President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all security institutions to leverage the 5G technology, when deployed, to enhance security in the country.
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while launching the national policy on 5G for Nigeria’s digital economy.
According to a statement by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, Buhari said the federal government will take advantage of the opportunities that 5G provides for the economy, security and wellbeing of the nation.
The president also allayed fears over health safety, noting that such issues have been ”effectively addressed” in developing a policy that suits the country.
On the benefits of 5G technology, the president said it can support every sector of the economy, including enhanced connectivity, improved healthcare, education, and boost agriculture.
”It will also support security institutions with real time communication. 5G technology is significantly faster than earlier digital technologies and it provides near real-time communication. This can play a key role in boosting our efforts towards enhancing security across the nation,” Buhari was quoted as saying.
”It will enable our security institutions to effectively deploy robotics, autonomous vehicles, augmented and virtual reality to address any security challenges that we face.”
The president said the national 5G policy includes a deployment plan to ensure that major cities across the country benefit.
He added that the policy also seeks to make 5G a major driver of the economy, a catalyst for smart cities in the country and a platform for the creation of jobs that support the digital economy.