself and its stakeholders.
Akajemili stated that she was particularly gratified by NCC’s contribution of 11.94 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), based on the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report for the third quarter of 2021. However, the SERVICOM Chief Executive beseeched the Commission sustain and expand on its collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) specifically in the area of data management, CSR, Value Added Services (VAS) and short codes, to enhance greater synergy among MDAs.
Head, Legislative and Government Relations, NCC and SERVICOM Nodal Officer at the Commission, Bashir Bello, said SERVICOM, as a service delivery initiative, requires everyone to put in his or her best in achieving desired objectives.
He emphasized the role of Management’s support, education, and commitment towards improving and consolidating the various SERVICOM interventions that had been initiated.
The event was attended by SERVICOM Team leads, departmental liaisons officers in the NCC, SERVICOM rapporteurs, and other staff of the Commission.
Ibrahim Khalil
Residents of Tsakuwa community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State have honoured 11 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of the town.
KANO FOCUS reports that the awards were presented during the 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, held on Sunday at Central Primary School, Tsakuwa.
Among those honoured were the traditional ruler of the community, Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa; the Chairman of the Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa; and a retired headmaster of Central Primary School, Tsakuwa, Alhaji Mahmuda Shehu, who continues to offer voluntary teaching services to pupils in the community.
Also recognised was Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe, a Nupe businessman who settled in Tsakuwa and has become an integral part of the community. He was honoured for his significant contributions to the town’s development.
Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe receiving a certificate
Other award recipients included the Chairman of the Northwest Development Commission, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji (Garkuwan Tsakuwa); the Commander of the Gombe State Hisbah Command, Malam Rabiu Idris; media practitioner Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation (ARTV); the founder of Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, Malam Ibrahim Almustapha Sani; and Sulaiman Salisu Babah, among others.
Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan presenting a certificate to Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Speaking at the event, the Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa, commended the leadership of the association for its commitment to community development and urged members to sustain their efforts toward improving the welfare of residents.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the association, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa, said the non-partisan organisation had prioritised interventions in education, security, and healthcare.
He appealed to members of the community to sustain their monthly financial contributions to enable the association to continue implementing development projects.
Earlier, a member of the association, Malam Abdullahi Wagadi, disclosed that the group generated ₦6.56 million through members’ monthly contributions over the past year.
According to him, the association spent ₦3.84 million on allowances for volunteer teachers and vigilantes, ₦564,000 on fencing the Eid prayer ground, and ₦1.255 million on the renovation of the community police outpost.
He further stated that ₦356,000 was spent on supporting Tsakuwa Model Primary School, ₦430,000 on scholarships for students, ₦700,000 on instructional materials, and ₦50,000 on health assistance for vulnerable residents.
Association Raises Over ₦2.1 Million at AGM
A major highlight of the AGM was the fundraising session, during which the association raised ₦2.143 million from philanthropists and community stakeholders.
Leading the donations was Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe, who contributed ₦500,000. He was followed by Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki, who also donated ₦500,000, while Hon. Abdulmumin Tijjani, popularly known as Mai POS, donated ₦200,000.
Other donors included the Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa, who donated ₦100,000; the association’s chairman, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa, ₦200,000; Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji Garkuwan Tsakuwa), ₦100,000; and Malam Rabiu Idris, who also contributed ₦100,000.
The event attracted community leaders, stakeholders, and residents who commended the association for its contributions to grassroots development and pledged continued support for its programmes.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced measures aimed at protecting smaller telecommunications operators from unfair competition by larger industry players through the release of a draft Business Rules framework for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commission has also invited operators and other stakeholders to submit comments and recommendations on the proposed regulations before their final adoption.
According to the NCC, the draft framework is designed to prevent dominant Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) from using pricing strategies or operational delays to frustrate smaller operators and virtual network providers operating within the telecommunications sector.
The Commission noted that the proposed rules would promote fair competition, protect the interests of emerging operators, and strengthen operational standards across the industry.
