Stakeholders say the full opportunities available in Information Communication Technology (ICT) can only be achieved through the enactment of relevant legislations and Public Private Partnerships (PPP), which will boost productivity.
This is as Nigeria continues to take steps towards diversifying its economy, using ICT as one of its major options, due to the constant rise in the adoption of technology.
Nigeria’s ICT industry, which is likely to see accelerated growth in the next few years, with rising mobile penetration and a negligible fixed band structure, has opportunity to leverage mobile technology to generate and improve social and economic outcomes across the consumer sector. This can be achieved through e-commerce, the financial service sector through mobile banking and social services sector through education and healthcare, industry analysts have said.
Nike Akande, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), says the chamber seeks to draw attention to available opportunities in mobile technology and how this trend is changing the nature and process of doing business across the globe.
“The ICTEL XPO 2016, a professional trade show that draws attentions to ICT and Telecommunication industry, being organised by the LCCI, is a veritable opportunity for government and private sector operators to meet and articulate policies that would boost the productivity of the ICT sector in Nigeria and create more jobs.
“The government needs to provide the needed enabling environment for this sector to thrive through the enactment of relevant legislations. This sector has the potential of becoming a major contributor to the nations GDP,” Akande says.
Speaking at the business unveiling of the 2016 Information Communication Technology and Telecommunications Expo, Akande says the major key to fostering ICT growth, and the vast opportunities available in the sector will be for the government to create and enforce appropriate legislations for the industry and encourage public private partnership.
Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says the Commission is happy to identify with LCCI on the expo, in order to continue opening up opportunities in the industry, which has been witnessing growth in the past few years.
Danbatta, who was represented at the event by Joseph Atoyebi, the Commission’s deputy director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, says that with 216 million connected telephone lines as of March 2016, Nigeria stands to gain a lot on leveraging opportunities in the sector to boost the economic fortunes.
Stakeholders say it is critical for government to reposition ICT policies through a PPP approach, where stakeholders can also be involved in policy formation.
