BNP Paribas, another face of Pentascope?

Choice of BNP Paribas as the winner of consulting bid for NITEL’s new core investor is raising some question marks among industry players, reports REMMY NWEKE.


One key question begging for an answer among the nation’s telecommunications stakeholders since the announcement that BNP Paribas won the consulting bid to find the new core investor for the moribund Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) has been “if this is not another face of Pentascope?”

ITRealms Online recalls that currently the Senate is probing the over 18 months management contract awarded to Pentascope by the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) charged with the privatization of federal government owned public companies, under controversial means to transform NITEL, which left the national operator more epileptic and indebted than ever before.

The Federal Government through the National Council on Privatization (NCP) presided over by the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, announced last week Monday, the emergence of the BNP Paribas/Eleda Capital Partners Consortium as consultant for the privatization of NITEL and its subsidiary, the Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTel) with six months deadline to complete this assignment.

NCP was established in accordance with the provisions of the Public Enterprises (Privatization and Commercialization) Act of 1999 with functions including determination of the political, economic and social objectives of privatization and commercialization of the selected public entities marked for that purpose.

Briefing newsmen after the council meeting, the Minister of State for Information and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, said negotiations will commence between the technical committee of NCP and the preferred bidder as soon as possible.

According to him, BNP was adjudged to have scored the highest combined technical and financial score of 82.4 per cent in the financial bids conducted by BPE on July 31, 2008.

He also said that at the conclusion of negotiations, contract would be signed between BPE and the winning consortium among others.

But ITRealms Online investigations revealed that BNP Paribas has ‘intimate’ relationship with Netherlands-based Pentascope International.

BNP described its business as ‘implementation specialists’ with network of 300 professional staff members and 500 partners actively throughout Europe, whereas it has offices in Netherlands, adding that BNP Paribas also implements together with its network partners including Pentascope Partnerweb.

“When we can’t provide the necessarily expertise ourselves or don’t have enough manpower at the time of your request, we turn to the Pentascope Partnerweb,” according to Paribas’ website on ‘Who we work with’.

However, media reports have it that Pentascope files are presently missing at NITEL while the bulk of employees at BNP Paribas (Nigeria) were said to have been drafted from BPE, the principle agency charged with privatization.

Head, Communications at BPE, Mr. Joe Anichebe affirmed this, saying that his office was aware that most Nigerian workers with Paribas are “former staff of BPE” and at the same time, the agency handled the privatization exercise with BNP Paribas.

This, experts argued does not in anyway make the latest consulting bidding transparent, insisting that Nigeria has lots of local consulting telecom engineers to tap from or even engaged by BPE.

Doubting the transparent emergence of BNP Paribas in the purported bid, Senate Chairman on Communications, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, noted that Paribas could not be a worthy consultant or advisor to BPE in the latest shift by the government to find new core investor for NITEL after the failure of Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) Plc to live up to billings.

He was reported as claiming that they invariably have adequate information on record of the consultant who in the past did not do a commendable work just as a good number of its current staff were former executives of BPE makes the process unacceptable.

Corroborating this position, a Lagos-based telecommunications consultant, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu contended that BPE has no reason not to use local expertise since it is naturally expected that it should have been pairing foreign advisors with local experts in the past efforts on NITEL without success.

He pointed out that various aspects of NITEL’s re-privatization process, indicated that BPE is not only incompetent but has manifested “anti-Nigeria” traits.

“We expect BPE to have been insisting that foreign advisors partner with indigenous expertise in the past exercises. Could it be that Nigerians who partnered with the foreigners in the past can still not do the job? If they cannot, Nigerians deserve to know who they are and they should be able to say what their problems are. It is not rocket-science to privatize NITEL. We should have had enough of the waste we incurred on hiring these advisors who produce nothing but pains for us,” Omo-Ettu declared.

Noteworthy is that the federal government sacked Pentascope International in first quarter of 2005, after it allegedly incurred additional debts running into millions of dollars rather than proffering solution to NITEL’s misfortune.

This came as the Senate recently said it could not lay hands on the documents relating to the loan Pentascope took within six months of taking over the management of NITEL, to the tune of N40 billion with additional treasury bills worth N13 billion, while the proposed N59 billion to be made based on its engagement projections is nowhere to be found.

Other questions on the lips of industry players begging for answers include whether BPE actually observed due process in selecting BNP Paribas, given its antecedents in Nigerian telecom sector; obviously not encouraging and most importantly the link with Pentascope as well as the glaring undertone of engaging most BPE staff for its operations in Nigeria.

Therefore, is Pentascope returning to Nigeria via BNP Paribas to finish the work on ‘NITEL’ that was inconclusive?

Nigerians are watching to see if government officials are deliberately closing their eyes against all facts as the search for new core investor continues into the next year with the six months deadline given to Paribas; rather than ending the search in December as earlier agreed between the government and Transcorp.


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CAP, EI collaborate on e-learning confab-08

Computer and Associated Products (CAP) Limited is collaborating with the European Institute (EI) for e-learning on a three-day conference and exhibition, tagged ‘Learning Technologies Africa 2008.’

Briefing the media in Lagos at the weekend, the event director for Learning Technologies Africa (LTA) 2008, Mr. Sam Juwe, said the theme for this year’s confab is “Delivering Qualitative Education,” and has been scheduled to hold at the Abuja Sheraton Hotels and Towers between September, Monday 8 through Wednesday 10.

