As the industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), prepares for its stakeholders engagement event, the fourth edition of the NITRA ICT GROWTH CONFERENCE, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida is billed to lead stakeholders to the annual roundtable that x-rays the industry and how to chart growth path for it.
The fourth in the series, the event, which is scheduled to hold at the Citiheight Hotel, Ikeja Lagos on Thursday August 8, 2024 has its theme as “Impact of AI On National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria”.
Dr. Maida will lead industry regulators and decision makers in the various ICT subsectors, both in the private and public sectors, to discuss issues that will engender growth in the industry, and further position it as the nation’s economy driver.
Speaking on the event, the Chairman, NITRA, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi noted: “The theme of this year conference is aimed at complementing the various efforts by governments and private sector operators towards a digitalised Nigeria, especially in the area of Artificial Intelligence”.
The event targets to bring stakeholders in the ICT industry to discuss and find ways of accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) growth in the industry as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies, including those recorded in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the NCC and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
These documents include NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027)2.0; the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content (NPPIC); The National Telecommunications Policy; the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025; and National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
Under its “NITRA ICT Growth Conference”, which seeks to bring a multi-sectorial development agenda, NITRA is organising a multi-panel interactive conference that will look at the themes that include:
“Driving Sub-Sectoral Digital Growth With Artificial Intelligence”.
“Navigating the Dangers of AI In A Developing Economy: Role of Public, Private Stakeholders”.
Mr. Onwuegbuchi, while commending stakeholders for their support of the event and passion for the growth of technology in Nigeria, noted that the growth in the ICT industry will impact all other sectors of the economy positively.
“Specifically, the Forum will offer stakeholders the opportunities of reassessing and reinvigorating some policies to make maximum impact in the growth of AI in Nigeria. This is a growth conference, and stakeholders will be allowed to speak out on what the growth indices should be.” he said.
Expected to be at the event include the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida; the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi; CEOs of government and private ICT companies; the Media including the full membership of NITRA and other stakeholders in the industry, including COOs, CIOs, CFOs, CROs and CCOs.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, industry associations will also make their inputs. They include ALTON, ATCON, NiRA, among others.