Adopting ICT for the challenged

In this report REMMY NWEKE stresses the need for the introduction of more Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services that would benefit the challenged group in the society.


Preamble:
Checking out what was wrong with his Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) line or handset, Rotimi Ajaye, an advert production artiste based in Ondo State, recently visited a customer care centre of one of the operators along Oba Adeshida Road, Akure, about 300 kilometers from Lagos.

On getting there, the security men directed him upstairs and while climbing the stairs, he missed a step which resulted into undergoing a clinical operation to correct the damage sustained, penultimate Monday.

Ordinarily, Rotimi did not have problem endorsing the clinical operation to be carried out but insisted it has to be in a Lagos-based private hospital used by the family in Surulere, a Lagos suburb, where his family – a wife and child reside.

Two days later, the trauma Rotimi had to face after the surgery as the process of healing became his companion. At first, he was helped to his bed from the theatre by the staff nurses, but as the days went by the pains continued to increase, which lasted for about a week.

Afterwards, even standing up from the bed soon became an uphill task, let alone standing upright or sitting down at the toilet comfortably required an aid.

One afternoon his wife left him in the care of the nurses to fetch some items needed for his upkeep at the clinic and could not return on time due to traffic holdup along Ikorodu Road in Lagos, before her return, he was under pressure to pass urine.

Unfortunately based on instructions of the chief medical director, Rotimi must use a clinical container to enable them monitor the frequency and quantity of urine passed, hence he needed to call the nurses’ attention anytime he was pressed.

Mobile solutions to the rescue:
So, given the situation he found himself because he was in a private room; there was a non-functional bell and recollecting he has doctor’s GSM as well as the wireless Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phone contacts at the hospital reception, about 20 metres away. Rotimi simply reached out to his mobile phone, a Nokia N82 carefully placed under the pillow, searched for the number and quickly placed a call to them.

Few seconds later, Staff Nurse Banke who had answered the call appeared at the door with a smile and apologies. Obviously smiling and offering an apology because she was aware of the non-functioning bell due to lack of public power supply to that part of the country at that moment, unknown to them the alternate batteries have ran out too.

Throughout the one week Rotimi stayed at the hospital until discharged, he was treated basically as a physically challenged person, although temporarily, yet he could not run away from the difficulties facing the challenged group (CG), mostly those who have to endure it throughout their life time.

Another instance worthy of note was while recuperating he received a call from a client who wanted to place an advert in three newspapers within the next 24 hours, Rotimi asked for the advert to be sent to his electronic mail (e-mail) address, from where he could access it electronically and eventually forwarded same to the production contacts of the relevant papers on demand via Universal Serial Bus (USB) internet connection on his laptop with a follow-up phone calls to confirm receipt.

For over one month that Rotimi was bedridden he faced all the difficulties of a challenged person.

Definition of disability:
Defined by an open source-based online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.com as the lack of ability in relation to a personal or group standard, disability nowadays referred to as ‘challenge’ which gave rise to the latest term, the Challenged Group, involves physical, sensory, cognitive or intellectual impairment, elderly and mental disorder also known as psychiatric disability among various kinds of ailments.

Thus, a disability may occur during a person’s lifetime or at birth, for that reason it is seen as resulting directly from individuals, in which case the focus is typically on aspects of those individuals and how they could function better, that now matters for them and the relatives that cater for them on daily basis.

NCC intervention:
So, it was not startling that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) through its Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) recently put up a one-day session to deliberate on the state of readiness of telecommunications operators across board on how they could deploy services to benefit members of the Challenge Group.

The session, entitled ‘Consultative Forum on Challenged Group (CG)’ saw NCC’s team after listening to the operators’ plans to accommodate the CG, tasked them as matter of urgency to establish disability desks at their customer care centres nationwide.

Giving this charge, Head, CAB at NCC, Mrs. Lolia Emakpore said it would improve the kind of services this kind of group receive at all times and would assist significantly in improving their life, especially the elderly among them. Thus encouraging members of the challenged group to be part of the e-inclusion in the society and mostly in Nigeria, noting that over 25 per cent of the nation’s population are within this group.

Mrs. Emakpore pointed out that by addressing the need of this group using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services provision like GSM and Internet is critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Nigeria among the developing countries of the world in accordance to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) declaration.

Forgotten in promos & other ICT services:
As well, she advocated for a billing option, for instance on GSM that is favourable to this group, noting that the use of Short Messaging Service (SMS) is discriminatory for some members, especially the blind, even as she asked for special voice call charges, suggesting a slash from about N25 to N20, and pointed out the need to check balances through voice prompt for the blind persons. While industry promotions, mostly since the GSM evolution began seven years ago, have continued to elude the challenged group. She asserted, “Challenged group cannot participate fully in most of these promos.”

According to her, they complained of having difficulties in surfing the Internet and mostly websites of telecom operators as there are rarely voice prompts added to these sites. Particularly, she lamented the non-supportive access to platforms at consumer care centres of the operators and imperativeness to have a register of CG in the country to pave the way for special services to be channeled to them.

“There is need to incorporate teletype systems into service provision by operators,” she said, adding that most CG members do not want to be treated with pity, but like every other persons.

Educational sponsorship and employment opportunity for challenged group, she noted, remained another call for concern, warning “Communication services should not be discriminatory.”

Two state-of-the-art Consumer Centres:
In his remark to the meeting, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, reiterated the need for operators to help out in developing services that would give rise to the challenged group usage of communications devices precisely and ICT in general.

Represented at the occasion by Director, Legal Services at NCC, Mr. Steve Andsenge, Ndukwe said, the commission has advanced plans to launch two state-of-the-art Consumer Centres in Lagos and Abuja to help alleviate the challenges this group pass through mostly at customer care centres in effort to access ICT more so communications. He advised operators to re-organise their care centres to be accessible to the challenged group among other corporate organisations.

