President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Oyebode Oyetunde as Executive Director for Nigeria at the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

Before the appointment, Dr Oyetunde was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Finance and Fiscal Policy as well as Legal Matters in the Office of the Chief of Staff to President. He was also Special Adviser (Fiscal Policy) to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning. He is a Chartered Accountant and a fiscal policy tax expert with 24 years of experience in investment banking.

Dr. Oyetunde, a Fiscal/Development expert, is a Ph.D graduate of Queen Mary and Westfield college, University of London and has a Law and Accounting Masters degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is equally a legal practitioner qualified in Nigeria, England and Wales. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

The Fiscal/Development expert worked in the Federal Ministry of Finance from 2008 to 2011, providing technical support in macroeconomic/fiscal policy, taxation and other aspects of public financial management. He has got high level experience with development finance institutions.
Dr Oyetunde is taking over from Dr. Bright Okogu whose tenure will come to an end at the bank on 15th May, 2021 having served as a two-time Executive Director.

The position of the Executive Director in AfDB is strategic as it affords Nigeria the opportunity to be in the forefront when key policy decisions are taken regarding the African region.

Reacting to the appointment, the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, thanked the President for considering Dr. Oyetunde for the exalted position.

“Dr. Oyetunde is one of the functionaries who worked assiduously for the finalization of the Federal Budgets and the Finance Bills among others. He has the competence, experience and pedigree to fit into the office,” she said.

Lately I have been looking at sexual conversations amongst partners and it has dawned on me quite harshly that we cannot continually pretend about it same sex relationships and their implications anymore..

It is now very necessary that partners who wish to intentionally love each other should be able to come very plain to the table with each other to have conversation about their sexual orientations..

Conversations like, I am Mr. A and I love you ( you being a female) to bits but if I may ask you? Do you have issues with same sex relationships?

If the would be partner says yes, then it is an indicator that you should allow such a person ( her) to be in peace and channel that emotions to somewhere else assuming you are attracted to folks of same sex.

Furthermore, if this party says that he or she has nothing with same sex relationships, then you can forge on and you both make your choice. It is that simple, instead of stressing your partners out with shocks when they get to know that you indulge in same sex relationships later in the relationship.

Now we have men whom for reasons best known to them are exceedingly attracted to their fellow men such that they make out with them and enter into amorous relationships with same just like you have females who love it most when they have sexual relationships with their fellow females.

Most times, these folks handle such sexual orientations so well that they remain spiritual in most cases from outward observation and many other traits which would make it difficult for you to see through them and their choices of whom to love. So you have to ask.

Just on Saturday, Chukwudi Iwuchukwu made a post about a woman that ran into her beloved husband making out with his best friend, such level of deception is terrible and knowing fully well that most people with such orientations hardly change, folks like me would advise the Lady to pack her things and leave such a man immediately for being deceitful. Divorce comes in handy here!

However, this is to a young man or woman that wishes to have a relationship with a member of the opposite sex. We are at a place where it has become absolutely necessary that you have conversations about sexual orientations of your partners and make very informed decisions about such.

Kindly be open about it and know what you are going into inother to shield your self from heart breaks later owing to deception..

I really think that if these conversations are sincerely held, a bisexual of any gender knowing fully well that his or her partner is a bisexual would not feel bad if he or she comes in to meet his or her wife with their partner..

That way they can isolate themselves, marry themselves and have a more peaceful union instead of deceiving folks that are straight and cannot stand the sight of same sex relationships. Same goes for strict homosexuals and lesbians..

You have your right on whom to love but that doesn’t make it also okay for you to approach a straight man or Lady, professing what may irritate that person. At that time, you are also violating his or right to sanity!

I am Okeh, Onyekachi Chukwuemeka.

samesexrelationships

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has assigned portfolios to the four new commissioners sworn in on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The commissioners and their portfolios are as follows:

Sir. Charles Titiloye, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice;

Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Commissioner for Finance;

Mr. Donald Ojogo, Commissioner for Information and Orientation and

Engr. Raimi Aminu Olayiwola,Commissioner for Works and Infrastructures.

