Strong indications have emerged that businesses and corporations in Nigeria are warming up to leverage the high-speed, capacity and low latency features of the forthcoming Fifth Generation (5G) network rollout in Nigeria. The intense anticipation and enthusiasm take life from the desire of digitally-literate Nigerians ready to harness the benefits of the new technology.

This  notion of the bright prospects of 5G reverberated at various panel sessions on Tuesday at the ongoing 2022 edition of AfricaNXT conference co-sponsored by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and holding at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Discussants at panel sessions from different organisations and thematic areas of AfricaNXT, expressed optimism that 5G services will drastically reduce unemployment in Nigeria if stakeholders partner with willing internet-compliant Nigerians on various projects ahead of 5G deployment. The NCC as the regulator of telecom sector in Nigeria is the main facilitator of the launch of 5G network.

At a panel session titled “Built to Last: Hardcoding Resilience into the DNA of your Business, discussants invited revealed that the finance institution, as well as others, have created digital work tools and employment opportunities by partnering with result-oriented individuals on various financially-rewarding tech projects, products and solutions based on 5G.

On the backdrop of numerous opportunities for free global education through the Internet which will be enhanced by 5G, discussants opined that individuals identify themselves as a business, continuously improve their knowledge base in order to partner with numerous corporations in the country that have created work solutions and tools that make work easier than being full-time employees.

Participants reasoned that organisations that wish to retain talents who no longer want to be full-time employees can be engaged to work remotely and deliver results by leveraging the world of possibilities that will be unleashed by next-gen technologies such as 5G.

Objectively, panelists and participants believe that, these smart contracts enabled by robust connectivity that comes with 5G, will reduce unemployment and ensure continuous socio-economic development in Nigeria.

At another panel session on “Disruptive Public Relations in the Imminent Metaverse Era”, discussants agreed that though not completely developed and not yet fully deployed, the Metaverse is expected to allow its users engage together in a shared world of unique experiences. A metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection. It is a digital world with its own economy that will connect huge forms of social interactions.

Indeed, the 5G services in Nigeria which will bring about a new generation of internet services through its high speed and ultra low latency capability will provide the resilient technology and platforms to make Nigeria an early adopter of Materverse, which is expected to birth a renaissance in industrial and social relations.

The NCC had recently issued 3.5 spectrum licences to Mafab Communications Limited and MTN Nigeria, and the two companies are scheduled to launch 5G services soon, having emerged winners during the 3.5GHz spectrum auction which took place in Abuja in December 2021.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has noted that Nigerians should look forward to amazing opportunities with the deployment of 5G services in Nigeria.

In the weeklong AfricaNXT conference 2022, the NCC will host a panel discourse on the topic, “Moving Forward Steadily: Socio-Economic Significance of Deployment of 5G Services”. The discussion will take place on March 3, 2022 by 2:00pm, at the FutureNow Stage, Innovation Pavilion, Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The discussion will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the significance of deploying 5G services in Nigeria and across Africa, focusing on the derivable benefits of 5G services to individuals, businesses and the national economy.