Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the former Chairman of NCC, late Ahmed Joda, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, the current Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Pro. Umar Garba Danbatta and the Chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga Jnr, among others, will next week in Lagos, be honored at the Nigeria Telecoms Summit.
The summit, which is being organised by Compact Communications Limited and endorsed by the NCC, is in commemoration of 20 years of the transformation of telecommunications services in Nigeria, which saw to the emergence of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Networks in Nigeria in 2001.
The dignitaries will be awarded for their vital roles in the transformation of telecommunications services in Nigeria in 2001.
The planned rewards will come by way of Awards to Individuals and Institutions and will be the highlight of a One-Day Summit slated for Thursday October 28, 2021 at The MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
Admittedly, the emergence of GSM services in Nigeria in 2001 revolutionised how Nigerians see, access and utilise telecommunications services and its commemoration will entail a masterclass for mostly media practitioners to be moderated by the President, African ICT Foundation, Mr. Tony Ojobo, with the Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu as the Guest Speaker.
A Two-Part Anniversary Lecture under the chairmanship of Pantami, will feature two topics, Telecommunications In Nigeria: The Revolution; with Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, as the Guest Speaker, and Telecommunications In Nigeria:
The Next Frontier with Danbatta, as the Guest Speaker. As part of the event also, a commemorative publication entitled: Nigeria’s GSM, The Ultimate Game Changer will be unveiled. Similarly, the anniversary documentary titled: Nigeria’s Telecommunications Revolution: An NCC Legacy will be formally exposed.
Notable among the sixteen individual awardees are former President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whose tenure the telecommunications transformation was consummated; Late Alhaji Ahmed Joda, who led the Board of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to midwife the telecommunications revolution; Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who as the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, was on the driver’s seat; Dr. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy who has given new impetus to the nation’s telecommunications sector; Prof. Umar Danbatta, current Executive Vice Chairman of NCC who has sustained the growth occasioned by the telecoms revolution and Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr, whose innovative streak continues to add verve to the telecommunications sector in Nigeria.
Other individual award recipients will include pioneer Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Paschal Dozie; pioneer Chairman of Econet Wireless (now Airtel Nigeria), Oba Otudeko; pioneer Chairman, Etisalat Nigeria (now 9mobile), Hakeem Belo-Osagie; CEO of MainOne, Funke Opeke; former Co-Chairman of National Broadband Council, Jim Ovia; and renowned telecommuincations lawyer and investor, Paul Usoro, (SAN).
Also on the list of awardees are former Communications Minister, Muhammed Arzika (posthumous); pioneer Team Lead, MTN, Irene Chanley; and pioneer Team Lead, Econet Wireless, Strive Masiyiwa.
Telecommunications firms billed to receive awards under the Industry Pioneers category are MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria (formerly Econet Wireless), Globacom Limited and 9mobile (formerly Etisalat Nigeria).
Similarly, the Industry Sustenance Award recipients in the Pacesetters category include Swift Networks, Smile Nigeria, Spectranet, ntel and ipNX.
