Nigeria, 2 others contest for WAIGF hosting right

Nigeria and two other African countries are warming up to contest for the hosting right of the West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) in 2011.

ITRealms Online gathered this at the just ended three-day West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) in Dakar, Senegal.

Other countries contesting for the hosting rights include Cote D’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

Speaking on the issue, top notcher of the Local Organisation Committee (LOC) and chairperson, Free and Open Source Software Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA), Ms Nnenna Nwakanma, cautioned that WAIGF is not a mere government meeting but a multi-stakeholders’ forum.

“So, caution must be applied by potential hosting countries,” she said, stressing that if they want to host WAIGF they must have a very strong national Internet Governance Forum (IGF) team.

She noted that the West Africa Internet Governance Forum has moved away from being an event to being a project, hence the need to bid for its hosting rights.

This project, she said, is run by a consortium led by the FOSSFA, which comprise of African Network Information Center (AfriNIC), Panos Institute for West Africa (PIWA), the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Internet Society (ISOC) Senegal and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), while the 2010 forum received support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

She noted that the just concluded WAIGF is the third edition of the regional meeting and the LOC alongside the Internet community in West Africa are looking forward to WAIGF 4, just as the Initiative de Governance de la Côte d’Ivoire IGICI already expressed willingness to host the regional face-to-face forum next year before the commencement of WAIGF 3.

But at the end of the forum, ITRealms Online confirmed that Nigeria and Sierra Leone have joined the race.

Speaking exclusively to ITRealms Online, leader of the Nigerian delegation to the West Africa IGF in Senegal, Director, New Media & Information Security at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Sylvanus A. Ehikioya, said the just concluded WAIGF was a well deserved forum considering the presentations and far reaching decisions that were made as the preparatory event for the West African region to take part in the global IGF in September in Vilnius, Lithuania.

“I think some of the issues addressed here are topical such as internet governance, content and infrastructure issues respectively, as well as the regulatory aspect of the internet governance,” he said.

On Nigeria’s plans to contest the hosting of the 2011 edition WAIGF, he noted that presently the Nigerian contingent in Dakar, would prepare a formal bid to host the 2011 programme on getting back to the country.

“… Be rest assured that Nigeria has never failed the world in an event of this nature and we will put everything in place,” he said.

Ehikioya expressed optimism that the government of Nigeria is very disposed to hosting the 2011 forum and would follow the appropriate channels, especially through the Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili by informing her of this trust upon the Nigerian people, with respect to the West Africa Internet Governance Forum.

“I am sure the minister would gladly accept our proposal,” he assured.

Meanwhile, speaking at the closing session of the 2010 WAIGF, the chief executive of OSIWA Dr. Mrs. Nana Nyako, told participants that the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is critical to development and OSIWA believes it would assist in opening up the space in this sub-region.

“It is our dream that the forum is sustained cutting across Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and governments to discuss how Internet affects the lives of the people,” she said.

Pointing out that it is very important to have a forum where ECOWAS citizens could share challenges instead of mourning about it, hence, OSIWA saw this forum as an opportunity that should be used to maximize this advantage.

“We hope that it would offer more opportunity for creating awareness about what is going on at the country levels concerning IGF,” she said.

Nyako expressed optimism that there is hope that the way and manner Africans use ICT and new media is going to change, emphasizing that sustainability is key to the whole project.

“Sustainability of this process is the key to keeping our thoughts together and people getting informed,” she said.

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2011: Committee urges INEC to consider indigenous manufacturers

As preparation thickens for the 2011 general elections hots up, the Joint Action Committee for ICT Awareness and Development (JACITAD), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider the involvement of local Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the award of its Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines contract.

Making this call after an emergency session of an extended exco meeting, JACITAD noted that the contract for the DDC is the kind of opportunities needed by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector to maintain its current development.

The group, which is an umbrella organisation of ICT media practitioners in the country, in a press statement jointly endorsed by the President and Secretary General Messrs Prince Osuagwu and Oluwaseun Ayotokun, the group said there are many IT companies in Nigeria that could meet INEC’s urgent need for 120,000 DDC machines.

Prince Osuagwu was quoted as saying that some of these companies comprises but not limited to the likes of Zinox, Omatek, Brian, Beta Computers and NigComSAT.

“We are suggesting that they should invite the local OEMs for interview and find out how they can put them together so as to deliver quality service if INEC cannot leave the task with only one of them,” he said.