He also said the event as a Pan-African initiative, is geared towards building digital competencies in the knowledge society on the continent.

Juwe said the confab would be an assemblage of stakeholders from the core Information Technology (IT) sub-sector, education, government and civil society to take a look at the state of education delivery in Africa and chart strategies that would bring about enhanced quality, and based on modern technologies in education.

LTA, according to him, has been created to provide an international showcase of practical, effective and innovative approaches to modern day delivery of education, training and lifelong learning, adding that modern learning technologies have become the mainstream in global education and training systems.

He pointed out that internet connectivity and equipment availability remained a central issue on the continent, while the other challenges are related to pedagogy, content, quality assurance and standards, as well as the training of teachers, continuous development, organizational change and the transformation of education.

“African nations lack qualitative education and the necessary investment capacity and that very little progress has been made in the area of new Information and Communications Technologies (ICT),” he asserted.

The conference, he said, is meant to address most of these lapses and would reflect on the need to reform education and training systems for the knowledge society, promoting digital literacy and e-skills, the up-skill of the workforce for life-long learning for all, among others.

The conference is structured in such a way that it would provide a vision for African e-learning policies, take stock of the current situation and work towards developing a forward-looking approach.


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Abstech holds passing out ceremony

Plans have been concluded by Abstech Computer Institute (ACI) for its second graduation and award ceremony for the 2008/2009 students.

A press statement from the ACI made available to ITRealms Online by the Proprietress of the Institute, Miss. Abiodun Opanuga said the institute is known for qualitative training of future Information Technology (IT) professionals, and parades qualified, efficient and hardworking teachers.

She said that the highlights of the event, scheduled for Saturday, September 6, at the school’s premises at Illa Oragun Street, Ketu/Agboyi Local government area of Lagos, include award of Diploma Certificates to deserving students in IT courses.

She explained that Abstech is not only an IT-based institution but was basically designed to produce professionals in order to cushion the effect of inadequate experts in the field of information management.

“We also handles training in Diploma for Desk-Top Publishing, Word Processing, Information Management school, Web and Graphic design respectively,” she said.
ACI, she added, was established in September 2006 with the aims and objectives “of our school being to continually build IT professionals.”

She added that few of the fresh graduating students would move into the labour market in search of suitable jobs in order to fill the available vacancies in both IT firms, industries, government sectors, commercial sectors, banking and finance corporate world, self employment while others may decide to further their courses in higher diploma in various computers and IT courses.


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Nirph microfinance solution hits market

Information Technology (IT) firm, Nirph Digital, has hit the market place with an identity solution, Microfinance Technology.

The firm said it tends to revolutionize the nation’s microfinance industry with the customization of its identity solution to meet the specific needs of all microfinance institutions nationwide.

The solution, known as Nirph Microfinance Technology, a Customer Identity Solution (CIS), according to the chairman and chief executive officer, Nirph Digital, Mr. Bamidele Asorona, was designed to explicitly remove multiple identities, track customer lending and assist credit bureaus in profiling.

The product, already tested in other parts of the world, he said, complied with Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) a and has the capacity to attract both local and foreign investment into the country.

He added that the firm decided to offer the microfinance sector of the nation’s economy this unique product based on the desire to make the economic activities in the country more active.

Mr. Asorona noted that most of the current microfinance institutions in the country today have grown from the old community banks, many of which closed shops due to the challenges of identity fraud.

“This particular challenge made it possible for fraudsters to collect loans from different community banks at the same time using different identity. The inability of the community banks to track those fraudsters within the system led to the collapse of many of them,” he said, stressing that in order to avert this, Nirph CIS software for microfinance was introduced.

Each package, he pointed out comes with a software installation compact disc (CD), digital pan and zoom Nirph camera and a fingerprint scanner.


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Etisalat’s plans for GSM subscribers

Nigeria as the most populous black nation basically had about 400,000 fixed lines and 20,000 mobile lines as at year 2000, barely a year after the enthronement of democratic rule in the country.

Also on record was that as at June 30, 2008, Nigeria had estimated 54 million connected active mobile lines while as at March 2008, the apex telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said there were about 60.9 million phone subscribers in the country.

Nigeria’s acclaimed leadership in emerging telecommunications market globally according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) appraisal among its peers in less than seven years, is no longer in doubt.

It all begun like a big dream by a big nation with the deregulation of the telecommunications sector elucidated by the political will of the then federal government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo, following the worldly acknowledged auctioning of the first batch of Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) in February 2001 and by August of the same year most of the initial three licensees, namely the MTN, Econet now Zain and MTel have commenced roll out at various stages.
And two years later, the Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom, was licensed with avalanche of licenses including another GSM license.

For most Nigerians, yes, it may have taken the aforementioned operators just about seven months to commence roll out, especially those in the first batch, but to what extent have that taken the telecom subscribers in terms of Quality of Service (QoS)? It was not surprising that NCC recently dragged some telecom operators to the law court in search of compensation for consumers, including a high number of dropped calls, poor interconnectivity to other networks exorbitant tariffs to name a few as well as placing ban on sales promotions until services improve, mostly across the GSM networks.

In addition, some industry analysts noted that those few months prior to roll out although was spurred by competition. Nevertheless it was not enough time to properly lay the relevant foundation for endearing telecom services for Nigerians.
Equally, it was postulated that the idea then for most of these GSM licensees was to use what they invariably have to get what they want by way of going to the market no matter how bad and overtime use what they generate as revenue to re-invest into the sector.

