Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami has tasked the management and staff of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) on a new Key Performance Indicator to transform and boost the agency into an opportunity-driven entity of revenue generation.
He said this will enhance its capacity to strive in the fast growing Nigerian Digital Economy sector.
The Minister gave the charge in Abuja, the Nation’s capital at the one day Ministerial Retreat organised by the Federal government for the Management and Board Members of NigComSat.
The retreat was tagged:Management for 4th Industrial Revolution(4IR)and Exponential Growth
Professor Pantami noted that it was counter productive for the Government to pay the salaries of agencies with capacity for revenue generation.
“It’s selfish of me to be defending payment of salaries to you,; government cannot continue to pay salaries of revenue generating agencies and companies. Nigcomsat must come up with new strategies to increase revenue generation.”
Speaking further he said, the Oronsaye report only recommended non performing government agencies or companies for merger or scrapping.
“The Oronsaye report simply recommended retainer, merger, and scrapping based on performance. Government cannot think of scrapping or merging an agency or company that is performing but rather, government will support it at all times,” he emphasised.
Thhe Oronsqye report was from the audit of government agencies set up by the government.
He urged the staff to give the board and management the needed support to make NigComSat a self sustaining government company. “I hope you will assist the board and the management to bring about the desired change.”
Pantami cautioned the company not to exploit customers in their bid to increase revenue as it will kill the goal of Customer Centric goal . “Customer centricity is all about exploration and not exploitation of customers.”
The Minister therefore explained the aim of the retreat.
Re-Engineering NigComSat
The aim of the retreat was to think out of the box and revive the company and make it self-sustaining, the minister added.
The Chairman, Governing Board of NigComSat, Yusuf Kazaire in his remarks stated the need to embrace the industrial revolution.
“This is the 4th industrial revolution which builds on the foundations of the first three revolutions namely the steam engine, the age of science and mass production and the rise of digital technology .
“While most of the developing world like Africa is still grappling with the 3rd revolution, the rest of the world has moved on to the 4th revolution that has brought the need for new skills in both management and leadership.
“We cannot wait until there are massive dislocations in our
society to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
The Managing Director of NigComSat Lawal Funtua said, the resources and the market is there for NigComSat to explore.
“We have the resources all we need to do is to be customer centric. So that next year when the Minister is giving a score card of the ministry: NigComSat will be visible.
“The satellite market in Africa and Nigeria in particular is large enough and NIGCOMSAT cannot be left out. The launch of NigComSat 2 will further boost our confidence and strengthen the market.