Osuagwu also said that they are advocating a situation in which the Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON), is involved in the exercise to give a list of companies that can partner with NigComSAT, a Federal Government’s company, so that they could all deliver flawless software solutions.

He stressed that there is the need for people in authorities to know that Nigeria’s ICT could adequately take care of the technology needs of the economy if given the room to do so.

He cited the example of Remita, an e-payment solution by SystemSpecs, a Nigerian software company, which has not only been embraced by almost all the financial institutions in the country but by many key government agencies, ministries and departments.

“If the solution had not been found to be superior, many of the organisations that are using it would not have switched over to it,” he declared.

Osuagwu further said that going abroad to look for what is available in the country is an act of economic sabotage and it would spell doom for Nigeria’s ICT sector.

“But will also rub off negatively on other sector of the economy which ICT has been driving since the advent of the current ICT revolution,” he said.

He reiterated the fact that Nigeria need not throw its security overboard when tackling a national assignment, pointing out that giving it to foreign firms could give out critical data base of this country, which could be manipulated for any untoward end.

“If you give to foreign firms, what if there it is a problem along the line like the 2006 experience when Zinox was finally called upon to bail out INEC? So, we, in JACITAD are saying the beginning of the 2011 elections’ credibility starts from allowing local IT firms to handle the procurement and deployment of the 120,000 DDC machines that INEC wants to use,” he said.

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MTN Naira Splash promo lifts 2,013 subscribers

Over 2,013 subscribers of the MTN Communications Nigeria won several prizes at the just concluded MTN World Cup Naira Splash competition.

ITRealms Online gathered that the FIFA 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa and sponsored by MTN Group, the first ever to be held on African soil, saw to the emergence of three subscribers who went home with N20 million each, 90 lucky others who got N2 million each and 1,800 winners of N20,000 each.

MTN had clarified at the inception of the promotion that the platform was a strategy for the company to improve the living conditions of its subscribers.

Speaking afterwards, one of the winners of N20m prize, a 22-year old barber based in
Kogi State, Mr. Mordi Julius Kenneth, said the day he got a call from MTN concerning the prize, remain a special day for him.

“It was a day mother luck smiled on me by lacing up my path with a mega fortune,” he declared.

For Akpan Christopher, a Store Keeper at Stallion Industry Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, his life status experienced a sudden change when he participated in the MTN World Cup Naira splash competition.

According to him, he was convinced that he would win, hence he continued to send entries amid discouraging comments by friends and not long after, his doggedness produced an enviable result with the win of N20 million.

Obviously most excited among the three N20 million winners was the 57-year teacher of 34 years, Mr. Simeon Chukwuka Okeke.

He told reporters that despite his long time in public service, he was yet to see N1m.

Mr. Okeke, who teaches at the Central School, Ndike, Orumba North, Anambra State, looks forward to a decent life and house.

While commending MTN for the life buoy provided him through the competition, that his proposed retirement in 2011 is now assured to be a befitting one.

And for those that won in the N2m category of the splash competition like Ismaila Yakubu, it was a life changing exercise.

Whereas Mr. Hyacinth Onyenaucheya Obioma, won in the N2 million category, his partially deaf and dumb condition did not deter luck from shining on him as he had multiple luck staring at him during the competition.

This, ITRealms Online gathered was because he had won N1 million last year during the MTN Big Score promo and in 2010’s World Cup Naira Splash Competition, he won N20,000 twice and an all expenses-paid trip to South Africa and had his winnings capped with N2 million.

In his remarks, the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Koya Oyeyemi, said that God has used the management of MTN to change the lives of many families in the country, both young and old; turning them from nothing to something better.

Oyeyemi also said that MTN is committed to better the lives of its subscribers, even as they have done a lot in the telephony services.

“We had N20,000 winners every hour and that’s 24 winners over 90 days, and then we had 20 million naira winners every month, then at the back of that we had about 90 winners who went to South Africa before the end of World Cup. So it’s a huge number of winners that we have had,” he said.

Further, he said that the management’s intention is to enrich the lives of its customers and give them a life time experience for the world cup.

“… Now, this is another part of it to say every other person who could not go for the world cup gets to win different sums of money, but here we are saying when you come across a customer, whose life has been touched with N20m, then you should know that such life is a transformed forever,” he asserted.

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ITAN ready for CEO’s summit

The Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN) has concluded plans to host a one day summit for Information Technology (IT) chief executive officers, this month, tagged IT Future 2010, with the theme, ‘Empowering IT CEOs for offshore and outsourcing projects.’

