ULR: VGC, Bodex, MTN, Danjay scale NCC hurdle

…As subscribers reach 25.3m

Remmy Nweke

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has approved yet another four winners in its Unified Licensing Regime (ULR) which commenced March 1, this year.

The latest winners include VGC, Bodex, Danjey Teleco, and MTN Communications Nigeria, thus bringing the number of licensees in the new dispensation to eight.

It would be recalled that NCC on Saturday, May 13, this year, announced the award of the first batch of Unified Licenses to Starcomms Limited, Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited, Prest Cable & Satellite TV Systems Limited and Intercellular Nigeria Plc.

This is coming as the subscriber base of the nation has risen to 25.3 million as at June 30, 2006.
Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, disclosed all this to newsmen at the one-day seminar of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) tagged Telecom Investment and Finance Forum in Lagos.

Out of this figure, he said that about 24 million are digital mobile lines, that is, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM).

He attributed the growth in the subscriber-base to the boom in private investment in the telecom sector and huge unmet demand and hunger of consumers for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and the potential of the Nigerian market, banks and non-bank financial institutions have invested close to $8 billion into the sector as at December 2005.

“This was achieved through direct lending to operating companies, vendor finance through equipment suppliers and in some cases, direct equity participation in the operating companies,” he said.

He noted that the role of local and international financial institutions in making this possible is acknowledged, just as he tasked banks and non-banking institutions to make more local funds readily available for telecom sector.

Speaking at the event, President, ATCON, Dr. Ekuwem noted that telecom is second to petroleum and in no distance time would over-take in the economic rating.He also lamented the absence of local content in telecommunications especially the internet, describing the current percentage as abysmal.

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e-Cheque, the future

Remmy Nweke

NIGERIAN businesses would soon witness another revolution that is gradually gaining currency based on deployment of the locally developed software, Remita, to facilitate issuing of electronic cheques (e-cheques).

Remita, which is a salaries and pension solution, is the platform to deliver this innovation of e-cheques.

As said by the Managing Director, SystemSpecs Limited, Mr. John Obaro, Nigerian entrepreneurs should be ready for e-cheques, as that is, the way to future payment solutions.

Listing the values imbedded in one of his firm’s specialised solution for payment, Remita, he explained that e-cheque enables organisations or individuals to begin to write cheques electronically, which could be signed electronically too.

Other values of Remita, which he described as interesting product, include its ability to schedule for contributors that is automated.

This, he said, is in addition to its being available on a touch of a button, stressing that employees’ salaries, for instance, would be paid into their accounts and to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) accordingly.

To achieve this dream, SystemSpecs’ boss said, his firm is partnering the pioneer switching agent in the country, InterSwitch Nigeria Limited, in deploying Remita, a one-stop solution in the nation’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) market place.

He emphasised that Remita, is an electronic courier service that rides on secured e-payment platforms to deliver funds to bank accounts.

Also speaking, Executive Director, HumanManager Services at SystemSpecs, Mr. Deremi Atanda, said the HumanManager family of solution is a multi-currency and multi-language.

“HumanManager is not for any specific industry but for all,” he declared.

Accompanied by the Group Head, Business Development, Mr. Chris Osinubi and Senior Marketing Manager, Mr. Moses Briamah, the director noted that the design concept of HumanManager, was based on self-service and role-based access.

Self-service, he said, is a natural freedom to experience doing things that personally concerns an individual in an Information Management System (IMS).

The satisfaction, Mr. Atanda said, is what the concept is all about.

On the role-based access, he explained, that HumanManager, could be accessed through different perspectives.

“Your role in an organisation determines what you can see or do and is referred to as role based access,” he said.

Further, he said, that the course objective was to expose top executives to the world of HumanManagers possibilities.

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EFCC, ACTON ban night browsing

Remmy Nweke

In continuation of the fight against cyber crimes in the country, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Association of Cybercafes and Telecentre Operators of Nigeria (ACTON) have finally banned night browsing at cybercafes, nationwide.

Browsing is the act of using the Internet for exchange of information. It is also referred to in some quarter as surfing the world wide web, www.

President, ACTONigeria, Mr. Lai Omotola, while disclosing this, said that it was a deal reached between the two entities.

