The Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) recently sought the support of other stakeholders in the Nigerian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry to achieve the 70 percent broadband target contained in the country’s National Broadband Plan 2022-2027.
The telecom industry advocacy group, which also stands as the umbrella body of all telecom companies and professionals in Nigeria engaged various stakeholders at a one-day event that it described as a national strategic mobilization for the actualization of the national broadband target of 70% conference & exhibition.
The event with the theme: ‘Realizing the new set target of 70% of Broadband Penetration’ enjoyed support from Prof Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Prof Umar Danbatta of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Kashifu Inuwa of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Dr. Vincent Olatunji of Nigeria Data Protection Bureau respectively.
The event also enjoyed the sponsorship of the following companies : Nigerian Communication Commission, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, Main One Cable Company Nigeria Limited, MTN Nigeria, IHS Nigeria Limited, Pan African Towers, Medallion Communications Limited, VDT Communications Limited, Rack Center, IPNX and NITDA
According to Engr Ikechukwu Nnamani, President ATCON, the event becomes necessary to rally around industry thought leaders owing to the drive of the government and private sector players to pursue the digital economy.
He believes that the digital economy is sustainable without pervasive broadband penetration.
“Broadband drives not just the digital economy but the economy of the country as a whole. Having just 41percent of broadband penetration is not enough for Nigeria when you compare this with other countries,” he said.
He also argued that government cannot do it alone but need collaboration from the private sector to drive broadband penetration, especially in the unserved and underserved areas.