Ernest Ndukwe is a Nigerian electrical engineer, technocrat, and former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He is widely recognized for his pivotal role in Nigeria’s telecommunications revolution and is currently the Chairman of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Early Life and Education
Ndukwe was born on 2 September 1948.
He earned a B.Sc. in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1975.
Additional training:
- Harris Corporation Training School, Melbourne, Florida – Certificate in Satellite Communication (1977)
- Chief Executive Programme, Lagos Business School (1994)
Career
Early Career
- Joined Radio Communications Nigeria (RCN) in 1976
- Trained in the U.S. at Harris Corporation in 1976
- Rose through RCN to become Assistant Engineering Manager by 1979
GEC Telecommunications
- Joined as Engineering Manager in 1980
- Promoted to Commercial Director (1988)
- Appointed Managing Director (1989)
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
Appointed Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of NCC in February 2000 by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was reappointed for a second five-year term.
Under his leadership:
- NCC became an internationally respected regulatory agency
- Oversaw the telecommunications boom in Nigeria, including the introduction of digital mobile telephony
- Known for conducting the most transparent spectrum auction in Africa
Later Roles and Affiliations
- Chairman, Openmedia Group
- Faculty Member, Lagos Business School (Head, Centre for Infrastructure Policy, Regulation and Advancement – CIPRA)
- Board Member, ICT Research Africa Network
- Independent Non-Executive Director, Access Bank Plc (appointed 2013)
- Board Member, Systemspecs Ltd
- Chairman, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc
Official Duties and Leadership Roles
- Chairman, Administrative Council of the African Telecommunications Union
- Chairman, West African Telecom Regulators Assembly (WATRA)
- Vice Chairman, Telecom Development Advisory Group, International Telecommunication Union
- Member, Presidential Committee on Job Creation
- Co-Chairman, Presidential Committee on National Broadband Strategy
Honours and Awards
National Honour
- Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR)
Professional Fellowships
- Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers
- Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management Technology
- Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Engineering
Academic Recognition
- Recipient of five honorary doctorate degrees
- Obafemi Awolowo University Distinguished Alumni Award
- Inductee, OAU Technology Hall of Fame (2005)
Awards and Recognitions
- ITU Gold Medal (2014) – For contribution to global ICT and ITU work
- Zik's Prize for Leadership Award
- Distinguished Excellence Award, Nigeria IT Professionals in the Americas
- Distinguished Leadership Award, Leadership Watch
- Outstanding Contribution to Telecom, Nigeria Information Technology and Telecom Awards (NIITA)
- Best Regulator of the Year, ThisDay (2006)
- Man of the Year, National Daily Newspaper (2007)
- Pan-African Regulator of All Time, NITTA (2008)
- African Regulator of the Year, Satcom Stars (2008, 2009)
- Africa Business Awards Certificate of Excellence (2009)
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Titans of Tech Awards (2024)