“Finally, night browsing at cybercafes across the nation is hereby stopped until a more consolidated reason is given to act contrary,” he declared.

Mr. Omotola also said that the decision was in adherence to the recently assented to Telecommunications Act 2006, which was endorsed by President Olusegun Obasanjo, on June 5, this year.

It would be recalled that the latest Act transferred the policing of cyber-crimes to telecommunications operators and also empowered the EFCC to enforce its provisions.

The decision followed several meeting between EFCC and ACTONigeria, according to Omotola, which spanned over three sessions both in Abuja and Lagos.

He further said, the meeting fall out included that subscriber identification remained a major content in achieving success in combating cyber-crimes, and to achieve this objective, EFCC suggested that each sector of the telecomm industry, namely the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Operator, Private Telecom Operators (PTOs) and Cyber cafes; should come up with a due care document that would be a standard guide and proffer measures for the effective policing of cyber crime in Nigeria.

Additionally, he said, that at the last meeting of ACTONigeria, a week ago, some measures of due care were adopted, including that henceforth all cybercafes must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and EFCC.

Equally, Mr. Omotola said, his group members must subscribe to a registered and licensed Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the country.

“Cybercafes will now be run on membership basis instead of Pay-As-You-Go. All cybercafes must install acceptable standard level of software and hardware surveillance, the architecture of cybercafes must be done such that all computers are exposed,” he said.

Pointing out that each cybercafe is expected to be a watchdog to others, as they have been detailed to have direct access to EFCC.

Mr. Omotola further explained that although the new regime is harsh on its members, it has presented an opportunity for the association to have a working relationship with officers of EFCC among other organizations.

“In order to stop the indiscriminate raid on cybercafes and to correct the erroneous impression that all cybercafes are set up as a fraud joint,” he noted.

Emphasizing that in the old Law on Cyber crime, café operators are not mandated to monitor what their customers are doing, but with the new reality, stiff penalties await operators that are negligent of their duties.

“We hereby call on all parents and teachers to improve on their role as the primary custodians of these Yahoo boys, since their fraudulent activities have become an infamous phenomenon that have brought Nigeria international disrepute,” he said.

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5th anniversary: Instant bonus for MTN customers

Remmy Nweke

In readiness to celebrate its five-year anniversary in the country, largest Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), is offering subscribers instant bonus with a Bumper 5-in-1 promotional offer.

The offer which commenced weekend is expected to last till Saturday, September 30 this year.

Chief Marketing and Customer Relations Manager at MTN Nigeria, Mr Bola Akingbade, disclosed that the promotion is coming on the heels of a highly successful 90-day Y’ello Times promo that created 90 millionaires in 90 days.

He explained that with the current promo, every airtime recharged that is of N400 minimum would attract a 10 per cent instant airtime bonus for subscribers on MTN, under the Instanta Extension package.

In addition, he said, the Anniversary draws offering will ultimately launch another 30 subscribers into the millionaire status, even as the bonus airtime could be used for on-net calls only.

According to him, subscribers will have the opportunity of making on-net calls for as low as N5 per minute or 10 kobo per second during Happy Hours.

MTN Happy Hours promotion lasts till Friday, September 1 and is applicable from Saturday to Monday between the hours of 00:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.

He also said that the fourth leg of the 5th anniversary package offer is the SIM Pack Price, stressing that while MTN SIM pack still sells for N380, such new subscribers will enjoy free N50 airtime preloaded plus a chance to win big in the 5th anniversary promotion.

Throughout the promo, all MTN subscribers will have a chance to participate and win N10 million in the MTN Who Wants to be a Millionaire quiz competition, which he said is the 5th leg of the promotion.

“There is an opportunity for all customers on the network to qualify for the draw which will be based on tenure – 5 years, 4 years, 3 years, 2 years, 1 year and new customers,” he said.

Emphasising that there will be separate draws for the various tenure groups to ensure that winners emerge from all categories or tenure group.

“There will be two draws – early September and early October. Thirty customers will win N1 million each, 200 customers will win N100,000 each and 500,000 customers will win free N100 airtime,” Akingbade declared.

He further disclosed that qualification for the draw is by a simple purchase of airtime valued at not less than N400 within a period of one month and is available to all classes of subscribers, pre and post paid alike.