Chairman of the local organizing committee of ITAN and chief executive of Programos Software, Mr. Emmanuel Amos, made this disclosure in Lagos last weekend, saying that the summit is being organized in conjunction with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Africa Regional Secretariat.

He also said that the event slated to hold at Protea Hotel, Maryland Ikeja, Lagos, would be the assembly of who is who in IT-related Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector.

According to him, it is a strategy to empower Nigerian IT CEOs in collaboration with their international counterparts to tap into the huge potentials for IT-BPO growth in the country.

Amos, who was accompanied by Mr. Tayo Adeniyi, Executive Director, Worldwide Computer Systems Limited and ITAN administrative officer, Mr. Muyiwa Shamakin, at the press briefing said that the summit would serve as one of the opportunity for the nation to showcase an exemplary IT-BPO industry, the Kano ICT Park.

Stressing that they are partnering with the National Software and Services Companies of (NASSCOM) India and stands out as a unique platform to facilitate the empowerment and enrich the nation’s economy.

Equally, he said participants would be joined by foremost industry associations based in the United States of America (USA), TechAmerica and PIKOM of Malaysia to boost the summit.

He pointed out that annually IT-BPO has recorded over $600 billion, about N90.7 trillion, with India currently leading in this sector, with earnings in excess of 60 per cent.

Amos noted that the event is a natural follow-up to the recent workshop by the National Economic Management Team (NEMT) and the World Bank aimed at growing the Nigerian BPO sector so as to create jobs and wealth as part of broad strategy for the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals and the attainment of the Nigerian Vision 20: 2020.

Some of the key participants, he said, include international and national IT leaders that have confirmed participation include Mr. Phil Bond, President TechAmerica USA, Mr. Som Mittal President, NASSCOM India, Dr Jimson Olufuye, President ITAN and Vice Chairman WITSA Sub-Saharan Africa.

Others are Mr. Ismail Radwan, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist, Africa Region, the World Bank, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, President ATCON, and Mr. Chris Uwaje, President ISPON, Prof Cleopas Angaye, DG National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Umar Bindir, Director, National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and Dr Sola Afolabi, Director, Community Computer Centre ECOWAS Commission.

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NCC sets up task force on quality of service

Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, has inaugurated a Task Force within the Commission to address all issues concerning quality of services in the telecommunications network in the country.

Dr. Juwah who gave this indication during a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja last week by the Association of Telecom Operating companies of Nigeria (ALTON) led by its chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, said that the issue of addressing the Quality of Services (QoS), being rendered by the various networks is a matter of urgency to the Commission.

The Commission, he said, would intensify efforts to ensure that the quality of services being delivered to the consumers is acceptable.

“We want the operators to continue to do only those things that will improve the quality of services and discontinue those that degrade the quality,” he told ALTON members comprise of the operating companies, mainly Zain, MTN, Globacom, Etisalat, Starcomms, Multilinks, Visafone, and ZoomMobile among others.

The NCC boss also said that NCC has set up a Task Force within the Commission to come up with short, medium and long term solutions on the issues of QoS.

“In the course of their work, we will have reason to be interacting with the service providers at various levels and I want to use this opportunity to seek your cooperation in bringing a lasting solution to the issue of Quality of service in the various networks,” he said.

Equally, he said the Commission would soon meet with the CEO of the operating companies to address this issue, stressing that NCC would work towards ensuring that services on offer are affordable.

“This is why we will encourage the operators to do more in offering services at affordable tariffs. We want to see more competition at play. We want to see costs of such services like Short Messaging Services (SMS), to coming lower than what the operators are offering today,” he said.

Dr. Juwah further told his guests that NCC would continue to encourage compliance to all regulations that will contribute to tariff reduction as well as continuing to foster competition by encouraging new entrants into the market at all times whenever possible.

“We also expect the operators to be responsive to their subscribers. Without the subscribers, no operator will exist and sustain their services so we want the operators to be very responsive to their complaints. On our part, we promise to be transparent, fair, firm, and forthright,” he said.

Reiterating his earlier resolve to be consultative of the industry, Dr. Juwah said he believes that wide industry consultations in the Commission’s activities will bring about effective and participatory regulatory process.

“I also believe that consultative regulation of the industry will bolster the confidence of the stakeholders and engender a conducive environment necessary for further investments in the sector. So, it bears repeating in this occasion that we shall be consultative of the industry, especially members of ALTON who are very important stakeholders,” he said.

