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| Steven Evans, Etisalat CEO courtesy: Tonero photos |
Evans
gave this description at the just-concluded Economist Conference sponsored by the
network operator and held at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos,
through a representative by the Director, Network Engineering, Mr. Temi
Ogunbambi, on “Leveraging Technology to enable inclusive, private-sector led
growth.”
Mr.
Evans said that technology has been instrumental in Africa’s transformation
over the past decade and could not be over-emphasised at this stage of
development for the continent and developing world at large.
Most
developing nations around the world, he said, have come to realize this fact,
hence investment is encouraged in this sector.
He
highlighted some of the obstacles to the growth of the telecoms sector, which
include that tough regulatory and policy situations were faced on both federal
and state levels, especially when applying for right of way or bringing in
infrastructure.
“There
needs to be some form of national integration. Etisalat Nigeria invests a
significant sum in base stations. There needs to be public education and
inclusion, to develop a sense of purpose and ownership so that subscribers
become aware that if base stations are destroyed, the community will be
deprived. Until the environment and policies are friendly, we cannot fully
unleash the potential of investments,” he said.
ITRealms recalls that earlier, President Goodluck Jonathan in his keynote
address tagged ‘Nigeria Summit 2013: Enabling and Implementing Change,’ said Africa
is one of the world’s most rapidly growing economies.
He
outlined an outlook for Nigeria in the next decade, saying that government’s
commitment was to ensure a clean electoral process, economic inclusion,
industrialize the country, especially through the oil and agricultural sectors
for the purpose of job and wealth creation.
Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
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