By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The second edition of the West Africa Telecoms Summit and Exhibition (WATISE) slated for April 18, 2024, in Lagos will provide an avenue for stakeholders to tackle infrastructure funding challenges for rural telephony and green energy.
The event, organised by TechnologyMirror, an ICT and Telecoms news cum information website, is themed Shaping the Future of the Telecoms Infrastructure Industry: Trends and Insights for a Digital Economy.
According to the convener of WATISE, Mr Isaiah Erhiawarien, this year, the focus will be on the digital economy, the challenges of funding for the industry with particular reference to rural telephony and the quest for the deployment of green energy to tackle the power generation crisis.
The WATISE 2.0 will feature three-panel discussion sessions with a focus on Enhancing Rural Connectivity: Strategies for Expanding Telecom Infrastructure, The Big Data Issues, Digital Economy and Infrastructure Funding Challenges in the Telecoms Industry, and Trends, Insights and Solutions in Business Automation & Quest for Green Infrastructure.
The programme will offer opportunities for stakeholders to discuss, learn and share relevant digital transformations related to telecommunications infrastructure such as Submarine, Connectivity, Security, data centre landscape, Internet Xchange and market trends that can shape the industry’s future.
“The summit has been designed for telecommunications operators, regulators, industry base organisations, policy formulators, government agencies and consumers to discuss infrastructure trends, insights, challenges and provide solutions.
“It is also a policy dialogue forum for governments in the region and stakeholders to speak on market-centric issues and global tech solutions’ impact on the regional economy,” the convener said.
The summit is targeted at telecom companies, 4G/5G service/solution providers, telecom tower manufacturers, policymakers and regulators and power solution providers.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, will deliver the keynote address, while the chairman of the Association Licensed Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo, will deliver a major paper.
