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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has expressed intention to offer research fellowship positions for in-depth research to improve researchers’ experience in the industry.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, disclosed this at the 3rd edition of the Stakeholders Forum with Academia, on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of the stakeholders’ forum is: ”Stakeholders Collaboration in Research and Development: Key Driver for Innovation in the Telecommunications Industry.”
Danbatta, who was represented by Engr. Haru Alhassan, Director, New Media and Information Security, also said the commission had set up a National Steering Committee to develop a roadmap for research.
The EVC said that the roadmap would ensure improved academic researches, address local industry needs and boost the efforts of tertiary institutions to produce industry-ready graduates.
“We intend to offer research fellowship positions for in-depth research and exploration of problems the industry is facing whilst improving the researchers’ experience in the industry.
“We have also formed a National Steering Committee made up of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Academia and the industry, to develop a roadmap.
“I am confident that our cerebral and germane deliberations amongst like-minded people today, will impact positively on the development of the telecommunications industry, and its role in the growth of the nation’s economy,” he said.
He, however, called on the stakeholders to work together, identify and succinctly articulate the pressing needs of the industry to unlock the inherent potential of knowledge existing in the academia.
“With our key stakeholders, we will agree on public policies needed so that our dream of indigenously created technology innovations/solutions will become a reality.
“I keep using the word “together” because collaboration only works when there is the courage and willingness to sacrifice self-interest, and work together to achieve a common goal.
“The rapidly changing, ever disruptive telecommunications sector cannot be regulated by the commission without collaboration enriched with different perspectives,” Danbatta said.
Mr Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, noted that today’s knowledge economy, known as the 4th Industrial revolution, had broadened the academia.
Maska was represented by Mr Ephraim Nwokenneya, Director, Research and Development of the commission.
Maska said that it was 4th Industrial revolution that was responsible for knowledge generation, application and dissemination of research results for addressing current realities and complexities of the modern society.
He expressed the commission’s commitment toward deepening collaborative efforts with the academia, research institutions and development activities to unlock life changing innovations and opportunities in the national economy through digital technology.
“Our gathering here today, therefore, signifies an acknowledgement of the critical position of the academia in the current knowledge economy and underscores a shared passion for research and innovation in the telecoms sector. We believe this consultation will reduce information asymmetry and bridge the acado-industrial relationship gap.
“Our approach is that, research results from the academia should be the ones that will change lives and society. Those are the results that we can commercialise, not the ones that will end up on the shelves,” he said.
Dr Suleiman Yusuf, Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), described the academia as the hub of any economy, adding that when interfaced with the industry, there would be better understanding in the telecoms sector.
“This is a knowledge driven economy. It is important that we harness our resources in the academia and focus on our energies on innovative ideas that will lead to products and services that will affect the ordinary man in the country,” he said.