ATCON held a one-day stakeholders summit to press for more Nigerian content in Information and Communications Technology sector. The focus of the summit which was widely attended by industry supervisory and regulatory agencies, sector players and stakeholders, was to examine the challenges faced in developing local contents in the ICT sector as well as point to the way forward in achieving the desired goals.
The summit enabled participants to brainstorm on the framework for developing local content the Nigerian ICT sector. Discussants felt so strongly that our local ICT infrastructure providers require some measure of protection against their multinational counterparts whose corporate strength could extinguish the local players. They insisted that our local hardware and software developers must be given some kind of support to enable them grow, expand and continue to provide employment to millions of Nigerians and thus help to develop skills and eradicate poverty in our land. It was envisaged that if government and other relevant institutions, like the financial institutions, etc. do not provide adequate protection and support to our local ICT industrialists, these would be heading towards economic doom.
Furthermore, the summit encouraged the building of local data base that would form the Nigerian content in the global ICT circuit. It was observed that Nigerians talk more than they write and this phenomenon contributes to the low level of Nigerian content in the global cyberspace. The summit advocated a change if Nigeria must take its rightful place in the world’s ICT market.
Special Guests and keynote speakers at the summit included Alhaji. Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, honourable Minister of State for Communications; Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre, honourable Minister of Science & Technology; Cleopas O. Angaye, Director-General, NITDA; Chief Leo-Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Technologies Limited; Mrs. Florence Seriki, CEO, Omatek Computers; Mr. Jim Ovia, Chairman, VISAFONE Communications Limited as well as Dr. Emmanuel E. Ekuwem, ATCON President & Chief Executive Officer, Teledom International Limited.
Distinguished panel of discussants consisted of Engr. (Dr.) Ernest C. Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (moderator); Engr. Chris Uwaje, CEO, Connect Technologies, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, CEO, Telecom Associates Limited, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON, Mr. Chioke Ogugua, Chairman, GSM Association, Engr. Sam Adeleke, President, ISPAN; Prof. Charles Uwadia, President, Nigeria Computer Society, Engr. Bayo Banjo, 1st Vice President, ATCON, Mr. Simeon Agu, President, ISPON, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, President, ITAN; Mr. Lanre Ajayi, President, NIG; Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, Chairman, NIRA
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