The Senate, in its plenary session held on Thursday in Abuja, officially confirmed the appointment of Dr. Aminu Maida as the substantive Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This endorsement followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Communications, which had screened Dr. Maida the previous day.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, a former Minister of Communications, presented the report during the session. He urged the Senate to consider the request made by President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of Dr. Maida as the country’s Chief Telecom Regulator.
Senator Bilbis informed the Senate that Dr. Maida had successfully passed all scrutiny by relevant security agencies in the security governance sector. He highlighted Dr. Maida’s qualifications, professional experience, competence, and regulatory capacity, emphasizing that these attributes position him well to facilitate the accelerated development of the nation’s telecommunications sector.
The Senate, responding to Senator Bilbis’s recommendation, proceeded to confirm Dr. Aminu Maida through a voice vote. Dr. Maida is now set to serve a five-year term in office, subject to renewal by the President.
During his screening by the Senate Committee, Dr. Maida addressed questions related to his industry insights, qualifications, experience, suitability, and competence to manage the nation’s telecom regulatory sector. Members of the committee described him as the “round peg in a round hole.”
Dr. Maida outlined his top priorities, including improving coverage and connectivity by bridging access gaps between rural and urban communities through increased broadband infrastructure. He expressed his commitment to enhancing the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for consumers, ensuring they receive value for money.
Additionally, Dr. Maida pledged to enforce strict adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) by the Commission’s licensees, numbering over 8,000 across various segments of the sector. He emphasized his dedication to creating a more conducive environment for investment in the telecom sector.
Furthermore, Dr. Maida promised to collaborate with the dynamic team at the NCC to leverage the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) in bridging the digital divide in the country. He highlighted his commitment to inter-agency collaboration, innovation in the sector, and solicited the support of the National Assembly in these endeavors.
The new Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s telecom regulatory authority also stressed his commitment to aligning regulatory activities with the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, aimed at accelerating the realization of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.
