The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has urged Nokia Networks, one of the global leading ICT firms, to increase its investments in Research and Development (R&D) of the nation’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support the industry’s sustainable growth.
Maida, made the plea when a delegation from Nokia Networks of Finland led by the Deputy Minister, Under-Secretary of State for International Trade from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Jarno Syrjala, visited the Commission to explore further opportunities for mutually-beneficial relationships.
He told the team that the Nigerian government was keenly interested in harnessing Nokia’s capabilities through technology transfer to support Nigerian youths in technical skills.
On the plans by the Nigerian government to train three million youths in ICT skills to advance the country’s digital economy, the EVC explained that the commission remained keen in getting the youths employed, as the Ministry of Digital Economy was fully committed to the realisation of the target.
Maida told the Nokia team that the Commission placed primacy in Research and Development (R&D) as the bedrock of any knowledge economy, and for advancement of innovation.
He, therefore, urged Nokia and other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), to explore R&D opportunities to help deepen local content development in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Syrjala, who congratulated Maida on his appointment as Nigeria’s chief telecom regulator, said the purpose of the visit was to explore areas of collaboration to support Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
He recalled Nokia’s continued partnership with communications service providers in Nigeria, as well as cable and other operators to deliver critical network systems with high performance, reliability, and security.
The Finnish Deputy Minister also said that Nokia had already established an R&D Centre in Nigeria, and would target greater investment to consolidate on the success recorded in capacity building for Nigerians on the initiative.
Photo Caption
L-R: Finnish Deputy Minister for International Trade, Jarno Syrjala; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida; Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen; Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Adeleke Adewolu, and Nokia Vice President for Sales, Middle East and Africa, Petri Moilanen, during the firm’s delegation from Finland recent visit to the Commission in Abuja
