AfriTECH2021 calls for immediate action to advance a digital economy that is inclusive of all people
AfriTECH2021 calls for immediate action to advance a digital economy that is inclusive of all people
Industry participants in the information and communication technology industry have emphasized that the most effective way forward for inclusive growth is to accelerate innovation in the sector.
At the 2021 Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH2021) in Lagos on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, the technology experts, who included C-Suite executives, founders, presidents of companies/organizations, presidents of industry associations, startups/entrepreneurs, and government officials, unanimously agreed on this, highlighting how expanding internet access to underserved areas will drive digital transformation across the board.
During a presentation titled "NCC as a Digital Transformation Crusader and Nigeria's Road to 5G Deployment," Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), stated that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dynamics of human interaction, particularly on the Internet, have shifted significantly.
Engineering Oluwatoyin Asaju, Director, Spectrum Administration, at the National Communications Commission, represented the EVC in stating that nearly every mode of communication has been transformed into a virtual mode of communication in some way.
Several spectrum slots in the 3.5GHz band are already set to be auctioned off, according to the company. On my recent visit to the National Assembly, I shared my findings with the Senate, informing them that we were 95 percent ready for 5G. At the time of this writing, I am pleased to report that we have already completed 97 percent of the work," Danbatta said at #AfriTECH2021.
For the auction of the spectrum, the Committee established to do so has already developed an Information Memorandum (IM), which has been made available to all industry stakeholders for input and comment. In preparation for this, we developed a 5G deployment strategy, which has since been approved by the Federal Government," he explained.
Deputy Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stated that with the advent of new technologies brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it has become critical to increase Africa's level of preparedness and capacity development.
Speaking on the topic of "Reskilling Africa's Youth for Future Jobs from an NITDA Perspective," Abdullahi was represented by Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions at NITDA. He stated that the fourth industrial revolution will continue to fundamentally alter how humans live, work, and interact.
"We need to take a closer look at the educational sector and place a greater emphasis on skills and research that can be applied to the development of the economy," he said. Rather than seeing education as a goal in and of itself, individuals should consider it as a means to an end. There are several approaches that must be explored in order to wean people off their reliance on paper credentials and to instill in them the skills necessary for the impending industrial revolution, as well as a greater emphasis on science and technology."
COVID-19 has brought a diverse range of experiences to the continent, but it has also brought with it a plethora of opportunities, according to Olatomiwa Williams, Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, in her keynote address, which was based on the Forum's theme: "Embracing Change and Digital Transformation in the New Normal."
There can never be enough emphasis placed on the importance of leveraging technology to ensure that the continent is actually accelerating the potential of its digital economy, according to her.
Based on research and engagements conducted around the world, two years of digital transformation were completed in two months when considering the impact of COVID-19 and how it accelerated the process of digital transformation. What exactly does this mean? It demonstrates that we were able to effect change as a result of our willingness to embrace the changes brought about by COVID. These transformations are speeding up. As a result, an organization is unable to conduct its normal operations. "Everyone must embrace digital transformation as quickly as possible," said the Microsoft Country Manager.
Zoho Corporation also hosted a workshop at AfriTECH2021, which was open to the public. For organizations large and small, according to Andrew Bourne, Regional Manager at Zoho Africa, 2020 will go down in history as the year with the most days on record. However, the most important takeaway is the critical need to reorient the workforce to a new way of working.
In response to what they learned from government officials, medical professionals, and their own employees, leaders revised their playbooks in a short period of time.
Based on Forbes data, he stated that "millennials currently have the most purchasing power, but Generation Z is close behind." It is expected that the group, which was born between 1996 and 2010, will enter the workforce and become powerful consumers in the coming years, with $44 billion in purchasing power (or $600 billion when their influence on their parents' spending is taken into account). During the next year, they will account for 40 percent of all consumers in the United States, according to estimates. Businesses must understand how to create an exceptional consumer experience for Generation Z in order to be successful."
Additionally, Andrew demonstrated how to increase customer loyalty through the use of a customer relationship management system (CRM). By using this method, you can introduce new customers to your company through the efforts of a 'promoting' customer, who may be motivated by word of mouth, social media recommendations, or a customer testimonial.
In an interview with The Guardian, Prof. Muhammed Abukakar, the Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, stated that the company is prepared to provide ICT infrastructure and services to public institutions and underserved communities in Nigeria.
"We need to work smarter, faster, and simpler – a combination of a hybrid mode of working and harnessing relationships; virtual, physical, or both," said Abukakar, who was speaking on the topic of "Boosting Cloud Infrastructure for the Digital Economy Through Partnerships" through a representative, Mr. Timi Fadeyi, head DataCentre at Galaxy Backbone.
As a result of artificial intelligence, value chains, industries, communities and entire countries are being completely reshaped. "On top of that, you must protect your data; you must protect your entire digital experience, which is a collaboration between technology and yourself."
In addition to the key industry participants, the one-day Forum featured an exhibition by several sector players, including Zoho Corporation, Medallion Communications, Layer3, and Notion Technology Limited (representing America's #1 technology company, Comway, and Hsv Products), among others.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Galaxy Backbone Limited participated as partners, with support from Zoho as the lead sponsor. Other companies that sponsored AfriTECH2021, such as Rack Centre, Digital Encode, Cloudflex Computing Services Limited, Zinochrome International, Layer3, Notion Technology Limited, and Medallion Communications, were also in attendance.
The Editor of TechEconomy.ng and the Convener of AfriTECH, Mr. Peter Oluka, has stated that Africa must take the lead in the fourth industrial revolution by embracing emerging technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and augmented/virtual reality, all of which are critical in improving remote communication over the internet while providing an enjoyable user experience.
He asserted that the recent COVID-19 Pandemic events demonstrated why both the public and private sectors must embrace digital transformation, and he urged others to do the same.
