 donated state of the art broadcasting equipment and solar power systems to the Federal Radio Corporation of){kind=link}
By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) on Wednesday (21-05-2026) donated state of the art broadcasting equipment and solar power systems to the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), along with 132 luggage trolleys to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), at a ceremony held at the NEDC Headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The event, attended by the Managing Director of the NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali, and other dignitaries, underscored the Commission’s commitment to closing critical infrastructure gaps across multiple sectors in the Northeast region.
Speaking at the ceremony, Alkali explained that the Commission had adopted a demand driven rather than a supply driven approach in identifying the needs of its partners.
“We engaged all our partners and stakeholders to find out exactly what they needed. With the FRCN, we had a productive discussion and narrowed down their specific requirements to avoid duplication,” Alkali said.
He revealed that the Commission had provided 38 items to the FRCN, adding that similar interventions cut across multiple sectors, including the police, the military, and the media.
On the donation to FAAN, Alkali noted that the Commission had identified the airports’ most pressing needs through a detailed assessment and chose to begin with the essentials.
“We observed that something as basic as trolleys was in short supply. What we did today was simply addressing the low hanging fruit, their immediate demand,” he stated.
The Director General of FRCN, Dr. Muhammed Bulama, described the donation as a clear demonstration of how strategic partnerships can boost productivity in the public sector.
“The supply of solar power to our stations means that our broadcasters in the Northeast can now operate for no fewer than 12 to 15 hours per day, a luxury we simply could not afford in the past,” Dr. Bulama said.
He disclosed that all six major FM stations in the region, located in Maiduguri, Yola, Jalingo, Bauchi, Gombe, and Damaturu, would benefit from the new equipment.
For her part, the Regional Manager of FAAN for the Northeast, Fatima Aliyu Betara, expressed delight over the donation of the 132 trolleys, with the General Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri, receiving the largest share of 32 units.
“The trolleys will enhance passenger comfort and ease luggage movement, not only in the Northeast but across different parts of the country,” Betara said.
She also appealed to the NEDC to consider constructing a Hajj camp for the region, noting that the existing facility has been occupied by the military due to the ongoing insurgency.
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