The Governor wished them well in the discharge of their duties while charging them to hit the ground running in their respective ministries.

Signed:
Olabode Richard Olatunde
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State

…says item should be delisted from Exclusive legislative list

…’ Oyo Govt ready to unlock potentials in Mineral resources,’ he says

*Oyo is viable state for mineral devt – FG

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, called for a review of the exclusive legislative list of the Federal Government in the 1999 Constitution so as to delist the control of mineral resources from the list.

The governor, who spoke during a courtesy visit on him by the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr, Uchechukwu Ogah as well as while attending the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) in Ibadan, said that Oyo State was ready to partner with the Federal Government to develop the solid minerals sector in a bid to boost revenue generation.

While addressing participants of the annual conference, Makinde said that it was important that the control of mineral resources be delisted from the exclusive legislative list so as to help unlock the potentials of the sector for economic growth.

He said that the state would readily support the national aspiration on the mining sector‘s commitment to the development of the sector and informed the provision of two hectres of land for the international gemstone market in the Akinyele area of the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, explained the readiness of Makinde’s administration to join hands with the Federal Government to develop the international gemstone market located in Ibadan, the state capital.

He added that if mineral resources are well-harnessed, the country can potentially improve its revenue generation.

Makinde said: “Mineral development and exploration are currently placed on the exclusive list of the Nigerian Constitution. This has retarded the development of the sector and eliminated direct state and local people’s participation.

“We know what this means in real terms: the state and the people have to wait to get a share of their natural resources instead of being the ones to share them.

“Well, the good news is that recently, Zamfara State was allowed to mine and own its gold deposits. It signals that it is time to again push for resource control for all states. As a matter of fact and urgency, here in Oyo State, we call for the delisting of the mineral resource ownership and development from the exclusive list.”

At the 56th annual conference of the society, held at the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre, Ibadan, where the governor was conferred with a Fellowship of the Society, Makinde said that the decision to host the conference falls within his government’s agenda to diversify the economy.

He said: “We are here to support the national aspirations and that is why when the Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Solid Mineral Development Agency, Biodun Oni, and the Honourable Minister came and said we should give land for the gemstone market, we urgently moved ahead to do that.

“So, we will work together to ensure that it is developed rapidly.

“I must also mention that Ojoo (Ibadan) is probably where prices of most minerals are determined for Nigeria. It is an underground market but we want them to come into the open, trade freely and pay necessary taxes to the government.

“So, I will ask that the ministry should work with us to develop the market and we are ready to do everything possible to ensure it takes off as quickly as possible.”

He added: “This administration is standing on four major pillars; education, security, health and expansion of our economy. Hosting of the International Conference actually falls within the expansion and diversification of our economy, which also ties into the national aspiration of diversification of the economy.

“Oyo State is blessed. The diversification of our economy is also broken into three broad areas based on the comparative advantage that we have in Oyo State. We are looking at agriculture and agro-processing simply because Oyo State has a landmass of about 29,000square kilometres.

“The same thing with infrastructure. We are located 110km outside of Lagos. If you are going anywhere in the Northern part of the country and you have to go by road, you must pass through Oyo State. So, we are out there, and if our infrastructure targets our economy, we believe a lot of people will come, and we can utilize that to expand our economy.

“Also, we believe that if we have to move away from oil, solid mineral development is an area that should assist us to wean us from just waiting for oil money to come from Abuja.”

The governor maintained that the present administration in the state has provided a conducive environment for all the investors to thrive, saying the state has a framework that is designed to make our state a mining destination that is attractive to local and foreign investors.

“For the mining sector, we have a framework for the systematic development of our mineral potentials. It is designed to make our state a mining destination, attractive to local and foreign investors.

