NigComSAT inaugurates Servicom unit

The management of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd has inaugurated its Servicom unit in Abuja, to enable customers in ensuring service satisfaction from government institutions, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Chief executive officer, NigComSAT, Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai urged staff of the company on prompt service delivery to customers.

According to him, staff must epitomize the services of the company through efficient delivery to enable them become good leaders.

He told members of the Servicom unit that customer is not just king or queen, but is the life of the business, stressing that customer satisfaction should be seen as part of the organizational structure.

“Everybody that comes here is very important, a visiting guest should be received warmly to achieve customer satisfaction” he charged.

Though, he decried the fact that previously, MDAs have failed in different aspect of service delivery because government agencies, are pipelines through which government delivers services to the people.

Rufai therefore advised staff to see themselves as agents through which government delivers service to the people.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator, Servicom, Mr. Ad’Obe Obe, who was represented by the Chief Servicom officer in the Presidency, Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli, requested the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to as a matter of urgency draw a Servicom Charter that should be rendered to customers and what could be done when such services are not provided efficiently.

“Servicom Unit brings a change in the public service delivery,” he said, assuring that Servicom is ready to work with NigComSAT to ensure better service delivery to Nigerians, just as he commended the leadership of NigComSAT for setting up the unit.

In his address, the Deputy General Manager, Administration and the company’s Nodal Officer, Mr. Bala Mohammed harped on quality and efficient services to customers. Even as the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Nodal Officer Mr. Sunday U. Adejoh, advised the Servicom Unit to always apologise whenever services fail.

The oath of office was administered to the unit officials by Mrs. Akajemeli, which was immediately preceded with a workshop for staff on the Servicom charter.

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Mobile is e-payment future - eTranzact boss

Electronic payment solution company, eTranzact International plc, has said that the future of epayment services is access on the Mobile phones.
The chief executive officer, eTranzact, Mr. Valentine Obi, gave this prediction at the eTranzact Trade Partners’ Dinner and Award Night in Lagos, recently.
“Over the years, we have provided all our partners; banks, other financial institutions, schools, airlines, telecos, various merchants, public sector an innovative, secured and convenient means of payment. Moving from cash based society to a cashless society.”
He said that the event is in line to appreciate his company’s partners for consistency and commitment services on the platform.
“We are now at the stage, where you can now easily make convenient transactions from anywhere, anytime just by using your mobile phone. We have seen a future where your mobile phone is your bank and all transactions are performed online real-time, providing unique security platform than other e-payment channels,” he said.
According to him, the eTranzact Mobile payment solution is very simple, user-friendly and acceptable on all kind of phones.
He pointed out that eTranzact is the only e-payment provider in the country that enable payment solution via mobile phones.
“The eTranzact Mobile payment solution provides users, services such as funds transfers to any bank account or ATM cards or mobile phone using the ATM CardlexCash service and bills payment,” he said.
With the ATM CardlexCash service, Obi said, customers could send money anytime, anywhere to a third party’s mobile phone and the funds could be withdrawn at any ATM machine without the use of a physical ATM card.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to partners of the company.
ITRealms Online recalls that eTranzact International plc, prides itself as Nigeria’s first award winning multi-application and multi-channel electronic switching and payment processing platform.
The company has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa and UK and aims at provide Nigerians, Africans and ultimately the world with cutting edge electronic payment solutions.

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CWG bags award for deploying Finacle banking software

The Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) has been recognized for propelling the Finacle banking software in the country through one of its subsidiary, ExpertEdge System & Software at the 2011 Titans of Tech annual awards.

According to the Head, Marketing Communications at CWG, Mr. Chidi Okpala, the organizers of the event, Technology Africa, took an in-depth look at software development and deployment not just in Nigeria, but across board.

The Finacle banking application is developed by Infosys Technologies but deployed and supported to banking institutions across Nigeria by CWG.

