‘We’re repositioning IXPN as W/Africa hub’

The chairman, board of directors of the Internet Exchange Point Nigeria Limited, Chief Chima Onyekwere, has said that the exchange is positioning itself to become the regional internet exchange hub for West Africa.

“As Africa become more and more connected internally we are positioning ourselves to be the regional IXP for West Africa,” he said.

Onyekwere made this assertion at the formal commissioning of the Internet Exchange facility at main location by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah in Lagos at the weekend.

He outlined some of the key advantages of an exchange point to a nation to include keeping local internet traffic local, reduction in costs, latency and bandwidth typically for networks and operators, just as he said that an Internet Exchange Point is a physical Network infrastructure that allows several ISPs and several network operators to exchange traffic between their networks.

He also said that IXPN has increased its membership base and also succeeded in attracting the attention of various organizations, adding that it’s willing to partner with more members and organizations in promoting local traffic and building the IXPN to a world class standard.

At IXPN, Onyekwere who was accompanied by the chief executive officer of the exchange, Mr. Mohammed Rudman and members of the board, reiterated their commitment not only to the development of a national Internet infrastructure, but increasingly, an infrastructure that would span the entire African continent, Europe, America, Asia and the entire world.

“IXPN will provide the much expected benefits required at an IXP as well as build and maintain a global reputation for quality, performance, reliability and excellence in all aspects,” he assured.

Onyekwere who also is the executive chairman, Linkserve Group, said that the IXPN offers connections at its operating locations at 100M and 1000M (1G) port speeds.

“The IXPN operates a Mandatory MLPA (Multi-Lateral Peering Agreement), which means it is mandatory for every member to peer with the IXPN route servers,” he said.

Additionally, he said that IXPN offers a private interconnect service to allow members to have bilateral connections in a cost effective way.

“You must be an IXPN member before you can sign up for a private interconnect service,” he explained.

Onyekwere further commended the management of the IXPN led by Mr. Muhammed Rudman, the pioneer Managing Director.

“This young man with his passion for this exchange has sacrificed severally without pay for months initially and sometimes moved the network around to avoid damage and rains! He has shown uncommon passion and today I commend him highly for his steadfastness and commitment to an assignment that did not show much hope earlier,” he said, stressing that he did all of what could be seen today with his staff and the board is definitely very proud of them and appreciate their commitment and drive to show that it could be done.

Although Onyekwere noted that they are yet to reach the Canaan land, they look forward to such a time they would be commissioning a main location owned by IXPN.

“We also intend to have branches in Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Maiduguri as well as other states of the Federation in the near future,” he disclosed.

Emphasising that IXPN started with zero membership but today could boast of some of the major players in the Internet Service Provision (ISP) sector, in addition to a couple of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMAs), Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication operators and higher institutions as members.

The Internet Exchange Point Nigeria, he said, has moved from a stage of obvious skepticism
from then intending members to having organizations like Google, Central Bank of Nig (CBN), National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) among others who support and contribute to this project.

ITRealms Online recalls that IXPN has 11-man board of directors and was founded in 2005 at the instance of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo after the second phase of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia.
 
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2010: SIM card registration intrigues top issues (3)

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector may have ended the year 2010, but top on the list of stakeholders was the SIM card registration writes REMMY NWEKE.
In year 2010, the first quarter ended with the exit of Dr. Ernest Chukwuka-Anene Ndukwe as the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) after serving his two terms in office which ended in April.

This was followed with the shopping by the Federal Government for his replace, which was immediately castigated by the some experts’ and stakeholders who thought that before Ndukwe’s exit a replacement should have been named to avoid void and attendant controversies that ensued thereafter.

Well, based on the directive that Ndukwe hands over to the next most senior officer in the Commission, the mantle fall on Mr. Stephen Bello and before one could spell Jack, the politicking gained root both at the presidency, ministry of information and communication as well as the National Assembly on whether to confirm him or not.

Despite the fact that his tenure as an Executive Commissioner in NCC was reportedly to end April 3, 2010, Ndukwe’s exit turned NCC to ‘mecca’ for some political advisors who went to work to ensure that their man or candidate takes over at the Commissioner. This also threw up some names included the then incumbent, Mr. Stephen Adedayo Bello and Dr. Bashir Gwandu who are both Executive Commissioners at NCC on Licensing and Consumer Affairs as well as Engineering and Standards, respectively.