“Our people from the Pacesetter Mineral Development Company (PMDC) and the Oyo State Mineral Development Agency (OYSMIDA) are present here today. They are ready to talk to you about this framework but let me lead by saying we have three entry levels for investors.”

Governor Makinde explained that if the natural resources that are available in the state can be tapped, it will enhance the economy of the state.

Earlier, the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Ogah, said he was in the state on a working visit to attend the 56th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Society of Geoscientists and Exhibitions, held in Ibadan.

He said the courtesy visit was to greet the governor and share with him some worthwhile thoughts that impact positively on mutual interests of his (Makinde) government and the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

Ogah tasked the Oyo State Government on the need for both governments to cherish and sustain mutually beneficial partnership on mining development.

He noted that Oyo State is richly endowed with different types of mineral resources in commercial quantity and grade in several locations across the state.

The minister, who appreciated the state government for the donation of two hectares of land for the gemstone market, pointed out that the development showed commitment to enhancing the development of the solid minerals sector and increase the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the state.

According to him, these minerals are being explored and exploited by different mining companies including precious stones such as tourmaline, aquamarine, Amethyst, agate, garnet, crystal quartz etc.

He said: “Our primary goal is to use the industry as a springboard for the generation of well-paying jobs for our teeming unemployed youth population; creation of wealth and empowerment of our rural communities; enhancing government revenue-generating capacity; supply of mineral raw materials for industrial and economic development; and increasing foreign exchange earnings for the country,” he explained.

Similarly, while declaring the opening ceremony of the conference open, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the minister of state said his administration is committed to diversifying the nation’s economy away from dependence on oil and gas, using mining and agriculture sectors as viable options.

He added that his administration will continue to engage professional bodies in the development of Nigeria, adding that the centrality of the development of the mineral and energy sectors in the rejigging of the nation’s economy had necessitated the roll-out of a series of policy initiatives aimed at ensuring the economic growth of the country.

Signed

Taiwo Adisa

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde

…Trains 30 Student Nurses in Coconut Value Chain

Lagos State Government reiterated its commitment to the promotion of a Youth Empowerment Scheme that would expose youths and students to modern agricultural, value chain skills and methods in the post-COVID-19 era.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya made this known at the opening ceremony of a five-day training in the coconut value chain for student nurses in the State at the Farm Service Centre, Oko-Oba, Agege.

The Training, titled “Integrating Coconut Value Chain into the Entrepreneurship Course for Student Nurses in Lagos State”, was a collaborative initiative of Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA) and Lagos State College of Nursing (LASCON).

Olusanya, represented by the Director, Administration and Human Resource, Mrs. Yemisi Rosiji, said that the training was a sub-set of the Schools’ Agricultural Programme (SAP), which was conceived in 1989 in order to support the educational sector in the areas of capacity building and direct intervention.

“The initiative is basically a sub-set of the Schools’ Agricultural Programme (SAP) of the Ministry of Agriculture which was conceived in 1989, in order to support the educational sector in the areas of capacity building and direct intervention. The aim is to empower them with sound practical knowledge if they choose agriculture as a profession or as a source of additional income to whatever choice of career they may pick later in life”, the Commissioner asserted.

Olusanya stated that participants would be trained on modern techniques for coconut oil processing (hot and cold-pressed), techniques for coconut flour production, production of coconut snacks such as coconut flakes, chuk-chuk, gurudi, as well as agro-business development skills with the use of the Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum kit.

She noted that the training would awaken the subconscious of student nurses for self-employment, equip them with the skills needed and expose them to the hidden treasures of the economic and health values of coconut.

According to her, the training has been specially designed in a way that the theoretical contents and modules emphasise developing an entrepreneurship mindset, as well as espouse the health benefits of coconut.

The Commissioner said that the training would be 70% practical, which includes hands-on demonstrations and group discussions, with the aim of building the capacity of the participants to produce some edible coconut products independently.

