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Elumelu, Others Seek More Investments In Digital Infrastructure At ICTEL EXPO 2022
The LCCI president said the 2022 ICTEL EXPO would give deserved focus to digital infrastructure because, over the decades, next to corruption, poor infrastructure was Nigeria’s greatest socio-economic development challenge.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders on Wednesday called for the scaling up of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Elumelu, represented by Mr Peter Ashade, Group Chief Executive Officer, United Capital Plc, gave the advice at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Information Communication Technology and Telecommunication (ICTEL) Expo in Lagos.
The expo, which is in its 8th year, had as its theme: “Ensuring Efficient Digital Infrastructure in Nigeria.”
Elumelu said the growth of the country’s Fintech indicated the need to rapidly scale up the digital infrastructure, seeing that in 2021, Nigeria’s Fintech startups raised about 730 million dollars in investments.
He, however, noted that the country’s internet base was barely half of its population at the start of 2022 with 51 per cent internet penetration, 44 per cent broadband penetration and 54 per cent 3G coverage.
He said the deployment of the 5G network spectrum in rural areas was currently low and presented huge opportunities for the private sector to drive economic growth in the informal sector, which dominated rural activities.
He stressed that private participation was needed to spur the adoption and use of broadband.
“There must be preferential taxation for providers who agree on specific universal access targets.
“There’s also the need to review spectrum policies, provide more license spectrums and focus more on transparency initiative to reduce uncertainty around long-term investments for private investors.
“Heirs holdings is uniquely positioned to work with ICT industry stakeholders on specialised financing for ICT infrastructure projects, amongst others, seeing that digital infrastructure is the growth catalyst for modern economies,” he said.
Prof. Mohammad Abubakar, Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone Ltd., (GBB), said public-private partnership (PPP) was essential to providing efficient digital infrastructure in accelerating digital transformation, through collaborations and effective communication across borders.
Abubakar was represented by Mr Dauda Oyeleye, Group Head, Business Development, GBB.
He said to further solidify GBB the company created an Enterprise Business Group (EBG) tasked with the sole responsibility of managing private customers as well as structured partnerships.
He stated that GBB had a pervasive fibre connectivity network across the nation, which the private sector could key into.
“We have established partnerships with managed service providers, real estate developers, as well as other local organisations to reach the goal of attaining a digital Nigeria.
“Our state-of-the-art infrastructure has been instrumental in sealing these deals and the partnerships just keep getting better.
“GBB has taken steps to secure public confidence in the use of its digital infrastructure, through trusted international third-party attestations and would continue to redefine collaboration within and outside the country,” he said.
Dr Michael Olawale-Cole, President, LCCI, said the theme was in view of the fact that the Federal Government had announced a target of 40 billion dollars private capital investment in digital infrastructure by 2025, beside facilitating about 1 billion dollars in private equity.
He added that government recently inaugurated the National Council on Infrastructure, with a plan to double Nigeria’s infrastructure stock of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the prevailing 35 per cent to about 70 per cent.
The LCCI president said the 2022 ICTEL EXPO would give deserved focus to digital infrastructure because, over the decades, next to corruption, poor infrastructure was Nigeria’s greatest socio-economic development challenge.
“The ones commonly focused on are power, roads, water but we dare say, however, that as critical as the listed ones and indeed others not listed are, if Nigeria gets digital infrastructure right, the benefits to the nation’s ICT sector and on government’s digital economy agenda would be enormous.
“The 2022 ICTEL EXPO will also create a platform for all stakeholders to engage in robust discussions on government’s plans to grow the digital economy from 10.68 per cent to 12.54 per cent and improve e-governance by 100 per cent by 2025,” he said
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Felix Morka, as the Board Chairman of the Nigerian Television Authority.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
The statement also said the President approved the appointment of Hon. Fatuhu Buhari, a Katsina State indigene, as the Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council.
It added that the President appointed 19 APC chairmen and some National Working Committee members as board chairmen of various Federal Government institutions.
See the full list below.
Muhammad Massan, APC State Chairman, Bauchi State – Board Chairman, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin.
Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, APC State Chairman, Kano State – Board Chairman, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service.
Dr. Austian Agada, APC State Chairman, Benue State – Board Chairman, National Agricultural Seed Council.
Hon. Macdonald Ebere, APC State Chairman, Imo State – Board Chairman, Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos.
Ubong Stephen Ntukekpo, APC State Chairman, Akwa Ibom State – Board Chairman, National Institute for Freshwater Fish, New Bussa.
Chief Emma Eneukwu, Deputy Chairman (South) of the APC – Board Chairman, National Automotive Development Council.
Aminu Musa Bobi, APC State Chairman, Niger State – Board Chairman, National Library of Nigeria
Pharm. Abass Olayide, APC State Chairman, Oyo State – Board Chairman, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna.
Alhaji Mohammed Gadaka, APC State Chairman, Yobe State – Board Chairman, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre.
Benjamin Omale, APC State Chairman, Benue State – Board Chairman, National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu.
Rufus Bature, APC State Chairman, Plateau State – Board Chairman, Nigerian Coal Corporation.
Alhaji Abubakar Muhammed Kana, APC State Chairman, Kebbi State – Board Chairman, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies.
Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, APC National Working Committee Member, from Abia State – Board Chairman, Project Development Institute (PRODA).
Comrade Mustapha Salihu, APC National Vice Chairman Northeast– Board Chairman, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, APC State Chairman, Abia State – Board Chairman, National Parks Headquarters.
Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman, APC State Chairman, Federal Capital Territory – Board Chairman, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan.
Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, APC State Chairman, Taraba State – Board Chairman, Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria.
Sola Elesin, APC State Chairman, Ekiti State – Board Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences.
Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, APC State Chairman, Edo State – Board Chairman, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure.
Alhaji Tukur Umar Danfulani, APC State Chairman, Zamfara State – Board Chairman, Federal Medical Centre, Azare.
Hon. Aminu Sani Gumel, APC State Chairman, Jigawa State – Board Chairman, Federal College of Produce Inspection and Stored Products Technology, Kano.
Barr. Idris Shuaibu APC State Chairman, Adamawa State – Board Chairman, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan.
PUNCH
President Bola Tinubu on Friday directed the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to ensure that the killers of the northern hunters in Edo State are brought to justice and punished in accordance with the law.
Gatekeeper reports that the victims, who were on their way to Kano State to celebrate the Sallah festivities, were intercepted on Thursday and tragically killed by local vigilantes in the Uromi community of Esan North Local Government Area, Edo State.
According to reports, the local vigilantes mistakenly identified the hunters as kidnappers terrorising the area.
Some of the victims were reportedly burnt alive, while others were beaten to death by the mob.
At least four individuals have been arrested by the Nigeria Police in connection with the tragic incident.
Reacting, President Tinubu, who expressed shock at the heinous act, directed the police and other security agencies to conduct swift and thorough investigations and bring the suspected perpetrators to justice.
In a statement by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commiserated with the families of the victims, assuring them that criminals would not be allowed to shed the blood of innocent Nigerians with impunity.
The President emphasised that jungle justice has no place in Nigeria and affirmed that all Nigerians have the right to move freely in any part of the country.
President Tinubu also commended the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, and community leaders in Uromi for their swift response in preventing an escalation of tensions.
US President Donald Trump has announced a deal with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal services during his administration.
According to reports, the agreement comes as the US President signed executive orders targeting major law firms linked to his critics and political opponents, whom he perceives as obstructing some of his policies.
Trump announced the deal on Friday via a post on his official Truth Social account.
“This was essentially a settlement,” Trump said, adding, “we very much appreciate their coming to the table.”
Although President Trump’s administration has indicated that additional law firms could face scrutiny, he has yet to sign an order specifically targeting Skadden.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Skadden appeared to be the first major firm seeking to negotiate a deal with Trump before he issued such an order.
Under the agreement, Trump stated that Skadden would not refuse representation to clients from “politically disenfranchised groups who have not historically received legal representation from major national law firms.”
Skadden is also expected to commit to “merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention” and to fund at least five fellows as part of a scholarship programme, Trump said.
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