He noted that the Finacle banking software is a comprehensive, integrated yet modular business solution that effectively addresses the strategic and day-to-day challenges faced by banks.

He explained that the solution has been discovered to be equipped with a certain form of flexibility to innovate and adapt to a dynamic business environment as experienced by most of our banks today.

With an integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module, he said, banks could now offer a rich and differentiated value proposition to customers thereby surmounting challenges associated with managing change, competition, compliance and customer demands.

ExpertEdge Software, a subsidiary of CWG has with the support of Infosys Technologies, effectively and successfully deployed to 13 banks out of the 24 banks currently in the Nigeria.

He listed some of these banks using Finacle as of today to include First Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank, UT Bank Ghana, Stanbic IBTC, Oceanic International Bank and a number of other banks.

CWG, he said, has developed, grown and trained professionals that support these banks in Nigeria and in other African countries where these banks have got physical presence.

“Very recently too, Wema Bank signed on to the Finacle banking software increasing the number of institutions currently using this software,” he said, stressing that this award on ExpertEdge and by extension CWG, confirms the acceptance of this solution in the market which has met both customer and industry specifications and needs.

Business Development Manager, ExpertEdge, Mr. Nasiru Izegwire, said they were excited that Technology Africa recognized ExpertEdge Software as a leader in the provision of world class solutions and services to the financial services industry in Nigeria and a number of other countries in sub Saharan Africa.

‘We are humbled by the support and acceptance that has come with the Finacle banking application which we have deployed and supported across banking institutions for close to a decade now,” he said.

Izegwire, who received the award on behalf of the divisional Managing Director, Mr. James Agada, said “we look forward to continuing to expand the depth of Finacle solutions in order to assist clients successfully in navigating through the challenges and opportunities that come with economic changes, mergers and bank consolidations prevalent of current times.”

Beyond providing the banking solution to the African Market, Infosys technologies, a global leader in the “next generation” of IT and consulting, defines designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions for Global 2000 companies. Infosys also provides a complete range of services by leveraging domain and business expertise and strategic alliances with leading technology providers like Computer Warehouse Group which has positioned itself as a preferred and reliable partner to Infosys in Sub Saharan Africa. This award on CWG is coming at a time when banks in Africa are undergoing acquisitions and consolidations which Finacle, driven locally by CWG is well positioned to handle its new challenges.

CWG has an African footprint with offices in Nigeria, Ghana (CWG Ghana) and Uganda (CWG Uganda), with strategic plans on the way to expand across major cities in sub Saharan Africa. CWG takes pride in building strategic long-term partner and client relationships that add greater value to all parties.

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YabaTech commends LG on industrial training

The Management of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos has commended LG Electronics for its commitment to the development of Nigerian education through structured partnership programme.

This programme allows students of the institution the opportunity to go on industrial training for a period of one year with the company.

The commendation came on the heels of the success recorded on the just concluded phase one of the programme which had seven students who had completed the internship and were committed throughout the Internship programme.

The Dean of School of Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Mr. Joseph Chikwe said that it was with utmost delight that they received the news on the excellent performance of the students which has earned them the honour of being an LG Electronics staff.

He noted that, this will encourage the students coming on board during the second phase to put in their best and get the desired result.

Responding, the Marketing Director of LG Electronics, West African Operations, Mr. Charles Asinugo, said LG is passionate about the Nigerian youths, their aspirations and dreams towards achieving a brighter future for them.

“It is in line with this, that we have packaged this programme to meet their needs, make the future brighter and better and ultimately produce tomorrow’s leaders,” he said.

He further said that with the success of phase one, LG Electronics is encouraged to increase the number of beneficiaries from 7 to 30 students in phase two. This he said is to give more students the opportunity to excel in their talents and chosen field.

The internship programme allows the best students of the institution based on academic Grade Points (GP) to go on industrial training with LG Electronics. During the period, the trainees are taught the rudiments of technology that will enhance their knowledge through practical exposure and capacity building.

