The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its faith in the vision of the AfricaNEXT Conference (AfricaNXT) to “co-create a prosperous future for all Africans” through collaborations, conversations and programming that are oriented in harvesting, harnessing and leveraging innovative technologies.
Executive Vice Chairman and 🧀 ef Executive Officer,Professor Umaru Danbatta declared the regulators commitment during a chat with newsmen last week
According to him,“The visualisations and concrete actions of the AfricaNXT conference are in congruence with NCC’s faith in the promise of technology to galvanise Nigeria’s, nay Africa’s, development.”
This position he said “explains our continued support and participation at the Conference which is now in its 10th Year, and we will continue to play active roles in this event which takes place in Lagos annually”.
Professor Danbatta spoke ahead of preparations by the Commission’s delegation to the Confab which will take place from 27th February to 4th March 2022.
The EVC regretted his inability to lead NCC’s delegation to the Conference because he is already slated to play a key governmental and institutional role at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022, organised by GSM Association. The Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest and most influential forum and exhibition by stakeholders in the mobile technology ecosystem, takes place in Barcelona annually in the same week AfricaNXT happens in Lagos.
Formerly known as Social Media Week Lagos, the AfricaNXT Conference is the largest assemblage of innovators from across Africa and Africa’s Diasporan communities. As a consistent programming partner of AfricaNXT, the NCC has been a regular feature of the conference and festival. Although the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the organisers to observe a low-key, strictly virtual conference in 2021, the 2020 conference was attended by over 20,000 people (both in-person and virtually). At the 2020 conference, NCC’s discourse overviewed the Fifth Generation technology and services, where the panelists explained 5G, which at that time, seemed like an abstract idea to many.
At the AfricaNXT 2022, the NCC will take the discourse on 5G further in a more pragmatic context in view of the progress achieved over the past two years.
The thematic focus for its panel of discussants is, “MOVING FORWARD STEADILY, TIMELY AND WITH PRECISION: THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF DEPLOYMENT OF 5G SERVICES”. Participants will have the opportunity to glean the benefits of 5G services to individuals, businesses, and the nation, with positive implications for the Continent as Nigeria matches steadily to become the first country in West Africa to deploy 5G technology services.
