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Danbatta applauds media for aiding telecom awareness
Nasiru Yusuf
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, has said that the level of awareness of the potentials of telecommunications products and services is a credit to the media industry which has partnered with the Commission in the regulatory process.
KANO FOCUS reports that Danbatta who was the Keynote Speaker at the dinner hosted by the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Media Merit Award, NMMA, to flag-off the commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of NMMA as Africa’s foremost media excellence recognition institution, at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday, said this is why the telecom regulator holds the media at very high esteem.
At the event where the Director, Public Affairs of the NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, presented the keynote on behalf of Danbatta, the CEO of NCC sought greater collaboration with the media describing the media systems of communication as central to social progress and are thus critical partners the NCC requires to succeed in its determination to consolidate the gains of telecommunication.
Dwelling on the topic, “The NCC New Strategic Vision (Implementation) Plan (SVP) 2021-2025: A Transformation Agenda”, which signposts the direction of the Nigerian telecom industry in the next five years, Danbatta recalled the trajectory of the evolution of telecoms in Nigeria, with reference to the nation’s showing of a paltry 18,724 telephone lines at independence in 1960 to serve a population of 40 million people, translating to a teledensity of 0.5, to the present time (as at July 2022), when “active telecoms subscribers have grown significantly hitting 209 million from about 400,000 aggregate telephone lines in the country on the eve of concrete deregulation in the year 2000.
“This represents a teledensity of 109.47%. Besides, basic Internet subscriptions have also grown from zero in the pre-liberalisation era to over 152 million. It is also gratifying that the broadband subscriptions now stand at 85 million, representing a 44.49% penetration.”
Today, “the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector contributed 18.44 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2022. From this figure, telecommunications sector alone contributed 15 per cent,” Danbatta said to place on record the unprecedented contribution of the telecom and ICT industry to GDP.
Danbatta, also spoke extensively on the policy initiatives of the Federal Government and the continued support of government as crucial to the accomplishment of the feat in the telecom industry. Giving an indication that the Board, Management and staff of the Commission will not rest on their oars and will continue to re-engineer and promote innovations to make the nation to harness benefits that are accruable in a digital economy.
Danbatta said the objective of the Strategic Vision (Implementation) Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 is to consolidate on the accomplishments of the Commission under the SVP 2015-2020, otherwise called The Eight Point Agenda, the forerunner of the SVP 2021-2025, in order to take the Commission to a greater height where it will make even more superlative contributions to the national economy.
Otherwise dubbed the SVP II, the new Strategic Vision Plan 2021-2025 is designed as a transformation agenda for the Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. The EVC said, it is the reason the new SVP’s focal objectives are to ensure: Organizational Renewal for Operational Efficiency and Regulatory Excellence; Facilitate the Provision of Infrastructure for a Digital Economy which fosters National Development; Promote Fair Competition, Inclusive Growth, Increased investment and Innovative Services; Improve Quality of Service (QoS) for Enhanced Consumer Quality of Experience (QoE); and Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership.
Danbatta said the significance of telecom as an enabler of other sectors’ growth and its centrality to achieving better quality of life by the citizens underscored the need for a renewed partnership and collaboration with all media of communication. “For the media, it means the process of news gathering, processing and dissemination will be accomplished faster, thus enabling the media to inform and educate the citizens on happenings around them more timeously, accurately, and adequately towards achieving greater socio-economic development in our country,” the EVC stated.
The event was attended by many stakeholders in the media, including Mr. Martins Oloja, Chairman Editorial Board, The Guardian; representative of government, including the Governor of Lagos who was represented by Olumide Shogunle, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information; and traditional leaders, including the Makaman Ringim, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, who was Director General of NTA, and equally a former Director General of Radio Nigeria, and who received Special Recognition Award at the occasion.
Others are octogenarian veteran journalist and thespian, Dame Taiwo Ajai-Lycet, who, while taking the Vote of Thanks, particularly commended the EVC for a very thoughtful and contextual presentation; Academics, including Prof. Stella Okunna, sub-Saharan Africa’s first female professor of mass communication; Alhaji Garba Kankarofi, Chief Yemi Akeju, the Chief Administrator of NMMA; advertising gurus, Senator Akin Odunsi, Sir Steve Omojafor, and Dele Adetiba; Director General National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Balarabe Ilelah; and many entrepreneurs, and other enthusiasts in the media and arts world.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Political allies and loyalists of former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Arc Aminu Dabo, have begun resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State following his withdrawal from the ruling party.
KANO FOCUS reports that the supporters, operating under the political group Dabo Alheri Ne, reportedly include members across Kano State’s 44 local government areas.
