She’s the first woman to serve in that capacity and the first American after Gérard Gross (1958-1965).

She defeated Rashid Ismailov of the Russian Federation at the election which took place at the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in the Republic of Romania’s capital city of Bucharest.

A release by the Union states that Bogdan-Martin got “139 out of the 172 votes cast” by member states. 

She will assume duty on January 1, 2023 and going by history, convention and tradition, Bogdan-Martin should serve till 2030.

Bogdan-Martin’s immediate predecessors are, African Hamadoun Toure of Mali (2007-2014), and the outgoing, Asian Houlin Zhao of China (2015 to 2022).

Capacitymedia.com reported that Bogdan-Martin “has been chief architect of ITU’s development work in recent years, emphasising the need for digital transformation to achieve economic prosperity, job creation, skills development, gender equality, and socio-economic inclusion, as well as to build circular economies, reduce climate impact, and save lives.”

The medium equally placed in contextual record President Joe Biden’s support for the candidature of Bogdan-Martin: “Ms Bogdan-Martin possesses the integrity, experience, and vision necessary to transform the digital landscape.” My sources also revealed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken, among other US officials supported Bogdan-Martin, “believing that she will oppose moves to bring the Internet under control of national governments.”

After her victory, Bogdan-Martin was quoted to have said: “The world is facing significant challenges – escalating conflicts, a climate crisis, food security, gender inequalities, and 2.7 billion people with no access to the internet. I believe we, the ITU and our members, have an opportunity to make a transformational contribution. Continuous innovation can and will be a key enabler to facilitate resolution of many of these issues.”

By my reckoning, Bogdan-Martin’s vision fits perfectly in congruity into the Federal Government’s agenda for a robust digital culture sector.

President Buhari, in October 2019, approved the rechristening of Nigeria’s erstwhile Federal Ministry of Communications to Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The following month, at the eNigeria Conference, the President unveiled the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030.

In March 2020, the President launched the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025. The Secretariat of NNBP, i.e. the National Broadband Plan Implementation Committee, (headed by NCC’s Executive Commissioner Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska), is at NCC.

The overarching objective of NDEPS is to provide the policy context/blueprint for Nigeria’s prosperity with robust digital culture as the pivot, while the NNBP is to accelerate increase and improvement in broadband infrastructure as a key structural enabler of the emergent digital paradigm for Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.

As the regulator of telecommunication in Nigeria, and a leading light of the communication and digital economy sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) prepared and launched in July 2020, a new Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 to align its operations in a granite fashion with the Federal Government’s vision for the ICT sector as well as the ITU Strategic Plan 2020-2023.

The Commission proceeded to streamline the extant policies, plans and strategies into a readily implementable component that aligns with its functions, powers and mandate within the framework of its enabling law, the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003. 

In the first phase of the streamlining, the Strategic Vision Plan 2015-2020, otherwise called The Eight-Point Agenda, the Commission achieved a leap in its contribution to national socioeconomic prosperity, including the multiplier effect of its operations in other commanding heights and strategic spheres of the economy including agriculture, finance, health, education and security. 

Just last year, NCC released a sequel to the SVP 2015-2020. The SVP II (2021-2025) which provides a roadmap for Commission’s vision for the telecom industry, also called the Five-Point Agenda is focused on:  

1. Organisational renewal for operational efficiency and regulatory excellence.2. Facilitation of the provision of infrastructure for a digital economy which fosters national development.3. Promotion of fair competition, inclusive growth, increased investment, and innovative services.4. Improving Quality of Service (QoS) for enhanced consumer Quality of Experience (QoE).5. Facilitation of strategic collaboration and partnership.

Today, the digital economy sector contributed an unprecedented 18.44 percent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as at the second quarter of 2022, going by the statistics released by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Nigeria has also achieved a broadband penetration of about 45 percent. 

It is, therefore, gratifying that the ITU has elected a revolutionary backed by liberal ideological groupings, to oversee the administration of a global body whose mandates resonate with human and national aspirations for a better universal digital service that is available, accessible and affordable. 

More gratifying is the fact that Nigeria has done remarkably well in this sphere and therefore in good moral standing to stand shoulder to shoulder with other global actors to harness the derivable benefits of the emergent digital culture for the prosperity of her citizens.

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The post ITU Elects Doreen Bogdan-Martin new Secretary-General; Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan Reflects on Her Vision and Nigeria’s NDEPS 2020-2030 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This year, MWC Kigali will bring together powerful innovators and political leaders to explore new opportunities that drive digital growth and accelerate socio-economic development across the continent. 

This edition will feature a range of keynotes and panel sessions, centred around four main themes: Connected Continent, The AI Future, FinTech, and Africa’s Digital DNA.

