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Chapter 26
Integration of Policies and
Regulatory Frameworks
for the Convergent ICT
Industry in Nigeria
Wole Michael Olatokun
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
IntroductIon
Over the last two decades, the advances made in the
telecommunications industry and the convergence
with computing and broadcasting technologies
have made it much easier and faster to process,
distribute or access diverse information resources.
The way information is now accessed and trans-
mitted around the world, for example through
Internet has fundamentally altered how societies
organise and govern themselves and conduct com-
merce and trade. Today, ICTs form the backbone
of industries such as global financial industry,
travel and tourism, distance learning, etc and are
increasingly becoming a value-adding component
in everyday life events such as education, health,
security, entertainment and communication. ICTs
are also a critical component for accelerating in-
AbstrAct
This chapter commenced with a background to the concept of convergence particularly how it has
brought about various opportunities in different aspects of life and led to the blurring of the boundaries
between IT and telecommunications in the last two decades. It then discussed the various dimensions
of convergence notably– technological, technical and content and later reviewed the digital revolution
and the ICT environment in the context of Nigeria and considered the various contending interests and
issues in broadcasting, telecommunications and other information industries in Nigeria in form of poli-
cies, ICT legislations and governmental organs. It made proposals towards the fnal emergence of one
regulatory body to administer these convergent technologies. The chapter, as the way forward, canvassed
for addressing convergence through appropriate ICT policy and regulatory mechanisms, unifed licens-
ing as parts of a broader strategy to promote growth and better position Nigeria within regional and
global information environments.
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61520-847-0.ch026