Umar Danbatta, the executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has discosed that Nigeria ranked 7th in the global usage of mobile phones and 11th in terms of internet penetration.
Danbatta made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, at the ‘Emerging Technology Forum’ for stakeholders in the telecommunications industry.
According to the EVC, the worldwide data gathered by the Network Readiness Index (NRI) team demonstrated that digital transformation was a global need in order to optimise the social and economic effects of the digital era.
Representing Danbatta, the head, Spectrum Database Management of the Commission, Abraham Oshadami, noted that the NRI examined the performance of 131 economies under technology (infrastructure),people, governance and effect.
NRI is a guiding metric that measures the role and impact of information and communication technology.
He said, “Nigeria is a telecommunications powerhouse, accounting for 82 per cent of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29 per cent of the continent’s internet consumption.
“Our country ranks eleventh in the world for internet penetration and seventh in mobile phone usage.
“The NRI team’s global data shows that digital transformation is a global imperative for maximising the social and economic effects of the digital era.
“Despite these remarkable metrics, our Network Readiness Index ranking for 2022 of 109th out of 131 countries is both humbling and challenging.”
For him, navigating the era of transformation, requires innovation, strategic investments, and a growth-friendly ecosystem.
“This platform is our gateway to innovative and disruptive solutions that can positively transform our industry. By engaging in conversations about new technologies, collaborating with global best practices and subject-matter experts, and pooling our insights, we open the door to unimaginable future possibilities,” he said.
In his remarks, the head of new media and information system, NCC, Chidi Diugwu said, “As we move forward, let us embrace the insights offered by the NRI to guide our policies, investments, and collaboration collaborations to enable us to harness the potential of emerging technologies.”
He noted that investing in human capital and encouraging innovation will create new opportunities, bridge the digital divide, and create a prosperous and inclusive digital future for Nigeria.
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