This initiative is in line with LG Electronics core values of giving back to the society where it operates and advancing the good life. The programme is sustained on yearly basis, with the expectation that it would make meaningful impact in the lives of the students and the country as a whole.

LG Electronics has been known over the years, for its innovative products and services that cut across home appliances, home entertainment and mobile communications. More importantly, they are all designed to meet and satisfy the needs of consumers.

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DSA boss urges Jonathan to heed calls for Nigeria broadband stimulus

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been urged to heed the calls by stakeholders by introducing a presidential broadband stimulus for the Nigerian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector with the hope of boosting broadband and internet access deployment precisely in the country.

Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke made this call in her address to the two-day Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum on Internet Governance and Broadband Evolution in Nigeria, which ended last weekend in Lagos.

She also said at the forum presided by the former president of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and chief executive officer, Teledom Group International, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, that by emulating the President of the United States, Mr. Barrack Obama who introduced a Broadband Stimulus recently, President Jonathan would give unparallel boost to the Nigerian ICT sector.

“We, therefore, reiterate calls for President Goodluck Jonathan among other presidential aspirants in 2011 election, to borrow a leaf from President Obama by introducing a Broadband Stimulus for the Nigerian ICT sector and give boost to infrastructure deployment,” she urged.

Mrs. Nweke also said that access to high speed Internet network is good but the need for a good legal frame work to enable end users optimize it cannot be overlooked.

She charged the Federal Government-led by president Jonathan to as a matter of urgency address the issues of security, high cost access, devices and ensure that all Primary, Secondary Schools and Universities have well-equipped computer laboratories fully connected to the Internet.

This, she told participants at the forum graced by Commissioners and senior staff of NCC led by Dr. Mike Onyia, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, that it would make the Nigerian youths, especially the students to be globally competitive.

For her team at DigitalSENSE Africa, access to the Internet should be a right and not a privilege; hence she reiterated the call made at the forum last year that access to internet should be declared the right of every Nigerian.

While commending participants and partners on this year’s forum, she singled out the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), MTN Nigeria, Teledom Group, Starcomms, Omatek Computer Plc, Computer Warehouse Group among others for collaborating with DSA on the event.

Equally speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Dr. Ekuwem commended the organizers for sustaining the initiative, urging Nigerians to take interest on how the Internet is govern, stressing that is the only way to perfectly make good use of the internet for the benefit of all.

Ekuwem insisted that good people of Nigeria who are in greater number should not allow a few bad eliminates, which is less than 0.01 per cent to continue mess Nigeria’s name on the Internet with their fraudulent activities.

The forum witnessed presentations from notable experts including the second vice president of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and partner, Ashfield and Bowman Attorneys, Mr. Adewale Jones; chief executive officer, Nigeria Internet Exchange Point, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Director, News Media and Information Security, NCC, Dr. Sylvanus Ehikioya, Senior Teaching fellow in International Trade Law with the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Dr. Nnaemeka Ewelukwa as well as president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association, Mrs. Mary Uduma, chief executive officer of IcoCool Contract, Mr. Destiny Amana and Legal Officer, National IT Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Emmanuel Edet among others.

While the issues of access, security and privacy, openness and infrastructure were brought to the floor of the forum.

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NCC gives operators 2-weeks to decongest networks

A two-week ultimatum has been given by the Nigerian Communication Commissions (NCC) to all the telecom operators in the land to decongest their networks or face stiff sanction.

The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah gave this directive last weekend in Abuja while granting audience to the Director General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Ify Umenyi, said that quality of services issues have deteriorated in recent times, forcing the Commission to carry out tests which resulted in the discovery of congestion in the networks.

Media and Public Relations Manager, NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka in a public statement made available to ITRealms Online, quoted Dr. Juwah as saying that the ultimatum has become crucial as an interim solution while the task force set up by the Commission finalizes its work where the operators would be compelled by law to do what they are expected to do.

