The 2020 ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue has received backing from the stakeholders in the digital space, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecom Operations of Nigeria (ALTON) and Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) to name a few.

The 2020 Electronic Waste (e-Waste) dialogue is being hosted by ITREALMS Media inc, publishers of ITREALMS Online in Lagos on Thursday, December 17, at the Welcome Centre Hotels, along international airport road with the theme: ‘e-Waste in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities.’

Confirming this development, the Editor-in-chief cum Lead Consulting Strategist of ITREALMS Media inc, Mr. Remmy Nweke, said some experts from the nation’s telecom apex body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) among others are gearing up for the event to explore the theme of this year.

This kind of backing, he said, encourages the organisation to do more in terms of bring out prevailing topical issues of interest for dissection by ICT stakeholders, including the forthcoming ITREALMS, which has become crucial issues of concern and work towards this readiness cannot be over-emphasised.

Also, Nweke noted that the major reason behind the decision of ITREALMS Media to host the e-Waste dialogue, and has assembled experts to scrutinize the Nigeria’s burden with regards to the waste associated with the electrical and electronic equipment coming originating from the likes of mobile phones, computers, TV-sets, and fridges to name but a few.

The burden, he said is estimated at 1.1 million tonnes of e-waste annually arising from both local and imported Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) which should worry any average stakeholder in a developing economy like Nigeria.

The United Nations Environmental Protection (UNEP), he said reported in 2015 that Nigeria had 56,000 tonnes of imported e-waste; in 2017, this figure quadrupled within two years with an increase to 288,000 tonnes.

Additionally, ITREALMS Media inc, he said, in commemoration of the International E-waste Day (IeWD) 2020, is hosting a day discourse on e-Waste in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities under its leading ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue scheduled for Thursday, December 17, at the Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos by 9am.

Nweke further recalled that ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue was initially scheduled for October 14 but due to COVID-19 lockdown and #EndSARS protest nationwide, it had to be rescheduled to Thursday, December 17, 2020 as part of the Nigeria Internet Waste Dialogue.

According to him, ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue aligns with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) organised “Internet Waste Dialogue," in commemoration of IeWD, held annually.

While inviting industry stakeholders to leverage ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue by participating actively he disclosed it would be held face-to-face in compliance with COVID-19 protocol, where as there are plans to concurrently host the event virtually here.

He reiterated that some experts from the nation’s telecom apex body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) among others are gearing up for the event.