As part of its mandate, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has announced plans to review problems and prospects of the Nigerian telecoms industry from 2015 to 2019.
In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary, Mr Ajibola Olude, he revealed that the decision was taken at the recent meeting of ATCON’s National Executive Council.
He recalled that key mandate of the industry group is to continuously advocate for the development of the Nigerian telecom industry through research and innovation and pro-active engagement of both the regulators and operators in the industry.
He averred that “It is important that we emphasize the fact that the Nigerian telecommunications sector has gone through a lot of structural changes since it was liberalized many years ago. As a forward looking and proactive Association in this space, our Association prides itself with the protection of the investment already made and we are working very hard to further increase the level of investment that is attracted to the industry through research and development.
According to him, some of the principal reasons that inform the evaluation of the Nigerian telecoms industry include among other things; to showcase policy improvements and innovations during the period under review and its attendant results; to understudy the sector viz-a-viz challenges limiting the growth and development of the sector in the period under review.
Others are to make concerted effort towards proffering sustainable solutions to all identified challenges; and to work towards attaining the newly set broadband target and encourage further local and foreign investment into the sector by demonstrating untapped opportunities in the sector.
Continuing, ATCON said the proposed strategic industry evaluation is expected to center on areas including contribution of regulators to broadband penetration, through enabling policies and the wholistic review of the regulatory environment.
Others cut across operators’ contribution through sponsored infrastructure, structure of Investment in the sector and exploration of alternative funding.
The exercise will further focus on the socio-economic impact of the sector, including but not limited to the following areas; job creation, agriculture, youth development, education, security, banking and financial inclusion.
Olude revealed that the final document which will emerge in form of a book is meant to validate and give credit to how vital the telecom and ICT sector is to the Nigerian economy, hinting that “The book is planned to be launched during the GSMA World Congress 2020, in Barcelona, Spain and afterwards in Nigeria.”
