By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West

The Executive Commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS) at the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) Engr. Ubale A. Maska has described  Nigeria’s National Network Readiness Index as a stellar indicator of the country’s adaptability to the global digital transformation.

Engr. Maska was addressing participants at a forum “Emerging Technology Forum for the Telecommunications Industry”  themed: Contextualizing the Network Readiness Index (NRI) for the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry, which  primary objective  is to provide standard roadmaps and best practices which can be used to measure the impact of Information &Communications Technology (ICT) on our society and promote the adoption of new technologies, against the background of Nigeria’s so-so-performance on the NRI index from 2020 to 2022, as reported by the Potulans Institute.

He said: “We will review the latest findings of Nigeria’s NRI, explore various barriers and key drivers to the implementation of innovative technologies, and ultimately create actionable solutions to help move the industry forward.

We live in rapidly changing times where the proliferation of digital transformation and the use of ICTs are inevitable. With the world becoming increasingly interconnected and our economic activities relying heavily on the digital space, it has become essential for countries to be at the forefront in terms of technology adoption. This is why the Network Readiness Index (NRI) is so important to measure the progress of a country as it relates to ICTs and digital transformation.

Nigeria’s Network Readiness Index is a strong indicator of how the country is adapting to the digital transformation that is happening all over the world, and will help us access our progress and position on the global digital train. This forum seeks to examine the different barriers and key drivers of emerging technologies as far as the Nigerian telecommunications industry is concerned.

We intend to explore the challenges that are present, and to discuss solutions to ensure that the country is making the most of the digital transformation. In the end, this forum should provide us with valuable focal areas of discourse,  with the hope of discovering innovative and effective ways of improving the Network Readiness Index in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, the ECTS at NCC said discussion should be encouraged to discuss how the NRI could be used as a key tool for assessing the development of the telecommunications industry, and how it could be used to inform decision-making relating to technology and network readiness.

“We are indeed privileged to have such a distinguished line up of experienced professionals and experts in the field present to share your insights and provide useful recommendations that will be beneficial to the future development of the Nigerian telecommunications industry,” he concluded.