Then came the fifth GSM operator, the Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) operating as Etisalat Nigeria, scaling through the NCC requirements by paying $400 million (about N516 million), to acquire the Unified Access License (UAL), which offers the telco a mobile license and spectrum in the GSM 1800 and 900 Mega Hertz (MHz). EMTS got the license in collaboration with the United Arab Emirate firm, Mubadala Development Company the parent company of Etisalat.

This follows the endorsement of Etisalat by NCC last April for making its first official call on the network after receiving 0809 prefix from the regulator.

Chief Executive officer, Mr. Saoud Al Shamsi said that considering the pedigree of the telco in managing over 600 million subscribers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Etisalat is determined to replicate a unique feat achieved in Egypt by targeting to engage over 5 million subscribers within one year of commercial launch in that market.

“It is because of that kind of services and quality that we have managed to do that and we do not think that our performance and accomplishment in Nigeria will be anything less,” Al Shamsi said, noting that with presence in 15 countries, 10 of which are in Africa, Etisalat has thrived in building a network that spans MEA and Asia and could even be tagged as more difficult markets than Nigeria infrastructure-wise, stressing “We’re putting and rolling out the network in various cities of Nigeria so that we have greater coverage and we have better reach to the various ends of Nigeria.”

While urging Nigerians to expect Etisalat services eventually at every end of the nation’s geographic representation, Mr. Al Shamsi insisted that its entrance into the Nigerian market was not motivated by early profit, premature launch and then face the quality of service issues.

“We’re trying to manage all of these problems before we give the Nigerian consumers exposure to ourselves,” he asserted.

Also, by end of April 2008, saw Etisalat moving into its own property as corporate office complex. A move depicted by the Head, Communications at Etisalat Nigeria, Mrs. Nwugo Nwoke, as a demonstration of the telco’s attentiveness to offer Nigerians world-class services.

She said that the property located in the highbrow Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, provides Etisalat’s top-rated employees with the right environment to function with their possible best, even as the acquisition is a confirmation of the telco’s believe in Nigeria dream.

ITRealms Online gathered that about 500 staff of Etisalat were recently inducted into the firm’s strategic training programme to inculcate its core values, vision, mission, and ambitions on the employees. Just as 150 customer-facing staff have completed training and were deployed to the state-of-the-art Call Centre facilities in Lagos.

Vice President Marketing, Mr. Wael Ammar said Etisalat’s business has not only been the hallmark of global quality but is key to its latest ranking as the largest telecommunications company in both the Middle East and Africa.

We, therefore, place a high premium on training our staff as well as on the quality of services we offer our customers,” Ammar said, adding that the telco has completed core network implementation as well as full integration of its switching systems cum intelligent network Online Charging System (OCS).

Pointing out that Etisalat has completed interconnectivity to other major GSM and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators in the country.

Confirming this, the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Oladamoye Oyesiku said that the operator as the fastest growing telco in the world “is committed to providing world-class telecommunications services to prospective customers in fulfillment of our mandate in Nigeria and in line with our operating standards in over 15 other countries.”

Noteworthy is that three rating agencies lately confirmed Etisalat’s competitive edge, according to recent studies by Standard & Poor’s (A +), Moody’s (Aa2) and Fitch Rating (AA-), saying the firm is the fastest growing telecommunications company in the world, with very strong economical edge. Recollecting that last month, the global rating of Etisalat continued to soar ahead of its commercial launch in the country by Financial Times rankings (FT500).

Responding to this rating development, chairman, EMTS owners of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, said the ratings are fitting testimonials to the operator’s high standards of performance.

“These coming just as we fine-tune plans to deliver commercial services to Nigerians, strengthens our commitment to replicating the prudent financial strategy in order to build a network that is stable and offers Nigerians access to world class telecommunications,” he said.

“We’re capable of maintaining Etisalat’s track record in quality services, stable growth, as well as in other areas of our operations,” he assured.

With these words from Osagie, probably Nigeria telecom subscribers should not expect less from Etisalat, given that customer satisfaction and QoS formed part of the agenda for the fifth NCC organized Telecom Consumers Parliament which held at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, last weekend.

Indeed, expectations of telecom consumers are high for a more vibrant and reassuring offer as Etisalat has advanced plans to further revolutionize the telecommunications industry with the launch of its services that will make mobile telephony a pleasure for all its subscribers.


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‘Broadband is essential to convergence’

Chief telecom regulator and executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has identified broadband infrastructure as essential to successful convergence.

Making this declaration at the second edition of the ITEdge West African Convergence forum in Lagos, Ndukwe said NCC had adopted a proactive approach to convergence through the introduction of the unified licensing regime and had also decided to address some of the key challenges so as to drive convergence particularly in the area of broadband infrastructure through the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) and Wire Nigeria (WIN) projects.

NCC, he said, established the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) to build capacity for the expansive growth in the industry as well as address its inherent dynamics including the shift towards convergence.