Nigerian websites shout-out the blind:
Speaking on website accessibility for the challenged persons, recently, a blind-law student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Mr. Joseph Gbulegbe affirmed that most sites in the country were not built or developed to accommodate people like him because they cannot access it by themselves except aided.

Gbulegbe said he heard about the Internet, for instance, but is yet to use it, although aware of the features that could enable visually impaired people like him.

He pointed out that efforts to know what his friends do with Internet and Personal Computers (PC) are essential, but “one has to be taught because, I think what is advisable is that one has his own PC in order to really practice what is being taught.” Although UNILAG included computer studies in the curricular, but for him and his challenged colleagues, they attend to such classes without practical.

ITRealms Online investigations across tens of ICT firms in the country including telecom operators proved that they are yet to become compliant as far as NCC recommendations were concerned. From core Information Technology (IT) firms to those in the communications subsector, nothing seems to have changed, especially for the blind.

Also, ITRealms Online recalls that on December 13, 2006, the United Nations (UN) formally agreed on the ‘Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,’ to protect, enhance the rights and opportunities of the world’s estimated 265 million disable persons as at mid-2007. Countries that signed up for the convention and its optional protocol totaling 82 and 44 respectively includes Nigeria await ratification and were mandated to adopt national laws to facilitate the inclusion of this group, byway of equal rights to education, employment, and cultural life; the right to own and inherit property; not be discriminated against in marriage and children, to name a few.

Upholding the WSIS declaration:
Above all, there is a need for corporate entities to embrace the calls to structure their service platforms to accommodate the challenged members of the society like Joseph and the earlier that is done the better the hope for an all inclusive society at this time of social re-engineering based on the success achieved with the GSM in the country.

This, hopefully would further receive a boost as the match aimed at fulfilling the MDGs requirements and in accordance with the agenda 13 of the WSIS declaration of principles, which states:

“In building the Information Society, we shall pay particular attention to the special needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups of society, including … recognizing the special needs of older persons and persons with disabilities.”

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Omo-Ettu urges power engineers to emulate telecom counterparts

Chief Executive Officer, Telecom Answers Associate, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, has urged the nation’s engineers in the power and energy sector to emulate their counterparts in the telecommunications sector.

Addressing members of the Abuja branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) recently as a guest speaker, at the opening of the Engineering Week and Annual General Meeting (AGM), Omo-Ettu who dwelt on “Energy Crisis and Economic Development: the Nigerian Telecommunication Development as case study” asked them to emulate their counterparts in the telecom sector “where there is already a model on ground to spy.”

He admonished them to take up their rightful place in positioning the nation’s power sector by canvassing for genuine liberalization in that domain.

He recalled that in 1989, NSE within the Power and Telecom sectors set up a committee which resulted in “irreconcilable differences on matters of strategy” among its rank and file, but the telecom subgroup obviously did not relent, stressing that their persistence paid off with what is today referred to as revolution in the telecom sphere.

According to him, the power challenge in the country has graduated from being a mere problem to crisis and now has deteriorated to the level of emergency.

Omo-Ettu also told the audience which had a representative of NSE president, Mr. Kashim Alli in attendance that it was NSE resolve to lead a crusade to ‘liberalize’ the telecom sector and ‘privatize’ the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and it came to pass that progress was made based on this resolution.

He pointed out that liberalization is not just about the era of stopping the attitude of throwing money at problems but to “start collecting money from the problems,” and enjoined NSE to take a radical position as far as power and energy crises in the country are concerned.

“NSE has no radical position on the issue of power crises in Nigeria. I call on our engineers to redefine their roles,” he asserted, urging the professional group to make bold to approach the government of the day with a comprehensive blueprint on how to go about solving the problems with the power and energy.

“Nigerian engineers should admit responsibility for the power situation in the country and go to government with a comprehensive blueprint asking to be given whatever they require to solve the problem,” he advised, warning however that they should not claim “knowledge of the energy sector” in isolation.

Emphasizing that Nigeria heard so much of ‘security implications’ as the reason for not wanting to liberalize telecom industry from 1987 to 1993, when the former military President Ibrahim Babangida-led government did it.

“It was a result of the call by engineers that the telecom industry was liberalized. All founding members of NSE are living principal actors including Bayo Bodede of blessed memory,” he said.

Omo-Ettu further cautioned that changing name of the public power supply institution from the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to its current status of Power Holding Nigeria Plc or any other, would not count as one of the solutions.
The astute telecom expert who also presides over the Executive Cyberschuul advocated for the return to the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

“NIPP may have been a bad project but we have no alternative to it at this moment. What should happen is to see it work,” he said, stressing that training in the energy sector should be stepped up.

The world, he said, has changed its way of doing things and Nigeria cannot play ignorant to that fact and remain in isolation.


Explaining further, he said that the power crisis has resulted in manufacturers now using public supply as standby rather than the main source, even as some do not use public supply at all.

He cited an instance where an operator spends about N600 million monthly to service generators coupled with theft of standby-generators, these push tariff upward.

“In 2001 preliminary calculations put per minute of call to about N20.00 and energy crisis plus NITEL crisis shot the price to N45.00 per minute,” he noted, lamenting however, that telecom operators took advantage of these problems to shoot tariff up as well as in explaining poor quality of service (QoS).

“We have liberalized telecommunications and that means the cost of telecommunications service has spread to the user away from being absorbed only by the government,” he said, adding that instead of throwing money at the problems in telecom, the government has started earning revenue from the problems.

“We have started auctioning frequency making it revenue earning for government and stopped asking government for funding,” Omo-Ettu said.

Underlining the fact that technology has changed the belief of power usage from being the ‘power-to-serve-the-system’ to the ‘user also needs power to charge his terminal.’

He explained that each Nigerian now needs electricity power to be carried in the pockets via devices.

“We have started paying the true cost of telephone service, although being ripped off. We are now ready to pay for power but it is not there to be paid for,” he challenged.

