By Clifford Agugoesi, Editor-in-Chief

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has wrapped  up plans to host the 2023 Telecoms Executives and Regulators Forum built for  the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, south west, Nigeria on September 7, 2023.

Cyber Era NG gathers that this year’s Telecom Executives and Regulators Forum is poised to be unique as the  Executive Vice Chairman/CEO (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta  would present keynote address on “Critical National Infrastructure Policy as a Strategic Tool for attracting rapid investment to the sector” and “Challenges to Universal Broadband and Digital Services in Nigeria – Empowering Industry SME’s” while National Commissioner/CEO, Nigerian Data Protection Commission Dr. Vincent Olatunji is expected to present keynote address on “Impact of Data Protection Policy on the Development of the Nigerian Digital Economy”.

Other thought leaders in the telecommunications , media and technology (TMT), industry have also been invited to chair various panel sessions, among which are; MD/CEO, MainOne, Ms Funke Opeke, who will speak to Impact of Data Protection Policy on the Development of the Nigerian Digital Economy; CEO, IHS Nigeria, Mohamad Darwish will focus on Critical National Infrastructure Policy as a Strategic Tool for attracting rapid investment and  Group Managing Director, VDT Communications, Biodun Omoniyi  will address Challenges to Universal Broadband and Digital Services in Nigeria – Empowering Industry SME’s.

Other CEOs have also been invited to serve as panelists under various panel sessions at the forum.

Giving the background for the forum  in a statement seen by Cyber Era NG and authored by ATCON President, Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, the association said: “This sector has been reported to contribute over 14 per cent to the nation’s GDP and the sector could have done much better if issues that have constituted a threat to the manifestation of its inherent potentials are dealt with. ATCONs intend to use this very important platform to bring out those unpronounced and salient challenges that have hitherto militated against the progress that should have been recorded in the industry.”

The statement reads further: “All the critical stakeholders in the Nigerian Telecoms and ICT Sector are expected to leverage on this platform provided by ATCON to share their views, contribute their expertise and experiences to discuss best practices in their jurisdiction with a focus to growing, sustaining and making the telecom and ICT sector an investment destination for both local and international investors.

The forum is also expected to create opportunity for the industry to interact and brainstorm with the regulator on measures that have been put in place to guarantee and sustain the growth of the Nigerian telecoms industry with the aim of building a continual good working relationship with critical stakeholders.” –With additional reporting by Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West.