“I call on MNOs and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to come up with innovations in sustainable energy in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-T L.1380 on smart energy solutions for telecom sites’ performance, safety, energy efficiency and environmental impact”
NCC says telecoms stakeholders should spare no efforts in finding lasting solutions to clean energy transition
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has challenged stakeholders to spare no efforts in finding lasting solutions to clean energy transition challenges in the telecoms industry.
Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management Mr Adeleke Adewolu revealed this Wednesday during an opening remarks to celebrate 2023 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme of WCRD2023: “Empowering Consumers through Clean Energy Transition“, he added that “this theme allows us to carefully examine the unintended side-effects of our critical social infrastructure on our environment. The Nigerian telecoms industry today boasts of over 226million voice customers and over 156million internet customers as at 31 January, 2023. These consumers leverage on communications infrastructure for social interaction, health service, access to education, banking.”
“Are there more environmentally conscious means by which we can power network infrastructure and reduce our carbon footprint? Telecoms infrastructure have helped to reduce other environment-impacting activities such as travel – can we quantify these benefits and do they offset the negative impacts? Have we convinced everyone about the safety of electromagnetic emissions? Can we find a balance between environmentally-friendly network operations and cheaper services; or do we have to choose one over the other? How can we improve the quality of the environment through our network services and how can we grow public consciousness about responsible services using telecoms infrastructure?”
According to him, “as responsible stakeholders, we must find answers to these and other nagging questions.”
He noted that as consumer volumes and service diversity continue to grow, network operators have to roll-out more infrastructure for coverage in new, mostly rural areas, and for network expansion in already saturated urban markets. Emerging technologies like 5th Generation (5G) mobile services will also require more infrastructure. These infrastructure components are mostly powered by fossil fuels to ensure 100% availability. He added it is critical, as a nation, we address the imminent but inevitable challenges facing the telecoms sub-sector in Nigeria.
In a passionate and enduring presentation, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta said fifty-four (54) thousand BTS scattered across the country depend on diesel generators with the attendant cost and pollution. Transitioning to a renewable energy source like solar power will significantly reduce the menace of pollution from individually-powered generators.
“Transitioning to renewable energy is predicted to result in a lower cost of operation as operators will be able to save on the cost of diesel, which accounts for a large chunk of the costs incurred by these licensees. The competition that the Commission consistently promotes among industry players has a natural consequence of the savings on the cost of diesel passed on to consumers, which would potentially result in lower prices for services.”
“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to call on MNOs and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to come up with innovations in sustainable energy in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-T L.1380 on smart energy solutions for telecom sites’ performance, safety, energy efficiency and environmental impact. This is vital to address the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation.”