Omo-Ettu attributed the non-optimized growth of the telecom industry to the power crises, saying that several people would not have had more than a telephone line, even as there is less viable Internet Service Providers (ISP).


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NCC politics: Experts insist on due process

The on-going politicking at the nation’s telecommunications regulatory organ, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has continued to attract reactions among experts, as they insisted that due process be followed in selecting replacement for the current Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

The latest came from the President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and a telecom engineer, Mr. Lanre Ajayi as well as the Coordinator of Telecommunications, School of Information Technology (IT) and Communications, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State, Prof. Augustine Odinma.

ITRealms Online recalls that early this month the Nigerian media has been awash with plots to sack the current EVC while his appointment is yet to elapse until 2010. The key point of the proponents was that he turned 60 a fortnight ago.

Reacting in an exclusive chat with ITRealms Online, the aforementioned experts warned that as due process was followed in the appointment, there is absolute need for the replacement whenever necessary to take the same measure, rather than allowing mere political reasons to overwhelm the decision.

For Mr. Ajayi who is the chief executive of PiNet Informatics, he was sad and surprised to learn of the plot cautioning that those political jobbers should allow the current EVC, Dr. Ndukwe to concentrate by continuing on the good foundation he has laid till his tenure expires.

“I learnt about the plot with a surprise. I thought Nigerians should have appreciated the landmark contributions of the EVC and allow him to concentrate on his job in order to deliver a greater result,” he told ITRealms Online.

Mr. Ajayi also advised anybody interested in the position to exercise patient pending when he leaves office in two years time.

“Anybody that is interested in his job should at least wait till the expiration of his term,” he counseled.

For the coordinator of the telecom and wireless programmes at the American University, Yola, Prof. Odinma, it sounds very ridiculous for any right thinking person to imagine the removal of Ndukwe on the account of age.

“It is preposterous for any body to seek to remove Ndukwe on the account of age, unless they have any other reasons,” he said, adding that even if Ndukwe is 70 and in the judgment of his boss he is performing as expected, it would tantamount to stupidity to aspire to remove him based on age or tribal affiliation.

“We must learn from our past mistakes,” he cautioned.

Odinma, however, advised those aspiring to the position to tell the nation, the telephone consumers, how they intend to work with the operators to stop the cross-talk which is now the hall mark of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) networks.

“They should tell us how NCC can work with operators to eradicate the erroneous ‘No signal’ message when you are in a big city; ‘the customer is busy,’ when he is not; ‘Call Rejected,’ when it was actually not rejected.

In addition, he said they should tell the nation how they could interact with the operators to stop the ‘No Service’ syndrome which is now pervasive stressing that some days, there may not be service for two, three, or even seven hours or more.

“We need someone who can solve the problem and not somebody who knows the system or problem, but not how to solve the problem,” he highlighted.


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Ndukwe commends DaarComms

The chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has commended the pioneering footprint of Daar Communications (DaarComms) Plc, saying it must be encouraged as the company has become the pride of the continent in the broadcast and communications industry.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi at the Gbaduma Hills headquarters of the group, Ndukwe expressed excitement over the DaarSAT pay television initiative, describing it as a major milestone that would project the nation, and continent to the world in terms of opening up competition in the market and exportation of local content.

He said Daar Communications has continued to be steadfast in its pioneering footprint in the communications and broadcast sector, above all challenges, remained focused with a mobilized hardworking team.

“Your initiatives would also encourage technology transfer which is very critical to our development and I can only congratulate Daar Communications for its vision, doggedness, and efforts. We believe your efforts today have given hope for the future and we wish to encourage you to continue to do your best,” Dr. Ndukwe said.

Accompanied in the visit by the Executive Commissioner, Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Mr. Stephen Bello, and other top officials of the Commission, Ndukwe pledged the continued support of the commission to DaarComms in any way possible to ensure that its goals are realized.

He further said the NCC would seek areas of cooperation with Daar Communications, especially in areas of capacity building through the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training institute outfit of the commission.

Chief Dokpesi, who took the NCC boss and his team round the complex for inspection of several installations, expressed gratitude to the Commission for facilitating some of its relationships with the international satellite companies for the delivery of signals across the world.

He said the visit of the NCC boss to Daar Communications is a source of encouragement to the organisation, and urged the Commission to continue with the direction that has transformed the telecom sector for the benefit of the country.

Daar Communications, he said, in an aggressive expansion project has installed in about 12 locations sets of satellite dishes in readiness to commence operations before the end of the year, while terrestrial services – radio and television- are also being expanded.

Chief Dokpesi, who was joined by elder statesman, Ambassador Segun Olusola to receive the NCC team said the new initiatives by the company would bring the era of one way traffic, which is downloading broadcast signals into the country to a close as it will now usher an era of uploading broadcast signals from Nigerian to other parts of the country.


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MTN, Profiliant partner on capacity building

MTN Nigeria Limited and Profiliant Development Resources (PDR) over the weekend held a one-day seminar on capacity building for sales executives at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The seminar which had about 600 sales executives out of over 3,500 that applied in attendance was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of both companies.

Speaking at the seminar, the Managing Consultant and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Profiliant, Mr. Oliver Nnona, said the exercise is a novel one aimed at transforming the lives of the individual sales executives in their personal capacities and not at corporate level.

“We are taking people on a life time-journey; it is completely 100 per cent CSR issue aimed at making a change on a personal level. This seminar is just one aspect of it, some of them are going to go through the academy where they will be coached and mentored by more senior persons. It is a life time journey and that is the idea behind the programme,” he said.

Nnona also said professional selling is a profession and not one people enter by accident after seeking for other jobs without success.

“What we’re saying to them is that professional selling is a profession, people use to enter it by accident, like if you have looked for job and could not find, you just go and sit down one place where they call you a sales person. The rationale behind it is to inform people that professional selling has the same process of going through certification like other professions, it is just that people are ignorant of this,” he said.

