NCC/ CLEAN ENERGY TELECOMS: NCC TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES FOR ADOPTION OF CLEAN AND SUSTAINABLE……..
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban. 08036377731
The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) says it plans to introduce policies that would encourage the telecoms sector to adopt clean and sustainable energy sources, to reduce carbon footprint.
The Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, stated this at a roundtable discussion with academia, industry and other stakeholders, in Lagos with the theme ” Refocusing Academic Research towards Alternative Clean Energy: Panacea to Paucity of Energy in the Telecoms Sector.”
Professor Danbatta, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services NCC, Mr Ubale Maska, said the policy would serve as a framework for telecom service providers to contribute to a greener future pointing out that this policy will not only benefit the environment but also drive innovation and create new business opportunities within the industry.
He noted that achieving the objective required collaboration and partnership with the academia and other stakeholders because, the academia plays a crucial role in advancing research and innovation that can transform industries.
Professor Dabatta is of the view that the academia’s expertise, knowledge and insights would guide in developing feasible alternative sources of clean energy that the telecommunications industry could leverage for a sustainable energy supply and the Commission’s main goals were aimed at refocusing the future academic research towards feasible alternative sources of clean energy that could be harnessed by the telecom industry.
Professor Dabatta emphasized on the need to identify and explore new technologies, such as solar, wind, and biomass, that can power the communication infrastructure efficiently and sustainably.
“We need the research of the academia to help us understand the potential of these alternative energy sources, address their challenges, and develop strategies for their implementation in the telecom sector.
“Secondly, we seek to promote research in academia that leverages digital technology to improve the livelihoods of Nigerians, “the NCC boss said.
He explained that the telecom sector was at the forefront of digital transformation, noting that it was necessary to harness its potential to enhance the lives of citizens.
According to Danbatta, the telecom sector, like many other industries, has a significant role to play in transitioning to a sustainable energy future and it was NCC’s responsibility to ensure that the growth of the telecom sector was achieved in a manner that was environmentally friendly and in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said the commission recognised the importance of clean energy usage in the industry and was committed to promoting regulatory initiatives that would encourage the adoption of renewable and ethical energy sources adding that studies had shown that renewables and energy efficiency, coupled with electrification, could provide over 90 per cent of the necessary reductions in energy-related carbon emissions .
“We believe that by aligning research efforts towards alternative clean energy sources and leveraging digital technology, we can revolutionise the telecom sector in Nigeria, “Danbatta said.
In his remarks as Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Mr Ubale Maska said in the face of global energy challenges and critical need for sustainable practices, it was incumbent for NCC to explore innovative solutions to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
He said the telecoms sector, being an essential pillar of modern society, must take the lead in adopting cleaner, greener energy sources to mitigate the paucity of energy and contribute to a sustainable future.
Speaking from the side of the academia, the Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Benin, Professor Ray Ozolua who commended NCC for bringing the academia together to share thoughts in their areas of expertise, pointed out that imported technologies have built-in life span that is based on economic interest giving examples with life span of solar batteries and mobile telephones.
Professor Ozolua suggested that committee should be set up within the academia to conduct a reasearch on how to locally produce solar batteries with longer life span.
In a presentation, a mobile network provider from 9mobile Mr Okechukwu Nzeduba highlighted some of the challenges being faced by mobile network operations including inconsistency in the price of fuel, fake diesel, diesel theft, hostility from the host communities and frequent site visits which incures expenses.
The two days forum is expected to come up with a communique.