- Career Record: Aminu Maida is a seasoned technical professional with over 15 years of diverse experience in FinTech, Telecoms, and Enterprise Technology.
- Previous Roles: Before his appointment as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Maida served as the Executive Director, Technology and Operations at Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), a central switch company owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria and all licensed Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria.
- International Experience: Aminu Maida has gained international experience working in various roles. He was previously the Chief Technology Officer at Arca Payments Network, a Nigerian-based FinTech company, and a Senior Manager at Cisco Systems UK.
- Experience in the UK: Between 2010 and 2014, Maida worked as a Network Design Consultant at EE, a part of BT Group and one of the largest mobile communications companies in the UK.
- Ubiquisys Years: From 2006 to 2010, he served as a System Engineer at Ubiquisys, a leading company in intelligent 3G and LTE small cells, which is now part of Cisco.
- Academic Qualifications: Aminu Maida holds an MEng in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College London (2002) and a PhD in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the University of Bath UK (2006). He also completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (FinTech Pathway) program at the Cambridge Judge Business School between 2018 and 2019.
- Recommendation: A former colleague, Jon Webb-Peploe, commended Maida on LinkedIn, praising his technical competence, business acumen, and strong leadership abilities. He emphasized Maida's dedication to the user, agility, and strong technical skills.
- Industry Transition: Aminu Maida's appointment to the NCC is notable as he comes from outside the Nigerian telecom industry, bringing a fresh perspective and extensive experience in telecom operations.
- Challenges Ahead: Maida inherits several unfinished projects from his predecessor, including the implementation of the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025). Achieving the target of 70% broadband penetration by 2025 will be a significant task, considering the current rate stands at 45.57%.
- Focus Areas: As the new NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Maida faces critical issues in the telecom sector, including addressing poor quality of service, declining investments in telecom, and other industry challenges.