On SIM Card registration, Dr. Juwah that the Commission is currently consulting with different levels of government with a view to articulating the best approach to the registration of existing subscribers in the network while the service providers continue with the registration of new subscribers.

Earlier in his address, ALTON chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo requested the Commission to develop an incentive-driven bailout plan for some of its members with difficulties in payment of their regulatory dues for the sustenance of the industry growth and protection of ailing networks.

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Uduma leads new NiRA executive

The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has elected new executive at the weekend with the former vice president, Mrs. Mary Uduma elected unopposed as president, following the stepping down of other contenders to the post.

Also, the former executive board member, Mr. Sunday Folayan was elected into the vice president portfolio.

Other members of the newly constituted board of NiRA elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), last week in Lagos, include Messrs Muhammed Rudman, Sola Bickersteth, Remmy Nweke and Mrs. Yetunde Johnson; the Managing Director of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria Limited, Assistant General Manager of ChamsCity, Senior Reporter on ICT at Champion Newspapers and Network Administrator at Aluko & Oyebode, respectively.

Messrs Olayinka Bimbo, Shehu Sikiru and Biyi Oladipo who did not resign their positions from the board, were retained.

Currently, Mrs. Uduma, is a director at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in- charge of International Relations and has headed several departments of the Commission, including Corporate Planning and Research, Tariff & Charges as well as Finance.

Before joining NCC, Mrs. Uduma had worked with Deloitte and Touché, a public accounting firm in the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, and at an investment bank, all in Nigeria. A member of the National Committee on the Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS); and also a member of an interim Board of Trustees for the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) responsible for the country code Top level domain name .ng.

Also, she had in the past served as coordinator of the Africa Regional Preparatory Meeting in 2005 for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s World Telecoms Development Conference.

A trained teacher, Mrs. Uduma is also a Chartered Accountant and holds B.Sc (Hons) in Accounting from the University of Lagos, and has worked with the Ministry of Education among others and was in May 2007, elected as the vice president of NiRA.

In her acceptance speech, after the inauguration of the new executive board of directors, the president, Mrs. Mary Uduma promised that the new team would work towards growing the adaptation of the nation’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), .ng.

She also requested the support of all stakeholders in the Internet community in the country to support them in order to make this tenure a successful one.

Previously in her address to the Annual General Meeting, Mrs. Uduma urged members to observe a minute silence in honour of the immediate past president, late Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, who died on September last year, following which the planned AGM was postponed till this year.

The electoral committee was made up of some members of NiRA’s board of trustees, namely the former President of Computer Registration Association of Nigeria (CPN), Prof. Mrs. Nike Osifisan, former president of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Chris Nwannenna and editor, Technology Times, Mr. Shina Badaru.

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Access tops debate @ WAIGF’10

As the three-day 2010 West African Internet Governance Forum (IGF) ended in the city of Dakar, Senegal, last weekend, the issue of affordable internet access topped debate.

Various participants, especially those who made country representations, all seem to be singing the same tune; internet access and its affordability.

In his remarks to welcome participants to the occasion, the national chapter president, Internet Society Senegal, Dr. Alex Corenthin, noted that at the beginning of the global IGF in 2006, which was held in Athens, Greece, access, policy and cost were some of the key issues deliberated upon.

In addition, he said that the first IGF discussed openness, free circulation of information, security and language.

He also said that the forum is essential because it would help participants to strengthen stakeholders’ relationship across the government, civil society organisation, mostly in developing technologies and for developing nations in order for IGF to make sense to all.

Equally, he said, the IGF mandate speaks on capacity building for developing countries.

Presenting Nigeria’s country report at the forum, Mr. Emmanuel Edet of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), reiterated the call at the Nigeria Digital Sense forum recently on IGF that internet should be fundamentally accessible.

“Nigeria believes that internet should be a fundamental access and service offerings to the people with disability should be improved,” he said.

Stressing that the journey of national IGF started in Nigeria in 2008, when it was organized by the Ministry of Information and Communication, and in 2009 as well as this year, a forum was organized by Digital Sense Africa (DSA) as part of public, private partnership in Lagos and another forum is billed before December this year.

According to him, the 2008 forum also discussed that countries on the continent should host their root servers.

Nigeria, he said, is open to internationalization of the internet domains, and efforts are up in training core stakeholders on the importance of migrating from the Internet Protocol version four (IPv4) to IPv6.

Also, he said, Nigeria has established local internet exchange points, though it was discovered that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were just resellers of bandwidth.

“There was also a suggestion of internet registry, and need to optimise .ng against foreign domain names,” he said.