Her words: “I consider it necessary to re-affirm that the State is blessed with abundant coconut resources which informed the establishment of LASCODA, the Agency that is responsible for upholding the State’s comparative advantage of this wonderful crop in the areas of production, utilisation and commercialisation within the downstream and the upstream facets”.

“This training, which will be a yearly activity henceforth, will be focusing on the processing and utilisation of the coconut value chain. I have also been reliably informed that LASCON has gotten necessary accreditation for integrating this training into the Entrepreneurship Course of Nurses. The implication of this is that all nurses to be trained in Lagos need to have the skill and knowledge of the processing of edible by-products of Coconut”, Olusanya averred.

The Commissioner emphasised the uniqueness of the nursing profession in the health sector, being the closest to the patients, therefore, making it imperative for them to be well-grounded in agricultural value chains that are of great dietary importance.

Earlier, the Provost, Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando, Mrs. Olufunsho Orenuga commended the State Government for creating a platform to train students in the coconut value chain to have an extra source of income.

According to her, the concept of entrepreneurship is a ‘new normal’ in the educational sector, adding that it had always been a part of the educational curriculum but only trivialised.

Orenuga said that the process of revamping the core curriculum which was designed to address societal needs were what gave voice to the need for entrepreneurship.

On his part, the General Manager, LASCODA, Mr. Dapo Olakulehin expressed appreciation to the State Government and other stakeholders for making the training a reality, while urging the students to take advantage of the initiative and acquire necessary knowledge needed to thrive in the practical oriented training on Integrating Coconut Value Chain.

He stated that some of the things that would be taught at the workshop include Coconut Oil Processing (Hot and Cold Press), Techniques for Coconut Flour Production, Production of Coconut Snacks (Coconut Flakes, Chuk-Chuk, Gurudi etc) and Agro-business Development Skills (with emphasis on agro-processing) with the use of Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum kit, among others.

LASG

ForAGreaterLagos

CAPTION

PIX : (L-R) Lagos State Project Coordinator, FADAMA, Mr. Jonathan Obayemi; the Programme Manager, Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority, Dr. Olalekan Sheteolu-Pereira; The Representative of the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Director, Administration and Human Resource, Mrs. Yemisi Rosiji and the Provost, Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando, Mrs. Olufunsho Orenuga at the opening of the Training on Integrating Coconut Value Chain into the Entrepreneurship Course for Student Nurses in Lagos State.

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday hosted in audience Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly appointed Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), telling her that despite the robust support Nigeria gave to her candidacy for the position, “You also earned it. We are happy you made it, but you earned it with your record of performance both at home and abroad.”

The President said Dr Okonjo-Iweala was putting Nigeria more on the world map, “and I congratulate you, as well as the country. I know you will represent us so well.”

President Buhari lauded Nigerian women once again, pointing to key positions they hold like Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and many others. He said the same way, government would encourage the youths, “so that they can be ready for the challenges of the future.”

The new WTO DG thanked President Buhari for the pulsating support she received from her own country in the race for the position.

“You nominated me, you wrote hundreds of letters, called up hundreds of world leaders. Without your personal and direct intervention, it may not have worked. The people of Nigeria also supported me massively. The youths were wonderful, always encouraging, backing me up on social media.

“Mr President, the world recognizes what you have done. Since its establishment, only men have led the WTO. Now, a woman has emerged for the first time, and she’s a Nigerian. We are so honoured,” Dr Okonjo-Iweala said.

She apprised the President of the opportunities for Nigeria in the global organization, as well as the challenges, stressing that “WTO will do more to help Nigeria, but we need to add value to our products in order to trade more. We should exploit all the opportunities in front of us.”

She added that the support and leadership of President Buhari will help her a lot in her position as DG.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala assumed office on March 1, 2021 as the first female DG of the World Trade Organization.

Leading digital fintech enablement provider, Ukheshe Technologies, together with Infobip, a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected customer experiences across all stages of the customer journey at scale, have developed South Africa’s very first WhatsApp payment gateway for use by Telkom, one of the country’s largest mobile operators.

