Telecommunications & Digital Economy: ONE OF THE SUCCESS STORIES

By Osaro Odigie (Info-Tech/ICT Correspondent)

There are sectors where Nigeria can legitimately claim substantial progress.
Telecommunications is one.

The liberalisation of the sector in the early 2000s transformed communication. Mobile phones moved from luxury items to everyday necessities. Internet services expanded. Fintech companies emerged. Nigerian banking became increasingly digital.

Technology startups attracted international capital. The creative economy expanded through music, film and digital media. This is important because it demonstrates something Nigeria has often failed to demonstrate elsewhere. When regulation creates room for competition and private innovation, Nigerians can build globally competitive industries.

The challenge now is to use digitalisation to transform government, education, healthcare, agriculture, taxation, courts, land administration and manufacturing. NNL.