The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has, once again, emphasised the commitment of the Commission to the promotion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Innovations capable enhancing socio-economic growth in Nigeria.
This commitment is in line with item 4 of the Commission’s 8-Point Agenda which speaks to promoting ICT innovation and investment opportunities in the telecoms industry through promotion of digital knowledge and skills that can positively impact various sectors of the economy.
Danbatta expressed the NCC’s resolve, while addressing the 25 shortlisted technological Innovators at a three-day Maiden Edition of the Innovation Competition and Exhibition focused on “Promoting Innovation and Creativity in the Telecoms Sector”. The 3-day event which ended 19th December 2019, held at Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Lagos Campus.
Felix Adeoye, Commission Secretary, who represented Danbatta at the forum, said the exhibition had been organised to bring together competitors from technology hubs with novel ideas and projects to showcase their talents and innovations in ICT in order to promote tech hubs and start-ups for new breakthroughs and business delivery.
According to Adeoye, through the exhibition, the Commission will assist contestants to bring their ideas to fruition and give them the platform to present their innovations to both local and global venture investors.
In his keynote address, Ubale Maska, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, who was represented by Ephraim Nwokonneya, Director, Research and Development, NCC, stated that the ICT sector is a key driver of digital transformation and digital economy in Nigeria and the world over.
Accordingly, Nwokonneya said the Federal Government had recently adopted a digital economic framework that will fast track the country’s agenda to tap from the enormous potentials of the 4th industrial revolution.
“The Commission is committed to deliver on the mandate to facilitate the development of the core pillars of digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital skills acquisitions and digital entrepreneurship,” he emphasised.
After series and rounds of presentations, discussions as well as questions and answers sessions by the panel of judges and focusing on local content component of the innovators’ business plans, 10 best-in-class innovative ideas, were shortlisted out of the 25 tech innovators from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
From the 10 shortlisted innovators, QMartins Fidelis, founder of Qatalog Automates emerged the best and won the first prize, WICRYPT came second and Phaheem Pharmaceuticals Limited came third. The three leading innovators won N3 million, N2 million and N1 million respectively.