The annual international telecommunications exhibition and conference organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) since 1995 - NICOMM Exhibition & Conference, has been re-branded. The 13th edition of the event slated for October 2008 in Lagos, Nigeria comes in the new brand name – ComBIT 2008 (Communications, Business & Information Technology) Expo. ComBIT 2008’s web portal will be launch shortly.
Announcing this development to the press recently, the National President of the Association, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem said the re-branding of the event became necessary as it appeared that NICOMM brand had expired and had actually lost a lot of steam. It therefore became imperative to do the right thing – change the brand, refocus and develop a new product that would attract the right caliber of national, regional and international participants. He stated that the change was not only in the name but more so in the style, planning, organization, management and execution of the event.
Dr. Ekuwem regretted the absence of an ICT event in Nigeria which has an international appeal – an event that the whole world looks forward to every year in Nigeria. He affirmed that ATCON has been propelled by the need to stage a pan-industry event that would bring the global ICT market to Nigeria every year and the way forward has been the bold step of building a new brand – ComBIT Expo - which will be more attractive and rewarding to participants and the organizers.
ComBIT, according to ATCON President came about after intensive and extensive consultations with players and other stakeholders in the Nigerian ICT sector. “Our desire had been to couch a name that is all-inclusive and global in appeal. It took us some time, but we are happy that the efforts have actually paid off” Dr. Ekuwem insisted. Dr. Ekuwem said his globe-trotting last year was a strategy to reposition the Nigeria ICT expo for greater international participation. “ATCON has therefore, taken into serious consideration all the observations and comments made by would-be participants from across the world and will endeavour to reflect on them in the planning, management and execution of the event”, Dr. Ekuwem assured.
The planning committee of ComBIT 2008 has members drawn from across the ICT sector in Nigeria. Dr. Ekuwem stated that ComBIT is not just an ATCON affair. It is an event for the entire Nigerian ICT sector and so the planning committee has to be inclusive of all service sub-sectors that make up our ICT industry. Also, ComBIT 2008 will have local as well as international organizing/marketing agencies to ensure professionalism in the handling of the event.
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