On the relevance of the profession to the nation, Mr. Nnona underscored the fact that it’s an area that should not be taken with a casual approach because over 80 per cent of job vacancies in national dailies are asking for sales people, business development and marketing executives.

“If 80 per cent of vacancies are in business development and personal selling, then it has to be an area that should not be taken with casual approach, that is what we are saying and that is how this whole programme started,” Nnona said.

In his keynote address to the occasion, Sales and Distribution Executive at MTN, Mr. Mike Ikpoki, noted that sales executives should know their products, markets and understand customers as well as businesses and what makes them strive.

The Head, Human Capital, InterSwtich, Ms Adora Ikwuemesi who spoke on “The place of coaching and mentoring in building your professional selling career,” said at a time where experienced professionals are vastly outnumbered by up and coming personnel, getting a good start with coaching and mentoring would give any sales career a boost.

She pointed out that great coaches provide an employee with advice and guidance intended to help or develop skills, improving performance and enhance the quality of one’s career.


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EDP offers 20 scholarships to IT compliant accountants

Lagos-based EDP Tecknowledge Education Center (TCI) in collaboration with its foreign technical partners has finalized plans to offer 20 scholarships to Information Technology (IT) compliant accountants in the country.

Disclosing this at the just concluded Accountants’ Technology Conference at Ojodu-Berger, near Lagos, the Managing Consultant of EDP Audit & Security Associates, organizers of the convention, Mr. Chris Ekeigwe, said the scholarships would motivate interest in IT compliance among professional accountants, who are also members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

According to him, this is expected to draw attention to the technology needs of the profession and help chartered accountants plan their future within the digital economy.

Announcing the development, Ekeigwe said, no less than 20 accountants will benefit from the scholarship aimed at bridging technology gap in the nation’s accounting profession.

He also said the initiative was designed to support the ICAN technology initiative and called on all members of ICAN in the country to see this as a challenge on how small entities could contribute to the current pursuit of technology competence for accountants.

The scholarship, he pointed out would be consummated at EDP Center’s audit and accounting technology laboratories (test beds) where the scholarship beneficiaries will undergo hands-on training on all accounting and auditing relevant technologies including Auditing and Assurance Services (ACL) audit software, accounting software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs), networking technologies, database and web technologies, operating systems and systems audit methodologies.

The essence of the initiative, he maintained is to give potential participants empowering technology skills that would make them world-class manpower with global competitiveness, explaining that the scholarship valued N1,200,000 million per person, covers tuition, course documentation and access to computer laboratories stressing that its not restricted to those who had attended the TCI at EDP Center before now.

Candidates, he noted would be involved in field works on client engagements as part of the training, adding that depending on opportunities, some candidates would only get the limited scholarship valued at N600,000.

Further, Ekeigwe said TCI would be the most important initiative in the accounting profession in the near future.

ICT, he said, has presented enthusiasts with challenges that most people have difficulties coping with technology evolution as well as quality service and public trust, describing it as a knowing-doing gap that has become embarrassment.

“The Knowing-Doing Gap is a humiliating phenomenon. It is main reason why many professional accountants are incapable of optimizing their potential to prosperity in the emerging digital society. We must close this gap now or risk being relegated to obscurity in the digital society,” he asserted.


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Academia accepts reality of citizen journalism

Members of the academia seem to have accepted the fact and role of the Citizen Journalism (CJ) at this era of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) on the continent.

Some of them who spoke at the on-going 12th Highway Africa Conference during a session on Academic included Dr. George Lugalambi of Makerere University, Dr. Dumisani Moyo of Wits University, South Africa and Dr. Abiodun Salawu of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State, Nigeria.

In his submission at the session presided over by Prof. Fackson Banda of Rhodes University, a lecturer at the Makerere University, Dr. George Lugalambi said while discussing ‘Citizen Journalism and civic education: exploring the theoretical and practical linkages’ that Citizen journalism is a phenomenon that emerged because the citizens were not satisfied with performance of the conventional journalists.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT), he said facilitated the phenomenon.

He also said that Citizen Journalism has made citizens to be politically competent by participating in any political process and expressing their views on the societal subjects.

Equally speaking, a lecturer in the Media Studies Department at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dr. Moyo noted that the Zimbabwean election was an example of how Short Messaging Services (SMS) through mobile phones were used to disseminate information and exchange opinion as well as ideas about the election by the citizens.

According to him, Citizen Journalism provided a parallel market of information because while the government was not forthcoming with election results, the citizens alternatively provided the avenue for getting information across themselves.

Noteworthy was the use of SMS to spread humour over the lack of courage by the government to announce results.

He pointed out that the political economy of citizen journalism is that corporate entities like Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators across the world and Africa precisely promote citizen journalism by advertising and selling their own products. “This is because people cannot be part of citizen journalism without the likes of SMS,” he said, adding that if SMS is in vogue, of course they are likely to make more money.

Affirming the position of Dr. Moyo, a Senior Lecturer at the Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State, Nigeria, Dr. Abiodun Salawu buttressed his point by quoting Dennis McQuail the author of Theory of Mass Communications, saying that on the story of democratic participating media theory provides the theoretical framework for citizen journalism, thus serving as a veritable platform for democracy to thrive.

He stressed that the democratization of the media space and professional hegemony as well as the state control should be encouraged so as to enthrone horizontal rather than vertical means of communications.

He noted the fact that the key to applying the aforementioned theory lies in the new technologies.

He buttressed what Moyo said about using mobile phones during elections with particular references to what happened in Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.


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Computer Warehouse bags U.S. Service award

Information Technology and Communications (ICT) company, the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) has bagged the United States Commercial Service award participating actively in the International Buyer Programme based on volume imports from the US, at a ceremony held at the Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos.

Commenting at the presentation, the Commercial Counselor, U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Larry Farris, noted that CWG has been a consistent business partner of major U.S. companies such as Dell, Sun Microsystems, IBM, Hughes, Harris-Stratex, Microsoft and Oracle, with trade volume in excess of $38m (about N444.6 million) between 2006 and 2008.

