PARTICIPANTS and discussants at the recently concluded NICOMM 2004, organised by the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria ATCON, have risen from the plenary session of the event, drawing a communique lamenting the absence of strong laws to address on line crimes in Nigeria.

This is even as the communique identified that it was the constitutional prerogative of government to address online crimes, saying that Nigeria should endeavor to join other countries to create laws that meet the minimum standards to address online crimes.

According to the organisers of the event, the three days expo which began November 29, 2004, kicked off with an opening ceremony that was succeeded by a plenary technical session which was attended by industry stakeholders, exhibitors, visitors and the general public.

Based on the speeches presented at the event which bothered on Regulating the Nigeria Telecom Industry, Burden of Raising Financing, and Interconnection, notable industry leaders held a roundtable discussion on several issues which include Interconnection, Challenges of Financing, Network Security, and Legal Framework to address network breeches/online criminality, even as contributions were also made by the participating audience.

In the course of discussing the way forward for the industry based on the problems identified by the speeches and contributions to the event, the organisers noted that several observations capable of drawing a progressive road map for the industry were made.

ATCON specifically pointed out that part of the observations of the stakeholders were that:

* Nigeria's ICT sector has recorded tremendous growth in the last few years

* There are now more licensed operators offering a variety of services

* There are increasing challenges in the areas of financing and expansion of public telephone networks

* Nigeria's huge population has remained a key incentive to prospective investors

* The old P&T generated a bulk of its revenue from interconnection -- in interconnecting, no operator is doing the other a favour and while there may be large and small networks, there are no unimportant networks

* There are heightening Regulatory Challenges in the face of emerging technologies

* Commercial interconnection has always been an issue since the emergence of private players came on the scene;

* Inter-operators traffic is for the good of everyone

* Operators do not place much emphasis on packaging their proposals for financing

* There is convergence in technologies of telecommunications and broadcasting

* The issue of network security is usually browsed over by most operators

* There is no existing law to adequately address challenges of technology with regards to security breeches and online crime - No legal framework to create the law and institutions to enforce actions against illegal online activities * Absence of legislation to address online criminality makes it impossible to prosecute offenders

* The Panel noted the efforts of the Nigerian Cybercrime Working Group at enacting a law hinged on protection, prevention and prosecution of cybercrime

* Participants observed that there is no adequate data on the level and extent of cybercime damages in the country .

Following the observations and due consideration to contributions by presenters and discussants ATCON said the session strongly recommended that :

* No operator should disconnect other operators without reference to the regulator ,

* The industry must address the issues of convergence and the need to harmonize telecom, broadcasting, ICT regulation and to overhaul existing legislation

* The industry requires a regulator that has capacity to reflect the dynamics of the industry

* All stakeholders are under obligation to report misdeeds to the regulator

Nigeria should endeavor to join other countries to create laws that meet the minimum standards to address online crimes.

*Investors must strive to have viable projects that are attractive to prospective financiers

*There is a need to build relationship with international agencies that act against illegal online practices

*It is the constitutional prerogative of government to address online crimes

The event which theme for the year centered on "Universal Access/Financing/Legal & Regulatory Issues" according to ATCON, was prided to have the capability of attracting more investors into the telecom sector.