Communications Ministry, Agencies Generate N1.05trn in Two Years

By Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and parastatals under it generated a total revenue of N1.053 trillion for the federal government in the last two years.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, disclosed this on Thursday during the 12th batch virtual commissioning of eight projects in Abuja.

He said that the ministry and its parastatals generated over a trillion naira for the nation, adding that a major chunk of the revenue was from the sale of spectrum allocation.

Pantami said: “The ministry and its parastatals have generated over N1 trillion for the federal government in less than two years. This translates to an average of about N44 billion every month or over N1.4 billion every day!

“For example, about N360 billion of this revenue was largely from Spectrum allocated by the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) under the chairmanship of the minister, to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for commercial purposes.

“Another over N600 billion was paid by ICT companies to the account of the federal government through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).”

In addition, he said over N94 billion was generated for the federal government and approved by the National Assembly in line with relevant laws, as part of the 2020 appropriation for personnel, capital projects, capacity building and interventions, among others.

He disclosed that the IT Projects Clearance Programme saved over N5 billion for the federal government.

He appreciated all those who had contributed in one way or the other to the success story of the ministry, especially the chief executive officers of the parastatals.

The eight projects commissioned Thursday were the Emergency Communications Centre (ECC), Makurdi, Benue State (North-central); Virtual Examination Centre, College of Education, Argungu, Kebbi State (North-west); uE-Accessibility Centre, Alderstown Schools for the Deaf, Warri, Delta State (South-south), and
E-Health/Data Sharing Project, Leko Abdulrahman Hospital, Daura, Katsina State (North-west).

Others are Digital Economy Centre & E-Learning Facilities, Ogba Grammar School, Lagos State (South-west); Digital Economy Centre & E-Learning Facilities, St Paul Secondary School, Eke, Enugu State (South-east); Digital Economy Centre & E-Learning Facilities, Federal Character Commission, Abuja (North-central), and E-Accessibility Centre, Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children School, Bauchi State (North-east).

The Executive Vice-Chairman EVC of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Dambatta, and the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Kashifu Abdullahi, both thanked Pantami for the great feat in project executions and said it will help the government in its digital economy drive.

The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu; Director General, National Information Technology Development (NITDA) Kashifu Abdullahi; Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Prof. Aliyu Aziz; Director General, Nigerian Communications Satellite Commission Ltd (Nigcomsat) and the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) attended virtually.