ATCON 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Atcon recently held their general meeting setting the stage for insightful contributions from our esteemed members on the impact of adjacent agencies on Nigeria's telecom sector and their overall industry perspective.

Valuable observations, both positive and negative, were heard from key industry players including Communication Towers, Mafab, Airtel, Huawei, MTN, Anchor Telecom, WIOCC, Coloplus, ISPs, Broadbase, Atat, HIS, and ATC.

Key highlights from the presentations included:

 The challenges faced by ISPs in Lagos due to multiple taxes and overlapping supervisory activities concerning the laying of fiber optic cables.

 Discussions around unified pricing among association members for MNOs and other clients, with concerns raised about some members undercutting agreed-upon rates.

 The critical issue of members not consistently adhering to agreed collective objectives, particularly concerning rules of engagement with multinational corporations, which hinders the organization's progress.

 A strong call for Chief Executives of member companies to prioritize attendance at meetings to facilitate quicker decision-making and ensure follow-through on agreed agendas.

 Emphasis on manpower development within the association to reduce staff turnover and enhance the quality of local talent, especially considering the increasing migration of Nigerian telecom professionals.

 Progress on the development of the ATCON academy, with a plan to generate modalities and a calendar soon.

A proposal for virtual training sessions as an interim solution due to logistical challenges.

In terms of partnerships and governance:

*The Outgoing executives delivered their farewell messages but all the old executives were returned unopposed.

* A constitution review committee was established with a 6-month mandate to propose a new constitution for review and adoption.

* A call was made for members to dedicate more time to the association's activities for the collective advancement of the telecom industry.

It was a productive session, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges within Nigeria's dynamic telecom sector.