He further said the Commission gave the directive after it carried out some tests on some 100 base stations out of which about 30 per cent of them were exorbitantly congested.

“We expect that within two weeks, they must be decongested. The ball is now in the court of the operators to carry out our instructions and if they fail, they will be penalized,” he said.

Juwah said this problem has appeared intractable but that the Commission is working hard to find a lasting solution, stressing this solution actually lies in the operators investing more in the networks within over certain period.

“We have to monitor these investments at some point,” he said, noting that the Commission will soon begin to publish the congestion levels on the networks as time goes on insisting that NCC will stick to measurement and enforcement of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) on the threshold for quality of service.

He however called for patience by the operators as the issues confronting quality of services will not go away overnight.

On the issue of tariffs, he noted that it’s not long since the Commission lowered the interconnect rates but is yet to reflect in what the consumers pay.

The Commission, Juwah said, is watching how this reduction trickles down to the consumer before embarking on another round of interconnection rate determination.

He further said the Commission is delighted that the operators are now beginning to invest more in their networks as some of them have announced recently to have secured more funding for expansion of their services.

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Nokia attaches free Internet access on promo

Nokia West African office has unveiled the attachment of free internet access on its latest promotion, tagged ‘Nokia buy and win promo.’

The spokesman of Nokia in Nigeria, and Head of Communications, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor made this disclosure in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online at the weekend.

He noted that as part of measures to promote its new solutions, Nokia Nigeria has unveiled a promo that gives free one month internet on the device to anyone that purchases its range of products.

Head, Marketing for Nokia West Africa, Mr. Reuben Onwubiko, was quoted as saying in Lagos that these products, comprise of the Nokia N8, C7, E5, C6 and E72.

Onwubiko also said Nokia had since moved away from being a mere device manufacturing company as evident in the value added solutions and services that its range of devices offer.

The new Nokia global market strategy, he said, aims at connecting the next one billion people to the internet via mobile devices.

"To this end Nokia recently announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft, which will see it adopting windows as the operating system for its smartphones," he said.

Mr. Onwubiko also said that the promotion was also part of efforts to reward the loyalty of its customers whose patronage has helped in sustaining Nokia as a leader in the mobile phone market.

The Nokia Marketing chief also disclosed that those who purchase the new Nokia C3 would be given a free pouch.

The prizes, he explained are instant and are redeemable in any of Nokia’s over 40 solutions outlets across the country.

"That’s not all; every winner qualifies for a raffle draw where they could win a brand new Kia Soul car and an all expense paid trip for two persons to Dubai," he said.

As said by him, the promo is to promote the advantages of buying genuine Nokia devices. Nokia recently launched a campaign it calls the "be original, buy original", which highlights the benefits of the Nokia warranty. All genuine Nokia products bought from accredited Nokia retailers are covered with one year warrantee.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Nokia, Stephen Elop, has ruled out the possibility of a merger of Microsoft and the world’s leading mobile phone manufacturer.

Mr. Elop who was speaking recently in Dubai during an interactive session with the media drawn across the Middle East and Africa, said that following the reported partnership deal between Nokia and Microsoft which will see Nokia adopting Windows as its primary platform for all its smartphones, speculation has been rife that the deal was only a prelude to one of the parties acquiring the other.

He dispelled such speculations as unfounded, saying that the adoption of Windows as a platform for Nokia’s smartphone strategy was a mutually beneficial relationship between Nokia and Microsoft.

Elop maintained that the issue of merger or acquisition was never tabled for consideration by either of the parties.

Stephen Elop also disclosed that Nokia was working round the clock to ensure that the first Nokia smartphone hits the market in the very near future.

By adopting Windows as its smartphone strategy, the lower end devices for which it is still a market leader will continue to be built on the Symbian platform,

Nokia further said, there are over 200 million users of Symbian phones the world over and Nokia is not about to ignore this segment of its market.

He said Nokia’s huge market share in mobile phones is a good business case for mobile application developers to continue building innovative applications on Symbian platform.

