BREAKING: Senate confirms Maida as Executive Vice Chairman of NCC

The Senate in Abuja has officially approved the appointment of Dr. Aminu Maida as the substantive Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The confirmation took place during the Senate’s plenary session, where it endorsed the report of the Senate Committee on Communications, which had screened Maida on November 15, 2023.

Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications and former Minister of Communications, submitted the report and urged the Senate to consider President Bola Tinubu’s request for Maida’s confirmation as the country’s Chief Telecom Regulator. Bilbis assured the Senate that Maida had successfully undergone scrutiny by relevant security agencies in the security governance sector.

During his presentation, Bilbis highlighted Maida’s qualifications, professional experience, competence, and regulatory capacity, emphasizing that Maida is well-suited to foster the accelerated development of the nation’s telecommunications sector. He recommended the Senate’s approval of Maida’s nomination by the President.

Consequently, the Senate proceeded to confirm Dr. Aminu Maida through a voice vote, granting him a five-year term in office, subject to renewal by the President.

During his screening by the Senate Committee, Maida addressed inquiries 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 right fit for the role.

Maida outlined his top priorities, including improving coverage and connectivity, bridging access gaps between rural and urban communities through increased broadband infrastructure, and enhancing service quality for consumers. He emphasized strict adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) by the Commission’s licensees and pledged to create a more conducive investment environment in the sector.

The newly appointed CEO committed to working with the NCC team to leverage the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) for bridging the digital divide. He also pledged to prioritize inter-agency collaboration, align regulatory activities with the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy’s Strategic Plan, and contribute to the ongoing review of the NCA 2003 for sector improvement. Maida sought the support of the National Assembly in achieving these goals.