Tony Ojobo, former Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Public Affairs Director writes that different leadership styles of the Commission’s chief executives shaped organisational growth and progress of the telecoms regulator.
By Tony Ojobo, PhD
Gareth Morgan, a Canadian organisational theorist, in his seminal book Images of Organisation (1986), introduced eight organisational metaphors as archetypes of organisations. Among these metaphors is the psychic prison metaphor.
The key elements of the psychic prison metaphor include unconscious processes, groupthink, historical baggage, self-fulfilling prophecy, myths, and metaphors. Crucial points to note are that organisations can be hindered by unconscious fears, desires, and psychological defence mechanisms; that past successes or traumas can condition future behaviour and decision-making processes; and that our belief systems can shape our actions, whether progressively or retrogressively.
As a member of management staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) from 2000 to 2018, I observed how different leadership styles of the Commission’s chief executives at various times shaped organisational growth and progress. The leadership style a Chief Executive Officer adopts can make or break an organisation.
The NCC has gone through several leaders, each contributing to the digital revolution in the country. Prior to the full liberalisation of telecommunications in 2001, the Commission was led by Eze (Engr) Cletus Ogbonna Iromantu and Dr Emmanuel Nnamah. However, not much was achieved under their leadership, as investors were unwilling to invest in a country under military rule.
In 2000, the then Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, set up a committee to develop a National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) that would herald a fully liberalised telecommunications sector. Following the recommendations of the NTP of 2000, the industry became fully liberalised in 2001.
The NCC has a proud legacy of excellence, impartiality, and professionalism. Recruitment must prioritise competence, capacity, and relevant experience. Inexperienced staff should be properly trained, and the Commission’s bottom-up approach to regulation should be maintained. The new board should also draw on the expertise of former staff with institutional memory — such as Hajia Mariam Bayi, former Director of Human Capital and Infrastructure, who now serves on the board.
President Obasanjo, recognising the urgency of building a modern telecommunications economy, constituted the Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission. The pioneer board comprised experienced and proven professionals and technocrats, including: Alhaji Ahmed Joda (Chairman), Engr Ernest Ndukwe (Executive Vice Chairman/CEO), Engr Olawale Ige (former Minister of Communications), Engr Austine Otiji (former MD, NITEL), Engr Patrick Kentebe (retired NITEL GM), Engr Shola Taylor (former Executive at INTELSAT), Engr Isaiah Mohammed (former ED at NITEL), Engr Muktari Zimit, and Engr Don Ude.
The mandate of the board was clear — to create an enabling environment for urgent and transformative improvements in the country’s telecommunications sector. The board was inaugurated on 3 April 2000, marking the beginning of a transformative era in telecommunications and laying the foundation for Nigeria’s digital revolution.
Ahmed Joda’s board and management introduced key initiatives to drive the transformation: the Telecommunications Demand Study (TDS); institutional strengthening supported by the World Bank, USAID, Deloitte & Touche, Detecon GmbH of Germany, KPMG, and others as consultants. This programme built capacity in core areas of telecommunications regulation, including the licensing framework, consumer affairs regulatory codes, spectrum planning, economic regulation, compliance monitoring and enforcement, and technical standards regulation.
The third initiative was the conduct of a Digital Mobile Licence (DML) auction to usher in a digitally enabled economy. The auction was globally acclaimed as one of the most transparent in the world. At the time, several African countries — including South Africa — had attempted similar auctions but failed due to litigation from bidders. Spectrum International of the UK served as the Commission’s consultant.
In January 2001, the first three DMLs were auctioned to ECONET, MTN, and Communications Investment Limited (CIL), each paying $285 million for a 15-year operating licence with a five-year exclusivity clause. The fourth licence was later awarded to NITEL (now MTEL) for the same amount. CIL eventually forfeited its licence due to payment-related issues.
To build a world-class regulator, the NCC embarked on a series of board and management retreats, workshops, and training programmes to craft its vision and mission, define core values, and develop a corporate culture centred on diligence, hard work, selflessness, and goal-oriented focus. The Commission partnered with international bodies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US, the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI), OFCOM in the UK, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
This exposure to global best practices, combined with specialised training and active participation in ITU working groups, built the NCC into one of the most respected regulators in the world. The establishment of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in Abuja, with campuses in Lagos, Kano, Yola, and Asaba (the Enugu campus never commenced), further underscored this commitment. The ITU voted Nigeria the fastest-growing telecommunications market in the world for five consecutive years — a testament to the dedication of the first NCC Board of Commissioners and the commitment of its management and staff.
It is in this context that stakeholders have welcomed the recent constitution of the NCC Board by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Concerns had been growing over declining service quality and other regulatory challenges. Running such a critical industry without a board risks chaos and regression.
Now that a board is in place, its screening, confirmation, and inauguration should be expedited. Urgent matters include amending the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 to address emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and convergence-related issues; tackling declining service quality; conducting a comprehensive staff audit; ensuring staff motivation; resolving outstanding operator challenges; and convening a stakeholder summit to identify and address pressing sector issues.
The NCC has a proud legacy of excellence, impartiality, and professionalism. Recruitment must prioritise competence, capacity, and relevant experience. Inexperienced staff should be properly trained, and the Commission’s bottom-up approach to regulation should be maintained. The new board should also draw on the expertise of former staff with institutional memory — such as Hajia Mariam Bayi, former Director of Human Capital and Infrastructure, who now serves on the board.
Finally, the Commission must avoid the psychic prison syndrome. Historical baggage from past regulatory decisions, unconscious fears, or complacency from previous successes must not hinder innovation or progress. The vision, mission, and core values that placed Nigeria on the global regulatory map must be preserved.
I wish the new board success as it navigates the complex regulatory challenges ahead. Time is short, and urgent intervention is critical.
Tony Ojobo, PhD, FIMC, FCAI
Former Director of Public Affairs,
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
Consultant in Corporate Communications, Strategic Management & Leadership Development
tonyojobo@gmail.com
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