He applauded the significant role the Middle East and Africa market plays in the overall success story of Nokia. He promised that Nokia would reward such disproportionate achievements with disproportionate investments. He was however not specific whether such investments would be in the form of the siting of a manufacturing plant in the region.

Nokia pride itself as the world’s number one manufacturer of mobile devices by market share. Beyond its leadership status as a manufacturer of devices, Nokia is fast becoming a leading solutions provider in the converging Internet and communications industries providing internet services that enable users to experience media, messaging, maps and games. Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft, which will lead to the emergence of Nokia windows smartphones aims at connecting the first one billion people to the internet through the Nokia platform.

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Saudi Telecom selects Motive solution for analyzing network

The national telecommunications provider, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), has selected Motive, an Alcatel-Lucent company and a leading provider of customer experience management solutions for fixed and mobile broadband services to deliver its Network Analyzer – Fiber (NA-F) solution.

Motive’s Network Analyzer – Fiber (NA-F) would help STC in reducing the complexity and cost of delivering and managing new fiber services such as high-speed Internet and Internet Protocol television (IPTV).

“The solution also will help improve customer service while reducing support handling times and generate new revenue by simplifying processes needed to increase line speeds.

The Network Analyzer – Fiber, according to the Sherine Aziez, the Regional Communications Manager, Marketing & Communications department, Alcatel Lucent for Middle East and Africa, provides STC with a comprehensive line testing and quality management tool that ensures its fiber lines meet quality and stability requirements for the successful deployment of advanced services. When combined with Motive Home Device Manager and Motive Service View, STC customer service representatives will have a single, consolidated view and control over STC services from the access network deep into the home, enabling them to add on services or resolve problems much faster and more efficiently.

Mr. Maziad Al-Harbi, Saudi Telecom General Manager, Network Services Solutions, stated that STC is committed to continuously utilizing the newest and most advanced technologies to upgrade and enhance the customer experience as well as to introducing new and innovative services to keep pace with the ever evolving needs of the Saudi market.

“The addition of Network Analyzer – Fiber helps us meet our objectives to retain existing customers and attract new ones by improving the quality of the service we can provide them through STC’s advanced fiber services,” Al-Harbi said.

Additionally, the Amr El Leithy, Head of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in the Middle East and Africa, affirmed that STC operates a multi-vendor network and is committed to delivering excellent customer experience with exceptional operational efficiency.

“By deploying the Motive Network Analyzer-Fiber solution, we provide them a single solution that unifies management of the entire network, regardless of whose product is involved. This helps STC go beyond reducing operational costs to manage and deliver next-generation services that improve customer experience and increase profitability,” El-Leithy said.

Pointing out that the capacity of fiber networks to handle huge volumes of data, voice and video traffic with low latency represents a business opportunity for providers to growing revenue through value-added services

“Until now, a stumbling block has been the ability to proactively detect and localize degradations in optical links before they impact customers. As a result, too often customer issues get escalated to more costly network operations resources, impacting time to resolution and customer satisfaction. Another challenge has been learning how much throughput is available on existing networks, and how much more bandwidth they can offer to qualifying customers – information that is critical to effectively up-sell value-added services,” El-Leithy said.

Regional Communication head, explained that Motive Network Analyzer gives service providers additional quality-of-service management capabilities for their copper and fiber networks.

“By providing network operations and front line customer support organizations with the power to track performance in real time, from network provisioning and service performance to line maintenance and upgrades, they can quickly resolve customer service issues ...,” Aziez said.

