He pledged to continue in that stride of making Nigeria a more digitised country, and provide enablement for the youths to prosper through enhanced and pervasive digital platforms, if he becomes the president in 2023.

As a head of the economy, Atiku supervised the liberalization and deregulation process that saw to the emergence of the GSM and digital revolutions.

Atiku spoke through Mr. Uyi Giwa- Osagie, who represented him at the launch of a book titled: Nigeria Drivers of Digital Prosperity, where he received an award as Nigeria Digital Prosperity Enabler for championing the liberalization of the Telecom Sector.

Apart from forestalling efforts by some in government to scuttle the GSM license on the day it held, Atuku noted how “in February 2002, I inaugurated a 22-member Telecommunications Sector Reform implementation committee, aimed at increasing access to phone services for Nigerians, primarily through the GSM, and further facilitated all necessary licensing for the GSM to come into effect in Nigeria”.

Heaping praises on the Author of the Book, Aaron Ukodie, Nigeria’s pioneer ICT journalist, saying that “this very important book… truly resonates with me… particularly thankful to the author of this book… who has taken the initiative to document the historic journey of Nigeria’s ICT and Telecommunications prosperity and how this has inspired our achievements in this sector till date”.

Atiku said the introduction of the GSM revolution made possible by Digital Mobile Licensing, has reshaped the economic and social wellbeing of Nigerians and Nigeria as a country.

Atiku expressed gratitude for being honoured and acknowledged through this book as one of the pioneers of and contributors to Nigeria’s digital transformation within the ICT sector, in addition to the efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

He said he is immensely proud to be associated with something so significant in Nigeria’s history, saying  some of the insights of the book, accurately tells the true story of the digitization journey applauding the writer in “the delivery of this piece, which boldly encapsulates his mastery and experience as a journalist for decades”. 

He said the milestones of the ICT are a testament of his commitment and the visionary leadership of the government that he served in as the Vice President of Nigeria, “|wherein I was in charge of the country’s economic management team. 

While commending the significant role played by several actors, some who were at the launch, Atiku said he would support the country and the young people of Nigeria, on its digitization agenda, as “this forms a core part of my campaign promise and delivery to the Nation, in my current quest to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, come May 29, 2023”.

Apart from Atiku, others who received awards include, Dr Ernest Ndukwe, the former Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC during whose tenure the foundations for the digital prosperity were laid and prospered at the NCC.

He got the award of Champion of Nigeria’s Digital Transformation and Prosperity.

The current EVC, Professor Umar Danbatta received the Icon of Nigeria’s Digital Prosperity award.

Others who received award include Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, Secretary of Akwa Ibom Government and former President of ATCON who got the award of Order of Excellence for Impact on Nigeria’s Digital Prosperity.

MTN Nigeria, 9Mobile, MainOne, Mr Tim Akano, Ms Funke Opeke, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of ALTON, Sir Demola Aladekomo, Lanre Ajayi,  Mohammed Rudman, President of NIRA were some of those who received awards at the event for the roles in the Digital Prosperity journey and for their support for the eWorld Forums.

The 472-page page hardcover book is an experiential chronicles of Nigeria’s sojourn through the backwaters of IT and Telecoms to the revolution which inspires the present global reference of its institutions, corporate entities/brands and the individual skills sets.

Other high profile techies expected to grace the occasion among others include Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government and a former President of the Association of Telecommunications companies of Nigeria (ATCON) who has been a dogged advocate of ubiquitous broadband connectivity across the length and breadth of Nigeria 

The book public presentation will be preceded by the eworld Forum 2022 themed: 4G, 5G Broadband connectivity and the Economy.

The paper presentation session by the current Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta would be chaired by Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman MTN Nigeria who was the EVC/CEO of NCC when Nigeria recorded the landmark success with the award of the GSM licences.

Atiku was the head of the nation’s Economy management team during the two-term regime of former President Olusegun Obadanjo from 1999 to 2007.

It was the regime that berthed the celebrated accolades recorded with the Digital Mobile Licensing (DML) which introduced the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) technology to the nation’s telephone network.

As recorded in the book, for the posterity sake, Atiku also played a key role subverting the surreptitious plot by high ranking government officials who attempted to throw spanners in the works in order to scuttle the GSM auction processes when President Obasanjo was out of the country.

Details of the plot that could have denied Nigeria the globally acclaimed integrity and epoch making mobile revolution and how Atiku filled the leadership gap in the absence of his boss have been intricately narrated in the book.

The veteran journalists also gave incisive details of how and why it took Nigeria about a decade to successfully issue globally benchmark GSM licences.

Details of the interests of the late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha and the connections of the Chagouri family were also lucidly narrated in the new book.

Also profiled in the book are the contributions of the celebrated and unsung Nigerians and corporate entities who sacrificed sweat and blood to endure the uncharted pathways to Nigeria’s noble contributions to the national and global IT, Telecoms and computing ecospheres. 

The role of the Surulere, the sprawling Lagos Mainland community in the computerise Nigeria is also revisited in the new book.

The book segmented into five sections avails Nigerians the tricks and trials that the pioneer players in the Technology, Telecoms and Computing business environment endured to translate to the powerful statements in the fintech, Creative Hubs, telecoms, technology, robotics and other generational expertise and milestones that Nigeria is now showcasing to the world.

The book, first of its kind to articulate Nigeria’s roadmap from the pre-independence analogue era to the present day digital connectivity will be useful not only to the industry enthusiasts, scholars, academia, researchers and students; avid readers will also find it very interesting as a worthy collection.

The unveiling of the book, scheduled to hold on July 7, 2022, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Lagos, comes with a seminal discussion, under the eWorld Forum ’22,  on how to further push forward the frontiers of broadband connectivity and the consolidation of 4G and deployment of 5G networks across the country.

The eWorld Forum, which started in 2009, has contributed to the formulation of the policies and strategies that have helped the growth of the ICT industry.

The minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ibrahim Pantami, is expected to chair the event.

Ukodie, who has written several books on the ICT industry, considers the new work, Nigeria’s Digital Drivers, his ICT industry star publication that captures the trajectories of the digital evolution, sector analysis, and players’ contributions. 

Apart from select key industry players, the book also highlighted, in a section, the emergence and the work of some of the most vibrant Nigerian journalists and media entrepreneurs whose relentless advocacy gave birth to the various policy thrusts that gave rise to the developments in the ICT sector.

The 436-page book would serve as an important reference document and a coveted addition to personal and corporate libraries. It would be an exciting read for corporate Nigeria and the political class.

Ukodie began journalism at The Guardian in 1985, as a Communications Reporter and has spent  36 years reporting on the industry in various news media, where he witnessed and participated in the various developments, events, and discussions that have brought about the achievements  Nigeria has recorded in the ICT sector.

He has also organised several ICT advocacy conferences under the eWorld Forums since 2009. His ICT journalism career now spans 36 years.

Ukodie has written several books, the latest being the one launched on April 8, 2021, titled The Making of the Nigerian Flagship: A Story of The Guardian.

The 596-page book was co-authored with O’seun Ogunseitan. Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo attended the event as Special Guest of Honour.

Other books written by Ukodie include Ndukwe & Telecom Regulation: A Walk in Tandem. The 204-page book was launched at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in 2008.  Another, titled Phones 4 All was published in 2003. The Privatisation of NITEL (The Story of NITEL) was published in 2015 and Olagunju: Strides of a Porter’s Son (2013) and The Lead Story: A Diary of an ICT Reporter ( 2015)