NCC pledges N500m for research in Nigerian universities

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged ₦500 million to Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions across the country.

The funds are been allocated for research grants to these universities, tertiary institutions, and professorial chairs in a quest to drive technological development and support research and innovation in the Nigerian telecommunications industry.

This was announced by Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission on behalf of the commission during a two-day regional roundtable event during the weekend.

Participants in the roundtable event included representatives from academia, the telecom industry, the financial services sector, and other critical sectors of the economy. These attendees talked about commercialisation and entrepreneurial models, investment opportunities for prototype development, sustainability, and new product sales.

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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.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission

NCC goal plan

This is not the first time the NCC has prioritised telecom research grants. Danbatta stated that since the Commission reintroduced grants for telecom-based research innovations from Nigerian academics, there have been accomplishments.

According to Engr Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at the NCC, the Commission has also awarded 49 telecom-based research grants to academia, with 10 prototypes successfully developed and displayed to industry stakeholders so far.

These efforts have enabled the Commission to contribute to national efforts while also ensuring overall industry growth and wealth creation for innovators. With the goal of the NCC’s R&D-oriented programmes in mind, the commission requires more ideas, inventions, and improvements that will emerge from academia for its improved efficiency and productivity.

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The Commission’s R&D efforts are aimed at realising some of the 8-point Pillar Eight of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030, with a focus on Indigenous Content Development and Adoption.

The commission will use this funding to assist academia in commercialising prototypes developed as a result of these innovative studies. The findings of the study are also pertinent to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s policy goal of developing indigenous technology for the long-term development of our country.

These innovations are especially focused on the successful commercialisation of locally developed solutions in order to encourage and deepen Nigerians’ adoption of indigenous technology.