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Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum 2011 – Communiqué

Thursday, 24 and Friday, 25 March, 2011
Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos, Nigeria

Theme: “Internet Governance & Broadband Evolution in Nigeria”
Following deliberations at a two-day Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum on Internet Governance and
Development (IGD) in Nigeria, organized by DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) in collaboration with the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) and held at the Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos, on Thursday and
Friday, March 24-25, 2011 on the theme “Internet Governance & Broadband Evolution in Nigeria,”
participants restated the call for a more proactive role by every stakeholder through Public Private
Partnership (PPP) in recognition of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) push for the
involvement of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of Information and Communication
Technologies for Development (ICT4D), as well as the Multi-Stakeholder Approach (MAS) being
championed by the global coordinating agency of Domain Name System (DNS), the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
Participants commended NCC for its consistency in supporting Public Private Partnership concept
in Nigeria and urged other government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to borrow a leaf
from NCC.
We urge Internet Service Providers (ISP), hardware makers, operating system vendors and web
companies in Nigeria to make ready their services and equipment for the Internet Protocol Version Six
(IPv6).
Although there are plans for successful migration and co-existence techniques for IPv4 and IPv6
transition, migration to IPv6 has become imperative given the ‘Test Flight’ to be executed on IPv4 on
Wednesday, June 8 2011, being spear-headed by the Internet Society (ISOC) tagged the ‘World IPv6
Day’.
Participants also noted that this Test Flight will permit some major Internet service providers like
Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, Akamai and Limelight networks to offer their contents over IPv6 only for a
24-hour period. The goal of the Test Flight Day is to motivate organizations across the industry – Internet
service providers, hardware makers, operating system vendors and web companies – to prepare their
services for IPv6 to ensure a successful transition as IPv4 addresses run out.
Participants were intimated on the plans by the Nigerian government and internet stakeholders
to host the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) on July 27-29, 2011 in Lagos, in the subNigeria
Digital Sense Forum 2011 – Communiqué
2
region’s preparation for the sixth annual global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) scheduled to hold in
Nairobi, Kenya on September 27 through 30, 2011.
Again, the 2011 edition of the Nigeria Digital Sense forum acknowledged security as a major issue
of concern for the Nigerian Internet community, but noted that while its being discussed at all levels,
stakeholders should not despair, as the platform offered the Nigerian Internet community the
opportunity to assemble and deliberate, educate and proffer solutions on how to make best use of the
situation; taking benefit of the available Internet Access, its Diversity, Openness in addressing matters
concerning Security and its Governance in Nigeria.
The forum further recognized:
1. That members of the Nigeria Internet community must be encouraged to participate at the sixth
Internet Governance Forum, either individually, group or remotely.
2. Calls on Federal Government to establish Broadband Stimulus for the ICT sector to boost
infrastructure deployment.
3. Nigerian Internet Community hereby call for the adoption of Internet Protocol version Six (IPv6)
by all stakeholders, especially the Internet service providers, hardware makers, operating system
vendors and web companies.
4. As matter of urgency that IPv6 awareness and capacity building be organized for both Internet
Services Providers and other stakeholders in Nigeria, mostly with respect to the ‘Test Flight Day –
World IPv6 Day’ before or on June 8, 2011.
5. That distinct seminars and trainings on IPv6 should be regularly organised for the Nigerian
Internet Community in addition to incorporation of IPv6 into the university curriculum.
6. Participants restate calls for the establishment of a National Internet Registry (NIR) to guard the
