The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the ICT arm of the United Nations (UN), Dr Hamadoun Toure, has joined hands with Nigeria as the nation’s ICT sector is being put on the podium at a one-day event dedicated for the celebration of the ICT sector which stakeholders have described as the single largest achievement by the Nigerian nation within the last century. The event is now billed for Tuesday, October 7, 2014 in Abuja.

Dr.Toure who has affirmed his readiness to give the keynote at the ICT Media Centenary conference and awards will be in the company of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is at the top of the distinguished Nigerians being honoured for their contributions to the growth of ICT in Nigeria.  The one-day event being put together by ICT Media Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), made of 19 ICT media organisations, both in the print, broadcast and online, has as its main theme for the conference: ICT in the Nigerian Centenary: Matching Towards a Connected Nigeria.

According to Chairman of ICT Media Initiative, Mr Aaron Ukodie, no other personality qualifies to give the keynote other than Toure given his contributions in assisting Nigeria get to where it is today in the development of ICT and the various achievements it has recorded thus far.

Ukodie said Toure’s sterling performance as ITU Secretary-General is heart-warming, especially how he has assisted African countries in pushing for ICT development in the continent and how he has involved several Africans in the affairs of ITU. Toure is particularly enthusiastic in ensuring that African countries, especially Nigeria, make broadband as the digital rights of its citizens.

The event which is growing in popularity and general acceptance by the ICT stakeholders has received many endorsements. Late last week, additional endorsement came by the way of the acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Ms. Abimbola Alale and the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr.Emeka Mba. Other prominent ICT stakeholders that have already supported the initiative include the Minister of Communications Technology, Dr. (Mrs.) Omobola Johnson, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Peter Jack and the Director General National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Barrister Chris ‘E. Onyemenam. Others who have also declared their supports for the event include the immediate past EVC of NCC and Chairman of OpenMedia, Dr Ernest Ndukwe and Nigeria’s mega technopreneur and chairman of Zinox Computers, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh.

While receiving a delegation of the ICT Media Initiative led by its Chairman, Mr. Aaron Ukodie, at NIGCOMSAT’s operational headquarter, Ms. Alale commended the team for raising the standard for ICT value appreciation for the Nigerian public in the centenary year. She noted that the Nigerian government has accorded ICT a pride of place in its policy roadmap across the various segments of the national economy.

According to Ms. Alale, the federal government understands the fundamental role of ICT in its transformation initiatives and that that is why ICT continues to be on the front burner at every policy meeting by the government. She stated unequivocally that NIGCOMSAT has bought into the ICT Media Centenary Conference and Awards and would support it without any reservations because it aligns with the federal government’s developmental initiatives.

Towing same path, the DG NBC during a visit to its Aso Villa head office, assured the delegation that the Commission has also embraced the centenary celebration dedicated to the ICT sector of the economy for its giant strides within the century. While noting that no aspect of the individual and national lives can do without ICT, he buttressed his confidence with the new wave of positives that have been derived from the convergence of the ICT and broadcasting technologies to create the new frontiers of digital lifestyles.

He noted that the impact of the ICT in the recreation of Nollywood brand to megabucks status is one of the testimonies of the great contributions of the ICT to the Nigerian nation. He said as well that the whole talk about digital migration is the fallout of the integration of the ICT and the broadcasting technologies. While saying that Nigeria stands to reap bountifully from the technology convergence, he said that the digital dividend initiative was already bearing fruits with the migration of the broadcast channels from the frequency band to support the broadband project of the federal government. According to him, the digital dividend which involves the 700 and 800 frequency bands is being implemented in phases.

Mr.Ukodie said that the conference has been planned to sustain the current growth and momentum of discourses and actions that would culminate in the cost-effective deployment of broadband. This fittingly complements the efforts of the Federal Government as exemplified by the inauguration of the National Broadband Initiative,”

While reiterating that Dr Toure’s keynote address would be focussed on the main theme of the conference: ICT in the Nigerian Centenary: Matching towards a Connected Nigeria, he said as well that “we have also slated other sub-themes for discussion. One of the sub-themes is: Broadband, for a connected Nigeria and prosperity. The conference is intended to sustain the current growth and momentum of discourses and actions that would culminate in the cost-effective deployment of broadband.