Joseph Bakare
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has observed that the reduction in cyber crime in Nigeria is evidence that the country is ready to tame the challenges of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Pantami said this in Lagos at a Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Regulatory Roadmap for IoT Ecosystem in Nigeria, hosted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); and presentation of two books authored by him.
The event featured presentations by the Secretary of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Houlin Zhao.
Pantami, explained that the telecom regulatory framework has been designed to address the challenges that may arrive with the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the country.
“Nigeria has already exhibited its preparedness to harness the potentials of this new service, as demonstrated in the reduction in incidences of cybercrimes in Nigeria over the past two years,” the minister said in a statement issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
He said, “By 2025, there will be about 46.1 billion IoT devices that are going to be interconnected globally…and through this connection, the data to be generated will be up to 79.4 zeta bites.
“IoT is crucial to present day emergent technologies considering its connectedness to devices in facilitating productivity, minimizing waste as well as ensuring a faster decision-making process where massive amounts of data can be analysed and presented for decision making.”
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, while speaking explained that, in the process of undertaking its responsibility of regulation, the NCC has made it a consistent practice to interact with experts and key players in the industry on how best to facilitate the development of robust regulations for emergent technologies in the country.
The EVC noted the consultation presents a unique opportunity to appraise the emergence and future deployment of IoT products and services for the benefit of consumers in Nigeria.