BY ANTONY MUTUNGA
Nokia and African Telecommunications Union (ATU) have entered into an agreement in a bid to transform the continent’s digital journey.
Rajiv Aggarwal, head of Central, East and West Africa market unit at Nokia, said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will ensure that all are able to benefit from technology and no country will be left behind due to lack of infrastructure, or training.
“We will leverage our global technology expertise and insights on policy matters to positively impact the universal socio-economic development in the continent,” said Aggarwal.
By leveraging the power of telecommunications, the two companies will not only work towards connecting the unconnected but also identify innovative business models to help those who have been excluded as far as digital transformation is concerned.
The MoU is guided by six principles that are to facilitate the acceleration of digital transformation such as promotion of inclusion and diversity, promotion of connecting the unconnected with broadband, sharing of best practices on telecom technology trends and developments.
Its structure also focuses on identification of innovative industrial use cases particularly toward the Fourth Industrial Revolution, recommendation on implementation of emerging technologies and business models and development of emerging talent for digital innovation.
Through the shaping of telecom policies, developing talent and promoting inclusion, the firms plan to help the government to ensure women and the underprivileged, in both rural and urban areas, are the ones who benefit the most as they make up a majority of the unconnected.
According to John Omo, Secretary General of ATU, enabling universal access to ICT systems and services means that everyone will actively participate in the global information and knowledge space regardless of geographical location. “Collaboration with a global industry leader such as Nokia is crucial in this regard and will help us accelerate towards a digital transformation and knowledge economy,” said Omo.
