Telecommunications stakeholders in Nigeria have called for more investment in digital infrastructure to support innovation and strengthen the country’s digital economy.
The call was made at the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum in Lagos, where industry experts, investors, regulators and technology stakeholders discussed ways to improve Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The forum focused on the need to rethink Nigeria’s digital infrastructure strategy so that the country can attract more investment and encourage technological innovation.
Experts explained that telecommunications has grown beyond providing basic communication services. Today, digital infrastructure supports important areas such as banking, online shopping, healthcare, education and other digital services.
However, stakeholders identified several challenges affecting the expansion of digital infrastructure. These include high infrastructure costs, foreign-exchange pressures, expensive financing, energy costs and inflation.
Industry experts also called for stronger local cloud infrastructure. Cloud infrastructure allows businesses and organisations to store and process data using internet-based services.
They said developing more local cloud facilities could support Nigeria’s digital economy and help keep more data within the country.
The stakeholders also pointed to the importance of improving broadband connectivity. According to figures presented at the forum, Nigeria has about 90 per cent mobile penetration, while broadband penetration stands at about 67 per cent based on current NCC data.
Despite the progress, experts said Nigeria still has room to improve its digital infrastructure and provide reliable internet access to more people.
The stakeholders said stronger digital infrastructure could help businesses grow, support innovation and attract new investment into Nigeria’s technology sector.
They therefore called for cooperation among government agencies, telecommunications companies, investors and technology businesses to develop a stronger and more sustainable digital infrastructure system.
The discussions show that digital infrastructure remains an important part of Nigeria’s economic and technological development.
By: Oluwadare Precious
(Ripples)