Pantami, Danbatta to attend WATRA 2021 AGM
Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, and Umar Danbatta, the executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are set for this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA).
While Pantami will deliver the opening address at the AGM scheduled to take place from March 10-11, 2021 in Abuja, Danbatta will give the keynote at the conference.
The event provides opportunity for telecoms regulators in West Africa to take important decisions, including the adoption of activities report, programmes, budget for the Executive Secretariat, as well as the renewal of the organisation’s governing bodies.
Nigeria is fielding Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, as a candidate for the position of executive officer in WATRA, according to a press released signed by Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC’s director of public affairs on Monday.
In the last 17 years, Aboki has worked in the Information Communication sector and he has the lofty agenda to work with member state regulators and other stakeholders to make WATRA play a more strategic role in shaping the regulation of telecoms sector in the sub- region.
Established in November 2004 with headquarters in Abuja, WATRA has become an important regional organisation within the African and global telecommunications ecosystem, with current membership consisting of independent National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) across 16 countries including Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire. Others include, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
As a regional telecoms organisation, WATRA is a consultative and collaborative body of Telecommunications Regulators in the West African sub-region to aid and advance development of telecommunications in the sub region and ultimately in Africa.
The Assembly also collaborates and cooperates with other regional and international organisations towards the attainment of its mission to ensure the rapid development of telecommunications in the sub region.
