Digitization will not only help diversify the Nigerian economy for good but will help drive the needed growth in the country, Segun Ogunsanya, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel, have said.
Speaking at the second edition of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) Bloomberg CEO Roundtable, Segun said digitization would create massive employment opportunities and provide citizens opportunities and also act as a catalyst for national development.
“I see massive adoption of connected digital services by consumers, enterprises, and governments, will emerge as a primary driver and enabler of socio-economic benefits, which will drive inclusive growth across sectors,” he said, adding that Nigeria should focus and prioritize digitization.
Explaining the tremendous impact of digitization on the Nigerian economy, Segun said digitization would create massive employment opportunities and provide citizens opportunities and access to education, health while opening up other sectors.
Speaking further, the Airtel CEO also advised the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government to pigeon-hole the telecoms industry under manufacturing, stating that this will enable industry key players from the current Foreign Exchange direction.
The telecom sector manufactures recharge cards and also provides high-end telecommunications equipment that helps fast-track growth and adoption of mobile Internet and voice services in Nigeria, he noted.
Continuing: Segun said Airtel Nigeria had adopted a systematic approach that is geared towards innovation, cost optimization and provision of telecommunications services to its consumers.
“The telecom industry is an exceptional one because while prices are rising everywhere, our prices are falling because we have been able to create innovative ways to meet the needs of our customers without increasing costs.”
Speaking on the Nigerian economy, Mr. Ogunsanya urged the federal government to make Nigeria inviting for investors by creating a vision for the country which will aid Nigeria’s economic identity
“Foreign exchange is still a critical issue; Nigeria has the fundamentals for growth to its enormous population, large land mass, and opportunities for diversification,” he added.
In his keynote address, Oscar Onyema, CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, said the need for the forum was well-timed and relevant as a result of setbacks affecting the Nigerian economy.
“It has become imperative to get multifaceted views on how to overcome the persistent challenges in our economy, Onyema noted.
