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Telecom: Nigeria toes
the right path
– Adebayo
General Manager of the VGC Communications Limited, Mr.
Gbenga Adegbayo, has declared that Nigeria is on the
right path of development given the kind of evolution it
witnessed through telecommunications in the last six
years.
Mr. Adebayo, who spoke at the media presentation of his
book, "Telecom in Nigeria, a role in the call" at the
Association of Licensed Telecom Companies of Nigeria
(ALTON) secretariat, Onikan-Lagos, said, "Nigeria, has
been rated the fastest growing telecom industry even by
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), so
we’re on the right path."
This is coming as two universities, Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife and Lagos State University (LASU),
in addition to the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Abuja
would benefit from the proceeds from the book sells.
He said that the book was an inspiration based on the
belief that the future is bright for all Nigerians, just
as he urged that citizens should imbibe the culture of
reading, saying, "it is very good and good for the
future of the nation and particularly for the coming
generation."
According to him, it is not an easy feat for the nation
to have transformed her landscape from 500,000 in 1999
to over 25 million lines within five years.
Emphasising that today, many Nigerians have become
empowered by telecommunications revolution and mobile
phones, which was hitherto regarded as elitist due to
prohibitive cost of ownership.
"Now it has become the primary means of reaching an
increasing number of Nigerians," he asserted.
The book, he said, was derived from the clarion call for
collective effort in the development of social services
and economic infrastructure in the country and borne out
of the passion for the success of the all-important
telecom sector of the nation’s economy.
Mr. Adebayo stressed that the book provides a brief
overview of the development of telecommunications
industry in the country from the pre-deregulation to
events after deregulation as well as the challenges
associated with service provision, development and
maintenance of networks as well as associated
infrastructure.
"It attempts in eight chapters of 156 pages including
picture illustrations, to provide an overview of the
industry, and its development, the gains, and challenges
which led in part to the achievement that transformed
the landscape to over 20 million lines within six
years," he affirmed.
The forward, he said, was written by the chief
executive, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr.
Ernest Ndukwe, while a goodwill message was also written
by the immediate past Communications Minister, Chief
Cornelius Adebayo.
On why the book billed for launch on October 30, this
year in Lagos, was published in the United Kingdom, Mr.
Adebayo explained that he wanted to ensure it receives
an international flavour and was not due to lack of
expertise from Nigerians.
The publishers and printers, Alden Group UK, he said,
was founded in Oxford since 1832 and is one of the UK’s
leading printers and even recognised as ‘Investor in
People’ and nominated printer for the prestigious Oxford
University Press.
He also announced that proceeds from the book sells
would be donated to the best graduating student in the
Electronic Engineering with focus on telecommunications
in two tertiary institutions in the country, namely the
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Lagos State
University, LASU, as well as encourage training in fibre
optic network infrastructure at the Digital Bridge
Institute (DBI), Abuja.
As said by him, the proceeds would be used to sponsor an
annual award for a consecutive period of five years for
the best graduating student in telecommunications in the
aforementioned universities, while a grant would be set
aside for the best function specific trainee in fibre
optic network infrastructure at DBI also for five years.
The seasoned telecom engineer, also said that nobody
would build Nigeria except her citizens, just as he
enjoined stakeholders to join hands to keep the pace of
development attained in the last half a decade going.
"Once there is a will, there is a hope and then, there
is a way," he concluded.
Telecom, a Call For
National Development – Adebayo
By Efem Nkanga, 08.31.2006
THISDAY Newspaper
Gbenga Adebayo, a Telecommunications Engineer and the
first Nigerian General Manager of VGC Communications
Limited who has written a book on telecommunications in
Nigeria, has said that the development of the telecoms
sector will boost the economy of Nigeria, encourage
massive employment in addition to enhancing social
services and infrastructural development.
Adebayo in a chat with THISDAY said that the book is a
product of his passion for the success of the crucial
telecom sector of the Nigeria economy.
Mr. Adebayo stated that it is crucial for the
challenges, triumphs and history of the Nigerian
telecommunications sector which with good reason has
been rated as one of the fastest growing
telecommunication industries in the world to be
documented for posterity. He stated that
''Telecommunications is an important part of the
infrastructure required for a developed society and
economy, with access to information becoming very vital
and contributing significantly to national economic
growth and social development.''
Mr Adebayo who commended the Federal Government of
Nigeria for keeping faith with its policy of creating
the necessary enabling environment to foster the growth
of the Nation's telecommunications networks, both in
terms of access and penetration, stated that the Federal
Government's policy of opening the market to competition
and attracting investors has led to the increase in the
number of telephone subscribers by over twenty (20)
million lines within a period of five years.
Commenting on the Five years of GSM In Nigeria, Adebayo
stated that an unprecedented number of Nigerians have
been empowered by telecommunications revolution and the
mobile phone, which was hitherto an exclusive preserve
of the elite in the society due to prohibitive high
cost.
He stated that it was commendable that the GSM has now
become the primary means of reaching an increasing
number of Nigerians.
The book provides a brief overview of the development of
Nigeria telecommunications industry from the
pre-deregulation to event after deregulation as well as
the challenges associated with service provision,
development and maintenance of networks and associated
infrastructures.
It attempts in eight chapters of approximately 180
pages, to give an overview of the industry, and its
development, the gains and challenges which led in part
to the achievement that transformed the landscape from
500,000 to more than 20 million lines within six years.
The first Chapter is about Nigeria; a country of
possibilities, Nigerians; a Happy people, a people of
Unity and Faith, highly resilient and courageous, a
determined people, who celebrates culture in diversity;
One nation, One people, one love and with one choice-
Nigeria.
It further gave an overview about the Nigerian
Communications Commission, and the success in the areas
of licensing, implementation of license conditions and
provision of enabling environment for operating
companies which account for the rapid progress in the
industry.
It further discusses the challenges in the market place,
barrier to market entry, and market opportunities, and
the evolution of the industry, adoption of a common
signalling protocol and the initial problems associated
with interconnectivity and transmission resources, as
well as challenges posed by incumbent National operator
to accommodate new entrants.
Other Chapters are about starting a new
telecommunications company in Nigeria, from licensing to
selection of equipment vendors, approvals and
certification as well as environmental challenges often
faced by operating companies in the area of power
supplies and security of equipment and personnel amongst
others, and day to day operational challenges such as
complexity of approvals for right-of-use on exiting
public infrastructures, and problems posed by some
community associations and street urchins
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