ABUJA- The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, has said privatising the Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) is key to improve the country’s telecommunication technology sector.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Bureau’s Acting Head, Public Communications, Mr Alex Okoh.
The statement said Dikki made the comment when the management team of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) paid him a visit.
He said the need to privatise NIGCOMSAT was borne out of the need to inject entrepreneurial spirit into the company and make it more commercially viable.
“Information and Communications Technology that encompasses satellite systems and telecommunications is key to the growth of any nation.
“In privatising NIGCOMSAT, the security of the nation would not be compromised. The Bureau would strategise and evaluate how much private sector participation would be required in the company to drive growth.
Dikki said BPE would rely on informed guidance from key stakeholders to determine the model of privatisation to be recommended to the National Council on Privatisation for adoption.
He said that in executing the transaction, a Joint Project Delivery Team (PDT), comprising the BPE, the Ministry of Communication Technology, NASRDA and other key stakeholders would be set up.
Earlier, the Director-General of NASRDA, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, said the purpose of the visit was to seek more clarification on the planned privatisation of the NIGCOMSAT.
Mohammed explained that there was need for communication satellite for all Nigerians as it was vital for not only telecommunications but for earth characterisation to support the agricultural sector of the country.
According to the statement, Mohammed said that any plan to improve funding of science and technology in the country is appreciated.