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Umbrella body for telecoms companies in Nigeria, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has finalized plans to host a National Dialogue on Telecommunications and ICT Sector in Nigeria with a well-researched theme: “Harnessing the Digital Resources for the building of our National Economy” in Abuja.
ATCON’s president, Mr. Olusola Teniola, announced over the weekend in Lagos that the strategic objectives of the proposed National Dialogue include: “to channel collaborative efforts toward Nigerian Digital Economy with the sole aim of accelerating our economy’s performance in relation to other leading African countries.”
He said one of the overriding deliverables for the national dialogue on telecoms and ICT sector is the adoption of digital resources across sectors to foster development that would eventually enlist Nigeria in the league of the top 20 global economies.
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,” said Executive Secretary of ATCON, Ajibola Olude.
The supply side which is comprised of Telecom and ICT Companies and the demand side which is made up of all the ministries, states, local governments, Nigerians and non-Nigerians are expected to have higher level of productivity on the condition that they adopt and leverage on the opportunities presented by the digital economy to improve their output. This strategic dialogue plans to bring together the presidency, national assembly, relevant federal ministries, state governors, ICT state commissioners, telecom and ict operating companies, World Bank and other international relevant agencies.
Other objectives of the National Dialogue are: “to serve as a forum to discuss the recently launched documents on Digital Economy and take stakeholders input for implementation; to optimally X-ray the factors that have worked for and against the telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria; to discuss regulations and policies around AI, IoT and blockchain.
Panel sessions at the event will include: 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; Regulation on Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, Robotics, blockchain, etc); and Leveraging on Nigerian Young Population’s Innovation and Creativity for National Development.
A special sectoral discussion is also included for thought leaders and is tagged “Harnessing Digital Resources for Sectoral Effectiveness and Efficiency for National Development.”
Conformed discussants for this special session are: Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adam; Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono; Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd); Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo.
