The Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, has warned that Africa may jeopardize its standing in global telecommunications governance unless nations on the continent enhance collaboration and present unified, technically sound positions at international forums.
During the opening of the 7th Ordinary Session of the Conference Preparatory Committee, CPC, of the African Telecommunications Union, ATU, in Abuja on Monday, Maida emphasized that Africa’s influence in global digital policy will be dictated by the quality of its preparations rather than the size of its delegations.
Representing the NCC, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the Federal Government of Nigeria, Maida informed delegates that “preparation is not merely a procedural step, but the foundation upon which influence is established”.
He indicated that the ongoing conference should yield three significant outcomes: enhanced African alignment in advance of the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26) in Doha, the creation of practical mechanisms for collaboration between conferences, and ongoing technical participation in ITU processes.
According to him, Africa must engage in international negotiations with unified positions that are both coherent and technically sound. Maida elaborated that the committee would assess the activities of the ATU from 2023 to 2026 and formulate recommendations for the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26), while also finalizing Africa’s preparations for the ITU PP-26 scheduled for Doha later this year.
He said that while CPL-26 would set the strategic direction for the ATU, the ITU conference
