Follow Us on Google
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has tasked Nigerian youths to embrace Communication Technology (ICT) to be able to live and lead in the future.
He reckoned that 70 per cent of the new value to be created in the economy over the next decades will be based on digitally-enabled platform business models.
The NCC boss said the Commission was focused on implementing all sectoral interventions directed towards ICT youth empowerment.
Danbatta made this declaration while delivering the 10th and 11th combined Convocation Lecture of Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State.
He asserted that the resolve of the Commission to pursue a bouquet of ICT programmes focused on the youth is based on the projected opportunity for them in the emerging ICT-based labour market.
The EVC recalled that statistics from Global System for Mobile Communication Association (GSMA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), have indicated that unique mobile subscriptions are expected to grow up to 5.7 billion by 2025 with concurrent growth in Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) connections and Internet subscriptions with corresponding growth in operators’ revenue and investment.
He also said that fourth generation (4G) connections are expected to grow to 57 per cent; Fifth Generation (5G) is also envisaged to have 1.8 billion connections; usage of smartphones are projected to grow to 81 per cent; Internet of Things (IoT) will grow from 13.1 billion to 24 billion connections; and contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the mobile industry is expected to grow by, at least, 5.1 per cent by 2025. The implications of the foregoing, according to Danbatta, is a huge, incredible opportunity for youth to own businesses.
He said “Therefore, while NCC is working collaboratively and strategically with its supervising ministry, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, it is also working with young Nigerians to prepare them for harnessing these opportunities for personal and national prosperity.”
