BY RICHARD UDOFIA

Country Director of Ericsson, Nigeria, Mr Kamar Abass has evaluated technology activities in Nigeria and concluded that digital technology is fast becoming part of everyday life in the country.

He said that this has led operators, government, and an array of entrepreneurs in the region to constantly look for ways to develop services and products that meet the needs of the growing ICT user data base in Nigeria. Abass said that mobile broadband is becoming prominent in Nigeria as the country grows more reliance on mobile devices and society embraces mobility.

However, he foresees a challenge for stakeholders and operators, particularly in providing affordable mobile services. According to him, there is always a consumer attitudes trend towards telecoms offerings.

“Greater percentage of mobile users believe that mobile data is cheap and more accessible than fixed line internet and since Nigeria market is a relatively price sensitive market, for mobile services to fully flourish, costs must be minimized” he said.

“Today, the current trend is that low cost smartphones and tablets have flooded the market, acting as a catalyst for the growth of diversified mobile content. Apps help to tackle consumer entertainment, communication, utility and productivity needs”`

However he said that the way the rapid global and regional uptake of smartphones have changed the way people communicate and use the internet, the sector has transformed all other industries.

At least, today, consumers are increasingly able to Personalise the content they access across all field of life” he added. On mobile subscription, Abass said that Africa is predominantly a prepaid market. He stressed that with mobile data traffic and population coverage, 20x growth rate is expected in mobile data traffic between 2013 and 2019, while 75% of mobile subscription in sub sahara Africa will be 3G/4G by the end of 2019.

He quoted Ericsson mobility survey to record that in 2013, there was 2 billion mobile broadband subscription globally even as 9.3 billion subscribers is targeted globally in 2019. He maintained that on the market projection, 5G would be in the rollout plan soon and could be achieved before 2019 while in 2019 6G will be in the making as 5G would have been achieved.

He recommended that for improved competitiveness in the market, Fibre connections in the cities must be fortified, a good base station must be enforced all over the state, education of the public on maintenance of infrastructure facilities and encouragement of collocation among firms in communities among others, must be sustained.