The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned operators to shape up in order not to lose grip of the market as digitalisation takes centre stage across the world.
Its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof Garba Dambatta, who gave the warning in Lagos, said emerging digital age offers opportunities for individuals and organisations to grow.
“By this, we are talking of knowledge-based economy against resource-based economy when most information is in a digital form especially when compared to the time when computers were not used. Digital age offers the use cutting-edge technologies that improve efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness of any person or organisation that leverages latest technologies to achieve their operations.
“In the 21st century economies, digitisation is throwing up dynamics that are re-writing the rules of competition and efficiency with incumbent companies most at risk of being left behind,” he said.
He said a recent study by Accenture indicates that while the digital technologies underlying these competitive thrusts may not be new, they are being used to new effect.
The report, according to him, also staggered the growth of information that is accessible as never before-from proprietary big data to new public sources of open data. Analytical and processing capacities have made similar leaps with algorithms scattering intelligence across digital networks often lodged in the cloud. Availability of smart mobile devices and access to the interest, he said make information and computing power accessible to users around the world.
He said: “As these technologies gain momentum, they are profoundly changing the strategic context affecting the structure of competition, the conduct of business and ultimately, the performance of across industries.
“Invariably, trends such as automation of processes by public and private organisations, big data, artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), e-commerce and block chain technology, cloud computing among others now characterise the current digital age. The utmost aim of all these digital tools is to redefine how services are delivered to the consumer,” he said.
According ot him, local and foreign direct investments totalling about $70billion have come into the economy while its sectoral contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) now stands at about 9 per cent.
Dambatta, represented at the ICTEL Expo organised by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) by Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau at the NCC, Felicia Onwuegbuchukwu, said as at the end of May, there were over 162 million active connections and over 100million internet users in the country with teledensity standing at over 116 per cent.
He said the next frontier to deepen digitiusation all over the world is through the development of broadband or high-speed internet access.
“To achieve this, the Commission has been working tirelessly with different stakeholders not only to encourage pervasive broadband infrastructure but also to address challenges hindering the achievement of this goal,” he said.
He said the NCC is focused on bringing efficient, qualitative and affordable ICT platforms within the reach of every Nigerian, whether individual or corporate, adding that Commission is doing this through the focused implementation of its 8-point Agenda and Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the ICT Roadmap to drive synergies which would expand opportunities for disruptive technology innovation and national competitiveness.