In addition to being South Africa’s first digital wallet platform, the solution is also the first WhatsApp channel to enable payments using QR.

The project and collaboration with Infobip forms part of Ukheshe’s objective of expanding its international reach as a solution driven B2B provider of digital-first payment solutions that enable banks, telcos and fintechs to provide banking and payment services to their customers through a solution called ‘Chat Banking’.

Infobip’s deployment of a WhatsApp Business API solution leveraged by Ukheshe’s cutting-edge Eclipse API integration is a first of its kind. The unique solution allows mobile operator customers to send money to anyone with a mobile number quickly and securely with no need for another app or any additional software.

Clayton Hayward, co-founder and CEO of Ukheshe, says developing South Africa’s first WhatsApp payment gateway was an exciting opportunity to provide a relevant and workable payment solution: “We are thrilled that through various working associations we are able to assist organisations address financial literacy and inclusion. The chat banking solution empowers end customers by giving them access to the Internet, an efficient and secure digital wallet, while meeting Know your Customer (KYC) requirements. The digital wallet will also be able to link to other cards, add virtual cards, pay or get paid with a QR code, send money, make cash withdrawals or pay for goods.” He adds that the service offering of the digital wallet platform will be extended to accommodate the issuing of virtual cards, which coupled with chat banking, underpins Ukheshe’s drive to support digital-first e-commerce adoption.

Shaun Van Rooyen, Strategic Accounts and Partnerships Manager at Infobip South Africa, says that the partnership between Infobip and Ukheshe, is underpinned by the current need for organisations to find innovative means to make their customers lives easier whilst also providing the masses with access to effortless banking.

“It has been a great pleasure to work with Ukheshe on this project. The initiative and wonderful partnership aligns with our goal of connecting the world. The project is something that we are proud of and want to keep working on to see how we can help Ukheshe do more,” he says.

As integration partners for the project, Ukheshe and Infobip also provide an intuitive chatbot service to ensure mobile operator customers receive timeous assistance to queries and personalised follow up customer service should they require.

Hayward says Ukheshe’s digital-first enablement platform has expanded and evolved significantly in recent months as the financial services market seeks innovative solution providers that can address the fundamental gaps faced by people that are seen as unbanked. “Working with Infobip has been particularly exciting as we have developed an easy and cost-effective way to send and receive money using an app that is already on customers’ phones. Chat banking is a solution that will add immense value to people’s lives.”

As the nation continues in the euphoria of attaining 60th independent anniversary, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, today, unveiled and launched two sets of postage stamps produced to commemorate the nation’s diamond jubilee.

The two sets of postage stamps comes in N100 and N500 denominations, designed with the Nigeria at 60 logo with expression of various indigenous musical instruments on it.
The Minister recalled that the production of the postage stamps was the idea of the Presidential Sub-committee on Diamond Innovation and Change which he headed during various events to mark the nation’s diamond jubilee anniversary.

He said; “We came up with about 11 items and this is the last one to be executed out of the items as part of our celebration and reflection.” He added that the postage stamp symbolizes the unity in the nation’s diversity.

“Our diversity supposed to be our source of strength and not weakness; it supposed to be our source of unity and not disunity. This is not just time for celebration but rather time for reflection and appreciation of our diversity”, he advised.

While acknowledging that Nigeria Postal Service, (NIPOST) has been facing challenges and constraints in carrying out its mandates particularly in regards to regulations, policies and financing, the minister disclosed that there are ongoing efforts at transforming the service for efficient service delivery.

He stated that part of the achievements the service have recorded in less than two years in the saddle as the minister include the resolution of the lingering issue on collection of stamp duty which has now been resolved in the 2020 Financial Act that recognised NIPOST as the producer of stamp duty in Nigeria.