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Telepresence, simple as making call - Cisco

THE Managing Director, Cisco Nigeria, Mr. Richard Edet, has said that setting up a meeting with its Telepresence is as simple as making a phone call, report CHARLES OKOH & GERALDINE OKOLIE.

He said when participants sit down at a conference table in a Cisco Telepresence room other participants appear to be sitting across the table, in life size, no matter where they are located in the world.

Edet who stated this in Lagos, last week during the unveiling of Cisco TelePresence 3,000 Series designed for large group meetings, also said his core motivation in office would be to empower as many Nigerians as possible through employment and capacity building.

He also said there has been steady increase between 2006 and now as more Nigerians have been employed directly while several others have been engaged through its partners in the country.

“Today through our network academy programme we have empowered and trained a lot of employable people, ranging from children and school leavers and many more. We have the largest number of network academies in Nigeria. Our next mission is to establish what we call community development centres. These centres will be equipped with modern technology to provide access to people, especially in the rural areas. These projects are very dear to my heart,” he said.

Disclosing some of the unique features embedded in the service, Edet explained that the collaborative solutions would not only bridge the distance and reduce travel costs but would as well make the ‘real life’ meeting experience delivered through ultra –high definition video that reveals subtle facial expressions conveying nonverbal reactions, as well as allowing participants interact as they would in person.

The Cisco Telepresence solution which offers a live, face-to-face communication experience enables people from different offices and cities around the world to meet virtually using the power of the network allows meeting participants to share content, create high-quality video recordings of events, consult with experts as well as deliver powerful personalized services, all using the network for an immersive in-person experience.

In addition, Edet said the Cisco TelePresence solution would have a transformational impact on all sectors of the Nigerian society from healthcare and education to safety and citizen inclusion.

“Healthcare professionals, for instance, will soon be able to collaborate more easily, regardless of location, thereby improving both the time and the quality of care delivered and patients will be able to access physicians and specialists from remote areas”, he noted.

Identifying frequent power outages as some of the challenges facing it, he said his company has since been working closely with Just Standout Limited, to provide alternative power solutions and energy against power cuts.

During an interactive session at the TelePresence experience, Chief Technology Officer of Cisco and Emerging Markets, Mr. Den Sullivan who spoke from Cisco’s office in Belgium disclosed that the deployment of Cisco technology can now be increased significantly throughout sub-Saharan African region with the arrival of submarine cables to offer bandwidth at affordable prices.

He noted that “Cisco’s vision is to be the leading enabler of ICT and broadband acceleration in emerging markets through innovative, scalable, high-value technology solutions.

Sullivan said the technology will not only improve the way businesses are done in Africa but also help make vital services like healthcare and education more accessible to those who need them most.

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CNP targets Nigerians with 1.5m laptops

Computerize Nigeria Project (CNP) has announced that its targeting transition to new decade with 1.5 million laptops promo.

Head, Computerize Nigeria Project, Mrs. Loretta Agbakoba, said that the promo is still running for two reasons, namely because it was designed in part to help provide the appropriate tools for the resumption of the 2010/2011 academic session.
Secondly, she said, the 1.5 million laptops promo was packaged to empower Nigerians to meet the challenges of the second decade of the 21st Century.

She explained that while discounted pricing for the laptops would meet the low budget expectations of parents as their children and wards go back to school, the world-class quality of these systems are suitable for the transition into the decade in which the daunting challenges of the Millennium Development Goals, the MDGs would be achieved.

The promo, she added is embedded with the incredible benefit of a Zinox e-learning suite worth N62, 000 free for one year, and a free Zinox digi lamp to enhance reading in a country where blackouts have become a norm.

The e-learning suite, which Zinox developed in partnership with World e library is currently number 1 in Africa and contains 1,000,000 e-books downloadable in any PC; 59,000 medical e documents and e-books; 11,000 classic literature e-books; 1,000 Chemistry e-books, 500 Mathematics e-books; 250 Physics e-books; and 680,000 e-books more.

Also, she said the suite contains Physics simulation tools, Creative, Observation, and Skills Development Tools, Teacher Lessons Plans, Worksheets, and Classroom Articles.

According to her, the e learning suite holds a lot of promise for educational institutions who want to be rated among the world’s best and Governments who wish to accelerate the pace towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the vision 20/ 2020.

She further said that participation is open to all Nigerians and employers may take advantage of the promo to computerize their staff simply by issuing an employer’s guaranty.

