Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Nigerian Information Technology and Telecom Awards (NITTA) 2006, has announced the opening of this year’s award entry, saying that it would herald another phase of success of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
According to the BoT chairman, Dr. Tom Adaba, Nigeria has achieved so much in so short a time that unless the story is properly told, those who did not know might think the country has had these progress indices for over two decades.
Just five years into a revolution, he said, ICT in Nigeria is set to take stock and celebrate the gains of the period that has brought the country to global reckoning.
So, “at the prestigious NITTA-06, the awards ceremony which is the fifth in the series, has been scheduled for November 24, at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Centre, Lagos,” he declared.
Dr. Adaba stressed that BoT along with the organisers, are proud of developments made so far in the country, especially in the ICT sector. Indeed, he said, awareness is key in telling the story of this revolution appropriately.
He noted that NITTA-06, therefore, would build on the successes of previous events and applaud the actors and operators in the sector who have done the nation proud through their products and services.
“NITTA-06 will build on the phenomenal success of previous editions and the commendable achievements of the entire ICT sector of the country to pave the way for even greater achievements for operators and professionals alike in the sector,” Dr. Adaba said.
The BoT chairman, who is a renowned broadcaster and administrator, explained that the thrust of this year’s event, which has the theme, “Celebrating the Gains of Nigeria’s ICT” is needed to encourage the ICT operators for the benefit of the populace.
Speaking at the end of the board’s meeting in Abuja, Dr. Adaba, said that this would lead to increased competition, quality of service delivery, innovation in products and services, enterprise and increased investment in the sector, hence the awards.
Also, he called on all stakeholders to rise in full support of the awards programme, because it would not only facilitate ICT growth in the country, but would revolutionize interaction and transactions among Nigerians on one hand and between Nigeria and the rest of the world, on the other.
This is coming as the newly appointed Communications Minister, Dr. Obafemi Anibaba has commended NITTA and its organisers, saying they have contributed in improving the atmosphere for competition.
Receiving the management of IT & Telecom Digest led by its editor-in-chief, Mr. Mkpe Abang in his office recently, the minister said he was glad to identify with NITTA and would gladly grace the occasion as it helps him in furthering the growth in the ICT sector.
The event, he said, has portrayed and will continue to show Nigeria in positive light both locally and internationally.
He informed the minister that his visit was to intimate him of activities towards NITTA 2006 and said the magazine has always taken the part of support for government’s positive actions and policies in the ICT sector so as to help bring access to the citizenry.
NITTA, he told the minister, was therefore the magazine’s effort at ensuring that awareness for government programmes is continuous while also rewarding actors and operators in the sector.
He emphasised that NITTA, was instituted in 2002 by IT & Telecom Digest, Africa’s foremost ICT magazine, as Nigeria’s benchmark for measuring quality of service delivery, promoting healthy competition and rewarding enterprise in the sector.
Coincidentally, while this year’s event will mark the 5th edition of NITTA, it is also five years of GSM operations in Nigeria, consequently it is tagged: “Celebrating Nigeria’s Achievements in ICT.”
Organised by Nigeria’s award winning ICT magazine, IT & Telecom Digest, this year’s edition will attract the cream of the ICT world and representatives of the International Telecommunication Union, the Economic Commission for Africa among others.
Even as there would be competitive categories to be advertised for corporate bodies and individuals to make entries and (or) nominations as the case may be.
These categories include individual and corporate bodies to enter or be nominated for the competitive segment namely for the best reporter of the year, print and electronic, best advert of the year, print and electronics, best telecom company of the year for fixed wireless and mobile, best customer-care company of the year and mobile company of the year.
In addition, there would be categories for best indigenous software company of the year, best Internet Service Provider (ISP) of the year and best prepaid phone card company of the year.
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