Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says Nigeria’s current ranking of 109 out of 131 countries on the Network Readiness Index (NRI) in 2022 is challenging and troubling.
Danbatta said Nigeria as a telecommunications powerhouse, with 82 percent of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29 percent of the continent’s Internet consumption should have better NRI ranking than the current level of ranking. He added that the challenge becomes even more worrisome given that the nation rates 11th globally in terms of Internet penetration and seventh in terms of mobile phone usage.
The NCC Chief said: “The global data collected by the NRI team reveals that digital transformation is a global imperative in order to maximise the social and economic effects of the digital era.
It can create new inequalities which can hinder the ability of younger generations to engage in the digital economy, but also remains a powerful way to do more with less at all levels of income.
Formal education is evolving, and metrics are important to support informed policymaking. This requires reskilling and upskilling opportunities to be available, accessible, and affordable in order to have more inclusive and sustainable economies and societies.
Nigeria is a telecommunications powerhouse, with 82 percent of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29 percent of the continent’s internet consumption. Our nation rates eleventh globally in terms of internet penetration and seventh in terms of mobile phone usage. Despite these remarkable metrics, the fact that our Network Readiness Index (NRI) ranking for 2022 is 109th out of 131 countries is both humbling and challenging?”
He described the NRI as a guiding metric that measures the role and impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
“It explores the performances of 131 economies in four key categories: technology (infrastructure), governance, people, and impact. As agents of social and economic transformation in our nation, prioritising network readiness is not only a strategic necessity but a mandate. Throughout our deliberations, we will engage in thought-provoking forum discussions that explore the foundational pillars of NRI, through a number of presentations by renowned professionals in the technology landscape.”