“No bank guarantees are required. All the frustrating documentation that have hitherto made Computer Ownership schemes tedious and unpleasant have been clipped off. All a prospect needs do is to decide whether to pay the very low cash prices or subscribe to the 12 months installment option,” she said.

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ATCON admits new members, relocates

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has announced the admission of four new members into its fold, just as it relocates its secretariat.

Disclosing these recently in Lagos, ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu said that the new four members that joined the association recently included MainOne Cable Company Ltd, Raeanna Nigeria Ltd, Flory Struct-Tech Ltd, Jibson Dynamics Ltd, and Phase 3 Telecom Ltd.

He also said that the association is planning to introduce quarterly Annual General Meeting (AGM).

This, he said, would aid in keeping members more abreast of its activities and development.

According to the Executive Secretary of ATCON, Mr. Ajibola Olude, “We should be preparing for a quarterly General meeting of the Association, so we can review things with our members and get them to be more active in the affairs of their association.”

He also quoted Omo-Ettu as saying that the secretariat has been relocated to Mojidi area of Ikeja and urged ATCON members to do business with the group.

“We request our members and friends to do business with us,” he said, highlighting that ATCON has improved its secretariat operations in the area of database of members, communication with chief executive officers of member companies as well as in media relations.

On the database of its members, Omo-Ettu said ATCON has upgraded this and white-listed those members’ database and are in a position to communicate with them on mail, telephone, SMS and post via courier deliveries, in whichever form it may find easiest and best for any circumstance.

“To date, we have 69 registered members,” he declared.

Equally, ATCON said it’s updating the database of CEO’s of member-companies with the hope to involve them to participate more in the affairs of their association by constituting relevant committees during the forthcoming general meeting.

In a related development, ATCON recently entered into an alliance with the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN), to share information on Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) with a consummation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu reiterated that the scope of the alliance is limited to each partner sending a copy of any input it made to any government on issues relating to ICT industry development.

He warned that a few people may read meanings into the alliance and are likely to go aware with the notion that a body of association has been formed, stressing that some other people would find reasons as to why one association will eventually swallow another.“This is not so … It is not so and it is not intended,” Omo-Ettu insisted.

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Tapgun commends Omatek, endorses Made in Nigeria goods

The Minister of State for Commerce, Ms Josephine Tapgun has commended Omatek Computers for manufacturing quality systems for the use of Nigerians and West Africans.

Tapgun made this commendation during a visit to Omatek Factory in Oregun-Ikeja, Lagos, last Friday.

She said that Nigerians need to encourage their own, especially on goods with same quality equal to the global standards.

Impressed by what she saw, Tapgun said that she would ensure that Omatek benefits from the Federal Government’s industrial intervention fund worth N500 billion.

She called on Nigerians, especially governments agencies at all levels to look inwards so as to save the nation of capital flights and boost employment opportunities for the people.

She urged Omatek not to relent as her office would assist the company in having access to the industrial intervention fund.

Taking the Minister on tour of the factory, the Group Managing Director, Omatek Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki noted that the company initially started as a training outfit and grew into executive training for bank executives and their counterparts from the oil and gas sector.

“Omatek is especially known to have had a stint training staff of Shell Petroleum and then Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC),” she said.

Mrs. Seriki also said that the transformation continued and in 1990 Omatek Ventures Limited became a vendor of some world-class computers such as Dell, Compaq, IBM, ACER to name a few.

She pointed out that as a result, Omatek Ventures was appointed as a premium partner of Microsoft; selling these products with annual sales revenue of over $1 million and has since grown to a computer manufacturer.

As said by her, the need to continue meeting up with the minimum order quantity requirement of some of the best manufacturers so as to sustain production quality, led to the embrace of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) scheme in partnership with Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank.

This, she said involved the manufacturing of casings, keyboards and speakers from Completely Knocked Down (CKD) components; produce of Omatek brand of computers, notebooks and servers.

In addition, she said that Omatek used the deal with these two banks to export computers, casings and speakers within Africa and generate employment opportunities in the Information Technology (IT) industry for youths.

Today, she noted, Omatek has grown into a group of companies with the establishment of subsidiaries to strengthen its operations, therefore, Omatek Ventures Plc has become the holding company for the subsidiaries namely Omatek Computers Ltd, Omatek Computers (Ghana) Ltd, Omatek Ventures (Ghana) Ltd, Omatek Engineering Services Ltd, and Omatek Ventures Distribution Ltd.

