Business Briefs
STAKEHOLDERS in the telecom industry have called for a new focus on digital services that will boost Nigeria’s economy. They said through adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continuous improvement with agile development methods, there would be rapid and flexible response to change.
The stakeholders, who spoke at the recently concluded maiden Mobile and Disruptive Technology Forum, MoDiTECH2019, exposed to how industry leaders were using disruptive technologies such as Mobile Internet, Automation of Knowledge and Work, Internet of Things, IoT, Cloud Technology, among others to improve the quality of life for people. They said that such technologies have redefined business models such as Agritech, FinTech, e-Billing, e-Commerce, e-Governance, e-Payments, transportation, and smart city.
Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, said through its regulatory excellence, the commission is at the forefront of unleashing the digital economy that will spur industrial growth, job creation, and return on investment for investors. According to him, the internet is at the leading edge of digital revolution, which informed why NCC is supporting operators to deploy more infrastructures.
“Today, Nigeria has started a test-run of 5G, the latest technology for delivering broadband services and such other services as Internet of Things, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, AI. The trial will last for three months. Nigeria hopes to join other countries, which are in a rush to deploy the 5G technology because of its immense promise for digital communication,” he said.
Danbatta, who was represented by Bako Wakil, director, technical standards and network integrity, NCC, disclosed that the commission was at the verge of sending the N65 billion request for supporting the already six infrastructure companies (InfraCos) licensed to roll out broadband infrastructure across the country, to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for approval.
In a keynote address, Austin Okere, founder and vice-chairman, CWG, recalled that in 2018, the mobile ecosystem contributed more than $500 billion to the funding of the public sector through general taxation, globally. According to him, Nigeria as among the three smartphone super-powers to emerge by 2025, stands to benefit from the smartphone ubiquity across the world that enables consumer engagement in numerous use cases.
He said slowing unique subscriber growth, regulatory intervention and intense competition continue to put pressure on operators’ traditional mobile revenue. “Over a fifth of the world’s markets will have launched 5G by 2020, spending combined $244 billion on networks in the process. In 2018, mobile technologies and services generated 4.6 percent of GDP globally, a contribution that amounted to $3.9 trillion of economic value added.
“The mobile ecosystem also supported almost 32 million jobs (directly and indirectly) and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with more than $500 billion raised through general taxation,” he said.
– Nov. 1, 2019 @ 16:27 GMT |
Tags: Stakeholders harp on adoption of digital services