While others were the President of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Prof. Raymond Akwule, immediate past-President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, chairman of Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo and former
President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr. Emmanual Ekuwem, even as the former top officer of moribund MTS First Wireless, Dr. Eugene Juwah and Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta of DBI were reportedly top on the recommendations of NCC board.

Eventually Dr. Juwah’s name was sent to the National Assembly for screening alongside Mr. Okechukwu Itanyi, which controversial back-deals by the Senator Sylvester Anyanwu-led Communications Committee were divided on the modalities for the screening and confirmation, thereby forcing the leadership of Senate to sack the committee and assumed the screening by itself and confirmation at the floor of the house.

However, the names sent to National Assembly were simply confirmed by them, although industry observers noted that lingered politicization of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua’s ill-health did not help matters based on scheming of northern ruling elites to have a northerner in the EVC position.

Another factor that kicked against the zoning of the chief executive officer of NCC to the north was the fact that then Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is from the south and may decide to veto the situation, though some stakeholders think he could use that opportunity to appease some of the southern elites, who are not relenting either, especially those from South-south otherwise call ‘Niger Delta’ axis of which Dr. Juwah is an indigene in this respect.

Before the emergence of Juwah, Mr. Bello was just a month after asked to hand over to the next senior person, which happens to be Dr. Gwandu and proceed on retirement leave. This became another contention with several editorials to and against the directive.

Soon after the issue of controversy suggested that Bello was contesting his undue retirement followed by the reports that the accounts of NCC has been frozen by Gwandu to forestall any counter-directive by loyalists to Bello short-lived leadership because of the way he was reported jettisoned from office. This much was refuted by Gwandu.

The NCC said its attention has been drawn to reports in the media insinuating that the bank accounts of the Commission have been frozen, following a leadership crisis, or that there is a leadership crisis in the Commission. But according to the Head, Media & Public Relations at NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, it’s all lies as there was no such thing or any leadership crisis in NCC.

He pointed out that while it is not the intention of the Commission to join issues with the press, “we have the responsibility to inform the Nigerian public, and all industry stakeholders that no account of the Commission has been frozen for whatever reason.”

Describing the report as “embarrassing and a figment of the imagination of the author,” Muoka said that the public should discountenance it.

“We wish to also inform the public that there is no crisis of succession in the Commission,” he said, stressing that Dr. Gwandu has since June 21, assumed office as the acting EVC of NCC.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, Dr. Bashir Gwandu, the Executive Commissioner in charge of Engineering and Standards, have since June 21, 2010, been appointed the Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission,” he declared.

He noted that this was in line with the directive of the government to the former Acting Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Stephen Bello, whose five-year tenure as an Executive Commissioner with the Commission expired on July 5, 2010, to proceed on his formal retirement.

He maintained that since the appointment of Dr. Gwandu, with the full knowledge of the entire staff, “he has continued to perform his duties as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Commission at our Headquarters in Abuja without let or hindrance.”

Muoka also said that Gwandu was at the meeting convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Communications on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, and there was no time during the meeting that another person appeared in the same capacity as Acting EVC.

“As a matter of fact, the proceedings of the meeting were recorded for transmission by the
various television stations and the public can watch the full proceedings of the meeting,” he said.

Since the creation of NCC under Decree 75 by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria on November 24, 1992, the post of chief executive officer cum executive vice chairman, had always been retained by the south and precisely the south-east in the last three successions; Eze Cletus Iromantu, who is now a traditional ruler and Dr. Emmanuel Nnama, who is presently into private practice and telecom advocacy as well as Dr. Ndukwe, who has since leaving office returned to private practice as the group chairman, OpenMedia Group.

Equally of relevant was the issue of having stale website by the Ministry of Information and Communication, which did not leave the nation in any better light as far as current information was concerned; this forced the ministry to come up with two websites in the following weeks- One for MOIC and another for rebranding project.

The Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili and her Minister of State, Alhaji Ibrahim Nakande soon pathways following the reshuffling of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which saw Akunyili retaining her office while a new Minister of State came in person of Alhaji Aliyu Bilbis and later Mr. Labara Maku. Before the end of the year, Akunyili resigned her position to join the All Programmes Grand Alliance (APGA) to seek for the Senate in her home town, Anambra State, thus, elevating Mr. Maku to become full-fledged Minister till the time of this report without any substantive Minister of State.

