" ITREALMS: Leo-Stan Ekeh declares broadband, freedom to succeed

Friday, February 06, 2015

Leo-Stan Ekeh declares broadband, freedom to succeed





Chairman, Zinox Group, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, has declared broadband as the freedom to succeed in 21st century, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

Addressing participants at the recently held telecom conference hosted by Nokia Networks, Dr. Ekeh told DigitalSENSE Business News, that improved broadband penetration has the potential of creating wealth and unlocking huge opportunities for millions of Nigerians.

He also informed DigitalSENSE Business News that it broadband would fast-track the nation’s economic development.

Ekeh noted that enhanced broadband access will equip majority of Nigerians with the freedom to succeed in today’s digital society.

“With increased deployment of broadband and more equitable access for the majority, huge opportunities will be created for self-development in the country. Just consider the effect this will have on the cost of doing business and the unlimited resources it will place at our disposal,” he said, stressing that presently, a lot of people do not see these opportunities due to the current infrastructural challenges being faced in the sector and the slow pace of ICT uptake in Nigeria.

Ekeh, who was the chairman of the telecom conference 2015, revealed that Nigeria’s population and cultural realities make the country a potentially lucrative market for broadband deployment, while calling for a synergy of the government and the private sector in making this a reality.

“We must up the tempo because the market is a very huge one. The digital divide must be bridged and access must become a basic human right for everyone in this country. Government has a critical role to play in this regard. With liberalized band-width allocation, investor-friendly policies and enabling environment for private sector involvement, the multiplier effect of broadband deployment is unquantifiable and will rapidly transform Nigeria into a digital economy,” he said.

Dr. Ekeh went on to cite infrastructural deficiencies, security issues, multiple taxation and poor network quality as some of the factors hampering mobile broadband operators in Nigeria.

Ekeh, whose Zinox Technologies has deployed some of the biggest ICT projects in the country, encouraged participants to see the current challenges as temporary obstacles which will be surmounted with time, noting that Nigeria is a prime investment destination on the continent.

The conference, with the theme Connect Nigeria: Exploring ICT potential for growth, featured a panel discussion involving representatives of major players in the industry including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Matt Wilshire; Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya; MTN’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck and Nokia’s Head of Central, East and West African sub-region, Mr. David Gaul.


+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)  +zinox technology +Nokia
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