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UNGIS mobilises agencies for Information Society

Remmy Nweke

STRIVING to live up to the expectation of Information Society exponents, the office of the Secretary General, United Nations (UN) has inaugurated the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), to strategise and mobilise all its agencies for Information Society readiness.

The group drawn from high-level representation of 22 UN agencies came on stream recently, following a conclusion of meeting at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and chaired by its Secretary General, Mr. Yoshio Utsumi.

It would be recalled that UNGIS was established by Mr Kofi Annan, at the request of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and in consultation with members of the UN system Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).

Chief, Coordination External Relations and Communication, Mr Arthur Levin, said the group would serve as an interagency coordinating mechanism within the UN system to implement the outcomes of WSIS.

UNGIS, he said, would enable synergies aimed at resolving substantive and policy issues, avoiding redundancies and enhancing effectiveness of the system while raising public awareness about the goals and objectives of the global Information Society.

UNGIS will also work to highlight the importance of ICTs in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In order to maximize efficiency, the group, he said, agreed on a work plan which would concentrate its collective efforts each year on one or two cross-cutting themes and on a few selected countries.

UNGIS also would focus on bringing the efforts of the UN system to bear on expanding access to communications, for instance, through multimedia community centres, teleshops, among others.

Drawing on the respective competencies of the different members of the group, UNGIS will also focus on applications related to e-health and e-tourism. At the same time, the group will examine the e-readiness strategies and policies of one or two countries, to be proposed by UNDP, to develop a comprehensive toolkit for bringing the benefits of the Information society to developing countries.

He explained that during the first year, UNGIS will be chaired by ITU, along with United Nations Education and Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Health Organisation (WHO) acting as vice-chairs.

“WSIS has contributed towards a better understanding of the key issues and challenges of the Information Society,” he asserted.

Noting that throughout the two-phased summit process, critical issues such as infrastructure, capacity building, the regulatory environment and financing have been discussed and refined.

Pioneering work on financing ICTs for development and on internet governance has resulted also in the most comprehensive international documents ever endorsed on the topics at the international level.

The summit set critical targets for global connectivity and ICT for development to be reached by 2015 and established 11 action plans to achieve the objectives of the Information Society.

He further said, the outcome outlined a detailed blueprint involving governments, the private sector, civil society, the United Nations and other international organizations for implementation and follow-up at the national, regional and international levels.

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Omatek begins home production for CANi

Remmy Nweke

FOREMOST local assembler of Personal Computers (PCs), Omatek Computers in collaboration with Intel Corporation, has initiated production plans under the Computers for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi), a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

The collaboration is aimed at escalating PC penetration in the country, even as it is expected to create more computer-literate workforce within the nation’s public service and private sectors.

Omatek’s partnership with Intel is to bring actualisation of the federal government’s resolve to abridge the digital divide in the country.

ITRealms Onlinel recollects that at the inauguration of CANi, President Olusegun Obasanjo, used the opportunity to laud local PC manufacturers, especially those who are involved in the project.

According to reports, Omatek Computers was singled out for praise, as he said it “has done Nigeria proud and put Africa onto the map of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) globally.”

This, Obasanjo noted, was evident in Omatek’s emergence of the prestigious 2005 Microsoft Best System Builder award, covering East, Central and West Africa (WECA).

Under this initiative affordable PCs are to be locally produced and distributed to Nigerians for use at reasonable rates through their places of employment, whether in the public or private sector.

CANi is being propelled by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Microsoft Nigeria Limited and Intel, involving stakeholders in the ICT sector and system builders such as Omatek, Zinox, Beta, Brian as well as the Suburban among others.

The initiative’s objective according to its first phase schedule which is in the next two years, is likely to empower not less than 500,000 Nigerians.

For the Managing Director, Omatek, Mrs. Florence Seriki, her firm is hopeful that the project would succeed, therefore with a “glaring and strong relationship between PC penetration and economic well-being of the nation.”

She also said, that the ratio of seven computers to 1,000 Nigerians based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) survey is disturbing and “as such, embarrassing to say the least.”

Mrs. Seriki noted that a good way of responding to the situation is the creation of a Government-Assisted PC Programme (GAPP) like CANi to offer ICT-related benefits to increased number of the populace.

