The Nigerian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with telecom giant, Ericsson on 5G Innovation Lab.
The statement by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, said on Friday that Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima led the Nigerian officials to the signing ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden,
According to the statement, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on Friday at Ericsson’s Global Headquarters and Research and Development Lab in Kista, North of Stockholm, Sweden, was witnessed by Vice President Shettima, and Ericsson’s Senior Vice President and Head of Business Area Middle East and Africa.
It added that the deal aims to place Nigeria among the world’s top users of the 5G network in terms of productivity and boost Nigeria’s technological capabilities.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, signed the MoU on behalf of the Nigerian government, while Peter Olusoji Ogundele, Country Manager, Ericsson Nigeria, signed on behalf of the telecom giant.
5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks said to be 100 times faster than 4G, thereby creating unprecedented opportunities for people, businesses and technology across the world.
Speaking after signing the MoU, the Nigerian minister expressed optimism that the wide coverage of 5G technology will lead to rapid development and growth of the Nigerian economy.
“It is important that we use the strength of the VP’s visit to truly deepen the relationship with some of our tech partners, and that is what the VP is doing in all the meetings he has had.
“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 based on 5G technology for our projects and practices in agriculture, mining, education, as well as for the general usage of connectivity to improve the quality of life for our people.
“Again, the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, in particular, ties into what we are trying to do with the reforms. The aim of the reforms is to diversify our economy and it is clear that we cannot diversify our economy without digital technology,” the minister said.
GIK/APA