WATISE 2.0: Experts Explore How Emerging Trends Will Shape Telecoms Infrastructure, Proffer Solutions On Challenges

By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West

Telecommunications experts across West Africa have exposed trending innovations relying on telecoms infrastructure harping on the strategies that are crucial for the sustainability of telecommunications infrastructure to fast-track the region’s digital economy.

Speaking at the second edition of the West Africa Telecoms Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (WATISE), with the theme: ‘Shaping the future of the telecoms infrastructure industry: Trends and Insights for a Digital Economy’ and organized by Technology Mirror, an online telecoms news and information platform, held in Lagos, south west Nigeria, the experts x-rayed  critical issues that relates to the survival of the telecoms industry using the Nigerian market as a reference point.

Leading the conversation, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, in his keynote address ,which was on the theme of WATISE 2.0, noted that the journey towards a digital economy had a future that was paved with immense possibilities and profound challenges noting that “how we navigate this path will determine the role Nigeria plays in the global digital landscape.”

Dr. Maida who was represented by the Head of Next Generation Technology and Standard at the NCC, Engr Victor Adoga, described telecommunications infrastructure as the backbone of the digital economy, facilitating seamless connectivity and supporting a range of services from basic voice calls to high-speed internet and cloud computing.

Maida stated that the rapid growth of the digital economy demanded robust, scalable, and secure telecommunications infrastructure disclosing that there were several key trends that were poised to shape the future of telecom infrastructure.

According to him, the rollout of 5G networks was a transformative trend in telecoms infrastructure saying that 5G promised significantly higher speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity, facilitating new applications such as IoT (Internet of Things), autonomous vehicles, smart cities and advanced augmented reality.

The EVC/CEO at NCC  listed other emerging trends affecting the deployment of telecoms infrastructure across the region as Internet of Things, Fiber Optic Expansion, Data Localisation and Security, Regulatory Frameworks, Cybersecurity and Energy Efficiency and Sustainability.

He, however, suggested that the telecoms operators must take consider strategic actions to stay in business saying that collaboration which was partnerships between government, industry, and academia could drive innovation and development.

He added that Innovative Financing Models, Investment in Human Capital, Focus on Sustainability, Integration with AI and Machine Learning and Developing Smart Infrastructure were  also as crucial as investing in rural telecom infrastructure and making digital literacy a key component of our educational programmes.

Speaking on the theme of WATISE 2.0. Chief Executive Officer of WTES Projects Limited, Chidi Ajuzie, who joined virtually from Ethiopia said there was  a deluge of connectivity from submarine cable landings linking Nigeria to Europe and rest of the world.

According to Mr. Ajuzie, while there was no centrally managed national transmission backbone, licensed Operators had, over the years, built transmission networks to meet their own needs, often duplicated on most routes.

Ajuzie disclosed that the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) had carried out a detailed study to characterize basic telephony and ICT gaps in the country, identifying 97 clusters with varying population densities and a cumulative population of about 27.91 million that suffered from significant connectivity services gaps adding digital broadband gap was even more, estimated at over 100 million population.

He stated that to reap the benefits of broadband, there was need to close the clear gaps existing in the metro middle- and last-mile segments of the connectivity value chain. Even as new connectivity would be required to bridge the gaps and meet the National Broadband targets.

In  a fireside chat on ‘Enhancing Rural Connectivity: Strategies for Expanding Telecom Infrastructure’, Head Network and Solutions, at Information and Communications Services Limited (ICSL) Tinuade Oguntuyi said that that rural areas needed better network services for proper communication and development.

Oguntuyi, who anchored the fireside chat,  urged the government to support network service providers to reach more rural places as they were also full of great potentials for the growth of the nation.

Also speaking,  a local content ICT advocate Ahmad Tijani commended Federal Government projects to connect the rural dwellers and harped on the need to carry the local government leaders along.

Tijani, who represented National Secretary ICTLOCA, Dr. Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo cited the challenge of data gathering which could be sorted by the local government, calling on the grassroots to add value to the nation growth.

In his welcome address, the Convener of WATISE, Isaiah Erhiawarien said that the second edition was a step towards ensuring a reliable telecoms infrastructure for the region, and thanked the Nigerian Communications Commission, Open Access Data Nigeria Limited, Digital Realty, ICSL, HyperSpace Limited and OneData Limited for believing in the dream of the organisers.