TheNewsGuru

Tag: FDI

  • Nigeria braces for next level of tech revolution

    Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta has stressed the need for collaboration among academia, telecom industry players and the regulatory body as the nation gears up for the next level of technology revolution.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Prof. Danbatta was speaking during NCC’s Fifth Roundtable Forum with Academia, Telecom Industry and other Stakeholders when he said, “the emergence of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities, 5th generation network (5G), Broadband technology have led to huge opportunities and consequent risks”.

    The forum, holding in Minna, Niger State on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th January 2018 is expected to improve collaboration among the Commission, academia, telecom industry players and other stakeholders to accelerate innovation, industrial growth and sustainable development in the Nigerian telecoms industry.

    Danbatta at the forum on Wednesday said the collaboration is needed to ensure that these technologies are adequately prepared for by the time they emerge in the Nigeria’s telecom ecosystem.

    He acknowledged that innovations, inventions and improvements that evolve from collaboration with academia are a catalyst for improving efficiency and productivity, driving economic growth and attracting more FDI into the country.

    Speaking at the event, Danbatta, represented by Engr Austin Nwaulune, Director Spectrum Administration, NCC, said, to this end, the NCC as regulator of this critical sector, aims to ensure all stakeholders are protected and the industry is nurtured for maximum benefits to all players in the industry.

    He stressed that regulatory excellence has the capacity to drive social and economic transformation in the country and, that the NCC seeks to ensure that regulations match with existing realities.

    Prof Danbatta reiterated that the three areas which are fundamental to future growth and development of the sector include: innovation in terms of new ideas, industry growth in terms of building capabilities and the role of the regulator in promoting synergy between the academia and the NCC while ensuring regulatory excellence and operational efficiency of the industry.

    “The potential opportunities and important aspects that should be considered by all stakeholders are critical aspects that academia are invited to research and proffer pragmatic solutions.

    “The Commission has, among other things, directed funds to encourage innovation by boosting research and development in Universities across the country.

    “There is need to collaborate with emphasis on development of prototypes that would meet the standards required by the industry,” he said.

    Present at the event include members of the academia from various universities and Polytechnics in the North Central region of the country, representatives of telecom companies and other regulatory bodies.

     

  • FDI in ICT sector increases from $3.2bn in 2015 to $4bn in 2018

    FDI in ICT sector increases from $3.2bn in 2015 to $4bn in 2018

    Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector of the Nigerian economy recorded an increase from 3.2 billion dollars in 2015 to 4 billion dollars in 2018.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Minister for Communications, Dr Adebayo Shittu made this known at the opening of the three-day 11th edition of eNigeria Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

    The conference has “Promoting Digital Economy in an Era of Disruptive Technologies through Effective Regulation” as its theme.

    Shittu said that the Federal Government was committed to growing the country’s economy, noting that the IT sector was also on the path to steady development.

    The minister said “the impact of ICT can be felt in virtually every area of human endeavour and countries are taking advantage of disruptive technologies to transform their economies.

    “We have the National ICT Policy, National Broadband, ICT Roadmap, eGovernment Master Plan, Addressing System and Local Content Policy initiatives to deepen the role of ICT in the development of the economy”.

    Shittu explained that government was working toward developing broadband penetration to 30 per cent by the end of the year, adding that it was presently at 23 per cent.

    According to Shittu, with about 160 million active mobile lines and 90 mobile internet subscribers, mobile technologies are fast proving to be game changers to deepening ICT experience as a nation.

    “Nigerian ICT sector is open for investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the sector has increased from 3.2 billion dollars in 2015 to 4 billion dollars in 2018.

    “Emerging disruptive technologies are also creating new industries and we can take advantage of this to further attract FDIs to the sector,” Shittu said.

    Mr Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in his keynote address, said effective regulation was required for effective development of any economy.

    Ribadu said that government needed to explore every available means to fight corruption, adding that modern technologies could mitigate the incidences of corruption.

    “Government can deploy Block Chain, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Technology and Deep Data Analytics in detecting corruption especially in resources within the public service,” he added.

    The former EFCC chairman said that fighting corruption required incorruptible leadership at the highest level.

    According to him, the EFCC, through the use of modern technology, has 191 convictions within eight months, over N20 billion funds recovered and over 800 ongoing cases on financial crimes, as well as corruption.

    Ribadu, however, called on Federal Government to ensure that men of integrity and character were placed in positions of leadership to mitigate against incidences of corruption for national development.

    President Muhammadu Buhari declared the event open and commended NITDA on its regulation, clearance mandate of indigenous product, and urged the agency to be firm.

    Buhari, however, said Ministries, Departments and Agencies which refused to subject their IT projects to regulations and clearance must face the law.

    He added that the Federal Government was serious about fighting corruption.

     

  • NCC makes case for review of telecom laws

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has made a case for the need to review some of the Nigerian telecom laws while stressing the telecommunication sector is a fast evolving sector with great potentials to enhance human existence.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports NCC’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Ms. Yetunde Akinloye, made the case during a presentation on the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 at a with judges on telecoms legal issues at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.
    The NCC’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services also spoke on some of the challenges facing the telecom industry.
    She listed some of the challenges to include multiple regulations, call masking and multiple taxation, which she said hinder the deployment of telecoms infrastructure thereby delaying expansion of services to places where they are needed.
    She also noted that these challenges also negatively impact inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country’s telecoms sector.
    TNG reports the judges workshop is an annual week-long event organized by the NCC in conjunction with the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
    The idea is to sensitize Nigerian judges on emergent technologies such as use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and SIM Masking/ Refiling in order to brainstorm the legal frameworks surrounding these services.
    Clement Omeiza Baiye, Board Commissioner represented Chairman of the Board of NCC, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye and delivered the welcome address on his behalf.
    In his welcome address, Senator Durojaiye thanked the judges for making the time to attend the workshop to facilitate themselves with current trends, accomplishment and challenges within the telecoms sector.
    He noted that Telecommunications has contributed about N15 trillion to the Nigerian economy since the liberalisation of digital mobile communications nearly 17 years ago.
    The NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Sunday Dare, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, spoke on the importance of the Nigerian Judicial sector to familiarise themselves with the implementation of Artificial Intelligence, a disruptive innovation that is being adopted by the Judicial sectors in developed countries.