He later presented the award to the Group chief executive officer, CWG, Mr. Austin Okere.

In response, Okere expressed appreciation on the award and for the support his firm has received from the Commercial Service.

He dedicated the award to the company’s cherished customers who made it possible through their loyalty and patronage as well as the U.S. partners, “whose products have a compelling appeal due to their high quality.”

Okere also commended the U.S Embassy for pioneering trade enlightenment programmes such as the annual Computer, Telecommunications and Office Equipment (CTO) and organising trade missions to the U.S. to enhance trade partnerships between the two countries.

ITRealms Online recalls that CWG began from what industry observers described as humble beginnings 15 years ago, with over eight branches nationwide and Ghana, in addition to increased staff strength to over 400.

The Senior Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Anayo Agu emphasized the need for the celebration of trade successes between Nigeria and the United States to encourage stronger partnerships between entrepreneurs of both countries.

He stressed the role of the U.S. Commercial section in promoting genuine businesses in Nigeria, and facilitating trade partnerships with counterpart U.S. businesses, explaining that apart from organising trade shows in both countries, the section provides referrals on companies registered with it.

Mr. Agu further urged more Nigerian companies to register and report their trade progress with US companies to correct the erroneous notion that Nigeria was not a desired destination for Foreign Investments and that there was a lack of ethics and governance in the business environment.

The Nigeria-U.S. Association (NUSA) was set up by the Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to promote trade and investments between Nigerian and U.S. companies, with over 3,500 registered Nigerian business members.

Other U.S. Trade and investment services very active in Nigeria are the U.S. Export Import Bank, offering trade and project finance and credit guarantees in support of exports of US capital goods, the US Trade Development Agency (USTDA), offering grants for feasibility studies and for certain technical training programmes among others.


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Tradeways embarks on expansion

Indigenous and independent courier/logistics company, Tradeways Express International Limited, has concluded plans to expand its frontier in two key areas, namely the international freight and nationwide cargo services.

Chairman of the company, Mr. Obinna Ezeuko made this disclosure at the end of the 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, last weekend, affirming that the time had come for the organisation to take its rightful position in the industry by expanding the scope of operations so as to sustain growth.

“We’re well positioned to undertake the services, which include international export and import, customs clearing and forwarding, warehousing, haulage, bulk cargo consolidation and delivery nationwide” he said in a press statement endorsed by Head, Marketing and Corporate Services of the company, Mrs. Rosemary Adeyemo.

Ezeuko was also quoted as saying that the proposed expansion would boost the company financially as more capital is expected to be infused into its operations.

As said by him, the courier/logistics industry, being a high growth sector, presents a huge potential investment avenue to entrepreneurs, adding that if well funded, the return on investment, employment generation and revenue to governments would be great.

He also said that the company was not relenting in its efforts at surpassing the results that have been achieved so far and assured shareholders of bright future while commending the management for its commitment to the growth of the company.

Equally commenting, the Managing Director, Tradeways, Mr. Larry Chinekezi said the expansion plans would be geared towards driving home the point that a well-managed, progressive-minded and purpose-driven indigenous courier company could compete favourably with any world-class organization in the sector.

He highlighted that the company had undergone very positive reforms in the recent past and that plans were underway to strengthen the operations while regularly building the capacity of the workforce.

Further, he said that as the economy strengthens, it takes a futuristic and dynamic organization to observe that customers were becoming more aware of the choices open to them and that the service industry was at the same time coming to the realization that more than ever before that customer is the ultimate force that drives an organization.

To this end, he revealed that the company will, in no distant time, roll out more exciting and innovative services that will surpass customers’ expectations and add value to their businesses.

Mr. Chinekezi noted that the growth attained by the company had been occasioned by the can-do attitude of the staff and the customers who had so much confidence in the ability of the company to deliver.

He further expressed gratitude to the shareholders for their unflinching support and promised the company would continue to do more to delight them.



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Stakeholders root for Abuja CTO’08

The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization’s (CTO) Council Meeting and Forum 2008 which holds between 6-10th October 2008, has attracted an array of telecom operators, equipment vendors, telecom industry associations and banks.

CTO Abuja 2008 is organized by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The event slated for Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja is expected to be declared open by President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

CTO is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and Non-Commonwealth governments as well as civil society organizations, providing the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering unique knowledge sharing programme in the use of use of information and communications technologies in the specific areas of telecommunications, IT, broadcasting and the Internet.

The ICT summit in the West African sub-region in 2008, CTO Abuja 2008 with the theme “Ensuring Effective Connectivity for a Socially Inclusive and a Commercially Vibrant Africa”, is expected to explore Africa as a fertile emerging market for ICT business.

Minister of State for Information and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, told newsmen in Abuja during a press meeting that visitors and participants would also gain insight into current trends in technological advancements as the global equipment vendors and operators display their latest products and services and called stakeholders to support the event.

“All stakeholders in the Nigerian private sector, particularly the telecommunications and the banking, to participate in this landmark event that promises widespread opportunities for public and private sector collaboration and investment towards transforming ICT on the African continent and Nigeria in particular” he said.

In recognition of the importance of the event, many telecom operators, vendors and banks queuing up to sponsor and exhibit at the event expected to witness attendance from Ministers and top government officials from Commonwealth member nations, policy makers, regulatory authorities, global equipment vendors, service providers, banks, academics and ICT professionals across the world. The hosting of the summit in Nigeria is being put together by an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe.

According to him, a high profile attendance is already in the cards for an event that would also witness exhibition of wide range of products and services alongside the forum.

A list of sponsors and exhibitors released in Abuja at the weekend by the event managers, Strategy and Execution Ltd, indicate that Zain is a Diamond sponsor, while Zenith Bank, Helios Towers, Visafone, MTN and Multilinks are among the Platinum sponsors.

