LAGOS – The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, is MONEYReport Magazine’s ‘MAN OF THE YEAR‘ (2020).
Making the announcement in Lagos over the weekend, the Publisher and Executive Editor of MONEYReport Magazine and Publications, Mr Nik Ogbulie, noted that Professor Danbatta emerged winner after considerations by the Board of Editorial Advisors of the publication at the end of the 2020 economic development calendar in the country, where the leadership efforts and impacts of major operators in the Nigerian economy were x-rayed.
He noted that, “the erudite scholar has demonstrated outstanding and selfless sense of responsibility as a leader and a super transformer of the Nigerian communications industry, with commanding innovations that have optimised Nigeria’s very long walk to telecommunications efficiency; an effort that has also improved the effectiveness of telcos and turned financial activities some 360 degrees, enabling financial and economic hot-spots within every 200 meters in major cities across the country.
The annual award and honour to Professor Danbatta will be unveiled on Tuesday, 26 January in Abuja in a strictly organised condition in adherence to the ruling protocols in the country.
The management of the magazine has indicated that the MONEYReport MAN OF THE YEAR is a different brand of recognition for service, taking into consideration the strength of the activities of Nigerians that have the opportunity of enabling economic growth and the impact of such activities to a larger segment of the population.
The award seeks to empower development operators in the system to do more by creating new innovations wherever they find themselves, like Professor Danbatta is currently doing.
“As an international economic magazine focusing Nigeria’s relevance to global development, it is our duty to mainstream Nigeria’s best to the global space with the intention of creating new roles for our best who possess the potentials of upholding international standards in what they do. This is also why our reports also focus activities where Nigerian operators, industries, banks, oil and gas, telecoms, education, health and capital market as well as leaders find good roles,” said Ogbulie.
The award-winning financial journalist noted that “the deepening of the communications infrastructure is the first element that throws up the dialogue on financial inclusion which is considered the winning signals for the existence of a cashless society.
With all these efficiently in place, Professor Danbatta has changed the structure of the monolith, a static brick and mortar telecoms architecture, to an aerodynamic new technology. This is the greatest feat of the moment…It is believed that NCC’s roles in the last five years made the telecoms companies to stand on the brink of opportunities to respond to the raging pandemic. There is no doubt that the NCC may have become the 21st century success story for the Nigerian economy.”
The Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board is chaired by Professor Ndi Okereke Onyiuke while other members include Dr Kabir Ahmed, Dr Eke Agbai, Mr Chuks Nwagboh, Chief Tony Ede, Eluem Emeka-Izeze, Dr Ije Jidenma, Professor Jude Ogbulie, Marcel Okeke, Taiwo Obe, Barrister Athan Ogbulie, Pastor Ugo Ifezue, Ismala Damisa, Phillip Van Niekerk.
