Nigeria lacks venues for ITU Telecom Africa

Despite its booming telecommunication market, Nigeria lacks venues appropriate for hosting the annual ITU Telecom Africa conference and expo, said Ernest Ndukwe, executive vice chairman and chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Speaking to a group of Nigerian ICT journalists at the just-concluded ITU Telecom Africa in Cairo, Ndukwe said that the commission is aware that Nigeria could benefit from hosting the prestigious event, both in terms of foreign exchange revenue and the spurring of foreign direct investment.

In order to host the event, the country must build a conference center to accommodate an estimated 300 exhibitors and side conferences with sufficient space for parking and other amenities, Ndukwe said. Also needed is hotel space to house exhibitors and attendees. Existing conference centers in Lagos and Abuja do not meet the standards required by the ITU, he said.

Ndukwe dismissed insinuations that Nigeria has not played host to the biggest ICT event on the continent because of security concerns, and insisted that Nigeria has better security than most countries and is continually improving it.

At this year's ITU Telecom Africa, an estimated 250 exhibitors from 30 countries took part in the five-day event, according to the organizers. The show had 5,000 registered visitors from 75 countries, and was covered by more than 150 members of the media.