The Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria (APPON) honored the executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta with the “Excellent Service Delivery and Accountability Award”.
The award recognised Danbatta’s exceptional performance and contributions to the field of public procurement in Nigeria, specifically his commitment to ensuring that the NCC adheres strictly to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.
Danbatta received the award at the 3rd Annual National Conference and Awards Ceremony organised by APPON in Lagos.
His leadership at the NCC has been commended for its transparency, openness, and compliance with public procurement regulations in the country.
In his remarks, the president of APPON, Akparawa Kanico, congratulated Danbatta for his remarkable leadership and ability to inspire everyone around him to ensure effective procurement processes in the commission.
Kanico stated that Danbatta’s leadership finesse and administrative prowess have contributed to the impressive growth of the telecommunications sector, which has played a significant role in driving growth in other sectors of the economy and the national economy as a whole.
In his response, Danbatta expressed his appreciation to the organisers of the awards for the recognition. He described it as a great motivation for him and the commission to maintain transparency, openness, and a process-driven approach in their procurement activities.
Furthermore, during his presentation on the topic “Implementation of e-procurement in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges,” Danbatta emphasised the role of broadband connectivity in enhancing electronic procurement (e-procurement) and ensuring greater accountability and transparency in governance processes in Nigeria.
He emphasised that e-procurement is the way forward, and the NCC will continue to create an enabling environment for its success by driving the attainment of ubiquitous broadband connectivity across Nigeria.
Danbatta highlighted that Nigeria’s investment in broadband infrastructure is yielding significant benefits for the country’s e-procurement sector. It is revolutionising the way businesses engage in procurement processes, especially government-to-business (G2B) and other e-government activities.
“With the government’s focus on broadband connectivity, the commission will continue to improve broadband infrastructure to transform the landscape of procurement governance and unlock new possibilities for businesses and public institutions,” he said.
He added that improved internet connectivity enables businesses across the country to have faster and more reliable access to e-procurement platforms, allowing them to submit proposals, monitor tender opportunities in real time, and participate in online bidding processes.
During the event, two members of the NCC staff; the head of the procurement department, Adejoke Atte and a principal manager in the department, Bernard Kwembeh, were inducted as APPON Fellows.
