As the industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), prepares for its stakeholders engagement event, NITRA ICT Growth Conference 2021, two industry regulators have indicated interest in supporting the event scheduled to hold on November 11, 2021 in Lagos, Nigeria.
The event has received the backing of the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the nation’s information technology regulator, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The event targets to bring stakeholders in the ICT industry, both from the public and private sectors, to discuss and find ways of accelerating growth in the industry as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies, including those recorded in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the NCC and NITDA.
These documents include NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024); The Nigerian Cybercrime Act of 2015; the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content (NPPIC); The National Telecommunications Policy; the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025; National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) among others.
While looking at policies and regulation around the sub-sectors, the event will further look into challenges such as multiple taxation and regulations, high cost of Right of Way (RoW), theft of telecoms facilities, Policy issues, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Bill and cybersecurity issues; and ways of tackling these challenges effectively.
Under its “NITRA ICT Growth Conference”, which seeks to bring a multi-sectoral development agenda, NITRA is organising a multi-panel interactive conference that will look at the theme: “Harmonising ICT Sub-Sectors Towards A Digitalised Nigeria”
Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, Chairman of NITRA, while commending the regulators for their support of the event and passion for the growth of technology in Nigeria, noted that the growth in the ICT industry will impact all other sectors of the economy positively.
“Specifically, the Forum will offer stakeholders the opportunities of reassessing and reinvigorating some policies to make maximum impact in the growth of ICT in Nigeria. This is a growth conference, and stakeholders will be allowed to speak out on what the growth indices should be.” he said.
Expected to be at the event include the Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, the EVC of the NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta; the DG of NITDA, Mallam Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, CEOs of other government and private ICT companies, the Media including the full membership of NITRA and other stakeholders in the industry, including COOs, CIOs, CFOs, CROs and CCOs.
As part of the event, special recognition awards will be given to some industry players that have played strong roles in the growth of ICT in Nigeria, and still contributing to the development of the industry. The Awards will also be for those companies and individuals, who through their innovativeness have revolutionised the ecosystem they play in.
