The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida says Africa should play a bigger role in shaping global standards on artificial intelligence (AI), spectrum management, cybersecurity and digital governance rather than merely adopting them. Maida spoke on Monday at the opening of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference of Plenipotentiaries, in Abuja. The EVC said the continent’s influence in international digital policy would depend on sustained technical participation, coherent positions and stronger collaboration among member states. “Our objective as Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities,” he said. “The scale of mobile adoption, the innovation we have seen in digital financial services, and the number of young people coming online means that decisions on spectrum, digital identity, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and digital trust will have profound consequences across our continent. “African perspectives should therefore not be treated as an afterthought. They should form part of the discussion from the outset.” The NCC boss said the preparatory committee would review the ATU’s activities between 2023 and 2026 and develop recommendations to be presented at the union’s conference of plenipotentiaries (CPL-26), while also harmonising Africa’s position ahead of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-26). Earlier, Nadungu Gagare, permanent secretary of the federal ministry of communications, innovation and digital economy, said Nigeria remains committed to supporting the objectives of the African TelecommunicationsUnion and advancing regional digital integration. …Nigeria elected to chair ATU preparatory committee In another development, the director of internal audit at the NCC, Stella Erebor, has been elected as the chairperson of the conference preparatory committee (CPC) of the ATU. Erebor emerged ahead of the seventh ordinary session of the ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26), where African ICT ministers will consider the union’s work over the past four years and chart its priorities for the next four years. Speaking after her election, Erebor said the committee is responsible for preparing the reports, resolutions and other documents that will be presented to the conference of plenipotentiaries later in the week.
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