The Nigerian government has signed an agreement with Ericsson to establish a 5G innovation lab in Nigeria as part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in advancing technology across the nation.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) while Ericsson country manager for Nigeria, Peter Ogundele, signed for the Swedish telecom giant.
The signing, which took place at the Ericsson headquarters research and development lab in Kista, North of Stockholm, Sweden, last Friday, was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Also present was Patrick Johansson, Ericsson senior vice president and head of business area for Middle East and Africa.
The telecom giant presented 5G technology capabilities in terms of its standardisation, cyber and network security.
Vice President enquired how 5G could be beneficial to the Nigerian economy in the oil and gas sector, particularly whether it could play any role to prevent oil vandalism.
“What value can you add to us? Security of oil facilities, oil pipelines. How can you come in with 5G to secure the oil pipelines, address the issue of oil theft and vandalisation of the pipelines?” asked the Nigerian Vice President.
“The quantum of oil theft that is lifted is very crucial for economic planning and everything.”
5G to be applied in Nigeria’s agriculture, mining sectors
Ministry of digital economy explained how Ericsson’s 5G could be applied to different sectors of the Nigerian economy to “improve the quality of lives of Nigerians.”
“So we signed the MoU to set up an innovation lab with Ericsson, and the focus of that lab will be to come up with applications that are based on 5G technology,” said the digital economy minister.
“For things in agriculture, mining and in some cases in education as well for the general usage of connectivity to improve the quality of lives for our people.
Minister Tijani explained that the MoU was in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify the economy which was impossible without digital technology.
“With this MoU we can strengthen the state of connectivity, particularly 5G, you know Nigeria is already one of the few countries with 5G on the continent,” the minister stated.
“With the MoU, we can continue to ensure the spread of 5G across the country not just in key locations and this is how we can ensure that we see the growth that we want to see in our economy.”
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Sweden, home to global brands in technology
Minister Tijani said Vice President Shettima’s visit to Sweden to witness the MoU signing was extremely significant.
He thanked the Nigerian leader and hailed Sweden for setting the pace in technology advancement across the world, given it was home to global brands like Volvo and Ericsson itself.
”But I have to speak to the strength of Sweden as a country and how the visit of the Vice-President is extremely important,” Minister Tijani said. “This is a country that built the use of technology to lift front development. It’s a country that is extremely powerful in technology and business.
“They have significant brands likes Volvo, Ericsson, they are global brands. And I think for the reforms that is going on in the country and ambition to raise the level of productivity and make our economy more competitive.”