The growth in telecommunications sector in the country did not only bring about employment and increased telephone access to Nigerians, it also created opportunity for investment and exhibition.

Since Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators rolled out services over six years ago, the industry has witnessed an increase in exhibitions that offer industry players the opportunity to showcase their products and solutions as the case may be.

One of the exhibition events that have remained committed to providing platform for both foreign and local Information and Communications Technology companies to reach out to customers is West African International Telecommunications and Information Communications Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel).

W.Afri.Tel was initiated by British born, but South African resident John Thomson in June 2001. He did this through his company, Exhibition Management Services (EMS), which has experience in organizing exhibitions throughout the world, for over 15 years now. IT & Telecom Digest, Africa’s leading ICT magazine, is the sole Nigeria agent for W.Afri.Tel.

W.Afri.Tel has been taking place every June since 2001 with phenomenal growth, recording over 50-60 % growth each successive year. The exhibition’s only problem has been finding space for the increasing number of prospective exhibitors as many companies jostles for space to be part of the window of opportunities created by W.Afri.Tel.

Since its inception W.Afri.Tel has been very instrumental, and continues to be so, in helping to focus global attention on the Nigerian ICT industry; it has been at the forefront in bringing global telecom equipment manufacturers to exhibit, for the first time, in Nigeria, thereby instilling confidence in the foreign investor about the Nigerian economy.

W.Afri.Tel has been growing rapidly over the last three years doubling its growth, with last year being more than double the growth in particular the number of visitors and the caliber of exhibitors.

Having recognised it’s potential in driving their businesses, many leading Nigerian ICT companies, telecom operators, mobile operators, equipment vendors have come to take W.Afri.Tel as their priority ICT show in Nigeria.

No wonder it is voted, year in, year out, as the biggest and the best organized professional exhibition in the West African sub-region.

From a time when foreign direct investment from the ICT sector was just under $50 million, to this day when FDI to Nigeria through the sector stands at over $15 billion.

Leading operators in the telecom sector, including the second national operator, Globacom, Celtel Nigeria, Starcomms, and the newest mobile operator, Etisalat are some of the exhibitors at this year’s event. Others include Sony Ericsson, Netcom Africa, DCC Satellite among others.

Impressed with the growth dimension of telecom in Africa and Nigeria’s leading role, Mr. John Thomson chief executive officer of Events Management Services said the continued rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) into Nigeria’s telecom is a "renewed confidence in the country’s economy as a peaceful environment where people- foreigners and indigenes now transact businesses without hindrance," he said.

According to Thomson, W.Afri.Tel is an event aimed ostensibly to further the growth in Nigeria’s telecom sector. He explained that as Africa’s mobile phone subscriber-base exceeds 100 million which is only 11 per cent of the continent’s population. "The African telecoms market is booming; but the fact remains that it is only the surface that has been scratched, and Nigeria has taken the lead proving that the potential is still immense. We are glad that W.Afri.Tel has contributed in its own way towards this growth in the Nigerian telecom sector," he added.

Dr. Chris Nwannenna, former president of the Nigeria Computer Society, and managing director, Condata Nigeria, described W.Afri.Tel as a wonderful window of opportunity that allow foreign companies and Nigerian companies to come together to offer value added services to Nigerians. He added that the event introduces Nigerian workforce to possibilities and opportunities. "It allows the telecom industry to have a view of all the latest and greatest technologies. Most people think, there’s only CTIA, World GSM, but W.Afri.Tel is in reality the most aggressive, most comprehensive, most powerful show. Because in a very small space, it allows one to visit many more people without having to have his legs get tired; so you get a lot more done in W.Afri.Tel," he said.

W.Afri.Tel is West Africa’s most professional and biggest information and communications technology exhibition, and has maintained a seven-year unbroken lead opening up investment and business opportunities for operators as well as governments in the sub-region. It brings the world of ICT, from manufacturers to professionals, experts to academia, and operators to governments to Lagos.

Celebrated as the most successful and best organized ICT event in the West African region, W.Afri.Tel often leaves a memorable tale behind after each edition. Thus the enthusiasm at witnessing another year of the show is understandable, and this led to many companies that have become familiar with how competitive getting a stand at the event can be, preparing early and grabbing the available spaces.