By Miriam Humbe
Nigeria’s telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was established by Decree no. 75 of November 1992 and enactment of Nigerian Communications Act 2003 as the independent National Regulatory Authority for the communications industry in Nigeria. Since then, the NCC which became one of government’s most valuable agencies has soared higher, as it blazes the trail in achieving its mandate, gaining recognitions nationally and globally.
The NCC 5-Point Core Mandate:
NCC’s key responsibilities include:
*Creating an enabling environment for competition among industry operators.
*Ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services across the country.
*Catalysing the use of communications infrastructure, technologies and services to support various aspects of national development.
*Initiating programs that stimulate demand and promote the uptake of ICT tools and services.
*Establishing licensing, and regulatory frameworks to guide the supply and delivery of telecommunications services in Nigeria.
While assiduously executing its mandate, the NCC has received numerous awards and accolades for its regulatory role, innovation, and digital initiatives, one of the most current being the WSIS Prize for its Digital Awareness Programme.
The Commission also boasts of internal awards for staff, research grants for universities, or external awards recognizing staff like the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC/CEO for Telecom Man of the Year.
Humsi Media itemised some of the awards from 2020-2025 below:
2020 Awards:
In 2020, the Nigerian Communications Commission received a major international recognition, including the International Public Relations Association, (IPRA) Golden World Award for its 112 Emergency Number project and the Africa Public Relations Association Certificate of Excellence. The NCC also won awards at the Nigeria Tech Innovation and Telecoms Awards (NTITA), recognizing its role in broadband development. Consequently, the NCC announced research grants for Universities focusing on areas like clean energy and IoT.
Key NCC Awards & Recognitions in 2020:
IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) 2020: Awarded for the Harmonized Emergency Number (112) and Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs).
African Public Relations Association (APRA) Certificate of Excellence: For leveraging ECCs for national security.
Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA) 2020:
Broadband Oxygenator of the Year: Awarded to NCC EVC, Prof. Umar Danbatta for broadband development efforts.
Outstanding Contribution to Driving Greater Broadband Penetration: Awarded to the NCC as an organization.
NCC 2020 Research Grants:
The NCC announced grants to universities for research in:
Innovative Clean Energy Technology (ESUT).
5G Deployment in Nigeria (Taraba State University).
IoT Low Power Wide Area Network (OAU).
Monitoring and Localization of Drones (Gombe State University).
2021 Awards:
In 2021, the Nigerian Communications Commission received multiple accolades, including the Regulator of the Year Award from Nigerian NewsDirect, in recognition of the telecom sector’s economic significance, and the ITREALMS Telecom E-Waste Regulator award, acknowledging their efforts in digital development and sustainability.
The NCC also hosted its IoT Code Camp & Hackathon, awarding grants to tech startups, and saw its officials recognized for contributions to African development.
Key Awards And Recognitions (2021):
Regulator of the Year (Nigerian NewsDirect): Awarded for the telecom sector’s vital role in Nigeria’s GDP, with EVC Umar Danbatta also named Public Official of the Decade.
ITREALMS Telecom E-Waste Regulator: Honored for pioneering telecom innovation regulations and development in Africa.
ICT Innovation Competition/Hackathon Winners: The NCC awarded N20 million in grants to four tech startups (Clearflow System Hub, Aelaus Engineering, Kalibotics, CyberNorth Tech) for innovative solutions.
LEADS Africa Awards: Mohammed Babajika, Director of Licensing & Authorisation, received “Africa’s Patriotic Personality” for service, and his department won the “LEADS Development Mandate/Service Award”.
Oshadami CIO Award: Engr. Ubong Oshadami of the NCC received this prestigious award for leadership in IT.
These awards highlight the NCC’s focus on fostering local tech innovation, promoting transparency, and its significant impact on Nigeria’s digital economy.
2022 Awards:
In 2022, the NCC itself received accolades like the Best Public Sector Regulator Award from Neptune Network Nigeria Ltd for fostering competition and infrastructure. Its leader, Prof. Umar Danbatta, won the Vanguard Regulator of the Year Award for his impact on Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Commission also awarded N233 million in research grants and endowed professorial chairs at Universities to boost local telecom innovation. Separately, NCC Education celebrated students globally for outstanding exam performance.
The NCC Awards in 2022:
Regulator of the Year: Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, received the Vanguard Regulator of the Year Award for transformational leadership in the telecom sector.
Best Public Sector Regulator: The NCC itself was honored with this award for creating an enabling environment for competition and broadband deployment, with Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan receiving it on behalf of the commission.
Research Grants: The NCC awarded N233 million in grants and endowed professorial chairs at Universities to promote local telecom research and indigenous solutions.
5G Spectrum Licences: The NCC finalized the award of 5G spectrum licences, with winners paying significant fees, aiming to accelerate digital transformation in Nigeria.
NCC Education Awards in 2022/2023:
NCC Education celebrated students worldwide for achieving top marks in their examinations, recognizing several “1st in the World High Achiever” awardees.
Another Recognition:
Prof. Danbatta also received multiple awards at an International Women’s Day event, recognizing the Commission’s commitment to gender equality in the digital space.
2023 Awards:
In 2023, the Nigerian Communications Commission held a major Talent Hunt Hackathon, awarding N10m each to Solaris GreenTech Hub (Renewable Energy), Know-Now Limited (Blockchain), and Spex Care (Assistive Tech). N500, 000 each went to other finalists, while also receiving an award for pioneering digital access. Separately, NCC Education celebrated High Achiever Awards for top-performing students globally in their 2022/2023 exams.
Nigerian Communications Commission – Technology Focus
Hackathon Winners (October 2023): The main event recognized startups for innovative solutions in specific areas.
Solaris GreenTech Hub: N10m for Renewable Energy Solutions.
Know-Now Limited: N10m for Blockchain Solutions.
Spex Care Limited: N10m for Assistive Technology Solutions.
Consolation Prizes: Nine other innovators received N500,000 each.
Industry Recognition: NCC also received an award at the Nigeria Innovation Summit for “Pioneering Access for a Digital Economy”.
2024 Awards:
In 2024, NCC awarded grants to several different organizations, including NCC Education (recognizing global student high achievers in Business & Computing), NCC Group (cyber security firm winning Splunk Partner Awards), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) (awarding research/grants), alongside National Cadet Corps (NCC) related recognitions and the PRSA NCC Chapter for public relations professionals, all highlighting various academic, professional, and strategic successes in 2024.
2025 Awards:
The Nigerian Communications Commission received multiple accolades in late 2025, including being named among the Top Five Performing Agencies by PEBEC for transparency and efficiency and winning the WSIS Prize for its Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) in Geneva, thus showcasing its commitment to service, tech, and governance in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Key Awards & Recognitions (2025):
Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC): Ranked as one of the Top 5 Federal Government Agencies for Transparency & Efficiency.
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes: Won the prize for its Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) under the Access to Information and Knowledge category.
Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR): Recognized among the top 3 MDAs for Best Website Performance in 2025.
Here are the Key Details:
PEBEC Award: For this award, NCC was honored for operational excellence and accountability at an event in Abuja.
WSIS Prize: It was received in Geneva for equipping schools with ICT resources, as voted by the public.
BPSR Ranking: Evaluated based on website criteria like domain, aesthetics, and content.
These awards highlight the NCC’s ongoing efforts to improve public service, transparency, and digital access in Nigeria.
