The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has concluded plans to host a National Dialogue on telecommunications and ICT sector in Nigeria themed “Harnessing the Digital Resources for the building of our National Economy” on March 26, 2020 in Abuja.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami,  among others would headline the dialogue.

ATCON president, Mr Olusola Teniola, said that the growth across all the sectors of Nigeria’s economy is expected to be exponential as a result of the resolve by the Federal Government to drive the entire economy through digital resources.

This National Dialogue on Telecoms and ICT is targeted at changing the narrative of our country’s development through the optimal utilization of digital resources and to achieve this, State Governors, Ministries, Agencies and Sectors like Agriculture, Education, Oil & Gas, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment, Security and Defence have been invited along with telecom and ICT companies.

The supply side comprising Telecom and ICT companies and the demand side which is made up of all the Ministries, States, Local Governments, Nigerians and Non-Nigerians are expected to have higher level of productivity on the condition that they adopt and leverage on the opportunities presented by the digital economy to improve their output. This strategic dialogue plans to bring together the Presidency, National Assembly, relevant Federal Ministries, State Governors, ICT State Commissioners, Telecom and ICT Operating Companies, World Bank and other international relevant agencies.

The strategic objectives of the proposed National Dialogue are as follows:

To channel collaborative efforts toward Nigerian Digital Economy with the sole aim of accelerating our economy’s performance in relation to other leading African countries

To serve as a forum to discuss the recently launched documents on Digital Economy and take stakeholders input for implementation.

To optimally X-ray the factors that have worked for and against the telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria.

To discuss regulations and policies around AI, IoT and Blockchain

Thought leaders have been invited to do justice to the following panel sessions:

Digital Economy in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities

Private Public Partnership and Development of Mechanism for the seamless Management of Inter-Ministries and Agencies: an imperative for Broadband Infrastructure Development in Nigeria

National Funding and Investment Strategy for Broadband Infrastructure and Digital Economy: The Importance of Education and Awareness

Regulation on Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, etc): Leveraging on Nigerian Young Population’s Innovation and Creativity for National Development

There shall be a special sectorial discussion tagged “Harnessing Digital Resources for Sectorial Effectiveness and Efficiency for National Development”

The special session discussants are: Mallam Adamu Adamu, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Education

Dr Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Health

Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd), Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Defence

Chief Timipre Sylva, Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources

Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo CON, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment

One of the overriding deliverables of this national dialogue on telecoms and ICT sector is that the adoption of digital resources by all aforementioned sectors would lead to development which would eventually make Nigeria to join the league of the top 20 global economies.