• NCC’s Danbatta Is Keynote Speaker

By Angeline Mgbele, Correspondent Abuja

Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Cybersecurity and Compliance advisory company, Digital Encode have indicated interest to partner with the national umbrella body of ICT reporters, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), as it organizes a forum that will x-ray the industry’s future plans for ICT growth in the  post pandemic era.

The event, slated to hold on October 15, 2020, will seek to discuss the needs for a fortified ICT sector after the COVID-19 era, and the level of preparedness of ICT stakeholders to embrace the challenge of being pivotal to the stability and growth of all other sectors.

A statement from NITRA signed by its  National Secretary, Chidiebere Nwankwo, in Lagos indicates that due to the pandemic and need to observe the COVID-19 protocol on social distancing, the event will be held virtually.

This year’s theme, “Multi-stakeholder Approach To National Recovery Post-Pandemic”, is in line with the annual event’s generic theme, ‘NITRA Innovative Tech Forum’, a contribution by NITRA to the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) innovations and policies in Nigeria.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer(EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta is expected to deliver the keynote speech at the event and will throw more light on Federal Government’s plans, programmes and policies on post-pandemic strategies using ICT.

Founders of Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Obadare and Dr. Seyi Akindeinde,while accepting to support the event expressed their readiness to offer their expertise in Cybersecurity for organisations to prepare against cyber- attacks with the new normal. They will also highlight areas that are high risks that need fortification in terms of cybersecurity.  Digital Encode is a multi-award winning and leading consulting and integration firm that specializes in the design, management, and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environments and other Information Technology (IT) infrastructures.

Speaking on the event, National Chairman, NITRA, Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to leave its negative trails across the globe, economic reboot for countries would not only depend on how well they readapted to the new normal, but also more on their recovery plans.

According to Onwuegbuchi: “While the federal government has consistently expressed its willingness to set all policies in place to engender growth, and accelerated implementation of these policies, private sector firms have also shown great hunger for the task ahead in post-COVID-19 era.

However, the question that needs to be answered is whether all stakeholders are ready for the required task ahead.”

The event will also offer participating companies opportunities to publicize some of their individual efforts at contributing to reaching a soft landing or lifeline for SMEs and other ancillary companies as the pandemic threatens their survival.