The First Vice President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, has commended the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, for midwifing the delivery of a new National Broadband Plan. Nnamani spoke against the backdrop of the national broadband report submitted recently.
The ATCON VP, in a statement, noted that the Minister had demonstrated a strong commitment to deepening broadband penetration, which is a potent tool for economic transformation. He said the broadband drives of the minister will, no doubt, lift the country’s economy.
Nnamani also commended the committee led by Ms. Funke Opeke, CEO of MainOne, for giving the task quick attention and for delivering the report promptly. According to him, the speed at which the committee delivered their mandate showed their commitment to the broadband project.
Recall that the committee was inaugurated on December 16, 2019, by the Minister and given the task of developing a new National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 that would be a guiding template for further development of the telecommunications sector.
“With the submission of the report, the country is now on the right step to achieving the 70 percent broadband target. ATCON as the umbrella body industry players is in full support of this move and would do everything in its capacity to ensure that Nigeria surpasses the target by 2025,” he said.
Citing recent GDP report, which indicated that Nigeria surpassed IMF’s projection of growth, Nnamani said the feat will also be replicated in broadband access, adding that stakeholders would be charting the course for wider access at the ATCON’s ICT National Dialogue coming up in March.
He said the dialogue is ATCON’s way of contributing to the discourse around the digital economy and how the country can transform her economy with technology. The ATCON VP added that the Association, through an umbrella of private operators, is deeply committed to the government’s various initiatives targeted at revamping the economy as their businesses can only thrive in a vibrant market.