“We recognized that the industry faces serious challenges in the area of capacity to manage and sustain the growth,” he said.
The commission, Ndukwe also said, recognized the fact that part of the challenges facing the industry constantly has been that of knowledge advancement.
“Our support for initiatives such as the IT Edge Convergence Forum is borne out of the need to foster knowledge building in the sector,” said Ndukwe.
ITRealms Online gathered that over 20 speakers from Nigeria and Ghana led deliberations at the one day forum put together by Knowledge Media International (KMI) Limited publishers of IT Edge, while participants also cut across Rwanda.
The forum, according to the organizers, was designed to allow stakeholders articulate the way forward. “We see bumper growth ahead and the merging of opportunities that were once separated across different regulatory areas thus the convergence forum was conceived to help in getting stakeholders optimize these opportunities” said chief executive KMI and editor of IT Edge Segun Oruame.
The speakers included consultant to the United Nations on ICT4D, Ghanaian Prof. Clement Dzidonu, CEO of Ibadan based ISP Skannet, Sunday Folayan, and CEO of Connect Technologies Chris Uwaje, who set the tone for discussions at the forum with their opening session on ‘West Africa: The Convergence-Environment and Policy Implications,’ chaired by former President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Alhaji Ladi Ogunneye. Other speakers include UN consultant and former boss of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Dr. Gabriel Obi and ICT consultant and CEO of Alteq, Dr. Armstrong Takang.
For Folayan, the mobile TV and other devices are challenging the way people look at convergence and its implications on equitable resource utilization and fair competition.
The convergence craft, he said, is driven by twin propellers of technological digitization and market liberalization.
“Traditional modes of communication and their economies of scale are giving way to environments that are more fragmented and competitive, but more international in nature. Regulatory domains are fast blurring and there are already talks in the direction of regulatory convergence,” he said.
“Convergence would be more meaningful if it can impact on people within the context of practical development for the people and not just within the context of its commercial value for operators,” said Dzidonu, adding that government and policy makers have a responsibility to ensure that the benefits of convergence is brought closer home to the grassroots.
Equally for the chief executive Disc Communications, Mr. Bayo Banjo, both the NCC and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have mutually complimentary roles, arguing that the concept of convergence should not be taking to mean the erosion of roles for any of the two government institutions.
“There is room for regulation of content and the adoption of information that affects public reasoning,” he said.
The forum’s partners and key sponsors led by the NCC and the National Space Research Development Agency included Phase 3 Telecom, Galaxy Backbone, NeGSt Limited, Backbone Connectivity Network and leading IT training institution NIIT.


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Digitest seeks govt support, hosts 430 kids

National Coordinator, Digital Peers International (DPI), the organizers of Digitest, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, has solicited for more support from government at all levels for the programme as a way of investing in the future of the youths. Just as about 430 children from across the country took part in this year’s edition which ended last weekend.

DPI annually organizes Information and Communications Technology (ICT) camp for children under the ages of 8 and 18 known as Digitest to develop contents on the Internet.

Mrs. Odusote told ITRealms Online at the Queens College Yaba venue of 2008 Digitest, that if the government bankrolls the project it would be advantageous to the nation in particular and the continent in general.

“If government bankrolls this type of project, it will be to the advantage of the nation, it will be advantage of the Nigerian children and Africa eventually, because this is where we are going. We’re going to bring up the Bill Gates of this nation out in some years to come and many people will see it and understand what we’re talking about. But while we’re labouring now it will be great if we get a lot more support from government,” she said.

On how DPI volunteers have managed to cope with the large numbers of participants in camp, she said the children have shown they are good, science-based and are serious even as they find knowledge in ICT very attractive.

She also said there are a number of capable volunteers as facilitators that help to control and manage the students.

“We have challenges in bringing children from diverse cultural background to work together in an environment like this and with God on our side we have been able to control them,” she said.

On Digitest 2008, the coordinator said there is a lot improvement because there has been some interactions at much higher level and that the facilitators themselves are becoming more matured.

Mrs. Odusote regretted that the support has not been like in the past, saying that by now the programme should be self-supporting.

She also thanked the management of Queens College, Yaba-Lagos for their support and understanding by way of making available the school’s facility for the camp.

Also speaking, the camp commandant, Mr. Modadeoluwa Akinwande said Digitest is an annual camp that brings children from all over the federation to a camp where they are taught for two weeks on how to design their own websites and how to apply ICT to their lives with about 430 of them participating this year.

He equally said the programme is of two categories ranging from ages 8-12 for juniors and 13-18 for senior categories respectively.

Some of the participants including Nasir Abdulqadre and Eke Mary-Ann from Katsina and Benue States respectively expressed delight with the camp organisation and the experiences they have had in the last two weeks. Prizes such as laptops, desktop computers, ipods, digital cameras were won by the first four in each category as well as their teachers.

Digitest began in 2000 and has local and international editions which is held abroad. DPI, a non-governmental organization with the primary purpose of promoting ICT interest amongst women and children, while this year’s theme was “e-business: No barriers, no boundaries.”


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MWeb introduces Hughes 7740 with VoIP

MWEB Nigeria has announced the introduction of Hughes HNS 7740 with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

The new modem, according to Mrs. Muyiwa Esomojumi in a press statement, said it would allow customers to make point-to-point calls free, that is, interbranch calls are free; which is outside the data transmission they would be conducting.

The VoIP and data transmission, she also said, could be done simultaneously.
Stressing that the clarity and one dial features of the VAP makes it easy for clients on MWeb to conduct their businesses with ease and peace of mind.

“Our promise of being solutions provider is a major part of the VoIP launch; we want to see our customers grow in their businesses and we want that done using the barest minimum of investment,” she declared.