“For the first time, the Finance Act 2020 recognized NIPOST as the producer of stamp duty in Nigeria and not only that, the stamp duty is to be used as authentication and validation. It is a clear indication that our efforts have yielded positive result,” the minister explained.
He listed other efforts at repositioning NIPOST to include; formulation of Rule Making policy that would ensure robust regulation and empower the service to make subsidiary legislations, unbundled of NIPOST into two companies-properties; a development company, and transport and logistics company.

“These are the two companies that are at the final stage and we do hope that we will come up with NIPOST microfinance bank. We will leverage on all the offices we have in the country to ensure that we provide service to our citizens and others,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Post Master General, Dr Ismail Adewusi noted that postage stamps are significant for promoting socio-political development of the country.
He stated that all national heroes of the country have been celebrated with the use of postage stamps and it won’t be out of place to commemorate the diamond jubilee with a postage stamp that would “enrich our historical values.”

He maintained that the idea behind the production of the postage stamps promote unity in the nation’s diversity and urged Nigerians to focus on ideals that unite them and shun every divisive tendency.

In his goodwill message, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, commended NIPOST for what he called; “accelerating milestone it achieved in the production of the postage stamp.”

He recalled that the minister gave the directive on September 29, 2020 for NIPOST to come up with commemorative postage stamp, the feat the service achieved in a short period of time.

Mallam Abdullahi noted that the postage stamp would ensure the nation’s journey to digital economy is accelerated as it would play a big role in digitizing the economy.

https://techandbiz.com.ng/tab-backup/wp-admin/post-new.php

After a successful tenure as 1st vice chairman of West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), Nigeria has unanimously and by consensus emerged as Chairman of WATRA for 2021 at the 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Assembly on Thursday, March11, 2021 in Abuja.

Also voted in as Executive Secretary (ES) is the Nigerian candidate, Engr. Aliu Yusuf Aboki, whose emergence followed a keenly-contested election by member states. Aboki scored the highest number of total votes cast, ahead of contestants from Liberia, Guinea, and Benin who also fielded candidates for the same elective position. He succeeds the outgoing ES, Elhadj Mamman Laminou of Niger Republic, who has held sway at WATRA for two tenures.

Elated by the development, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, expressed optimism that the emergence of Nigeria as both Chairman and Executive Secretary of the sub-regional Assembly, will offer a new impetus for greater collaboration among member states to further drive the rapid development of the telecommunications industry for the benefit of the sub-region.

In the last 17 years, Aboki has worked in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry and has the lofty agenda to work with member state regulators and other stakeholders to make WATRA play a more strategic role in shaping the regulation of the telecoms sector in the sub-region.

His agenda as the new ES of WATRA includes harmonisation of technical standards, connectivity with societies across borders, ensuring sound regulatory framework for telecommunications service delivery in West Africa, increased focus on ICT as a tool for socio-economic development as well as ensuring closer collaboration amongst member countries.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian delegates, Barrister Adewolu Adeleke, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), who represented the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, congratulated the new ES on his emergence in the election and praised the outgoing ES for the satisfactory record of performance during his tenure. He also congratulated other candidates for their participation in the process.

Adewolu also appreciated the delegates for the confidence to vote Nigeria as both Chairman for 2021 and for the position of Executive secretary. He assured the members that Nigeria is committed to enhanced cooperation among members and pledged that the country will continue to work to advance the development of telecommunications in the sub-region.

The ECSM charged the new ES “to note all the comments and observations made by member countries during the AGM and tasked him on the need to be ES for all member states and not only for Nigeria.”

While pledging NCC’s support to ensure his success in office, Adewolu, however, stated that the Commission, as a foremost regulatory organisation, will hold Aboki accountable to the highest standards, to deliver on WATRA objectives.

WATRA, an organisation of 16 independent National Regulatory Authorities was established to promote an efficient, adequate, and cost-effective ICT infrastructure and services in the West African sub-region, while fostering rapid telecommunications development across member states.