W.Afritel gets June date in Lagos

The 11th edition of the West African International Telecom and Information Communications Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel) would hold in June this year.

The organisers led by Mr. Mkpe Abang, Editor-in-Chief, IT & Telecom Digest, sole Nigeria Agent for W.Afri.Tel informed ITRealms Online at the weekend that the 2011 edition has been scheduled to hold over three days, from June 7-9, at the new Eko Expo Hall in Lagos.

He also said that the readiness of his team heralds an unbroken run of the event that commenced in June 2001, thereby reaffirming W.Afri.Tel as the pioneer, most consistent and leading technology exhibition in the sub-region.

He said that W.Afri.Tel true to type gathers leading telecom industry companies, mobile phone operators, Internet Service providers, value services providers, equipment vendors, satellite companies and technology solutions providers, among others, from within and outside the sub-region, and indeed, across Africa, Europe, America and Asia, seeking to get prime spots.

While those making inquiries have made physical contacts and held discussions with the organisers, others, owing to distance and time, have taken advantage of the internet to make useful enquiries regarding space booking and exhibiting at W.Afri.Tel 2011.

“We have practically been inundated with enquires and requests, either by phone or by email; many others have had meetings with us with a view to booking and confirming their participation at W.Afri.Tel 2011,” he said, stressing that as a rule, spaces are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Companies that previously exhibited at W.Afri.Tel, he said, know of this policy and are already making focused efforts to confirm their bookings.

Since making its debut in June 2001 shortly before the full take off of GSM operations in Nigeria, W.Afri.Tel has taken place in June every year, thereby giving operators and vendors, experts and governments, regulators and manufacturers from across the world a platform to showcase their products, services and technologies as well as cross-fertilising ideas in building a robust telecom industry for Nigeria, and indeed, West Africa.

Equally speaking, Managing Director of Exhibition Management Services (Pty), organisers of W.Afri.Tel, Mr. John Thomson, said they have always put the West African sub-region on the cutting edge of technology.

“With the newest technologies, innovations, services and products are showcased at W.Afri.Tel first for West Africa. This year’s event promises to go even a big step further, especially as it marks the tenth anniversary of the commencement of GSM operations in Nigeria, a hugely successful revolution of which W.Afri.Tel predates its commencement, thereby confirming our commitment to grow this sector for all Africans,” he said.

W.Afri.Tel 2011 will be staged alongside the third edition of the West African ICT (WAFICT) Congress, organised by IT & Telecom Digest in conjunction with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).

Remmy Nweke:
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