Sweden partners NCC on devt, highlights importance of ICT

Sweden has highlighted the importance of information and communications technology (ICT) to the development of the economy in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mrs. Annika Hahn, who stated this, highlighted ICT regulation and capacity building as key drivers for economic development and social progress.

Hahn spoke at a workshop jointly organised by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Sweden, within the framework of the Swedish Programme for Information and Communications Technology in Developing and Emerging Regions (SPIDER).

In a statement by NCC yesterday, signed by Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, the Swedish ambassador also commended the commission for hosting the event and fostering collaboration between both nations.

She acknowledged the pivotal role ICT played in Sweden’s economic growth, being the birthplace of Ericsson, one of the world’s oldest and largest ICT companies.

The ambassador acknowledged the global technological revolution and its potential to catalyse industrial and economic development. She stressed the need for modern and adaptable regulation to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape.

Hahn said: “To cope with this new and swiftly developing environment, we need to regulate in a modern and adaptable way. Therefore, human capacity building in ICT regulation is crucial for all of us.”

The diplomat said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption of ICT across the globe, leading to increase in Internet users, as the shift impacted various sectors, including education, commerce, and financial services. She also noted that e-learning practices on various platforms played a significant role in the transformation.

In his speech, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, commended the Swedish government and Ericsson for their commitment and consistency in strategic partnership with NCC, saying this has strengthened the commission’s regulatory activities.

“This workshop signposts the vital role NCC, as a regulator, has been playing in the West African sub-region. It also highlights the unending objective of keeping up with the times and ever evolving dynamics of the telecommunications sector,” Danbatta added.