By MICHAEL AJAYI/JESSICA DOGO

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for stronger collaboration among African countries to ensure a coordinated and technically sound position at the forthcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2026 Conference.

The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference Preparatory Committee (CPC) meeting.

Maida, said Africa must work together to shape global telecommunications and digital economy policies.

He said the two-day meeting was expected to achieve three major outcomes.

The outcomes include greater African alignment ahead of ITU 2026, establishment of practical mechanisms for collaboration between conferences and sustained technical participation in ITU processes.

“Preparation is not a procedural step; it is the place where coherence is built.

“Africa must prepare together, work together and arrive at global forums with solutions that are both coherent and technically compliant.”

He explained that the meeting would review ATU’s activities from 2023 to 2026 and prepare agenda items, resolutions, decisions and recommendations for the 18th Conference of the Union.

The EVC said the committee would also examine Africa’s preparations for ITU 2026, noting that while the ATU conference would determine the direction of the continental body, the ITU conference would shape global telecommunications leadership and priorities.

According to him, Africa’s influence at international forums would not depend solely on the size of its delegations, but on the quality of its preparation, coherence of positions and consistency in advancing them.

He identified key areas requiring stronger cooperation among African nations to include spectrum management, artificial intelligence governance, data protection, universal access, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure development.

“No administration can address these challenges effectively in isolation. Our regulatory cooperation must therefore become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalised,” he said.

He said there was need for African experts to be supported and actively involved in technical discussions where international standards and frameworks were developed.

“Our objective in Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities.”

He commended the leadership of the ATU for strengthening coordination of African positions within the ITU and other global platforms.

He said that Nigeria remained committed to supporting the ITU process through technical expertise, regulatory experience sharing and peer learning among African administrations.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, said the meeting was critical to strengthening Africa’s digital transformation agenda.

Gagare said the recommendations from the committee would provide a foundation for decisions at the forthcoming ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries.

He expressed confidence that the deliberations would produce recommendations capable of strengthening ATU’s capacity to support inclusive and sustainable digital development across Africa.

“As we navigate an era of rapid technological advancement and digital innovation, the importance of collaboration among member states has never been greater,” Gagare said.

Also speaking, the Secretary-General of ATU, Mr John Omo said that the role of the Conference Preparatory Committee was significant as it processed documents and proposals ahead of the main conference to ensure that member states presented agreed positions.

Omo said that ATU membership had grown from 49 to 52 countries, while associate membership increased from 50 to 56, with 18 African academic institutions now participating in the union’s activities.

He said that the union had made progress in some critical areas including broadband development, satellite communications, spectrum coordination, internet governance, rural broadband, standardisation and resilience of Africa’s digital infrastructure.

He, however, raised concerns over irregular financial contributions from some members, saying predictable funding was necessary for effective implementation of the union’s programmes.

He said the meeting provided an opportunity to review the union’s governance structure, legal instruments and financial obligations to ensure they remained suitable for its expanding responsibilities.

He disclosed that the forthcoming conference would elect members of the Administrative Council and select a Secretary-General for the 2027–2031 tenure.

He appreciated the Nigerian government, NCC and the ministry for hosting and supporting the preparatory meeting.

The ATU Conference Preparatory Committee meeting brought together representatives from African countries, sector members, academia and partners to deliberate on issues affecting the continent’s telecommunications and digital future. (NAN)

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