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NCC Boss to Receive Vanguard’s Regulator of the Year Award on Friday
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, is set to receive the 2022 Regulator of the Year Award at the highly-coveted Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards.
KANO FOCUS reports that Vanguard Newspaper Limited, the organizers of the event, has said that Danbatta would receive the award category at a ceremony to be held in Lagos on Friday, January 27, 2022 based on the recognition of the professor’s transformational and inspiring leadership, which brought the effective regulatory regime in the telecoms sector, impacting positively on Nigeria’s digital economy ecosystem.
A statement sent to KANO FOCUS by Director, Public Affairs Reuben Muoka said alongside other prominent personalities including state governors like Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Abdulraham Abdulrazaq of Kwara, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as well as the Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and other Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in professional excellence and service to humanity, Danbatta will stand tall before Nigerians on Friday to receive his category of award.
Profoundly described as Africa’s Regulatory model, Prof. Danbatta has become a model to other African regulators.
A respectable scholar and distinguished academic, Danbatta has displayed a no-nonsense mien in discharging regulatory functions, yet he is generally viewed in the industry as a calm and calculative leader who takes fair but firm decisions in his drive to steady the Nigerian telecom environment. This has, no doubt, inspired many African regulators to adopt Nigeria’s model in order to revamp their regulatory activities.
A professor of telecommunications engineering, Danbatta, before his appointment, had been the Acting Vice Chancellor at the Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST), and as a lecturer he has supervised more than 60 PhD, M.Eng and B.Eng projects in diverse areas of telecommunications.
Danbatta, however, was not entirely new to the industry before he bacame the NCC boss, as he had a stint at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) an international centre for advanced communications studies established in 2004 by the NCC for capacity building in diverse areas of Information and Communication Technology as the Vice President of the institute.
His first five years in office witnessed an effective regulatory regime through cutting-edge initiatives, strengthening the role of the telecommunications sector as a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Currently leading the charge to achieve the Nigerian National Broad Plan 2020-2025, Danbatta was acclaimed for spearheading the predecessor campaign, which Nigeria attained and surpassed the 30% national target in 2018, from paltry 6% when he took over.
The multiple award-winning professor also midwifed a highly successful 5G spectrum auction last year, while his strides in reviving the Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) and the introduction of harmonized national emergency communication number (112) helped the NCC to win the International Public Relations Association Golden Award in the year 2021, because of a pivotal role they played in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
His stellar leadership style was recently rewarded by the organizers of the prestigious Zik Prize, as they bestowed on him the Zik Prize award for Professional Leadership.
Danbatta earned BEng, MSc degrees from the Technical University of Wroclaw in Poland and received his PhD from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. Yet, in spite of his towering achievements, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, remains an epitome of modesty and humility.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Sports Commission has congratulated Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya on his redeployment as Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commission described the redeployment as a welcome development, reflecting the confidence reposed in Waiya’s leadership ability, administrative experience and commitment to public service.
In a statement issued on Saturday, by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Zulfa’at Abubakar Rano, the Chairman of the Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, expressed confidence that Waiya would bring his wealth of experience to bear on youth and sports development in the state.
Waiya was previously the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs before his redeployment in the minor cabinet reshuffle announced by the governor.
Babangida said the new commissioner’s experience in public service, communication, policy implementation and stakeholder engagement would contribute to advancing the ministry’s objectives and strengthening the sports sector.
He also pledged the commission’s readiness to collaborate with the ministry to promote grassroots sports, identify and nurture emerging talents, empower young people and improve Kano’s competitiveness in national and international sporting activities.
The chairman stressed that effective collaboration between the ministry and the commission would be crucial to achieving sustainable growth in the sports sector and creating more opportunities for youth participation and development.
He wished Waiya a successful tenure, expressing optimism that his appointment would bring innovation and further progress to youth and sports development in Kano State.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has sworn in six newly appointed commissioners, three advisers and 19 permanent secretaries as part of efforts to strengthen governance and improve service delivery in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the ceremony followed the confirmation of the six commissioner nominees by the Kano State House of Assembly on October 26, 2026, after completing the legislative screening process.
The newly sworn-in commissioners are Air Commodore Salisu Yusha’u (retd.), assigned to the Ministry of Internal Security and Special Services; Ibrahim Namadi Dala, Investment; Prof. Sani Lawan Manunfashi, Higher Education; Muktar Ishaq Yakasai, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, Science and Technology; and Idris Garba Mustapha, Special Duties.
In a related development, the governor announced a minor cabinet reshuffle involving the redeployment of two commissioners to different ministries.
Under the new arrangement, Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, who previously served as Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, has been moved to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
Similarly, Hamza Kachaco has been redeployed to the Ministry of Environment.
The reshuffle leaves the Ministries of Information and Internal Affairs, as well as Solid Minerals and Mineral Resources, vacant pending further decisions by the state government.
According to a statement issued by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the appointments and redeployments are aimed at strengthening government institutions, improving administrative efficiency and repositioning key ministries for effective service delivery.
The governor urged the new appointees to demonstrate dedication, integrity and commitment to their responsibilities, stressing the need to prioritise public interest and contribute to the development of the state.
He also charged them to work collaboratively in advancing his administration’s development agenda and delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.
Gov Yusuf congratulated the appointees and wished them success in their respective assignments.
Ibrahim Khalil
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has redeployed the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, to the Ministry of Youths and Sports as part of a cabinet reshuffle involving eight ministries.
KANO FOCUS reports that under the new arrangement, Waiya moves from the Ministry of Information to the Ministry of Youths and Sports, while Hon. Hamza Safyanu Kachako has been transferred from the Ministry of Mineral Resources to the Ministry of Environment.
The reshuffle also assigns new commissioners to several ministries.
Hon. Yushau Soja has been assigned to the Ministry of Internal Security, while Hon. Idris Garba Mustapha will oversee the Ministry of Special Duties.
Similarly, Hon. Muntari Ishaq Yakasai has been assigned to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and Hon. Ibrahim Namadi Dala will head the Ministry of Commerce.
Other appointments include Hon. Ibrahim Tsanyawa as Commissioner for Science and Technology and Prof. Sani Lawal as Commissioner for Higher Education.
The reshuffle affects eight ministries, with the changes involving both new portfolio assignments and the redeployment of serving commissioners.
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