Stressing that with CANi, an ICT foundation is built and citizens become more technology savvy as well as Nigeria, increasing her productivity and e-readiness competitiveness in the comity of African nations in a few years time.

“For this, we need to be grateful to the federal government for taking this bold step, she said.

Further, she said, Omatek already began production of computers locally under the initiative in conjunction with Intel as a way to drive the prices downward.

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Intel commits $1b on WAP, unveils 2 core processors

Remmy Nweke

Global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solution provider, Intel Corporation, has outlined its five-year plans for Nigeria, even as it has committed the sum of $1 billion into its World Ahead Programme (WAP).

WAP is Intel’s initiative to deliver affordable access for Personal Computer (PC) penetration in the Least Developing Countries (LDCs) institutions.

General Manager, Emerging Markets at Intel, Mr. Mark Beckford, said the firm’s plans for Nigeria till 2010, is to train about 10 million teachers with relevant ICT appreciation courses.

This came as Intel introduced two new processors, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme.

He also said the plans would in turn multiply to breeding of about 1 billion students through the use of technology in the country.

Mr. Beckford noted that this will be realized through its WAP initiative via extending broadband PC access to the next billion users.

“Decades of providing technology in growing volume and at decreasing costs have driven great gains for developing communities and people worldwide, but there is still much to do,” he explained.

Pointing out that WAP is based on three core points, namely accessibility, connectivity and education.

On accessibility, he said, it enables Intel to create opportunities for widespread ownership and user of PCs through affordability, access and content. Stressing, this would include development of fully featured, affordable PCs structured to regional needs.

Connectivity within WAP, Mr. Beckford explained entails that Intel expands wireless broadband Internet access by cultivating the required ecosystems and encouraging deployment, consisting of the broad promotion of Worldwide Interoperability for Micro Ware Access (WiMAX) trials and eventual deployments.

Intel also plans to educate and prepare students for success in the global economy through education programmes and resources, comprising professional development for teachers worldwide.

He further explained that while affordability of PCs is crucial, WAP goes beyond simple cost to develop the right systems to drive critical connectivity, cultivate sustainable local capabilities and provide the quality education needed to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Meanwhile, Intel, weekend in Santa, California unveiled 10 Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel® Core 2 Extreme processors for consumer and business desktop and laptop PCs as well as workstations.

This, reshapes how computers perform, look and consume power and most importantly transformation of how people use them.

President and CEO of Intel, Mr. Paul Otellini, said, “The Core 2 Duo processors are simply the best processors in the world. Not since Intel introduced the Pentium processor that the industry has seen the heart of the computer reinvented like this.”

The Core 2 Duo desktop processor, he said, is an energy-efficient marvel, packing 291 million transistors yet consuming 40 per cent lower power, while delivering the performance needed for the applications of today and tomorrow.

He also said that the highly anticipated processor family already has very broad support with over 550 customer system designs underway, which is top in Intel’s history.

“Ultimately, tens of thousands of businesses will sell computers or components based on these processors,” he asserted.

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ICC issues paper on controversial IDN

Remmy Nweke

Task force on the Internet and Information Technology (IT) services, a commission of the world business organisation under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), chaired by Allen Miller, has issued a seven-page paper on the Internationalisation of Domain Names (IDNs).

Domains are identification names on the Internet used uniquely for the distinct entities as numbering address such as countries and organisations. For instance, .org is meant for organisations, .edu for education institutions, .com for commercial purposes to name a few.

The paper was in response to recent introduction of Internet domain names in Letters Digits Hyphen (LDH) characters which has been subject of controversy and debate.

The introduction of Internet domain names in LDH characters is a subject of much controversy and debate in recent times. Whereas some contend that it is an almost trivial exercise, others argued that it is a tremendously complex task that, if done too hastily or without the proper planning, would threaten the integrity and stability of the Internet.

As said by the Policy Manager, Commission on Electronic Business, IT and Telecoms & Commission on Marketing and Advertising at ICC, Manuela van der Laan, in order to make the international business community more aware of the facts and challenges surrounding the introduction of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), the Task Force of ICC developed this issues paper proposes the possibility for drafting a policy statement on the subject in the future.

