Telecom
ICTEL 2019 to Focus on Fourth Industrial Revolution
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) has said that this year’s ICTEL EXPO2019 will focus majorly on inspiring and providing aspiring entrepreneurs, tech start-ups and thousands of unemployed Nigerians with unique opportunities in line with the realities and implications of the fourth industrial revolution.
Babatunde Ruwase, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) disclosed this on Friday at the 2019 ICTEL EXPO media launch, held in Lagos.
The 2019 ICTEL EXPO is schedule to hold in July with the theme ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution: Implications for the Nigerian Economy.’
Ruwase noted that fourth industrial revolution is a topical issue Nigerians and Africans as a whole are not taking seriously, which may have far-reaching implications in the country and Africa in general.
According to him, “this year’s edition of the ICTEL EXPO will provide another great opportunity to influence national discourse on the culture of enterprise in Nigeria from an ICT positive perspective.
“We must celebrate our achievers! This EXPO will therefore provide the required inspiration which many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need in their quest for improved performance.
“More importantly, the 2019 ICTEL EXPO is providing aspiring entrepreneurs, Tech start-ups and thousands of unemployed and under employed Nigerians another unique opportunity for an enriching learning experience, capacity building, mentoring, connecting with investors and employers of labour and listening to life-changing accounts from different stakeholders.”
The LCCI President urged governments at all levels to rise up to the challenges of increasing technological revolution if our dream for a truly great nation can be realized.
He added that the country could achieve the realities and implications of the fourth industrial revolution, if our government would articulate the results of the conference into a policy document.
Earlier, Gabriel Idahosa, Vice President & Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, decried the slow pace of technological advancement in Nigeria and Africa, noting that we are at the risk of being left behind by the fourth industrial revolution if these challenges are not addressed.
He stated that Nigeria with its teeming youth population should brace up and take its position as the most populous country in Africa, if we want to be part of the fourth industrial revolution.
“It is no news that the developed countries are investing heavily in the fourth industrial revolution.
“Africa, indeed, Nigeria is far behind. Industrial experts have submitted that of all the regions worldwide, Africa is at a great risk of being left far behind by the fourth industrial revolution.
“Nigeria, with its position in Africa and the population of its youths, needs to brace up.
“Technology is reshaping our world in an unimaginable manner. We have seen massive use of Robots, Bio-technology, Artificial intelligence and related technologies.
“Their impact on people, business, workplace and government is felt in all aspects of daily life.
“As business people, and in fact, a leading chamber of commerce in Sub Sahara Africa, our goal is to prepare stakeholders in the Nigerian economy for the emerging realities of the impact of the fourth industrial revolution.
“This is to enable us to follow the trend and really benefit from it. We must avoid being caught unawares when the consequences of not following the trend are already here with us”, Idahosa added.
Lere Kupoluyi, Chairman, Specialized Exhibition Committee, Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, speaking at the event, said that fourth industrial revolution will change the way we do things and Nigeria should not pretend as if nothing is happening.
He noted that it’s high time we start playing significant role generally as a country and as business men and women in heralding this reality.
“The LCCI, as part of its mandate to foster an enabling environment for businesses, has identified technology-driven updates and innovations as critical success factors for entrepreneurship development and sustainable businesses.
“That is why for the past four years, the chamber has been providing a platform for the government, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders in the information communications technology and telecommunication industries to learn, interact and share experience, he added.
Nigeria has exactly 156,662 active fixed wired internet subscriptions as of mid-2026.
This is a tiny fraction compared to mobile GSM networks, which dominate the market with over 154 million subscribers.
The fixed wired market primarily consists of homes and offices using direct physical cables like fiber optics.
Fixed wired services use physical cables, like glass fiber or copper wire, to bring internet directly into a building.
It is like a dedicated, private water pipe for your home. It provides very fast speeds, unlimited data, and is reliable.
In contrast, mobile GSM uses radio waves transmitted from tall towers to phones, acting more like a sprinkler that sprays a signal across an entire neighborhood.
Because laying physical cables across cities is expensive and hard to do, these subscriptions are very rare.
However, the market has seen recent growth, driven largely by Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services.
The top players are: MTN FibreX with 110,564 subscribers, which is roughly 88.7 per cent of the entire market.
SWIFTNG accounts for about 13,945 connections.
The others are ipNX and 21st Century Technologies which make up the number.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is intensifying efforts to implement Nigeria’s planned 112 national emergency number following its approval by the National Economic Council (NEC).
NCC
The commission disclosed this during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and an NCC delegation led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing the Vice President, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across the country to support a unified national emergency response system.
He said the next phase of implementation would focus on closer collaboration with state governments and emergency response agencies to ensure the effective rollout of the initiative.
The development follows the recent approval by the NEC, chaired by the Vice President, for the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency number across all tiers of government and emergency response agencies.
The council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the NCC.
Olorunnimbe stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on the commitment of state governments to support and maintain emergency communications infrastructure, as well as the readiness of response agencies to promptly attend to distress calls.
“We need commitment at every level of all response agencies—from top to bottom—including the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services across the states and, at the national level, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” he said.
Responding, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the nationwide implementation of the single emergency number in line with international best practices.
He also urged the commission to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), citing the agency’s experience in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.
The Vice President assured the commission of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the initiative, saying funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and partnerships with the private sector.
He also called for greater dedication from all emergency response agencies to ensure the success of the programme.
The adoption of 112 is expected to harmonise emergency communications across Nigeria by providing a single number through which citizens can quickly access police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services.
The initiative is also expected to replace multiple emergency contact numbers currently in use and improve coordination and response during emergencies.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was strengthening collaboration with state governments and industry players to develop a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for sharing telecom ducts as part of efforts to speed up broadband expansion across Nigeria.
Ayuba Shuaibu, director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to build consensus among all parties.
“The primary purpose of this forum is to ensure seamless synergy between the Commission and all stakeholders,” he said.
The director said the consultation was prompted by longstanding complaints over permits, levies and other charges imposed by different levels of government.
He said bringing together state commissioners, telecom operators, tower companies and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had helped improve understanding of the issues.
“This engagement is a work in progress. We expect more input from stakeholders before presenting the outcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,” he added.
Dr Helen Adeneye, commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State. welcomed the consultation, saying Nigeria needs a harmonised policy that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the federal and state governments.
“We need a harmonised policy that allows states to collaborate better with telecom operators and creates a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Dr Adeneye added that adopting the Dig-Once policy would establish a uniform pricing system and help resolve disputes over charges for telecom infrastructure deployment.
Chidi Ajuzie, chief executive officer, WTES Projects Limited, whose firm is conducting the consultancy study, said the proposed framework would introduce a common cost structure for duct sharing to support broadband investment and economic growth.
“The study is designed to create a uniform pricing model that will drive broadband growth, economic development and wider adoption across the country,” he said.
Ajuzie explained that the consultants had developed preliminary floor and ceiling prices to guide operators while allowing flexibility within the approved range.
He added that the recommendations remain open to industry input before the NCC finalises the framework.
The Dig-Once Policy is designed to reduce the cost and disruption of deploying broadband infrastructure by requiring fibre ducts to be installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
The NCC is developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing these ducts to promote fair pricing, reduce duplication of infrastructure and encourage investment.
The proposed model is expected to support the Federal Government’s broadband expansion targets while improving collaboration between telecom operators and state governments.
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