Govt Urged to Leverage Power of Broadband Technology

Emma Okonji

The federal government has been called upon to leverage the power of broadband technology for the Nigerian economy to recover and attain vision 2020.The leader of the organisers of the Nigeria ICT Impact CEO Forum (NIICF) and Africa Digital Awards (ADA), Mr. Tayo Adewusi, who made the call in Lagos, said the power of broadband technology to transform and catalyse economies and social growth cannot be over emphasised.

According to him, the organisers understood the power of broadband technologies in transforming economies, hence the focus for this year’s NIICF and ADA forums was centered on broadband.

He said broadband technology remained an essential tool for empowering people, create environment that nurtures the technological and service innovation and trigger positive change in business processes.

Adewusi said broadband technology had become the priority of the 21st century economy, and described broadband as the technology that enables high-speed transfer of data.

”Broadband is at the heart of the economy and covers support services, electronic billing, Wi-Fi, electronic monitoring, inventory management, and web security. Other areas are device configuration, project management, e-ticketing and installation,” Adewusi said.

According to him, the theme this year’s forum is ‘How Broadband Deployment Can Impact Nigeria’s Economic Recovery’. He said expected dignitaries and speakers at both fora scheduled to hold on August 26, 2016 at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, would speak on broadband and its impact in nation building.

The forum will also honour outstanding corporate and individual achievers that have leveraged on the potential power of ICT to better the lots of the Nigerian society, he said.
Adewusi explained that an increase in the adoption of broadband in the country would drive and support several services and applications in the economy, but insisted that broadband needs to be affordable for Nigerians.

He noted that the availability of broadband infrastructure and broadband-enabled applications would assist ICT regulators, policy-makers and stakeholders in the ecosystem to ensure that technology play a vital role in Nigeria’s economy beyond the 21st century.
He said the International Telecoms Union (ITU) has expressed the need for developing economies to focus on the provision of affordable broadband services.

“We need to build knowledge for our economy so that it can thrive and evolve into the future. These are some of issues the dignitaries would delve into at the forum and award night,” he added.
Nominees for the awards are Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), MTN, Nigeria Communications Satellite (NigComSat), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), MainOne, Yudala, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), and 21 Centuries Technologies, among others.

The individual award would be bestowed on the acting Director General of NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, MD/CEO of MainOne, Funke Opeke; MD/CEO of Teledom Group, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem and ICT Editor, THISDAY Newspapers, Emmanuel Okonji.

Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of NCC, Prof. Umaru Danabatta, and MD/CEO, Galaxy Backbone, Mallam Yusuf Kazaure are among the guest expected at the event.

According to Adewusi, the ICT Impact CEO Forum would be chaired by the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, while Prof. Umaru Danbatta, EVC/CEO of NCC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, DG of NITDA and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State will be the Keynote speakers.

Managing Director of MTN, Ferdi Moolman, Managing Director of Main One Ms. Funke Opeke and Managing Director of NigComSat Ms. Abimbola Alale are the lead paper presenters.