Empowering socio-economic development in Africa utilizing information technology : a critical examination of the social, economic, technical and policy issues in : Nigeria

Abstract

Every human society, from the most primitive to the most advanced, depends on some form of telecommunications network. It will be virtually impossible for any group of people to define their collective identities or make decisions about their common and binding interests, without communications. Communication networks make society a reality. It makes it possible for people to cooperate, to produce and exchange commodities, to share ideas and information and to assist one another in times of need. The geopolitical structure and policy phasing is well demarcated in Nigeria when we examine the functions and roles of which the Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) was set up. NITEL was established to provide efficient telecommunications services to all parts of the Federation and to link Nigeria with all parts of the world with emphasis on those countries maintaining strong economic and political relations with Nigeria. In its external services, NITEL also gives priority to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region and other independent African States as a reflection of Nigeria's foreign policy commitment.