As part of its stakeholder engagement process, the NCC has requested industry participants and interested parties to submit feedback on the draft framework on or before June 29, 2026.
The Commission also announced plans to hold a public consultation forum on July 9, 2026, where stakeholders’ submissions and recommendations will be reviewed and considered before the final implementation of the rules.
According to the NCC, the new regulations are intended to create a level playing field for all operators, encourage healthy competition, and accelerate growth within Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
Key provisions of the proposed framework include strict onboarding timelines, fair pricing mechanisms, revenue-sharing arrangements, and mandatory compliance requirements for telecommunications operators.
Under the draft rules, host network operators will be required to acknowledge MVNO connection requests within 10 days and provide feedback on technical readiness within 20 days.
The framework further stipulates that all technical and commercial agreements between host operators and MVNOs must be concluded within 120 days to prevent unnecessary delays in market entry and operations.
To ensure equitable participation in the market, the NCC has also proposed benchmark pricing structures covering data services, voice calls, SMS, and USSD services.
The Commission believes the pricing model will help prevent dominant operators from engaging in anti-competitive practices that could force smaller virtual operators out of the market.
In addition, the proposed regulations introduce a tiered operational framework that clearly defines the scope, responsibilities, and operational boundaries of different categories of operators within the telecommunications ecosystem.
Industry stakeholders are expected to make further contributions to the framework before its final adoption by the Commission.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Health journalists in Kano State have inaugurated a new professional body, the Kano Health Journalists Network (KAHJON), aimed at strengthening media reporting and advocacy on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and Primary Health Care (PHC).
KANO FOCUS reports that the network was launched during an Alignment, Coordination, Monitoring and Implementation meeting of media coalitions on gender-responsive RMNCAH and PHC, organised by the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) in Kano.
During the inauguration, journalists unanimously elected Khadijah Aliyu of Radio Nigeria as Chairperson of the newly established network.
Other members of the executive committee include Mustapha Hodi Adamu of People Daily Newspaper as Vice Chairperson, Abdullahi Hassan of ARTV as Secretary, and Mustapha Salisu of Prime Times as Public Relations Officer.
Speaking at the event, the Programme Director of ISMPH, Mr. Solomon Dogo, said the establishment of KAHJON would help unify existing health reporting groups and improve media coverage of critical public health issues, including polio eradication, nutrition, maternal health, and primary healthcare services.
He congratulated the newly elected executives and expressed confidence that the network would enhance collaboration among media practitioners while strengthening health advocacy efforts in the state.
Dogo noted that similar health journalists’ networks are already operating in Lagos and Kaduna states, adding that development partners remain committed to supporting initiatives that promote public health advocacy.
Also speaking, ISMPH Programme Officer in Kano, Hajiya Sabuwa Yahaya, said the platform would improve coordination among journalists, enhance access to health information, and strengthen evidence-based reporting on health issues.
According to her, the network will also provide a stronger platform for advocacy and engagement with government institutions, development partners, and local communities.
The inauguration ceremony attracted goodwill messages from several development partners, including the Integrated Budget and Policy (IBP), LISDEL, CCSI, SANDHEF, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
Representatives of the Kano State Ministry of Health, the Drug Management and Consumables Supply Agency, and the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency also attended the event.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which formally established the Kano Health Journalists Network and marked the beginning of a new chapter in health journalism and advocacy in the state.
Tsakuwa community honours teacher, Nupe man, nine others for development efforts
NCC moves to protect smaller telecom operators, releases draft MVNO business rules
Kano health journalists launch Network to strengthen health reporting, advocacy
NDC House of Representatives aspirant defects to APC in Kano
2027: I will continue distributing job opportunities, says Goro
AGILE Project: Kano awards ₦23.1bn contract for construction of 49 new secondary schools
K-SAFE Co-Chair wins Malala Fund-supported research grant on girls’ education
Max Air reschedules departure date for Kano pilgrims’ Hajj airlift
KASITDA moves to digitise Kano health sector
