HOTSPOT CEO SPEAKS AT USTDA BUSINESS BRIEFING ON NIGERIA SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) hosted a virtual business briefing for satellite sector decision-makers and invited the Hotspot Network CEO, Engr. Morenikeji Aniye as a Panelist. It was a two days event at Frasier Suites, Abuja which began with the USTDA country representative, Joshua Egba’s brief overview of the events’ purpose which is to connect Nigerian satellite sector stakeholders with their U.S. counterparts.

The Country Manager (Sub-Saharan Africa) USTDA, Jillian Foerster gave a brief missions and tools of the USTDA, which according to her is to support job creation through sustainable infrastructure in emerging economies; and building partnerships between stakeholders.

Ms. Kathleen FitzGibbon of Chargé d’affaires, U.S. Mission in Nigeria, and Ms. Therese Jones of the Satellite Industry Association discussed the USA’s satellite industry. According to Ms. Therese Jones relying on the 2021 report of the Satellite Industry Association’s State of the Satellite Industry Report for 2021 noted that the satellite industry represented about 74% of the global space economy at USD 271 billion

Dr Abimbola Alale, MD/CEO of NIGCOMSAT and Aristotle Onumo Assistant Director at National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) made presentations on the state of the Nigerian Satellite sector highlighting the opportunities and challenges. Their presentations where however centered on the implementation the national digital economy policy and strategy for a digital Nigeria.

Subsequently, a panel discussion titled ‘Nigerian Entities Active in Satellite Industry; Users and Manufacturers’ followed the presentation. Panelists included Content Oasis Director, Diseye Isoun; CEO, Hotspot Network Limited, Engr. Morenikeji Aniye; 21st Century Technology Limited Managing Director, Wale Ajisebutu; the chairman of Association of Licensed Service Providers of Nigeria, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo and the former chairman of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, Professor Armstrong Idachaba.

Engr. Morenikeji Aniye, Hotspot Network Limited Managing Director, discussed the huge gap in network connectivity in rural areas. According to him, the rural communities in Nigeria are almost entirely cut off from the rest of the world because network services are not available in those areas. He said that Hotspot Network Limited is committed to deploying rural telephoning services in 2000 rural communities by 2023. He also said that he cannot overemphasize the opportunities available in the Nigerian satellite industry, stating also that the major challenge in this sector is the reliance on the exchange rates, which is constantly rising and affects the cost of investments in these upstream services.