Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. William Alo, has charged Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) to work towards a policy to strengthen its operations and services or risk being merged.
Speaking when he received the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NigComSat, Tukur Lawal, who came to brief him on the activities of his office since he assumed duty as MD, Alo stated that as a government company serving the country, NigComSat needed to come up with a framework that will go to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval when inaugurated.
He noted that the framework would help to define NigComSat’s mandate and objectives to safeguard its operations and show the company’s contribution to government’s revenue.
Urging the company to develop efficient modalities to enable it compete favourably with others in line with international best practices, Alo explained that the briefing is a normal activity, especially when there is change in the leadership of either the supervising ministry or the agency under it.
This, he said, is to familiarise with the new leadership and to know the agency’s activities, which is in tandem with the ministry’s supervisory role. He congratulated the MD on his appointment.
Alo emphasised the need for improved and efficient service delivery, charging the chief executive and his team of professionals to synergise with relevant key stakeholders for better revenue accruals to the government, which will also cater for the agency’s operations.
“As a government institution, you should, at all times, be guided by the rules and regulations, extant laws and circulars in your operations,” he added.
In his remarks, the MD/CEO of NigComSat said he was in the ministry to brief the permanent secretary on the agency’s activities and to seek counsel.
According to him, 16-year-old NigComSat has both economic and technical potential for the country’s development. He mentioned four key thematic objectives, including broadband leasing, broadcasting leasing, transponder leasing and navigation leasing.
The MD lamented that though NigComSat’s 28 transponders were active, it had been contributing little to the government’s IGR.
Promising to change the narrative, he said NigComSat has a great potential of generating huge revenue from providing satellite services to other African countries.
The engineer itemised the following as achievements of NigComSat: support for national security, in-orbit testing for Belintersat-1 satellite, Space-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), Electronic National Health Insurance System (E-NHIS), 5G-C-band migration among others.
To address communication needs of the country in the areas of Broadband, Broadcasting and Internet Services, he stressed: “NigComSat is taking steps to increase its fleet of satellites, by procuring the manufacture and launch of a High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) – NigComSat-2 as an ongoing project.
He said the agency would perform optimally with adequate funding, patronage from government agencies, regulatory framework and waivers like licences, state governments’ engagement and support, National Assembly support, local content bill, among others.
