Omo-Ettu restates call for converged regulator, implementation of ICT policies

Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, Telecommunications engineer and Chief Executive Officer of Telecoms Answers Associates (TAA), has reiterated calls for a converged regulator for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and implementation of ICT policies.

Mr. Omo-Ettu made this statement in a presentation on Communication Technology industry development issues of the moment during the recent Telecom Industry Advisory Council Inaugural Meeting held in Lagos,

Omo-Ettu used the occasion to draw attention and listed some important documents which specifically addressed strategic industry development to include: the National ICT Policy of 2013; the National Broadband Plan with a set goal between 2013 and 2018; and guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, an entrepreneurship blueprint of 2013.

He also listed the Communiqué of the 2016 Communications Sector Retreat in Ibadan, and NCC EVC’s 8-point Agenda for Telecommunication 2016 – 2020.

According to Omo-Ettu , outside these five documents, and absence of any critique of them which may suggest either a deviation or additional strengthening should be viable documents to implement in full measure to assure steady development.

He recommended for the acknowledgment of these documents, especially the top-two documents of communiqué of Ibadan retreat and EVC’s 8-point agenda, for full implementation.

He emphasized that the ICT Policy already assumes a converged regulator for the communication technology industry, even as the Broadband Roadmap prescribes various inter-relational tasks and functions which diverse sectors of the economy must perform for Nigeria to attain the 2018 target of a five-fold increase in broadband penetration over the 2013 status.

“It is important to suggest that the implementation of these functions be pushed,” he added.