NCA grabs awards at 8th Africa digital economy in Kenya

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has been honoured with two prestigious awards at the 8th Africa Digital Economy Awards (ADEA), held on November 10, 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Authority was honored as the “Africa Communications Regulator of the Year,” and Mr. Joe Anokye, the Director General of the NCA, was acknowledged for his outstanding leadership in managing Ghana’s communications industry, securing him a spot among the Top 50 Digital Economy Leaders in Africa.

Presenting the awards to the NCA in Accra, the organisers, Instinctwave Group publishers of the Digital Economy Magazine, the NCA’s commendable policies and initiatives, such as the successful implementation of the SIM card re-registration exercise in Ghana to establish a secure SIM database, were highlighted as efforts that not only instilled confidence and security but also played a vital role in curbing cybercriminal activities and promoting a sanitised digital space for all users.

The organisers also added that during the year under review, “The organization also spearheaded the pilot of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) in Accra and Kumasi, making Ghana the pioneer in West Africa and the fourth in Africa to deploy DAB. This initiative is aimed at addressing frequency constraints and to enhance reception quality”, they added.

The organisers further added that “in a strategic move to address market imbalances and enhance consumer choice in the telecommunications sector, the NCA introduced technology neutrality for non-SMP operators; the Agency actively participated in the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation’s Girls in ICT programme, hosting 100 selected participants for mentorship as part of the 2023 National Girls in ICT Initiative”.

For the award to the Director General of the NCA, Joe Anokye, it was noted that he was awarded as one of the Top 50 Digital Economy Leaders in Africa, among others for establishing a standard of excellence in digital economy leadership and for his transformative contributions to the communications industry.

This prestigious award is a recognition of Mr. Anokye’s exceptional leadership in steering Ghana’s communications industry to new heights. His commitment to excellence in digital economy leadership and his transformative contributions to the communications sector have been instrumental in establishing the NCA as a benchmark in regulatory infrastructure.

Since his appointment in 2017, Mr. Anokye has been lauded for revitalising the communications industry in Ghana with the establishment of key regulatory tools such as the Broadcasting Monitoring Centre, NCA-CERT, and Type Approval Lab, a feat that has rightfully earned him a place among the Top 50 Digital Economy Leaders in Africa.

His visionary leadership has been central to the NCA’s success in telecommunications regulation, attracting numerous benchmark visits from various organisations.

Receiving the award in Accra, Mr. Anokye expressed his gratitude, highlighting the significant achievements of the NCA in the field of telecommunications. He also expressed his delight in the recognition bestowed upon him and indicated that the awards remind us of our responsibility to continue striving for excellence in our mandate.

He also recognized the efforts of the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, the NCA Board, Management and Staff who had tirelessly supported him in his work.

The Africa Digital Economy Awards aim to recognise leaders, innovators, creatives, and inventions in Africa that leverage digital innovations to revolutionise both private and public sectors, impact lives, and transform cultures.

In September of this year, the NCA was also selected among the top five finalists in the ‘Overall Best Organisation in HR Practice’ category at the prestigious HR Focus Awards 2023. This incredible achievement is a testament to our collective dedication to excellence within the communications industry.

The NCA has in the recent times supervised the implementation of National Roaming in Ghana for the benefit of all telecommunications consumers in Ghana.

This effort has extended beyond Ghana with NCA under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation with its counterpart in Cote D’Ivoire to implement bilateral free roaming.

Since being nominated for the award, the NCA continues to develop more regulatory interventions, signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Togo for the implementation of bilateral free roaming and collaborating with the National Media Commission to leverage the NCA’s Broadcast Monitoring Centre for the reporting of offensive and inappropriate broadcasting content in Ghana.