The executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida has urged Nokia Networks to increase its investments in research and development (R&D) to bolster the growth of information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria.
During a recent visit by a Nokia Networks delegation, led by the deputy minister and under-secretary of state for international trade from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Jarno Syrjala, Maida expressed the Nigerian government’s keen interest in leveraging Nokia’s capabilities for technology transfer to support Nigerian youths in acquiring technical skills.
Maida highlighted the government’s commitment to training three million youths in ICT skills to propel the country’s digital economy. He emphasised the importance of R&D as the foundation of any knowledge economy and a key driver of innovation. Maida encouraged Nokia and other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to explore R&D opportunities to enhance local content development in Nigeria.
Congratulating Maida on his appointment as Nigeria’s chief telecom regulator by President Bola Tinubu, Syrjala stated that the purpose of the visit was to explore areas of collaboration to support Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
He recalled Nokia’s ongoing partnership with communications service providers, cable operators and other entities in Nigeria, emphasising Nokia’s commitment to delivering critical network systems with high performance, reliability, and security. Syrjala noted that Nokia already has an R&D centre in Nigeria and expressed the intention to increase investments in this regard.
