Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Dambatta, has praised the launch of EmoSIM in Nigeria.
He recently shared that the unveiling will save travellers the stress of buying the Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) of their host nations.
Prof Umar Dambatta, Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, Group CEO, Wakanow, Bayo Adedeji and other stakeholders recently met at the formal unveiling of EmoSIM, the country’s first outbound travel innovative eSIM designed to transform how Nigerians and other travellers experience global connectivity.
Dambatta revealed that the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) licences, issued while he was still in charge at NCC, have played a key role in triggering the launch of EmoSIM in the country, and it is the only MVNO licence to roll out services in Nigeria.
According to him, the primary goal as the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC was to increase usage of spectrum across the nation, so after discovering that such a vital resource was not being used optimally, he explored several avenues to guarantee efficient utilization in the near future.
Prof shared that he immediately opened up the spectrum to more innovative players who will deliver quality and affordable services to underserved markets, and that decision led to the formation of a dedicated committee within the NCC to improve the structure of MVNO licensing in the country.
“We are gathered here to discuss a significant milestone—the growth and promise of MVNOs in Nigeria. When I was still serving as the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, one of our primary goals was to optimize the usage of spectrum in the country. We observed that while spectrum was a finite and critical resource, it was not being used optimally. That realization drove us to explore avenues for more efficient utilization—one of which was enabling MVNOs to operate by leveraging the existing spectrum of mobile network operators.
The idea was simple but powerful: rather than allow spectrum to sit underutilized, let’s open it up to more players—especially innovative ones—who can provide niche, affordable services to underserved markets. This led to the establishment of a dedicated committee within the NCC to examine the feasibility and structure of MVNO licensing in Nigeria,” he said.
Dambatta further noted that the committee realized how much of a gem EmoSIM was after extensive review, mainly because it met all the eligibility requirements and showed enough potential to deliver a commendable impact.
He concluded by saying that EmoSIM is a brand that has transformed a regulatory vision into tangible service delivery, and he appreciates the brains behind it for doing everything possible to deliver reliable telecommunications services to Nigerians.
“Among the entities evaluated, EmoSIM stood out. It met all the eligibility requirements and demonstrated the potential to deliver meaningful impact. That’s why I’m particularly pleased to see EMOSIM today, not only as a licensee but as a company that has translated that regulatory vision into tangible service delivery. You are truly helping to solve a real problem—providing affordable, reliable telecommunications services to people who have historically been left behind.
Your work aligns perfectly with the broader strategic goals of the NCC and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. It also supports the goals of the Ministry of Trade, as digital connectivity increasingly plays a critical role in commerce and economic inclusion.
I want to commend EMOSIM for embodying the three foundational pillars of Universal Access in telecommunications: Availability – Ensuring services are present where people live and work,” he added.