As said by her, MWEB Nigeria is gradually changing the way internet business is being provided to customers by giving value for money and ensuring that customers could rely on the firm in regards to their daily operations.

“We do the worrying and allow them to go to sleep; being rest assured that MWEB is in control of their business,” she said.


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Glo connects fixed subscribers in 2 cities

Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom, has commenced commercial service on its fixed line operation as it connected key corporates in two cities of Lagos and Abuja.
A press statement made available to ITRealms Online, weekend from the SNO, informed that the telecommunications giant is also ready to introduce fixed line services to individuals in key cities nationwide.

Globacom said its fixed switches are already live in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin and Ibadan, stressing that in Lagos, over 50,000 lines are available in the first instance apart from the ones on offer to corporate organizations, individuals and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Acting Chief Operating Officer, Glo Broad Access, the fixed line arm of Globacom, Mr. Martin Olowonihi confirmed that over 3,000 of these lines have been connected to corporates in Lagos and Abuja, adding that copper cable laying around Lagos is nearing completion and soon, to be available to all who desire not just a reliable voice medium but also faster and more dependable wired lines.

“Retail sales to individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises is also ready in Lagos where copper work is almost completed as over 50,000 lines will be available in Lagos, while 12 others cities will soon benefit from this retail sales because the copper works for the metro rings have reached advanced stages. With the infrastructure almost ready throughout Lagos, we will very soon be offering the much awaited Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) services (Internet) to whole lot of individuals, SMEs and corporates”, he said.

He explained that ADSL is the most reliable and super-fast form of accessing internet compared to the wireless medium available currently from other operators nationwide.

Olowonihi further said that it took a little longer than expected to roll out fixed line services because Globacom’s desire is to always bring the best to Nigerians which could not be compromised.

“In line with its leadership position in bringing world class and innovative services to Nigeria, the voice and ADSL services will soon be followed by innovative offerings like video conferencing, video on Demand, Virtual Private Network (VPN), cable TV and so on,” he said.
In order to enhance its fixed line service delivery, Globacom is also aggressively expanding its Optic Fibre network across the country.

ITRealms Online recalls that recently, Globacom launched the Eket, Onitsha-Awka, Owerri-Onitsha and Enugu-Awka Optic Fibre routes. The fibre cable network has already covered the entire Lagos-Abeokuta-Ibadan route, Lagos-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin-Sapele-Warri-Kaima (Yenegoa junction)-Port Harcourt route, Port Harcourt-Aba-Owerri-Enugu, Onitsha-Awka, Owerri-Onitsha route and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano and Abuja-Minna routes.

Just as more states are being linked up to give Nigerians seamless and effective communication technology.

ITRealms Online further gathered that in the next few weeks, Port Harcourt-Aba and Aba–Umuahia optic fibre link will be commissioned.


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Glo connects fixed subscribers in 2 cities

Second National Operator (SNO), Globacom, has commenced commercial service on its fixed line operation as it connected key corporates in two cities of Lagos and Abuja.
A press statement made available to ITRealms Online, weekend from the SNO, informed that the telecommunications giant is also ready to introduce fixed line services to individuals in key cities nationwide.

Globacom said its fixed switches are already live in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin and Ibadan, stressing that in Lagos, over 50,000 lines are available in the first instance apart from the ones on offer to corporate organizations, individuals and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Acting Chief Operating Officer, Glo Broad Access, the fixed line arm of Globacom, Mr. Martin Olowonihi confirmed that over 3,000 of these lines have been connected to corporates in Lagos and Abuja, adding that copper cable laying around Lagos is nearing completion and soon, to be available to all who desire not just a reliable voice medium but also faster and more dependable wired lines.

“Retail sales to individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises is also ready in Lagos where copper work is almost completed as over 50,000 lines will be available in Lagos, while 12 others cities will soon benefit from this retail sales because the copper works for the metro rings have reached advanced stages. With the infrastructure almost ready throughout Lagos, we will very soon be offering the much awaited Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) services (Internet) to whole lot of individuals, SMEs and corporates”, he said.

He explained that ADSL is the most reliable and super-fast form of accessing internet compared to the wireless medium available currently from other operators nationwide.

Olowonihi further said that it took a little longer than expected to roll out fixed line services because Globacom’s desire is to always bring the best to Nigerians which could not be compromised.

“In line with its leadership position in bringing world class and innovative services to Nigeria, the voice and ADSL services will soon be followed by innovative offerings like video conferencing, video on Demand, Virtual Private Network (VPN), cable TV and so on,” he said.
In order to enhance its fixed line service delivery, Globacom is also aggressively expanding its Optic Fibre network across the country.

ITRealms Online recalls that recently, Globacom launched the Eket, Onitsha-Awka, Owerri-Onitsha and Enugu-Awka Optic Fibre routes. The fibre cable network has already covered the entire Lagos-Abeokuta-Ibadan route, Lagos-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin-Sapele-Warri-Kaima (Yenegoa junction)-Port Harcourt route, Port Harcourt-Aba-Owerri-Enugu, Onitsha-Awka, Owerri-Onitsha route and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano and Abuja-Minna routes.

Just as more states are being linked up to give Nigerians seamless and effective communication technology.

ITRealms Online further gathered that in the next few weeks, Port Harcourt-Aba and Aba–Umuahia optic fibre link will be commissioned.


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New Horizons invests N5bn on varsities

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training institute, New Horizons, would before the end of December this year invest a total sum of N500,000,000 billion (about $5Million) on seven universities.

Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons, Mr. Tim Akano made this disclosure in Lagos and said that the sum will be used to upgrade youth skills in ICT in several universities across the country, including University of Ibadan (UI), Lagos State University (LASU), Babcock, Covenant, Crawford, Crescent, and Lead City Universities.

According to him, the fund will be used in acquiring over 2,000 computer systems, software, and other training facilities in these universities.

Akano also said that New Horizons took the decision to embark on this project with a view of assisting the nation in meeting its “Year 2020 Vision” which is basically geared at making Nigeria one of the top 20 countries in the world.

Nigeria, he said, could only become a world power, if it invests heavily in training the citizenry in the field of ICT, noting that India, China, Malaysia and Costa Rica have taken a similar path and today they are tagged as successful for that critical decision.

Akano expressed the belief that if Nigeria follow a similar path it will achieve its vision of becoming a world power before year 2020, emphasizing that the initiative been pursued by New Horizons will involve training of over 20,000 students on ICT certification-based training starting from this month of September.

“This is by far the largest number of people in the whole world that an ICT training firm will be training at once,” he declared.

Mr. Akano explained the basis of the project and the value it portends for the country, saying that New Horizons is partnering with the universities in order to provide the students with the opportunity of acquiring much needed industry based ICT certification skills that will make it easier for them to get employment in any part of the world; provide them with the skills to become technology entrepreneurs and wealth creators, that is, create, produce and market hardware and software products and services; make it easier for them to integrate should they travel abroad.

“It is also aimed at boosting Nigeria’s earning capacity in a knowledge driven, globalized world thereby bringing about socio-economic development and prosperity,” he said.


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Nokia opens care centre @ Ikeja

GLOBAL brand, Nokia Nigeria Limited, weekend opened a customer care centre at Ikeja-Lagos., reports CHARLES OKOH.

Speaking at the ceremony, Technical Manager, Best Service Raya, Mr. Ahmed Magdy, said Nokia as a user-friendly product is aiming to be the leader in after sales care service in the industry, just as his firm intends to cover the entire country in the nearest future.

Mr. Magdy noted that this brings to five the number of such centres across the nation, adding that the centre which is located at Cash & Carry in Ikeja, would deliver quality services to Nokia customers.

He also said the centre would provide services for all purchases made under one year warranty, maintaining that these services are available to Nokia users provided the handsets were bought from genuine dealers within the country.

Advising against purchasing handsets from unauthorized dealers, he pointed out that his firm would not provide after sales services for such handsets.

Also speaking, Mr. Richard Adewunmi of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said the campaign by the organization has been that materials brought into the country should be supported with after sales care service.

He called on manufacturers to always provide warranty, as failure in this regard, would amount to shortchanging the end users.

“SON will partner with manufacturers to check the infiltration of fake products into the country and a centre that is worthy to use is being provided today and will get the backing of the organization,” he said.

Mr. Adewunmi further implored mobile manufacturers to set up assembly plants in the country so as to create jobs, cautioning citizens to think safety and health when buying electronic gadgets.

“We should not be kobo wise and naira foolish, and the only way we can help ourselves is to patronize recognized centres where when you have problem you can take it back to them. Sometimes we add a little bit more to get good services and get better safety, rather than just going out there to get anything and this is where SON is most concerned, we emphasize more on safety,” he stated.

On what SON is doing to check the infiltration of fake handsets into the country, he said it is difficult to check because they are brought in piece-meal and such importers would not state that it is handset they are bringing in.

“If you go to the container terminal, you will never see a container carrying handset. People import these things in piece-meal so it is very difficult to control and that is why we are having this problem,” he declared.


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MTN’s community phone debuts

MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, last weekend unveiled its community phone project in the northern city of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Head of Service in the state, Mr. Ali Gamba who represented the governor, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff performed the unveiling to formally flag-off the community phone project.

He applauded MTN for bringing telecommunications services closer to the people at the grassroots, especially in the state.

“The people of Maiduguri will be eternally grateful to MTN for this initiative. As far as Borno State is concerned, MTN has always been the number one network, and now, this community based telephone service, coming again from MTN; thus giving the people unlimited access to talk for almost free of charge, MTN we thank you,” Sheriff said.

Throwing more light on the initiative, MTN Xtra connect Brand Manager, Mrs. Saidat Lawal Mohammed, said that for MTN, the people in the rural communities should not be shout out from the rest of the world.

“They need to be connected to their kit and kin all over the world; they need to do business with people and the people in turn needed to do business with the rest of the world knowing that the world has now become a global village,” she said.

Underscoring the fact that the community phone gives the telco an opportunity to reach out to some of its customers in the rural areas who have a need for communication and the opportunities it brings to improve all aspects of their lives whether personal or business.

Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer, Equatel, a partner to MTN Nigeria on the project, Mr. Henry Onaga, said that the initiative is borne out of extensive research embarked upon by his firm in conjunction with the European and American based firms.

“In 2002, we embarked on extensive research on how we can make people in rural communities talk more for less, the launch we are witnessing here today is a product of this research, the first of its kind anywhere on the continent of Africa,” he asserted.

The procedure for operating a community phone involves booths located at designated centers.