Recently confirmed speakers include Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar; Amini’s Founder & CEO, Kate Kallot;  the GSMA’s Director General, Mats Granryd; the ITU’s Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin; Lelapa AI’s CEO and Co-founder, Pelonomi Moiloa; MTN Group’s FinTech CEO, Serigne Dioum; Republic of Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Hon. Paula Ingabire; Take Back the Mic’s CEO & Founder, Derrick Ashong and, Wi-Flix’s CEO, Louis Manu.

For the first time in Africa, the GSMA Ministerial Programme will be hosted at MWC Kigali, marking a new chapter in the commitment to advancing the digital agenda in Africa. 

The programme will convene the most influential telecommunications leaders from across the African continent to discuss policy and regulatory topics key to the region.

The Mobile for Development (M4D) team will once again play a central role at the event, driving innovation in digital technology to reduce global inequalities. M4D will host the ‘Mobile for Development Theatre’, a dedicated space for keynote sessions, panels, and discussions.

Themes will range from AI for impact and humanitarian innovation, agriculture and climate, to digital inclusion and gender. Also returning this year is the Mobile Money Leadership Forum, which will explore key trends and innovations in mobile financial services.

The MWC Kigali 2024 keynotes will cover some of Africa’s most pressing digital connectivity issues. Keynote 1 will discuss how digital technologies are driving socio-economic development in Africa to address the continent’s unique challenges. 

Keynote 2 will focus on the transformative potential of AI, including how it can drive sustainable and inclusive growth across Africa. Keynote 3 will see speakers explore the rapid evolution of Africa’s Fintech landscape and the technologies impacting investment opportunities. 

Keynote 4 will explore how the evolving content landscape is allowing African content creators to be heard and celebrated globally. 

An agenda of GSMA Summits will be hosted during the event, inviting industry leaders and policymakers to discover the issues affecting enterprises in areas from network security to diversity in tech: 

• The Security Summit will tackle the most pressing security challenges mobile network operators face today, in the context of a rapidly evolving cyber risk landscape. 
• The Digital Summit will explore the digital economy’s potential in Africa, exploring how digital technologies and policy reform can drive significant socio-economic growth in Africa. 
• The AI Summit will cover both the vast potential and the associated risks of AI technologies in Africa, as the technology’s prevalence grows in the global economy. 
• The 5G Summit will address the barriers preventing the technology’s widespread adoption and ways to unlock its potential for both enterprises and consumers. 
• The Diversity for Tech Summit will focus on the urgent need for greater disability inclusion in Africa’s tech sector, ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. 

MWC Kigali is held alongside the Africa Health Tech Summit and FEWA (Future of Education and Work in Africa), offering an in-depth exploration of connectivity challenges and opportunities in the health and education sectors. 

The programme has gained support from a lineup of sponsors, exhibitors and event partners, including Africa CDC, Africa Union, Huawei, inABLE, MTN, the Republic of Rwanda, Smart Africa and ZTE.

How to Register

To attend the MWC Kigali 2024, visit the website.

The post GSMA MWC Kigali 2024 Returns with Focus on Connectivity in Driving Africa’s Growth appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Bogdan-Martin was the Special Guest of Honour during the International Day of Rural Women 2022 celebration held by Women in Tech in Nigeria (WITIN), a leading community that nurtures women and girls in technology within Nigeria, Africa and beyond, held on Friday in Lagos.

The ITU Scribe agrees with a report which suggests that giving women increased opportunities and access to digital skills and connectivity could rise agricultural production by 2.5 to 4 per cent in the poorest regions and the number of malnourished people could be reduced by 12 to 17 percent.

Bogdan-Martin speaks: “It’s a pleasure to join with the WITIN team today and to celebrate this year’s International Day of Rural Women. This year’s Day has as its theme ‘Rural Women Cultivating Good Food‘.

“Let me start by congratulating Martha Alade and her amazing colleagues who were named WSIS Prize Champions for 2022. And for all the work that they do to empower women and to bridge the digital gender divide through their WomenPride.Africa initiative. We’re also thrilled to have them as a member of our connected community and I personally look forward to working alongside you to help you implement your pledge”.

She said that to bring safe and meaningful access to connectivity to out-of-school and to the hardest to reach women and girls in Africa, the theme of this year’s International Day of Rural Women is such an important one because rural women play an absolutely critical role in the world’s food systems.

“Women comprise nearly half of the world’s smallholder farmers, and it’s estimated that they produce 70% of Africa’s food. Increasingly, digital technologies are helping them in this vital task. From monitoring crops and water consumption to predicting weather conditions to helping combat agricultural pests, access to connectivity can go a long way to improving food quality and helping feed hungry families.

“ITU research shows that digital applications, especially in resource constrained environments, can actually deliver savings and huge productivity gains. In Nigeria, initiatives are already underway to use the Internet of Things (IoT) to power cooking stoves for families.

