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The Nigerian Communication Comission (NCC) has affirmed its support for the 11th edition of the West African Convergence Conference (WACC) focusing on “Engaging Emerging Opportunities & Challenges.” The Commission firmed up its commitment to the annual gathering of the industry’s stakeholders designed as a veritable platform to artuclate on the challenges and oppurtunities in the sector as well as to identify unique need areas for investment, collaborations and other interventions.
The WACC annually brings together decision makers in government and the private sector, entrepreneurs, professional associations, chambers of commerce, angel investors and fund/market drivers, and leading lights in ICT across the continent to provide and share insight on technology and business.
The WACC (www.thewacc.net) is organised as an industry-promoted event by Knowhow Media & Intelligence International Ltd (KMMIIL), publishers of IT Edge News.
WACC 2020 covers industry verticals that include education, startup innovation, telecoms and Fintech, agrotech and eHealth.
“WACC 2020 will be looking at some of the technology trends, Nigeria’s policy shift towards digital economy within the context of ability of government and private sector to ‘engage those emerging opportunities and convert the challenges to real business as well as positive growth values,” said Co-Chairman, WACC 2020 Planning Committee, Dr. Sola Afolabi.
This year, in addition to the main Conference, the two-day WACC Seminar will hold Monday 27 and Tuesday, April 28, 2020 as a side event inside Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.
Since 2004, WACC provides a strong framework to articulate on way forward to focus on the opportunities for new skills and employments; as well as to promote the vibrant startup ecosystem where budding entrepreneurships provide the impetus for new economic directions.
The WACC Digital Awareness & Privacy Seminar is a major side event to help address the digital gaps among public sector officials. The seminar offers basic exposure to information security; a rudimentary understanding of data protection and privacy as reflected in the GDPR applicable in Europe and NDPR in Nigeria.
“The event will draw attention on providers, whether in the connectivity or software space, as well as across a broad spectrum of other sectors, able to reflect market dynamics, technology disruption to unbundle new services and diverse opportunities in this era of technology and regulatory convergence,” added Afolabi.
Industry-Sponsored Event
As an industry-sponsored event, WACC has, in over a decade, drawn on the support of industry stakeholders from the public and private sector including the NC, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), NIGCOMSAT, Galaxy Backbone, ATCON, BCN, Rack Centre Limited, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, PFS, MTN, Glo, Medallion Communications Limited, Zinox Technologies, Qitech Technologies and Access Solutions, among others.
NextTech + Convergence Award Ceremony
The NextTech + Convergence Award Ceremony will also old to round up WACC 2020. The NextTech Award is an offshoot of the Top 50 Award first initiated in 2006 as part of the indices to measure the: Industry’s most profound influencers; Most Impactful tech solution providers/organisations; and Best dynamic survivors in Nigeria’s highly tempestuous market.
“The gathering will further provide insights on how regulators are able to leverage industry dynamics to provide proactive regulations across sectors, particularly as technology and industries converge creating once untapped opportunities with new industry leaders re-writing the market rules, and setting new agenda,” said CEO of KMMIIL, Olusegun Oruame.
Speakers at WACC 2020 include regulators, public and private sector top decision makers, academics, researchers and innovators.
