Stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry have stressed that accelerating innovation remains the best path to drive inclusive growth.
The tech experts among who are C-Suite executives, founders, presidents of companies/organisations, presidents of industry associations, startups/entrepreneurs and government officials, unanimously agreed on this at the 2021 Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH2021) held in Lagos last week, highlighting that building infrastructure to extend internet access in underserved areas will drive digital transformation across board.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, focusing his presentation on “NCC as a Digital Transformation Crusader and Nigeria’s in-Road to 5G Deployment,” stated that, following the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a change in the dynamics of people’s interaction, especially on the Internet.
The EVC represented by the Director, Spectrum Administration at NCC, Engr. Oluwatoyin Asaju, said that almost every means of communication has become virtual in one way or the other.
“Already, we are set for the auction of some spectrum slots in the 3.5GHz band. The other day I was at the National assembly, I informed the senate that we were 95% ready for 5G. Today as we speak, I am delighted to tell you that we are already at 97% completion,” Danbatta said at #AfriTECH2021.
“The Committee set up to auction the Spectrum has already developed an Information Memorandum (IM) which is already published for inputs and comments from all industry stakeholders. Prior to this, a 5G deployment plan was developed and we have since secured Federal Government’s approval,” he expounded further.
The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA),Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said that with advent of new technologies occasioned by the fourth industrial revolution, it has become imperative to increase Africa’s level of preparedness and develop capacity of the youth.
Abdullahi who was represented by Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions at NITDA, spoke on ‘Reskilling Africa’s Youth for Future Jobs from NITDA’s perspective’ adding that the fourth industrial revolution will continue to fundamentally alter the way human begins live, work, and relate to one another.
He said, “We need to look at the educational sector and focus more on skills and research that can be used to develop the economy. People should not see education as the end but means to the end. We need to look for ways to disabuse people’s mind on paper qualification and inculcate in them those skills required for the imminent industrial revolution and also focus more on science and technology.”
In her keynote address anchored on the Forum’s theme: Embracing Change and Digital Transformation in the New Normal, Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Olatomiwa Williams said that COVID-19 has happened with different experiences, but there are a lot of opportunities for the Continent.
She said leveraging technology to ensure that the continent is actually accelerating the digital economy potentials cannot be over-emphasised
“Looking at the impact of COVID-19 and how it has accelerated digital transformation and based on research and engagements globally, two years of digital transformation was achieved within two months. What does that tell us? It tells us that because we were able to embrace the change that COVID brought, we were able to make those changes happen. These changes continue to accelerate. So, it means that an organization can no longer do business as usual. Everyone needs to embrace digital transformation at a fast reach”, the Microsoft Country Manager said.
Editor of TechEconomy.ng and the convener of AfriTECH, Mr. Peter Oluka said that Africa must play leading role in the fourth industrial revolution by embracing emerging technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things; Cloud Computing; Quantum Computing Augmented/Virtual Reality which are also playing a critical role in improving remote communication over the internet with great user experience.
He said that the recent events around COVID-19 Pandemic demonstrated why the government and the private sector must embrace digital transformation.
Other key industry stakeholders participated at the one-day Forum, which also featured exhibition by some sector players such as Zoho Corporation, Medallion Communications, Layer3 and Notion Technology Limited (representatives of American #1 Technology company – Comway – and HSV Products)