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Starcomms explains unveiling of BBW dual

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Starcomms, has explained the recent unveiling of its Best of Both Worlds (BBW) dual subscriber identification module (SIM)-based mobile phones into the market.

This, the Chief Commercial Officer of Starcomms, Mr. Tushar Maheshwari, said, would undoubtedly free its customers who own GSM lines from the stress of carrying more than one handset always.

He said that BBW cell phone is a product of state-of-the-art technology that facilitates Starcomms customers to combine elegance with multi-functionality.

Describing it as an ideal for aspiring customers who love to combine the clear signals and value of Starcomms with a GSM network without the encumbrance of moving around with multiple devices, he said that it is a device made available by Starcomms to make life easy for the customers.

“That is why we break technological barriers to get them products and services that meet their needs,” he declared.

He also said that BBW is comfortable and affordable as well as built to make it possible for Starcomms’ customers to enjoy the value of cost effective local and international rates associated with the use of the Starcomms network whilst at the same time giving the customer the convenience of carrying a spare GSM line in the same phone.

Further, he listed some of outstanding features that make the phone irresistible to own to include the international roaming possibility, the long lasting life of the battery as well as the FM radio cum speaker designed to entertain the customer.

Maheshwari also disclosed that the dual SIM phone is an effort by Starcomms to make better quality and feature rich phones available to its CDMA customers.

Recalling that over the years, the company has invested millions in new technologies and innovations towards improving the quality of its products and services with the ultimate aim of building a solid network for voice and data to cater for all categories of its customers.

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ALAC seeks for board members

Global internet coordinating agency, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has commenced search for board membership of its At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC).

ITRealms Online recalls that At-Large is the name for the community of individual Internet users who participate in the policy development work of ICANN and currently has over 120 structures representing the views of individual Internet users, who are active throughout the world.

ICANN also said in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, endorsed by the Cheryl Langdon-Orr, the Chair of ALAC, indicated that the group is calling for applications from those who may be interested in helping to develop policy while serving on the organization’s board of directors.

ICANN explained that it’s At-Large community has decided to embark on this global search to fill a Board seat reserved for an Internet user who does not represent a particular government, corporate or non-profit entity.

“This is all about providing a voice for the average everyday Internet user in the global non-profit organization charged with coordinating the Internet addressing system,” Langdon-Orr said, stressing that ICANN wants to hear from all segments of the Internet community, including the individuals who often simply feel they don’t have a voice in policy formation.

Emphasizing that ALAC is looking for someone with a broad international perspective and a background in Internet users’ interests, consumer policy and or civil society worldwide.

The At-Large board member, Langdon-Orr also said would have a voice in the numerous ICANN issues which help define the organization.

“The Internet is defined by its unique ability to give everyone a voice. This is an opportunity to extend that concept of inclusion to ICANN’s top level,” Langdon-Orr said.
 
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Thelia plans NITPEX expo in Lagos

The maiden edition of the Nigeria Technology Promotion Exhibition (NITPEX) has been announced in Lagos, according to chief executive officer of Thelia Productions, Mr. Daniel Omatseyin Moore.

He also said that NITPEX presents a unique exhibition designed to promote and foster creativity and innovation in the area of indigenous technology development in Nigeria.

“At NITPEX, indigenous companies and individuals will have the opportunity of showcasing their technology-based products and services various sectors of the economy,” he said.

Mr. Moore noted that the event scheduled to hold in December, 2010, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, is anticipated to have a high profile attendance.

He described the relatively high level of support in form of sponsorships, promotions and endorsements, being enjoyed by the performing arts and sports, at the expense of the development of indigenous technology.

“Every prosperous society must be able to boast of a thriving science and technology base, and the drivers of development generally, are usually Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which are invariably the largest employers of labour,” he said.

Moore disclosed that his organization would seek the support and endorsement of various governmental agencies which have been working assiduously over the years to ensure recognition and development of indigenous technology.

“These are agencies which have been involved in helping to patent some of these technologies, as well as recommending them for subsequent adoption, and in some instances, mass production,” he noted.

Further, he said, NITPEX will feature an awards ceremony in recognition of technological innovations developed by Nigerian companies and individuals.

The organizers will be partnering with agencies under the Science & Technology Ministry to process entries and nominations, just as winners will emerge from each of the four geographical zones around the country: Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western zones.

To ensure a successful event, Thelia Productions is also partnering with Mediacraft Associates, a foremost Nigerian Public Relations (PR) and Integrated Marketing Communications outfit as well as Stingomania, a leading entertainment firm.