Gold sponsors of the event include Phase3 Telecom, IHS Telecom, Nokia Siemens Networks, Gateway, Nokia, and Harris Stratex while Ericsson and GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) are supporting the event as Silver sponsors.
On the bronze category are Galaxy Backbone, Gilat Satcom, Nigcomsat, Marais Group Motorola, and Growing Business Foundation, GBF, with more than eight other organizations on the supporting list for the international event.


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MTN sustains deal with Highway Africa

While the likes of Telkom may be dragging foot on the future of Highway Africa Conference, an annual gathering of continental media practitioners with interest in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the mobile giant, MTN Group has reaffirmed its commitment to the sustainability of the event in years to come.

Highway Africa conference is an initiative of the Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa in collaboration with the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

The spokesperson for MTN Group, Ms Nozipho January Bardill, gave this indication in an address to the weeklong sessions and said the mobile operator is proud to once again participate as the official and exclusive mobile technology partner for the Highway Africa conference, arguably the most important annual event for journalists covering the ICT sector.

She noted that the partnership which is now in its fifth year, last year witnessed the signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Highway Africa to demonstrate support and confidence in the value of the conference.

“The MTN Group is proud to continue its association with Highway Africa, which we believe adds substantial value to the accurate and analytical coverage of the sector in which we do our business. MTN recognises the important role of the media in the advancement of the ICT industry,” she declared.

According to her, mobile technology forms a critical part of the realization and success of citizen journalism as many ordinary citizens nowadays do not have access to sophisticated equipment but could use mobile telephony, through their handsets and the network, to overcome those barriers and provide news and visuals instantaneously.

As the first African global sponsor of the upcoming FIFA 2010 World Cup South Africa, she pointed out that MTN has secured the mobile content rights for the tournament and the company believes that the journalists attending this conference will be part of the revolution expected in terms of the technology advances that will be seen at the time.

Ms. Bardill emphasized that as at June 30, 2008, MTN had a total of 74.1 million subscribers across its 21 operations.

“To meet the high demand for our services in our markets and to ensure appropriate levels of quality and capacity on our networks, MTN is investing heavily in network infrastructure as well as in hardware and software,” she said, revealing that in the first half of this year alone, the mobile operator has already invested over R10 billion in Capex, including software, which is 65 per cent more than the same period last year.

In his response, Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris Kabwato applauded MTN on its role as the official mobile partner of the conference.

Highway Africa, he said, center of attention is on raising and seeking solutions to problems confronting media practitioners in the ICT sector and MTN is one of the companies that play a vital role in this field.

“We’re delighted to have their support,” he said.

Highway is on the 12th year and this year’s theme was on Citizen Journalism, Journalism for Citizens and annually attracts over 500 media practitioners mainly from the continent and beyond.


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We’v got people talking – Glo

Invariably in response to the recent media campaign that claims to overtly released the lips of Nigerian telecommunications subscribers from competition, the Second Nation Operator (SNO) and Universal Access Licensee (UAL), Globacom have unveiled a new marketing campaign ‘We Got People Talking (WGPT).’

Source at Globacom said, the new campaign theme captures the company’s positive impact on the telecom industry and on the lives and businesses of Nigerians in the last five years of its operation.

Globacom’s Director of Advertising, Mr. Joachim Atunwa, said the operator’s latest campaign was used as a soundtrack in Glo submarine cable television commercial entitled “Glo goes Global”.

He explained the commercial has been on air for some months now and celebrates the multimillion-dollar submarine cable being laid by Globacom from Nigeria to Europe and U.S. The facility which will provide the much required bandwidth for Africa is the first such project by any individual company on the continent.

He recalled that Globacom’s initiatives in the industry have ensured that Nigerians are able to communicate seamlessly with one another at very low costs, stressing that this included the introduction of Per Second Billing (PSB), the crashing of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cost from around N25,000 before Globacom launched services to as low as N200, the lowering of call tariffs from N50 to as low as N10 per minute as well as the introduction of several value added services.

“As a concept, WGPT was motivated by Globacom’s founding philosophy of empowering Nigerians of all walks of life and spheres to effectively communicate with each other; to reach out to the world and be reached. We began a demonstration of our empowerment philosophy with our 2.5G infrastructure and per second billing, all with a view to ensuring that Nigerians enjoyed what their counterparts in the developed parts of the world enjoyed at that time,” Atunwa declared.

“As the world recently ascended to 3G platform”, he continued, “we became the first to give it to Nigerians, with a plus – Glo 3G Plus. When we hit the 20 million subscriber base recently, which coincided with our 5th year Anniversary, we felt we had an obligation to celebrate a dream realised – the dream of empowering Nigerians of all strata and across geography, to talk.

He further said that the WGPT sum up Globacom’s mission and vision statements as well as its accomplishments and helps in reinforcing the positioning of the Glo brand as world-class, daring and highly innovative. Just as he explained, was three-dimensional: functional, emotional and socio/political.

For the functional element, Atunwa said Globacom’s core business is centred on “talking”. Elements on the emotional level include Globacom’s vision of “Building Africa’s biggest and best telecommunication network” which is so grand that people are talking about it, Globacom’s heavy investment in hardware infrastructure which people are talking about, the brand’s rapid expansion in West Africa and spreading of affordable telecommunication services in West Africa. Others are the optic fibre and the submarine cables being laid in Nigeria and across Africa to Europe and United Stated of America (USA) by Globacom, the fact that Globacom launches its network in all the countries it goes to with “per second billing, offers multiple value added services to West Africans.

This, he insisted is highly rated globally due to its rapid network growth and expansion, the brand has won lots of awards locally and internationally and people are talking, that Globacom has made it easy and simple for people to talk in West Africa and that Globacom is empowering a lot of people in the region.

On the socio/political element, Atunwa explained that Globacom is an African brand with a global vision. “The feats achieved by the brand have stirred comments from people all over the world. Globacom’s successes have returned a sense of pride to the African. Africans also flaunt their home made telecom services at the world arena,” he concluded.


