Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that the remarkable growth and development in the nation’s telecommunications sector in 2001, which transformed the nation in an unprecedented manner , owes its success to Dr Ernest Ndukwe,a former executive vice chairman/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Obasanjo, in whose administration the nation witnessed a quantum leap in the nation’s teledensity, noted that the development benefitted Nigeria in many ways.
The elder statesman was speaking in his capacity as chairman at the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the wave making technology driven payment firm Flutterwave in Lagos last night. He expressed delight that Ndukwe was present at the event and used the opportunity to appreciate him, onbehalf of a grateful nation for spearheading what has been termed Nigeria’s telecommunications revolution.”Chief Ndukwe you did very well and I thank you “,he surmised.
Obasanjo stated that through the dedication and ingenuity of the Alhaji Ahmed Joda and Dr Ernest Ndukwe led Board of NCC the government earned money, the economy blossomed and the people gained. Obasanjo avowed that the process that crystallised the telecommunications revolution was transparent and competently managed.He thanked Ndukwe,who was a special guest at the event and the late Joda,who was chairman of the NCC board for a job well done.
“Both of you did the job very well.I owe both of you gratitude for the job you have done,” he stated. Obasanjo reminisced that at the emergence of his administration in 1999, Nigeria had less than half a million telephone lines and was beleaguered with obsolete infrastructure in the telecommunications industry. He stated that his administration’s determination to check the decadence made it focus on modern technology and virile leadership.
His government, having observed the pervading global trends particularly as it pertains to technology and innovation opted for a new telecommunications order.To actualise its noble intention his government decided on selling the available telecommunications licences. He noted that hitherto such licences were being hawked around for about three million dollars each. It was only during the leadership of Ndukwe at the NCC that the Dutch option was introduced, and the nation earned two hundred and eighty-five million dollars from each of the three licences released.
Obasanjo recalled a chance encounter with the entrepreneur and investor Strife Masiyiwa who commended the transparent manner in which the telecommunications licences were sold. He disclosed that Masiyiwa,a Zimbabwean, whose Econet bought one of the licences on offer expressed delight that best practices sign posted the sale.Obasanjo again commended Ndukwe for his uprightness.
Ndukwe, fondly known as Mr Telecomms in Nigeria, is widely regarded as one of Africa’s foremost telecommunications experts and continues to be a leading voice in shaping the global trends and the country’s digital infrastructure and economic development. Ndukwe’s career spans both the private sector and public service. He began in engineering roles and rose through management ranks at major firms before his appointment in 2000 as Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Under his leadership, the NCC emerged as a transparent and respected regulator, ushering in what many call Nigeria’s telecommunications revolution — a dramatic expansion in network access, competition, and mobile penetration that transformed how Nigerians connect. After a decade of service at the NCC, Ndukwe continued shaping the telecoms sector in other capacities.
In 2019 he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, one of the country’s largest mobile operators, where he brings his regulatory and industry expertise to corporate governance and strategy. Ndukwe has also served in leadership roles across regional and international telecoms bodies, including chairing the Administrative Council of the African Telecommunications Union and the West African Telecom Regulators Assembly.
He has represented Nigeria on global ICT platforms and continues to advocate for broadband access, regulatory stability, and innovation that unlock economic opportunities. Beyond corporate leadership, he lends his knowledge as a faculty member at Lagos Business School, leading the Centre for Infrastructure Policy, Regulation and Advancement (CIPRA), and sits on several boards, including ICT Research Africa Network and Systemspecs Limited. Ndukwe’s contributions have earned him numerous honours, including the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), multiple industry awards, and recognition for lifetime achievement in telecoms leadership.
