Service providers under the aegis of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have engaged state governments on possible ways to develop the sector.
   
At an event organised by ATCON, held in Abuja, there were state officials, including Commissioners, Senior Special Assistants, Director-Generals of ICT agencies, and Permanent Secretaries from over 20 states.
   
The target of the meeting, which underscored the critical need for synergy between operators and state governments to optimise the benefits of ICT for citizens, brought the needed impetus to drive the growth of the industry.
   
While the states want to engage with operators and are willing to promote a synergy to optimise the benefits of ICT to their citizens working closely with operators, telecoms companies expressed their grievances about multiple taxation, right-of-way issues and infrastructure security, highlighting the need for cooperation between ICT companies and local governments.
   
For instance, the Cross River State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr Justin Beshel, revealed that the state has a single tax platform to eliminate multiple tax points and supports operators with a Build-One policy and infrastructure framework.
   
The need for clear communication and streamlined processes for obtaining operational permits was also highlighted. Several state officials, like the Special Adviser on ICT to the Ogun State Governor, Dayo Abiodun, stressed the need for direct engagement with state governments to facilitate business operations.  
   
Abiodun emphasised that operators can secure swift responses to their requests by adhering to the appropriate channels, such as addressing correspondence directly to the Governor’s Office and his own office. However, some participants argued that this approach seemed overly narrow. They suggested that a more institutionalised and comprehensive framework would offer greater efficiency and certainty in obtaining operational permits and approvals from government offices.
   
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Anambra State on Innovation & Business Incubation, Chinwe Okoli, along with MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, disclosed that Anambra State has already established a robust framework for engagement. They noted that the state has clear policies in place to enhance the ease of doing business, and it is now up to the operators to leverage these opportunities.
   
At the meeting, ATCON was able to establish a channel for effective communication between operators and state governments, facilitating the resolution of some of the sector’s most challenging issues.
  
ATCON President, Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, highlighted the association’s commitment to bridging the gap between operators and state governments, ensuring mutual understanding and action for the sector’s development.