Currently, the Policy Manager said, this paper is not meant as a policy statement and does therefore not refer to any position. Rather, the paper provides an explanation of IDNs and examines a number of the issues surrounding them, such as “What are Internationalized Domain Names? What is the case for Internationalized Domain Names? What are the general issues and concerns? and What are the potential areas of interest for business?”

ICC, therefore, enjoined interested public to make inputs, hence it has circulated this paper to member companies and also to government decision-makers.

ICC international secretariat, the manager noted, distributed the statement widely, targeting relevant international organizations and associations including the European Commission (EC), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries (CENTR), EUROLINC, Internet Governance Forum (IGF), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Internet Society (ISOC), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Multilingual Domain Names Consortium (MINC), major steering actors such as JDNA, JPRS, KRNIC, CDNC, HKNIC, LACNIC, AINC, APNG), Unicode Consortium, WIPO, AfriNIC among others.

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APC’s DCU updates curriculum

Remmy Nweke

Data Center University (DCU) programmme, an online educational institution for Information Technology (IT) professionals, being propelled by the American Power Conversion (APC), has updated its curriculum.

The latest curriculum also has some new courses and involvement of new educational partners.

End-to-end infrastructure availability provider, APC, while announcing this development said a new set of courses and educational partners have been engaged to further boost the DCU.

The firm, noted that the vendor-neutral courses focus on the critical technologies and best practices that are relevant to leading-edge, scaleable, modular data centre infrastructure.

Since its launch in January this year, DCU’s on-line courses have become an invaluable resource for IT professionals seeking real world training on the fundamental issues of Network-Critical Physical Infrastructure (NCPI) of data centres.

As said by the firm, initially consisting of 20 courses in the subject areas of data centre design, build and operations, the Data Center University recently added 15 new courses, which are, for a limited time, available free online and on-demand at www.datacenteruniversity.com.

Topics for the new courses, APC announced, would include “Calculating Total Cooling Requirements; Advantages of Row and Rack-Oriented Cooling Architectures (Parts I and II in a series); Fundamentals of Cooling Architecture; Calculating Total Power Requirements; Inter-System Ground Noise: Impact on Data Centre Availability; Generator System Requirements for Data Centres; Maximising RFID Network System Availability; Specifications of Data Centre Power Density; Fundamental Principles of Network Security; Standardisation in the Data Centre; Emergency Power Off: Don’t Get Caught in the Dark; Guidelines for Specifications of Data Centre Power Density; Power Distribution Techniques – Part I; and Financial Planning for NCPI Assets in U.S. Data Centres.

It would recalled that recently data centre executives with decades of combined experience participated in the development of the courses.

In addition, APC said, its original partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), several technology and professional organisations recently joined the list of educational partners with Data Center University programme.

These include the Healthcare Information and Management System Society (HIMSS), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, and Building Industry Consulting Services International (BICSI).

Additionally, State Engineering Boards from 18 different United States (US) will award credit for completion of APC Data Center University courses toward maintenance of state board licenses.

DCU courses, APC said, facilitates IT professionals, engineers, facilities managers and others involved in NCPI, an unprecedented opportunity to broaden knowledge on a wide variety of topics related to data centre design and management. Individuals can complete most of the courses in less than one hour and the courses are self-paced.

The APC Data Center University programme also will offer certification paths beginning in the fourth quarter of 2006.

“In just a few months, the APC Data Center University program has been able to meet a critical need for standardised training on the core issues of data centre management and design,” says Carl Kleynhans, country general manager: Africa at APC.

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$20m facility for Starcomms, reaches 400,000 subscribers

Remmy Nweke

TOP Unified License Operator (ULO), Starcomms Limited, has received the green light from its board of directors and fund managers led by Actis Limited, for the tune of $20 million facility, just as it reached 400,000 in subscriber base.

Managing Director, Starcomms, Otunba Maher Qubain, revealed this to newsmen at the telecom investment and finance forum by the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) that was held in Lagos.

He said that the latest figure in its subscribers was based on improved service delivery on its network.

This, he said, was achieved in over three years of active operation in the country.

On the new facility, Qubain disclosed this would aid the operators to introduce aggressive roll-out of its new license within the framework of Unified Licensing Regime (ULR).

Also, he said, this would bring Starcomms facilities in recent times to about $5.5 million.