IP management subjects in the country and develop a ‘National IPv6 Roadmap’ to strategize the
IPv6 transition.
7. Government through the ICT-regulatory agencies should provide incentives to Internet industry
to encourage adoption of IPv6-based infrastructure, especially via tax rebates, with specific call
on upstream Internet connectivity providers to facilitate IPv6 readiness in their networks.
8. All new IT equipment supplied to Government should be IPv6 compliant and Government should
set target date for MDAs to migrate to IPv6 compliant networks.
9. Urged government to address the issues of high-cost of Internet access and devices as well as
ensuring that all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions have well-equipped computer
laboratories fully connect to the Internet.
Nigeria Digital Sense Forum 2011 – Communiqué
3
10. FG should integrate .ng into the rebranding process, while requesting National IT Development
Agency (NITDA) to ensure that MDAs make adequate of use .ng country code Top Level Domain
(ccTLD) name.
11. Nigerians were asked to see .ng ccTLD as their landed property in the cyber space and invest in it.
12. Recognition of the legality and validity of electronic data and its various applications including
writing, information and communication, signatures and certification, contract formation and
performance, data storage/retention and evidence in legal proceedings.’
13. Participants also recognised some non-Legal Constraints impeding the uptake of e-Commerce
and m-Commerce in Nigeria, including high cost of Internet access, poor public power supply,
illiteracy and poverty.
14. State governments in Nigeria should commence actions by enacting relevant e-Commerce and
m-Commerce laws to guide businesses within their domains.
15. Nigeria needs Data Protection and Privacy law to give expression to the constitutional provision
and boost e-Signature recognition and online identification of customer, caching, hacking, use of
cookies etcetera, as well as check terrorism and content Control-Role of ISP’s and Search Engines
operators.
16. Participants further urged for adequate discussion on Applicable Law and Jurisdiction issues in
Internet Transactions/Electronic Contracts so as to avoid cyberspace fallacy.
Stakeholders were charged to:
(a) Involve and collaborate with industry and civil society groups in order to promote civic
participation and engagement of citizens' in matters of common concern – Internet of all things.
(b) Ensure that the National Assembly fast-tracks the passing of cybercrime bill and other related
bills, possibly before the end of the current Legislative session, so as to reaffirm Nigeria’s position
in battling cyber crimes from Nigerian- Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and among the youths.
(c) Reaffirm partnership of the forum through collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDAs) of government, mostly at the Federal level, including NITDA, Galaxy
Backbone (GBB) Plc, and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ministry of Information and
Communications as well as Ministry of Science and Technology public private partnerships.
The Nigeria Digital Sense forum 2011 was proudly supported by MTN Nigeria Communications
Limited, Omatek Plc, Teledom Group, IXPN, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Linkserve, School of
Oriental and African Studies, University of London, United Kingdom; Ashfield and Bowman
Attorneys; Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, and endorsed by Nigeria Internet Registration Association
Nigeria Digital Sense Forum 2011 – Communiqué
4
(NiRA), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON),
Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) etcetra.
The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa 2011, was presided over by the former President, Nigeria
Internet Group and ATCON, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, with a facility tour by participants to Nigeria
Internet Exchange Point facility in Lagos on the second day after a morning session. The forum attracted
over 550 participants, cutting across decision makers, regulators, government representatives, NGOs,
technocrats, ISPs, major GSM/mobile operators, online entrepreneurs, students, market women/men
and religious organisation and community-based organisation.
For further information please contact:
Executive Director, DSA, Nkemdilim Nweke (Mrs), 234-8023725607;
www.digitalsenseafrica.com.ng,
Inquiries: remnekkv@gmail.com, info@digitalsenseafrica.com.ng