“What a customer needs to do is to buy a specially made SIM card which is very affordable, insert the SIM and start to make his or her call. The tariff comes with flat rate of N22 Naira per minute to any network and N37 per second to any network. The recharge cards come in N100 and N200 denominations. On the community phone, a customer can enjoy the same service that is obtainable from a GSM handset. One can send an SMS, make and receive calls,” he explained.

Other dignitaries present at the occasion included the permanent secretary in the office of the Head of Service, Alhaji Abba Kaka Jato, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Managing Director, New Millennium Resources Limited, Maiduguri and the General Manager, Maiduguri International Hotel, Barrister Hadizatu Mustapha.


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LBS to host 08-Microsoft Partner University

Arrangements have been concluded to ensure the successful hosting of this year’s Microsoft Partner University by the Lagos Business School (PAN African University) for a five-day skills programme.

The programme which is part of Microsoft’s Partner Academy, is a global initiative aimed at providing technical, marketing and other skills to the partnering community to enable them to deploy large solutions and market the solutions in a better way. The program is targeted at all partners including solutions partners and ISVs.

The 2008 version is scheduled to hold at LBS between September14 through 19 and is expected to provide the valuable Microsoft Partners with the essential business and technical skills to enable them deliver satisfactory solutions to their customers, thereby taking advantage of the vast opportunities in the Nigerian and West African market place.

According to the Partner Strategy and Programmes Manager for Microsoft West Central and Anglophone West Africa, Ms. Fatumata Sokouna, the event offers a great platform for Microsoft to showcase to the rest of the world, the innovative and market specific solutions it has developed in the Anglophone West African region.

Ms. Sokouna also said that this year’s Microsoft Partner University presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the partners who work at the back-end most of the time and so are not very visible as key enablers of technology in the business place.

“We see our partners as real heroes, doing outstanding work in our market to deliver technology to change lives and businesses, so we themed this year’s event ‘Heroes Happen Here.’ This is very important to us in view of the fact that it is an opportunity to showcase our partners on the global stage. At the same time we will provide them with the skills to become more productive and innovative,” Sokouna said.

Pointing out that at 2008 Partner University, Microsoft will be deploying renowned world experts as well as its core team of the brightest and the best technology personnel in the region to deliver the training.

The facilitators and technical specialists include Account Technology Specialist, Akin Akinwolere, Project Manager for Microsoft Services Group, Mrs. June Anasiudu, Marketing Manager for the Enterprise Partner Group, Mrs. Ejieke Maduka, Senior Partner Account Manager, Idowu Afe, CSI Lead for West, East and Central Africa (WECA) Mr. Attilla Szenvedi and the Developer Platform Lead for Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Ken Spann.


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IJNet.org launches new portal

Washington, D.C. -based International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) weekend launched a new version of its online portal IJNet.org.

The site connects an unparalleled global network of journalists and media development organizations through cutting-edge social networking tools, discussion spaces, forums and news stories on worldwide journalism activities.

The revamped IJNet site offers thousands of international journalists in its online community the latest networking tools in Arabic, English, Persian, Portuguese and Spanish, while individual journalists and organizations have the ability to create advanced profiles, where they could highlight their work, post news and invite others to join their network.

“They can also search for each other by e-mail address, IJNet screen name, location, organization, area of expertise, language and any other information the user provides. Users with profiles can join discussions, post to IJNet Answers, and take advantage of a variety other interactive features,” a press statement from IJNet read.

The site also offers new tools for media development organizations and professionals. The Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) section brings the latest industry news to its 400 member organizations, the media assistance community, development professionals and funders worldwide. Its interactive platform allows users to share information and programs in an effort to promote efficiency and cooperation.

ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan said the new platform enables journalists and media trainers to collaborate in exciting, new ways.

“For the first time, they will be able to link directly to one another, sharing resources and spurring collaboration,” she said.

Launched in 1998, IJNet is the leading resource for the latest media news alerts, training opportunities and discussion for journalists worldwide. Its weekly e-mail bulletin has grown tenfold since its inception, reaching more than 18,000 subscribers from more than 100 countries. The Web site receives nearly 20,000 unique visitors each month.

IJNet is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Eurasia Foundation, the New Eurasia Foundation and friends of ICFJ.


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Samsung presents prizes to ‘Give Away’ winners

Samsung Nigeria Limited has concluded its promo ‘Give Away” by presenting winners prizes at an event held at the Computer Village Ikeja-Lagos recently.

Speaking at the occasion, the Marketing Manager Samsung, Mr. Charles Omoregha, said that the firm decided to bring the presentation of prizes to the village to appreciate the business owners within Computer Village for actively supporting the brand through the sales of Samsung products and also to show them that the promo was not a fraudulent one.

He revealed that winners came as far as Sokoto and Calabar to claim their prizes of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Television sets and Digital Video Display (DVD) players, which showed that Samsung is a much loved brand that has endeared itself to the hearts of Nigerians.

One of the lucky winners of the 5 Kia Picanto cars, Mrs. Olayinka Abobare was full of praises for the electronics firm.

“I felt it was one of those dubious people out to make some quick money when I first received the phone call that I had won, but today I thank Samsung for giving me this opportunity to own a car,” she said.

The Samsung Mobile Give Away promo commenced in February 2008 to last for two months but had to be extended till July 31 2008, due to pressure from trade partners and consumers’ requests.

Finally the mobile giant has presented to the winners of its 5 Kia Picanto cars,50 Samsung LCD Televisions and 250 DVD players all totaling about N12m.