And during ITU AI for Good Summit, we saw how Pennsylvania State University had teamed up with our sector UN agency, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) to develop a highly usable, voice driven app that’s called Neuro. Neuro helps to combat the destructive fall armyworm moth, which was first detected in Nigeria in 2016. Digital technologies like these have the potential to transform the world.

“But right now, the digital divide is preventing too few women from harnessing that power. In Africa, only 34% of women on average are actually using the internet compared to 45% of those in least developed countries where fewer than 1/3 of women have any kind of internet access. Rural women face even more barriers because ITU figures show that only 15% of Africa’s rural dwellers are actually compared with 50% of the urban population”, Bogdan-Martin said.

She added that changing that picture fast is the aim of ITU’s drive that has mobilised over 28 connectivity commitments.

“… a few months back, I met with Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Honourable Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), who chaired this year’s WSIS forum. I know how much Nigeria shares our commitment to digital gender equality.

“I’m pleased to know that we’re currently working with partners like Nigeria… on activities to address digital connectivity, including the challenges faced by women in unserved and poorly connected communities.

“My team also recently brought a network of experts, connectivity advocates and social entrepreneurs together in Abuja for a workshop on last mile connectivity and complementary connectivity solutions that were aimed at formulating strategies to connect more Nigerians living in rural areas.

And when I take up my new role, as the ITU Secretary General; the first woman to be elected in ITU’s 157 year history, I really look forward to further building on that close collaboration with the Nigerian government, with the private sector players, and the highly effective grassroot groups, like WITIN.

“Let’s work together so that we can ensure that every rural woman has affordable access, and the ability to use connectivity in the way that she needs in order to improve her life. And with it, the future prosperity of her family, her community and her nation”, the ITU Scribe told women gathered at the occasion.

In his goodwill message, Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said that as the organization regulating telecommunications industry in Nigeria, the NCC’s vision and efforts is to drive broadband penetration to every nook and cranny of the country with rural women at the front burner; so that no one is left behind in the area of digital inclusivity.

The EVC who spoke through Oladoyin Aiyenitaju, a Principal Manager at NCC,  said, “It is our conviction that if digital inclusiveness is diligently pursued by all stakeholders concerned, we would have been able to address a number of Goals in the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030, especially with respect to poverty elimination, zero hunger, gender equity, reduced inequality, among others.

Sade Dada, Africa Public Policy Manager, Access and Connectivity, Meta Platform Inc., told the women (participants) drawn from Ifeoluwa Piggery Farm, Ojoo-Badagry – Lagos, that their participation in the programme underscores the importance of digital access for all.

According to her, Meta has invested significant resources in bringing her platforms; Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to nationals including empowering women.

“Three billion people around the world use our products to share ideas, build businesses, educate and so much. The International Day of Rural Women highlights the essential role women and girls play in the systems of the world.

I commend the Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN) for the great work you are doing with your WomenPride.Africa project which proposes digital solutions to support women including farmers. We strongly believe in the role of technology and digital solutions and access to the internet play in the social and economic development of individuals and communities”, she said.

On her part, Professor Francisca Oladipo, the Vice Chancellor, Thomas Adewumi University, described women as changemakers in society.

“Digital technology has helped to ensure access and inclusion across many sectors including agriculture; and several examples abound to demonstrate that more girls and women can be able to participate, especially through various programmes.

“Women by nature are wired to care for the community and any investment in them is more likely to produce positive impacts in the society.

“According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there are less than 20% of women landowners worldwide. However, these women can make more impact from their holdings if they are empowered by digital technology”, Prof. Oladipo said.

She said that WITIN’s activities will surely assist the women to achieve more through digital skills empowerments.

Mary Uduma, the Alternative Chairperson, Urunwanne Women Development and Empowerment Association, also encouraged the women to embrace digital skills and tools to enhance their agricultural outputs.

Earlier in her address, Martha Alade, the Founder, Women in Tech in Nigeria (WITIN), said that empowering the women farmers was part of the Organization’s programes for job shadowing, leadership, entrepreneurship and mentorship.

She added that WITIN-RURAL initiative aims to foster job creation and revenues in local communities for women and girls through WITIN programs, adding that the theme: ‘Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All: The Imperative of Digital Inclusion,’ was carefully selected to reflect that anyone can participate in the digital economy irrespective of gender or social status.

In response, Chinenye Nwokoye, the Women Leader of Ifeoluwa Piggery Farm, thanked WITIN and the ecosystem supporters for the interest to look into their plights.

According to her, the women are encouraged by the outcome of the day’s occasion. She however listed some of the challenges faced by the smallholder farmers. Nwokoye said they lacked funds to expand their farming business, especially the procurement of animal feeds.

She also hinted on waste management, stressing that the disposal of their waste is a very big challenge to them. “We need the machine that turns this waste into fertilizer”, amongst other challenges.

The session also featured presentations from leading voices in the technology, innovation and agric-tech ecosystems while Basirat Ishola, ESS Manager, Huawei Nigeria, delivered the vote of thanks. 

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