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ICANN endorses dot XXX amidst protest

Despite demonstration at the just concluded 40th public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Northern California, United States, against the registration of dot XXX by the global Internet coordinating body, ICANN as a Sponsored Top Level Domain (sTLD).

Usually, the sponsored Top Level Domain represents a specific community interest, while the sponsor carries out delegated policy-formulation.

ITRealms Online recalls that last Thursday, some participants at the 40th public meeting were led by a California-based Free Speech Coalition (FSC) to a demonstration to drum home their points and awkward plans by ICANN to give dot XXX being proposed by ICM Registry a green light.

Barely 24 hours afterwards, the board of ICANN endorsed dot XXX, saying it met all the required registration details to be so approved.

While approving the ICM Registry application for .XXX, ICANN board noted that following the June 25, 2010 substantial public comments were received number over 700, on the process options available to ICANN to consider the Independent Review Panel’s Declaration of February 19, 2010, they accepted in part the findings of the Panel.

“The Board then directed staff ‘to conduct expedited due diligence to ensure that: (1) the ICM Application is still current; and (2) there have been no changes in ICM’s qualifications,’” part of the resolution made available to ITRealms Online read.

Also, the board stated that ICANN staff performed the required due diligence, that showed that the ICM application remained current and that there have been no negative changes in ICM’s qualifications.

Armed with an updated proposed registry agreement which included additional provisions, requirements and safeguards to address the issues that the Government Advisory Committee (GAC) and other community members under ICANN had raised in respect to the previously proposed agreement, the proposed registry agreement and due diligence materials were posted for public comment.

ICANN equally noted that in the over 700 comments received, though few of the comments addressed the terms of the registry agreement, no changes to the registry agreement were recommended in response to the comments.

The global internet coordinating body pointed out that on December 10, 2010, the Board agreed with an assessment that entering into the proposed registry agreement would conflict with only three items of GAC advice and directed the staff to communicate this information to the GAC.

Further, the Board determined that it intends to enter into a registry agreement with ICM Registry for the .XXX sTLD, subject to GAC consultation and advice, and thereby invoked the consultation as provided for in ICANN Bylaws section Article XI, Section 2, Paragraph 1(j).

In addition, ICANN led by its chairman, Mr. Peter Dengate Thrush, and chief executive officer, Mr. Rod Beckstrom, explained at a press meeting on Friday after the reading of board resolution, said that in order to facilitate the Bylaws consultation with the GAC, the Board on January 25, 2011, directed staff to forward a letter from the Board to the GAC clearly setting forth the Board’s position on how the ICM proposed registry agreement meets items of GAC advice, and setting forth the items of GAC advice remaining for consultation, following which the board on March 16, this year, forwarded a letter clarifying GAC advice on the ICM matter to the Committee.

And having carefully considered comments from the community and the GAC in making this decision, in furtherance of ICANN’s mission, the board, according to the Director, Global Media Affairs, Mr. Brad White, has in conjunction with GAC completed a formal Bylaws consultation on those items for which entering the registry agreement might not be consistent with GAC advice.

Hence, he said, the board resolved by authorizing the CEO of ICANN, Mr. Beckstrom or the General Counsel to execute the proposed registry agreement for the .XXX sTLD, in substantially the same form posted for public comment in August 2010.

“The Board’s statement is without prejudice to the rights or obligations of GAC members with regard to public policy issues falling within their responsibilities,” part of the resolution stated.

However, the agitating group under the Free Speech Coalition led by its Executive Director, Ms Diane Duke, noted the imperativeness of the whole issue by the adult industry professionals mostly of the serious ramifications of this complex issue in what she described as a five-part series, which point out some of the atrocities in ICM’s proposal on .XXX TLD, declaring that owning a .XXX TLD may be far more dangerous and detrimental to online business than not.

The adult entertainment industry is certainly no stranger to the use of “child protection” as a pretext to impose unnecessary regulations on it while engaging in direct attacks on the civil liberties of its members. But governments are not the only serial abusers of this hypocritical tactic. ICM also uses “child protection” as one of the fundamental reasons why a .XXX sTLD is needed. It even did so in its application when it made the vague promise to “support the development of tools and programmes to protect vulnerable members of the community.”

ICM also promised ICANN’s Government Advisory Committee (GAC) that it “will donate $10 per year per registration to fund IFFOR’s (International Foundation for Online Responsibility) policy development activities and to provide financial support for the work of online safety organizations, child pornography hotlines, and to sponsor the development of tools and technology to promote child safety and fight child pornography.”

There’s a problem with ICM’s math, however. This is the same ten dollars per year per registration that ICM’s Stuart Lawley described and continued to describe quite differently to the adult entertainment community.

Commenting on the development the president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma, described the approval granted ICM on .XXX as typical definition of endorsement of pornography on the Internet by the coordinating body, especially it having presence on the root of internet, inferring to the TLD.

Remmy Nweke, just back from San Francisco, California, USA:
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