By Angela Nkwocha
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sensitized lawyers on emerging technologies to aid them get abreast on the mandate of the Commission as well as boost their career.
In its regulatory framework “Meet The Regulator Forum” at the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, in Abuja
Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, Mrs Yetunde Akinloye, Addressing the gathering on the focus of the commission, stated that such platform would provide lawyers seeking career a Platform to learn the mandate of the NCC.
Akinloye explained that as lawyers, there were some applications they could explore in order to get more insight on an opinion to a particular thing adding that they had to be ready for new technologies that were emerging.
“Lawyers are critical to the development of regulation as they come with the nature of framework.
“A modern lawyer must see himself as beyond the archaic and conservative perception that does not preach about the profession.
“There is a real risk if the profession may be little redundant if lawyers are not kept abreast and develop key participatory interests in the regulatory activities that shape the deployment of technological activities in the country.
“We lawyers have to reinvent ourselves and be ready for new technologies that are coming, if not we will find ourselves out of jobs,” she said.
She, however, highlighted the role of lawyers in developing and enforcing guidelines, which were registration of cell phone subscribers’ regulation and the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Cards replacement.
In his remarks, Ibe Ngwoke, Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, who provided a presentation on the commission’s strategy toward a digital economy, said the Federal Government planned a digitised economy for development.
Ngwoke said the country was in a trajectory as the government’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) was gradually unlocking the potential of a digital economy in the country.
He informed that in the fourth quarter of 2019, ICT contributed 13.1 per cent or N2.6 trillion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) against oil and gas, which contributed 11.32 per cent within the same period.
According to him, as at December 2019, there are about 184.4 million mobile subscribers and 126 million internet users in Nigeria.
“Broadband penetration as at December was 37 per cent with the digital economy strategy, it is expected that these figures will improve significantly in days ahead,” he said.
In a remark, Director-General at the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Isa Chiroma, appreciated the commission for ensuring continuous engagement with the lawyers on its regulatory activities.
Chiroma urged the government to help provide the necessary numbers of equipment needed for ICT training as it would tackle the various challenges faced to ensure that every student got a gadget for easy learning.
He called on the students to explore all the areas discussed, while understanding the career they would like to end up with, adding that it was a great opportunity for them.