This promo was for customers of Samsung who bought the SGH-N720, C140, C160, C260 and C 450 during the period the promo lasted.


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Brian partners Oyo State on GAPP

Local personal computers (PCs) assembling plant, Brian Integrated Systems Limited and the Oyo State government are partnering on the Government Assisted Computer Purchase Scheme (GAPP) for its public servants in the state.

The scheme which is Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) initiative availing Brian to provide robust computers and allied Information Technology (IT) products powered by Microsoft and Intel technologies for its workers at affordable rates.

ITRealms Online recalls that Brian Integrated Systems Limited, promoted by Balog Technologies Limited (Balogtek) had before now provided similar services to other states including Osun, Kwara and Niger state, as contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), is expected to provide reliable and latest computers to the people of Oyo State under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Alao Akala, the Executive Governor of the State.

Under the arrangement, Microsoft Corporation, Intel Corporation and Skye Bank Plc are partnering with Brian Integrated Systems Limited to fully realize this mandate.

Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Taofeek, who represented the governor at the launch of the first phase of the Computer For All Nigerians Initiative (CANi) at the State Secretariat complex, Ibadan recently said that the government in a bid to encourage the scheme opted to pay off 50 per cent of the cost of 250 PCs that were given out at the ceremony, while the remaining 50 per cent would be paid by the beneficiaries over a period of time.

“We’re happy to partner with Brian Systems on PCs acquisition. We’re poised to empower our work force in IT skills and knowledge. We have no doubt that Brian Systems will provide us the best and latest PCs available in the Nigerian IT market,” the governor said.

Managing Director, Brian Integrated Systems Ltd, Mr. Tunji Balogun in his address expressed optimism that his company is committed to live up to expectations by way of supplying robust and second-to-non quality computers to the civil servants in the state.

“We’re ready to partner with other states, polytechnics, universities and other private sectors of the Nigerian economy in the CANi as introduced by the Nigerian government. We have the capacity to empower the Nigeria growing ICT market. We will continue to spread the digital gospel to other sectors of the Nigerian economy,” he said.

Emphasizing that this is not the first of its kind as Brain is already engaged in some states and determined to partner with any state and other private sector in the Nigerian economy on CANi.

“We do not supply old technologies. We deal on the latest technologies available in the global IT market. We have done it in several states including Osun, Niger and Kwara State,” he said.


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APC explains Back-UPS

APC by Schneider Electric, a global critical power and cooling services provider to industry leading product, software and systems for home, office, data centre and factory floor applications, has explained its offer of Back- Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

The regional director for Africa at APC by Schneider Electric, Mr. Carl Kleynhans, said that the product was introduced for those who would like to follow up on the Paralympics taking off this month of September.

As said by him, sports lovers should not allow themselves to be disqualified by power challenges.

“Don’t get disqualified by power problems! With the APC Back-UPS, you’ll get the gold medal from your friends and family,” he advised.

He said it is unthinkable to discover that one could be sitting comfortably with friends, family, drinks and snacks conveniently at hand and only a few minutes to go, as well as your favourite athlete looks like he’s going to make it to the podium against the odds, then the light goes off.

“At best, the time taken to reset your reception box and your high definition or plasma screen means it could all be over by the time service is restored. At worst, the effects of power outages or unreliable power quality could leave your sophisticated electronic equipment stretcher off for longer than the post-match celebrations,” he said.

Adding that the aforementioned incidence of power outages or diminished power quality is not unusual these days, and it is unfortunately more likely at times when lots of other people may be sitting on their sofa following the game as well.

“If you don’t trust Nigeria’s creaking power grid to get you to the land of the rising sun this August, then trust APC’s new generation of Back-UPS solutions. A UPS cuts in when the grid fails to deliver the quantity or quality of power needed to run your equipment.

APC, he pointed out, provides the most trusted range of home and small office UPSes in the world and the easy to use range includes options for all types of Kleynhans noted that the APC Back-UPS range has received accolades from influential consumer IT publications for its reliability, its ease of use, its versatility across many types of equipment and its value for money.

“The HS range has been developed to cater for the specific needs of home technology and the RS range for equipment operating in poor power areas, or which requires extended back-up periods,” he explained.


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Tinsel debuts on MNet

TINSEL, a new soap opera, with Nigerian and Ghanaian casts debuted Tuesday on the MNet, a Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) movie channels 1 and 2 and would run twice a week for 65 episodes, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Produced by Jaiye Ojo as executive director and Femi Odugbemi, as director, the film, like every soap, has several story lines that revolves around two film studios trying to outdo each other in a power play.

According to Odugbemi, the production of Tinsel is a further testimony to the fact that Mnet has been investing and will continue to invest in countries where their market is.

He said the film has only Nigerian and Ghanaian acts because these are the largest markets for Mnet in the West African region.

“Tinsel is a production that celebrates the Nigerian movie industry and the drama is about players against the background of Nigerian home movies,” he said.

Equally speaking, the executive producer, Ojo said the casting took place in both Abuja and Ghana, adding that in all, over 80 people participated in the production of the film.

On the mode for selection of the cast, he said, it was based purely on merit and that the auditioning took place both in Nigerian and Ghanaian for all who indicated interest.

The multi-camera studio production which cost N117 million to produce will also highlight the intriguing issues of piracy and power play between the two film studios.

The movie took 110 days to shoot also has Joseph Ehunda and Erika Clapper among others as members of the team.


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