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SMS promo: Visafone presents prizes to winners

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operator, Visafone Communication Limited, has presented prizes to 50 winners in its recently concluded Summer Olympics Short Messaging Service (SMS) Promo.

Head, Corporate Communications, Visafone Communications Limited, Mr. Toni Kan Onwordi, said, the operator held a raffle draw at its corporate headquarters in Victoria Island mid-week to choose the 50 winners from over 100,000 subscribers who took part in the promo.

He also said that the promo featured three questions: Where is the 2008 summer Olympics holding; Who is the coach of the Nigerian male football team and which country won the gold medal at the Atlanta 96 Olympics.

According to him, during the raffle draw, journalists drawn from selected newspapers and magazines were called upon to choose 20 winners each from the first two categories and 10 from the third.

At the end of the draws, three star prize winners emerged and were later presented 32 inch LG Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) big screen Tvs, Visafone branded handsets, free RUIM and recharge cards as well as sundry branded items from Visafone.

The star prize winners, he listed to include Ojetunde Adeniyi, Samuel Dowu and Kehinde Banjo, while consolation prize winners will receive Visafone branded handsets, free RUIMS and free airtime.

Speaking at the event, Assistant General Manager (AGM) Marketing and Strategy, Visafone, Mr. Clifford Onyeike, said the promo was a way of saying “thank you to our numerous subscribers who have helped us achieve unprecedented milestones while identifying with the spirit of the games,” promising that there would be regular promos to reward subscribers in the coming months.

ITRealms Online recalled that Visafone launched commercial operations on February 22, 2008 and has crossed the 1 million subscriber mark in an unprecedented six months and four days.

Meanwhile, Visafone recently announced its attainment of over 1 million subscriber-mark, barely six months after it launched commercial operations on February 22, 2008.


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ComBit-08 gets First Bank support

Rebranded annual international communications, business systems and information technology exhibition and conference organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), ComBIT 2008, has gained the support of the First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Plc.

This is coming as it has also attracted endorsement and support from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Ministry of Information and Communications.

A press statement from ATCON endorsed the Executive Secretary, Mr. Godwin Morgan, indicated that the bank teamed up with other socially responsible corporate organizations which have indicated interest in participating and sponsoring the mega exhibition as well as conference designed by the body to stimulate further growth of Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector by drawing global ICT market leaders to invest in the country and introduce new technologies, systems and services to the nation’s market place.

He also said that by this gesture, First Bank of Nigeria Plc has demonstrated its leading position as a Nigerian bank that seriously supports the accelerated development of the Nigerian telecommunications and information technology sector.

He pointed out that First Bank has made huge investments in the Nigerian telecommunications and information technology sector through projects financing and loans syndication in favour of many operators in the sector.

Mr. Morgan said First Bank is a frontline bank in the application of information technology in its banking services.

“Its online banking has helped its teeming customers across the nation and beyond to enjoy varieties of e-transactions that have made banking very easy and interesting. The bank will be showcasing its innovative e-banking packages to the high network guests at ComBIT 2008,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that FBN established since 1894, has continued to prove itself as truly the first in terms of dependability and dynamism. It is one of the few banks that the Nigerian telecommunications and information technology sector can really bank on for support at all times.

Meanwhile, there are clear indications that ComBIT 2008 will be over subscribed if the responses already received by the secretariat are taken into consideration.

True to its promise, ATCON has registered a good number of foreign companies from Singapore, China, Germany and Austria. Trade missions from some other countries are still finalizing arrangements.

Equally from the local scenes, most of the regular exhibitors have already signed on and are getting ready for the expo.


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Imo transforms through ICT with DNA

DETERMINED to transform governance through the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strategies, the Imo State government is set to enlist sophisticated pool of ICT professionals known as Digital Network Architects (DNA) to drive the state towards an e-economy, reports CHARLES OKOH.

The group of seasoned professionals, according to a press statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the Imo State Governor, Ms. Angela Nkwo, would comprise mostly youths from the state both at home and in the diaspora with exceptional flair for ICT.

Ms. Nkwo also quoted the Executive Assistant to the Governor on ICT, Mr. Obi Uchendu, as saying that the DNA would constitute the technical framework for a digital economy in the heartland state.

“Just like the biological DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) which is the blueprint that determines the characteristics of every organism and the fundamental building block of all living things, the Digital Network Architects would be the brain box to drive the digital revolution in the state which would comprise e-governance, e-commerce, e-learning, e-policing and an entirely e-economy,” he said.

Mr. Uchendu said that ICT is the driving force of all developed nations and that all developing nations should as well invest and be driven by ICT, adding that India currently exports ICT manpower to the world under a specialized scheme.

He expressed confidence that the assemblage of the DNA would help build the much needed data base of highly proficient ICT experts from the state.

“Besides driving the e-revolution, a defined pool and database of Imo youths with very high ICT acumen would easily distinguish Imo State as the ICT manpower resource base of the nation and a one-stop shop for the scarce ICT manpower,” he submitted.


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MTN Project Fame reaches defining moment

This weekend may be the final cut for the numerous MTN Project Fame hopefuls drawn from across the West African countries to bring their various talents on stage, in readiness for the academy expected to on September 28, 2008.

ITRealms Online recalls that the show which commenced airing on September 7, 2008, has 15 out of the 18 men standing praying for their luck to shine and so far has been exciting.

Equally, the project witnessed about 17,000 downloaded forms from the project site, out of which 18 hopefuls are currently standing in the initiative produced by Ultima Limited, and showed on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in partnership with Endemol.

Even as MTN Project Fame West Africa would be hosted by ex-fame graduate and music star, Dare Alade and dance prodigy and radio host, Funmilayo Raimi.

Alade dazzled in a premiere continental edition in South Africa while Raimi emerged the star of a recent star dance contest, stunning other participants to pick the grand prize. Between the two of them is expected enough chemistry that could continuously charge the academy.

