Glo’s innovative role in telecoms receives FG’s commendation

The Federal Government has commended the innovative role being played in the Nigerian information and communications technology (ICT) sector by national telecoms operator, Globacom.

Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, said at the just concluded third INDO-AFRICA ICT Expo which was held in Lagos that Globacom had played the role of a leader in the digitalization of Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

In his keynote address at the event, the Minister said the fully integrated telecoms company assuaged the yearnings of Nigerians for the per second billing system by launching its operations on the billing platform in 2003 even when the foreign operators claimed that the system was not possible as at that time and were charging per minute for all calls. He said the move by Globacom led to other innovations in the sector.

Mr. Shittu added that the present government had a lot of confidence in Nigerian industries and would,  as a result,  continue to support their growth by giving them first choice treatment over their foreign counterparts operating in Nigeria.  

Re-echoing the Minister’s views was the Director of e-Government in the Federal Ministry of Communication, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, who observed that Globacom’s multimillion-dollar submarine cable, Glo 1, had reduced the cost of internet access in Nigeria.  

He noted that Glo 1 had not only brought the internet closer to the people, but had also made exchange of digital information much easier. He called on data users to discontinue the practice of hosting their data offshore, explaining that it was more secure  for Nigerian companies and organisations to domicile their data in servers in Nigeria using local service providers.

Globacom had earlier made a presentation on the topic “Towards a Digitalized Future” at the expo in which it argued that people were already living in the future by conducting their daily business and personal activities through scores of digital connections and devices. 

Apart from the use of smart phones, Globacom official, Tega Agofure, noted, there are hundreds of millions of connected objects across the globe  with smart sensors embedded  in cars, microwaves ovens, fuel dispensers, generators and so many other tools and appliances which interact and provide real time data to businesses and individuals.

“Video on Demand will soon surpass conversional television viewership, while Online Stores are fast replacing Brick and Mortar, ”Agofure stated.

He explained that Globacom was helping drive Nigeria’s march to a digital society through huge investments in metro fibre cable network across the country and provision of reliable internet connectivity through the Glo 1 submarine cable.

Agofure added that Glo 1 had given a boost to the provision of telecom services, and also provided the requisite connectivity to very key sectors of the economy including oil and gas, construction, banking, commerce, manufacturing, education and health. 

Over 50 Nigerian and foreign companies participated in the two-day exhibition  and conference which attracted exhibitors  from several African countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Ethiopia.