By Olatunde R. Omisola

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has announced a new date for the National Dialogue on Telecommunications and ICT Sector in Nigeria with the theme “Harnessing the Digital Resources for the building of our National Economy” to be held in Abuja, with telecommunications sector regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) still retaining their slots to highlight the event.

A statement signed by ATCON’s President Olusola Teniola and communicated to us by ATCON’s Executive Secretary, Ajibola Olude, says this well thought out event now to hold on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at NAF Conference Centre Abuja, north central, is positioned to grow the entire sector of the Nigerian economy exponentially as thought leaders in the sector are expected to come up with brilliant ideas as to what the public and private sector can do to maximize the benefits inherent in the digital economy such that the recent fall in Nigeria’s GDP can be reversed.

The recent Index of Digital Quality of Life positioned Nigeria in the pursuit of digital economy and ranked 20th position at the beginning of the survey (Nigeria is currently ranked 81st).

Stated ATCON: “We are pleased to announce the confirmation of the following very important personalities to grace the event: Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy; Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Simon Bako Lalong, Executive Governor, Plateau State; Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, EVC/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General/CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, Country Director (Nigeria), World Bank; Mr Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director/CEO, Airtel Networks; Mr Alan Sinfield, Managing Director/CEO, 9mobile; Mr Trevor Liuyan, CEO, Huawei Nigeria and many others.

“This National Dialogue on Telecoms and ICT is targeted at changing the structure of the country’s development through the maximum utilization of digital resources such that Federal Government, State Government and other key stakeholders in the Agriculture, Education, Oil & Gas, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment, Security and Defence Sector would leverage on the outcome of this event to improve their contributions to the nation’s GDP.”

The proposition above, according to ATCON, was based on effective collaboration amongst the different sectors of the economy as we all know that collaboration was the new competition.

ATCON further states: “The supply side which is comprised of Telecom and ICT Companies and the demand side which is made up of all the Ministries, States, Local Governments, Nigerians and Non-Nigerians are expected to have higher level of productivity on the condition that they adopt and leverage on the opportunities presented by the digital economy to improve their output. This strategic dialogue plans to bring together the Presidency, National Assembly, relevant Federal Ministries, State Governors, ICT State Commissioners, Telecom and ICT Operating Companies, World Bank and other international relevant agencies.”

The underlining strategic objectives of the proposed National Dialogue by ATCON are as follow:

• To intentionally channel collaborative positive efforts toward Nigerian Digital Economy with the sole aim of accelerating our economy’s performance in relation to other leading African countries
• To serve as a forum to discuss the recently launched documents on Digital Economy and take stakeholders input for implementation.
• To optimally X-ray the factors that have worked for and against the telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria.
• To discuss regulations and policies around AI, IoTS and Blockchain and the rest.

Also, thought leaders in the industry have been invited to do justice to the following panel sessions:

• Digital Economy in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities
• Private Public Partnership and Development of Mechanism for the seamless Management of Inter-Ministries and Agencies: an imperative for Broadband Infrastructure Development in Nigeria
• National Funding and Investment Strategy for Broadband Infrastructure and Digital Economy: The Importance of Education and Awareness
• Regulation on Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, etc): Leveraging on Nigerian Young Population’s Innovation and Creativity for National Development

There shall be a special sectoral discussion tagged “Harnessing Digital Resources for Sectoral Effectiveness and Efficiency for National Development, the association stated.”

The special session discussants are:

• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Defence, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd),
• Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo
• Honourable Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi
• Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola

According to Olusola: “One of the overriding deliverables of this national dialogue on telecoms and ICT sector is that the adoption of digital resources by all aforementioned sectors would lead to development which would eventually make Nigeria to join the league of the top 20 global economies.”

Attendance at this very important event is strictly by invitation as COVID-19 protocol would be strictly observed, says ATCON.