By Obinna Ezenwa
Key stakeholders in the Nigerian telecoms sector and beyond are set to brainstorm to actualise implementation of the National Policy on the Fifth-Generation (5G) technology in Nigeria to spur socio-economic gains.
Following the recent launch of National Policy on 5G for Digital Economy by President Muhammadu Buhari, Business Metrics Nigeria has put together the second edition of its Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PAIFo) to drive the 5G Policy to fruition.
The forum, slated for March 31, 2022 in Lagos with the theme: ‘Ascertaining Full Readiness to Make 5G work in Nigeria’, will be led by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami as the Special Guest of Honour.
Also, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has confirmed that its Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Danbatta would be delivering a keynote address at the forum, while restating the support of the Commission for the project.
Speaking on the forum, the Lead Executive, PIAFO and Managing Editor, Business Metrics Nigeria, Omobayo Azeez, said: “The socio-economic benefit of 5G is enormous and every serious country will not only be interested in deploying the network but to also try to get it right. Since Nigeria is now leading other West African countries in the 5G race, we cannot afford any try and error.”
According to the organisers, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, will also be delivering a paper at the forum to address forex shortage for importation of telecoms equipment that has remained a bottleneck over the years, and how special forex window can be created for 5G forex demands.
