NCC To Focus On Academic Research For Alternative Clean Energy – Prof Danbatta

BY SALISU IBRAHIM, KANO – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is aiming to refocus future academic research towards feasible alternative sources of clean energy that can be harnessed by the telecom industry.

This is just as the sector is already at the forefront of digital transformation whose potentials would enhance the livelihood of the citizens in harnessing and promoting research in the academia.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, who stated these on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at a roundtable meeting with the academia, industry chiefs and relevant stakeholders in Kano, also said that the Commission is equally pondering over the idea of introducing a framework to encourage ethical energy sourcing in the telecommunications sector.

Prof Danbatta said that it is essential to identify and explore new technologies, such as solar, wind and biomass that can power the nation’s communications infrastructure efficiently and sustainably.

Speaking on the theme of the event, “Refocusing Academic Research Toward Alternative Clean Energy: Panacea to Paucity of Energy in the Telecommunications Industry,” Danbatta said that the framework would serve as a guide for telecom service providers to adopt clean and sustainable energy sources, reducing their carbon footprints and contributing to greener future.

The NCC boss said that the policy would not only benefit the environment but, drive innovation and create new business opportunities in the industry, adding however, that to achieve the objective, would require collaboration with the academia and other stakeholder, who are encouraged to contribute to the project through research findings.

Danbatta further said that the commission needed the expertise, knowledge and insight of the academia and other stakeholders to guide it in developing feasible alternative sources of clean energy that the industry can leverage for a sustainable energy supply.

In the words of Danbatta; “We need your research to help us understand the potentials of these alternative energy sources, address their challenges and develop strategies for their implementation in the telecom sector”.

Danbatta expressed the confidence that the discussions and ideas shared at the meeting would serve as a catalyst for transformative research and innovation in the sector.