ITRealms Online gathered that in Monrovia, Mayor Ophelia Hoff Saytumah came to see what MTN Project Fame had in store and the talent that Liberia had to offer. She offered a few words of support for the participants and to MTN Project Fame West Africa.

“The work that is being done by MTN Project Fame West Africa helps to empower our youths and teach them life skills,” she said.

However, Nigeria being the host country demonstrated it should readily produce a winner even before the show opens. From the North to South and from East to West, a number of youths showed up all exhibiting their talents.

For instance, not even a down pour could dampen the excitement and expectations of the Benin youths as they turned out en mass to try their luck, and for some luck was on their side, while some looked forsaken. Regardless of this, the ancient city showed class and demonstrated why it is a front runner in the country’s arts and culture.

The event held in Jos, Abuja among other cities nationwide, as well as in Ghana.
Speaking on the latest development, the managing director, Ultima, Mr. Femi Ayeni, noted that grand arrangements have been put in place to ensure success as the services of front liners in the industry have also been secured to teach at the academy.

Winners in the MTN project would attract lots of fame and wealth including a grand prize of N2.5 million, Toyota Rav 4 fully loaded and international recording contract.

While the first runner up is billed to go home with N2 million, Toyota and Corolla fully loaded, even as the second runner up would attract N1.5 million and Toyota Yaris fully loaded, and N1 million for third runner up.

Final Heat Show tagged: The Good the Bad and the Funny will air on NTA from 5 – 6pm
and Nigizie from 8 – 9pm.

“All contestants who get into the house are winners as they will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business,” Ayeni said.


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HP warns on grey market patronage

Hewlett Packard (HP) Nigeria has warned the public on the consequences of patronizing grey market for the company’s information technology (IT) products.

Managing Director, Hewlett Packard Nigeria, Mr. Ime Umoh, gave this warning at an interactive session with the media last week, describing the grey market phenomenon as worrisome, even as a recent industry study by KPMG and the Alliance for Grey Market and Counterfeit Abatement reported that $40 billion worth of information technology (IT) products were re-sold on the worldwide grey market annually.

“As is the case in most developing countries, where the economy is largely import focused, any and everyone who has the means can import whatever they want barring banned products. In our business, we have authorized channel partners through which all HP products should come into Nigeria. The illegal importation of HP products outside the channel is what the industry defines as Grey Market”, he said.

While describing counterfeiting as the unauthorized application or use of goods without approval of the brand owner, he said “in HP, the strategy is to reveal illegal production of counterfeit printing supplies. The overall goal being to protect markets and customers through sensitization, prevention and enforcement”.

Also speaking, the Category Manager, Hewlett Packard Nigeria, Mrs. Terae Onyeje, enumerated the benefits of patronizing approved HP distributors and agents to include enjoyment of warranty on products, access to HP’s Service Centre where customers’ complaints on products are attended to.

as well as other notable juices from the company. She urged customers to buy from authorized distribution channels to ensure the highest levels of product quality and brand integrity.

She further said the company’s goal is “to simplify our business, including how customers do business with us, and as such make it easier for HP solutions to penetrate into the nooks and crannies of the Nigerian society ranging from Government, to organized private sector, as well as the general consumer market.”

Stressing that HP want to create a future where every Nigerian has access to computers and other technologies to make them productive in the work force and to enable them compete in the global information society.


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0809uchoose drives traffic to Etisalat website

The launch of its innovative flagship promotion, 0809uchoose is driving online traffic at Etisalat’s website as Nigerians struggle to make their choice.

The 0809uchoose campaign is one of the Etisalat’s many innovative ways of reaching out to its teeming subscribers.

The package provides subscribers with an opportunity to personalize their own special numbers according to their personal preference.

Etisalat noted that with this move, it has just made mobile phone numbers more personal to phone users.

ITRealms Online gathered that for this particular promotion, the range of choice is set between 0809 9 900 000 and 0809 9 899 999. Subscribers who successfully reserve and redeem their numbers are also then guaranteed free air time every month for a lifetime.

According to Mr. Wael Ammar, “Etisalat is a service provider that recognizes the power of individuality and style hence we present them with the opportunity to live their lifestyle with their phone numbers. Selection of numbers is entirely a personal choice. Phone numbers can now be made up of special numbers that mean something to the subscriber such as birthdates, wedding or other important anniversary dates, favourite sports, etc”. It can also be a number that corresponds to the individual’s name, he said further.

He further explained that there is however a minimal percentage of the numbers (5 per cent) which are categorized as gold, silver or bronze that are redeemable at a minor cost. The other 95 per cent of numbers are free. The cost of gold numbers is N10, 000, silver numbers cost five thousand naira (N5, 000) while numbers that are categorized as bronze are valued at one thousand five hundred naira (N1,500). The costs of these numbers are due to be paid at the point of redemption.

Explaining the process of reserving a number via its website Mr. Ammar said that Etisalat has come into the market with sophisticated software that makes the customer’s interaction in the process of reserving numbers easy.

“All a customer needs to do is key in their current number, their location, their email address and the Etisalat number they wish to reserve into the system and the system immediately processes their request.

To reserve from a phone number, a potential subscriber needs to call 08098246673 (0809uchoose) and then follow the voice prompts for easy directions on how to reserve their number. The process usually takes less than 2 minutes to complete.

There is also an option for face to face contact as Etisalat road shows will be visiting various major cities in the country soon. The road shows will offer potential subscribers a golden opportunity for one-on-one contact with Etisalat personnel while reserving special 0809uchoose numbers.

In reserving their special numbers, subscribers need to be aware that there is a standard 0809 8 prefix for the numbers in the reservation range. They are however at liberty to select their own six-digit special numbers and add to the predetermined number – 08098.

Brand and Communications Director, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Yinka Akande also explained that customers who reserve special numbers in the 0809uchoose campaign will be able to pick up their numbers from special redemption centres addresses of which will be fully communicated via SMS and press adverts.


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