The Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Haolin Zhao, has called African policymakers on ICT to borrow a leaf from Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami calling him a unique individual with exemplary passion and dedication to technological advancement within the continent.
The remarks were made at the public presentation of two books authored by the Honourable Minister recently at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja Lagos.
Zhao, who attended the event virtually, said in his address, that the Minister’s work experience both in private and public capacities was laudable, making his written work even more important to the growth and development of the ICT sector in Nigeria and the continent as a whole. He therefore enjoined other African policymakers on ICT to walk in the footsteps of Prof. Pantami, saying that by documenting their experiences for the purpose of sharing knowledge, others can benefit from it.
Speaking further, the Secretary General stated: “Africa should not just be a continent that always requires international aid but should also provide direction to the global community in the field of ICT,” adding that “I agree with the Minister that Africa should not miss out on the Fourth Industrial Revolution as it is equipped with the resources to provide direction.”
He also used the opportunity to express the ITU’s gratitude to the the Honourable Minister for his leadership and initiatives that he has brought to bear as the Chairman World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum as its Chairman.
The Honorable Minister, Prof Pantami was recently appointed Chairman of World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Forum, 2022.
