As planning enters final stage, the leadership of Nigeria’s lead ICT stakeholders’ group, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) under the leadership of Engr Olusola Teniola, has finalized plans to host a National Dialogue on Telecommunications and ICT Sector in Nigeria.
The event, coming on the lead theme: ‘Harnessing the Digital Resources for the building of our National Economy’ in Abuja, will among other things review strategic developments in the nation’s ICT industry.
The growth across all the sectors of Nigeria’s economy is expected to be exponential as a result of the resolve by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to drive the entire economy through digital resources.
This National Dialogue on Telecoms and ICT is targeted at changing the narrative of our country’s development through the optimal utilization of digital resources and to achieve this, State Governors, Ministries, Agencies and Sectors like Agriculture, Education, Oil & Gas, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment, Security and Defence have been invited along with telecom and ICT companies.
A statement issued by the Executive Secretary of ATCON, Mr Ajibola Olude, listed the lead objectives of the proposed National Dialogue to include channelling collaborative efforts toward Nigerian Digital Economy with the sole aim of accelerating our economy’s performance in relation to other leading African countries
Other key aims of the dialogue are to serve as a forum to discuss the recently launched documents on Digital Economy and take stakeholders input for implementation; optimally X-ray the factors that have worked for and against the telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria; and to discuss regulations and policies around AI, IoT and Blockchain in Nigeria.
During the event proper, industry thought leaders have been invited to do justice to the fpanel sessions including but not limited to ‘Digital Economy in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities;’ Private Public Partnership and Development of Mechanism for the seamless Management of Inter-Ministries and Agencies: an imperative for Broadband Infrastructure Development in Nigeria; National Funding and Investment Strategy for Broadband Infrastructure and Digital Economy: The Importance of Education and Awareness.
Other panellists will also do justice to issues like ‘Regulation on Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, etc): Leveraging on Nigerian Young Population’s Innovation and Creativity for National Development.’
Business Hilights gathered that there shall be a special sectoral discussion tagged “Harnessing Digital Resources for Sectoral Effectiveness and Efficiency for National Development”
Olude added that the special session discussants would include but not limited to key stakeholders’ including the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd), Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Defence, Chief Timipre Sylva, Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo CON, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
ALTON further averred that “One of the overriding deliverables of this national dialogue on telecoms and ICT sector is that the adoption of digital resources by all aforementioned sectors would lead to development which would eventually make Nigeria to join the league of the top 20 global economies.”