On expectations from the event, chief executive officer, Mediacraft Associates, Mr. John Ehiguese, described NITPEX as a novel and laudable, promising his firm’s believe in the rippling effect it will bring.

He pointed that for once, achievements of indigenous technology solution providers will be recognised; while their potentialities brought to the fore.

“As a marketing communications outfit that believes in the huge potentials of Nigeria and Nigerians, our firm is proud to support this initiative geared towards growing indigenous Nigerian technology,” he said.

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Security: Summit on ICT intervention to proffer solutions

All is now set for the hosting of the one-day summit on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) intervention into the security crisis of the nation in Lagos.

The event coordinator, Mr. Godwin Morgan gave this indication in Lagos at the weekend, saying that the summit is intended to provide appropriate technological solution that would assist Nigeria’s security forces take control of the growing tide of insecurity in the country, at the door step of the stakeholders.

He also said that summit slated for next week Thursday, September 07, 2010 has received the endorsement and support of the relevant stakeholders in the ICT and security sectors in Nigeria as well as the commendation of well-meaning, peace-loving Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

According to him, the programme of event shows that participants are expected from the presidency, federal and state legislature, state governors, relevant federal ministers, security forces, private security professionals, ICT experts and captains of industries, who have been invited to participate in the summit.

Key experts, he said, have been drawn from home and abroad to make technical presentations that will stimulate intellectual discourse at the summit.

He cited for instance, that the new Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, would deliver a keynote address on the theme, “National Security Emergency: ICT to the Rescue,” while Robert J. Langlios, a representative of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), USA, would deliver a technical presentation on “Non-Intrusive Inspection Systems for Detection of Arms, Weapons, Ammunitions, etc for Local and Remote Monitoring and Data Storage.”

Also, Morgan said that Mr. Demola Aladekomo, Group Managing Director of Chams Plc has been penciled to lead discussion on “Imperatives of Identity Management in National Security Operations” and Mr. Chris Uwaje, chief executive officer, Connect Technologies, would examine “Critical Software Issues and Imperatives for National Security” even as the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Waziri is equally touted to grace the occasion to be held at Golden Gate, Ikoyi-Lagos, as chair of the summit.

Other special guests expected at the summit include the National Security Adviser, state governors, the honourable ministers in the ministries of Information and Communications; Science & Technology; National Planning; and Federal Capital Territory.

Others include the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Inspector-General of Police; Comptroller-General of Customs; Controller-General of Immigration and Controller-General of Prisons. The Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control; Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission, and a host of other stakeholders are also expected to participate in the summit.

The stakeholders’ summit is a public service initiative put together by Technology Development Company Limited, Gamnet Solutions Limited, Joint Action Committee on Information Technology Awareness & Development (JACITAD) and Digital Sense Africa (DSA), in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria; Association of Licensed Telephone Operators of Nigeria; Nigerian Internet Group to name a few.

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Multi-Links Telkom slashes internet access prices

Multi-Links Telkom Nigeria has announced the slashing of its Internet access charges.

The acting Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Multi-Links Telkom, Chris Bannister, was quoted in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online by the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, as saying that the slash in the cost of acquiring its Internet devices branded as Rocket Mobile Broadband was to make the offer more readily available for more subscribers.

The reduction Bannister said is also aimed at deepening the accessibility of the teeming Nigerian population to the Internet service via a reliable network that enables customers to surf on the World Wide Web without experiencing difficulties.

He cited an instance, saying that the cost of acquiring the EC 226 model which was N14, 000 has dropped to N12, 000, while the ZTE AC2710 model which was N14, 000 now sells for N8, 000.

On the other hand, the Rocket USB now sells for N10, 000 with free 24 hours access on Internet for one month after which the customer can change to any of the tariff plans on offer.

He noted that the tariff plans for the Internet subscriptions have been restructured to enable more people access the Multi-Links Telkom’s Internet services which is enjoying rave review by existing users of the products. He said that clear attention was paid to the market demographics which spell out the needs of the students, merchants and young professional in packaging the tariff reduction.

To complement the cost reduction on the Internet devices, Mr. Bannister said that the customers could enjoy Multi-Links Telkom’s low priced tariff plans, stressing that MyTime50, a 50-hour package with a validity window of 30days costs N3, 400, while MyTime100, a 100-hour package with a validity window of 60 days goes for N5,600, even as MyTime250, a 250-hour package, is another option for N9,900 has a validity window of 90 days.

The Rocket Mobile Broadband service is available at all locations in Nigeria with Multi-Links Telkom’s network presence.

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