(Photo: courtesy of AUB)

The 14th Annual Conference of the African Union of Broadcasters (AUB) has kicked off in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, with the aim of finding solutions to the challenges of broadcasting amidst the current realities of the new world communication order.

The theme of the conference is ‘The Digital Transformation of the World: Impact and Challenges for African Broadcasting’. The conference aims to address the perception that Africa has been lagging behind in the area of digitization despite making series of investments in the process.

Addressing the gathering, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, pledged the country’s support for any effort to fight digital stereotypes against Africa and Africans. The Minister commended the efforts of the AUB in repositioning broadcasting on the continent.

The President of the African Union of Broadcasters, Arthur Asiimwe, noted that Africa was lagging behind in the new digital communication environment. He, therefore, tasked African broadcasters to align with the demands of their audiences.

ABU’s Secretary-General Ahmed Nadeem is participating in the conference to represent Asia-Pacific broadcasters. He joins colleagues in a panel discussion to talk about the responsibility of the media in the digital transformation of society.

During the conference, participants will deliberate on how to maximize the opportunities inherent in the digital space for the growth of the continent. They will also look at the challenges and the impact of the digital transformation on African broadcasting.