It would be recalled that Starcomms had in January last year, received shareholders nod to invest estimated $42 million and as at March this year, the telco injected additional $14 million, about N1,793,890,000 billion, as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the firm.

While describing evolution in the nation’s telecommunications industry as Tsunami wave of telecom, the chief executive called on operators to respect the regulator.

Pointing out that it would encourage the regulator to continuously endeavour to create and sustain the good playing ground for all operators.

He further urged banks and non-banking institutions to trust local operators by giving them facilities when need.

For him, it is only when there is no hope at home that some businesses, especially in telecom that require huge funding now look offshore.

He also called on Nigerian banks to assist service providers such as dealers and distribution channels in the sector, mostly those who have potential for good governance.

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Glo presents SIMs to auction winners

Remmy Nweke

Second National Operator (SNO) has presented SIMS to winners of its auction of special numbers in its newly acquired prefix, 0807, which is expected to add about 10 million new subscribers into the network.

This is coming as Globacom launched its Fantastic Four SIM pack in Lagos.

The SIM which has a duplicate made of 18 karat gold was presented by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Mohammed Jameel in a ceremony in Lagos.

He said that the present karat gold was to act as memorable to owners of the 0807 special numbers.

The 20 auctioned Glo lines on 0807, it was gathered that the entire lines was sold out.

Mr. Jameel noted that in few days to come, during the anniversary of the SNO, “we have smashed conventions on all fronts, with our subscribers base getting near the 9 million mark.”

According to him, it is projected that Glo subscribers would exceed the 10 million mark by October this year based on current trends.

“With this enviable record, our 0805 numbering plan has been exhausted and in order to effectively provide for the phenomenal growth on our network, the acquisition of another numbering plan became inevitable,” he said.

The COO further said that the sales of the 0807 SIM packs have commenced in all the retail outlets of the company as well as dealer’s locations nationwide.

Also, Globacom used the opportunity to launch its new product, Fantastic Four SIM pack, a prepaid package in which a group of friends or members of a family could obtain four Glo Classic lines with sequential telephone numbers.

Mr. Jameel explained that the Fantastic Four comes as a new dimension in the allocation of special telephone numbers in the country in giving its subscribers the opportunity to acquire numbers.

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Adebayo, Dapaah lead others to telecom awards-06

Remmy Nweke

MINISTER of Communications, Chief Cornelius Adebayo and his immediate past counterpart in Ghana, Dr. Kan Dapaah, would lead other personalities to this year’s telecom awards.

The organisers led by Mr. Biodun Ajiboye, informed that about four ministers have confirmed attendance for the event scheduled for August 12 in Lagos.

These ministers, he said, include Chief Adebayo, Minister of Works, Chief Femi Anibaba and his counterpart in the Industries, Mr. Fidelis Tagun, as well as the Culture and Tourism colleague, Mr. Femi Kani-Kayode.

The former Ghanaian Communications Minister, and presently the Interior Minister, Dr. Kan Dapaah, and Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, he said, have also promised to grace the occasion.

Equally, the Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Okunade Sijuwade and Oba of Lagos, His Highness, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu have given their blessings to grace the event.

The organisers said the award is structured annually to honour Nigerians who have contributed to the advancement of the telecommunication sector.

According to Ajiboye, in a press statement made available to ITRealms Onlinel, former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, also has accepted to preside over the occasion.

Further, he said, that Senator Florence Ita-Giwa would feature as the chairlady of the event, whereas anticipated roll-call would include President Olusegun Obasanjo, who won the Platinum award, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) at NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who won the Diamond and Gold award respectively.

He gave the list of second category of awardees to include former Communications Minister, Chief Olawale Ige, who bagged the Evergreen award, while Dr. Pascal Dozie, chairman, MTN Nigeria Communications was named for the largest GSM network award.

Executive Director of Unified License Operator (ULO), Multilinks, Chief Ezekiel Fatoye and chairman, Starcomms, Chief Maan Lababidi would pick the awards on long service and largest Private Telecom Operator (PTO) respectively.

Additionally, those who have so far indicated interest consist of Vmobile, Glo, Multilinks, VGC, MTS, Cable and Wireless, Motorola, Skye Bank to name a few.

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