Barely two days after Dabo announced his resignation from the APC, a prominent stakeholder of the group, Garba Zakiru Dambatta, said members had welcomed the decision and were showing solidarity by submitting their resignation letters to their respective ward party chairmen.
Dambatta, a former APC chairman in Dambatta Local Government Area, said the group’s members were disappointed with what they described as the prolonged marginalisation of Mr Dabo and his supporters within the party.
According to him, despite Mr Dabo’s contributions to the APC and efforts to strengthen the party and manage disagreements among its members, some key stakeholders had continued to sideline him and his loyalists in party activities.
Dambatta reaffirmed the group’s commitment to standing by Mr Dabo’s political decisions and supporting his future political journey.
He also urged the former NPA managing director not to succumb to political pressure or reverse his decision to leave the party.
“This step you have taken, we have the conviction that it is the beginning of a new chapter of goodness in your life,” Dambatta said.
Among the prominent members of the group identified as supporting Mr Dabo’s decision are Abba Rabee’u, a former Senior Special Assistant on Political Awareness; Almustapha Jilani Danmalam, a former Senior Special Assistant on Education; Jamilu Abdullahi Zangon-Mata, a former Senior Special Assistant on Entrepreneurship; and Fahd A. Dabo, a former Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation.
The individuals reportedly served during the second term of former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The group also said several other party loyalists and supporters were backing Dabo following his resignation.
However, the statement did not provide the number of members who had formally resigned from the APC or indicate whether the party leadership had responded to the development.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Five players of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Club have been invited to the national camp of Nigeria’s Special Super Eagles ahead of the 2026 Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.
KANO FOCUS reports that invited players are Isah Yusuf, Abba Musa, Habu Friday, Emanuel Betel and Usman Ahmed. They are currently in Abuja with the national team as preparations intensify for the global tournament.
The Team Manager of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Team, Jamilu Uba Adamu, disclosed this in an interview with Ashiru Rabiu Gidan Tudu, Information Officer of the Kano State Sports Commission.
Adamu described the invitation as recognition of the players’ dedication, discipline and outstanding performances.
He expressed confidence that the players would represent Kano State and Nigeria with honour at the championship.
According to him, the call-up also demonstrates Kano Pillars’ commitment to nurturing talented amputee footballers and contributing to the development of the sport in Nigeria.
The 2026 Amputee Football World Cup is scheduled to take place from November 13 to 22 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. A total of 24 countries, including seven African nations, are expected to participate.
The Executive Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, congratulated the five players on their invitation, describing it as well deserved.
Babangida expressed confidence that they would justify the confidence reposed in them by the national team selectors.
He assured the players of the commission’s continued support and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to making Kano State and Nigeria proud on the international stage.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Professor Muhammad Ahmad Makarfi of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has identified inclusive microfinance as a critical tool for addressing food insecurity and poverty in Nigeria.
KANO FOCUS reports that Prof. Makarfi, of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, made the recommendation while delivering the university’s 64th Professorial Inaugural Lecture on Thursday, October 14, 2026, at the CBN Centre of Excellence.
The lecture, titled *“Innovative Options for Nigeria’s Food Security and Poverty Alleviation: The Microfinance Pathway to Sustainable Development,”* examined how improved access to affordable financing could boost agricultural production and strengthen rural livelihoods.
The professor said that despite Nigeria’s vast agricultural resources, food production and rural livelihoods continued to face challenges, including limited access to affordable finance, insecurity, climate change, inadequate infrastructure and low agricultural productivity.
He argued that expanding access to agricultural finance, particularly for smallholder farmers, would encourage investment, improve productivity and strengthen the country’s food security.
Prof. Makarfi reviewed Nigeria’s agricultural financing policies and interventions, highlighting the need for innovative credit delivery systems that would make funding more accessible, affordable and sustainable for farmers.
He identified microfinance institutions and Islamic finance models as potential avenues for improving access to agricultural credit.
In his recommendations, the professor said sustainable food security and poverty reduction required policies that prioritised increased domestic agricultural production through better access to finance, modern technologies, quality farm inputs and markets.
He also called for stronger microfinance institutions, expanded farmer-friendly financing mechanisms and an enabling environment to attract investment across the agricultural value chain.
According to him, such measures would improve agricultural productivity, enhance livelihoods and accelerate Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Professor Haruna Musa, who chaired the lecture, was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Professor Ahmad Muhammad Tsauni.
Prof. Musa commended the lecturer for choosing a topic that addressed critical issues surrounding food insecurity, livelihoods and agricultural development.
The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Aminu Sulaiman, who presented the lecturer’s citation, said Mr Makarfi had published more than 150 local and international publications, contributed 10 book chapters and authored eight books.
Professor Mahmoud Ibrahim Daneji, who represented the Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, delivered the vote of thanks.
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