Noteworthy was that Glo 1 and MainOne submarine cables landed in the country within the period under review, with the hope that broadband would change the landscape of ICT in the country, mostly prevailing cheaper Internet access.

However, the most disturbing aspect of the 2010 for ICT industry was the state of insecurity in the South-Eastern part of the country which the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), even as the group identified lack of security as the greatest threat to telecom infrastructure in the country, warning that this may impact negatively on the Quality of Services (QoS).

Chairman, ALTON and chief executive officer of Communication Network Support Services Limited (CNSSL), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, while delivering a paper on “Managed Services & Infrastructure Sharing: Implications for a safe Environment” in Lagos, decried the recent killing of seven personnel on duty at a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) located at Gabby Oil, Aba Road, Abia State.

As said by him, despite the advantages of both co-shared and non-co shared infrastructure, lack of security remained the most menace to equipment, infrastructure and personnel in telecoms development. He warned that this, especially with the recent killing of personnel at BTS, while carrying out routine maintenance on a Radio Base Station site located at Gabby Oil, Aba Road, would impact immensely and negatively to the kind of quality of service to the state and South Eastern region of the country as a whole.

Adebayo noted that telecommunications operation is a round the clock and workers and contractors of ALTON member companies work 24 hours and seven days of the week.

Describing as unfortunate the attacks member staff, he said, it would impact on ability of members to provide needed 24/7 maintenance support on network infrastructure in some parts of the country.

“ALTON foresees that this development will impact severely on quality of services across the networks,” he said, lamenting that those personnel were gunned down in the BTS as well as one was shot down from the mast while attending to maintenance, describing it as sad. The motive behind the killing has remained unknown as the assault on the workers and security personnel were unprovoked.

“This incident has brought to the fore the state of insecurity in some parts of country, and in
particular some state of the South Eastern part of Nigeria,” he decried.

He noted that on managed services-outsourcing, network sharing and hosting, the Nigerian telecoms sector has fared very well over recent years and a number of operators who commenced services much later and now competing well with the early starters have been able to do so in the market place due to the ‘time to market advantage’ offered by collocation. Nigeria, he said, is one of the biggest and fastest growing telecom markets in Africa, and has been attracting huge foreign direct investment and yet standing at relatively low market penetration.

Above all, the issue surrounding the SIM card registration, its budget approval in the National Assembly and clamour for the registration, no doubt, has been on top of the news after the emergence of new leadership at NCC.
 
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NiRA presents .ng’s 50,000-in-50 days offer to NITDA

THE Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) has formally presented its 2011 programme to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Top on the agenda is the 50,000 free domains for 50 days which is currently on offer by the organisation and the need to properly manage the .gov.ng.

It must be recalled that NIRA is directly supervised by NITDA, which has been on top of .ng governance and development since the creation of the nation’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) over 16 years ago.

Speaking at the session, NIRA President, Mrs. Mary Uduma said that the association aimed to achieve its goal of registering 250,000 before end of 2011, which is likely to pave the way for its overtaking other countries on the continent on ccTLD.

“Our aim is to overtake all other African countries on domain name,” she said optimistically.

Mrs. Uduma told NITDA leadership led by the agency Director-General, Prof. Cleopas Angaye, that NIRA was not unaware of the challenges emanating from renewal of registered domain names, but expressed hope that with the sensitization of the Nigerian populace supported by NITDA, 250,000 domains as project it would come to pass.

She also told the session of the determination of her leadership to restructure the association as a world class community charged with management of the country code Top Level Domain .ng.

To this end, she said the capacity building of the leadership is paramount to the development of the association, which has commenced with the appointment of a chief operating officer (COO), in the person of Mr. Sola Bickersteth.

All this, she said, aim at efficiently managing the ccTLD and gov.ng particularly meant for the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government.

In his response, DG NITDA, Prof. Angaye promised to continue to support programmes of NIRA, especially that those that would give a boost to .ng penetration.

He also urged NIRA leadership to continue to be steadfast in their drive to take the .ng crusade to the next level.

NITDA as the supervisory agency of NIRA, Angaye said, has the federal government support to ensure that .ng get the required attention in lives of Nigerian.

Noteworthy is that in accordance with the global internet coordinating agency, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a request was received for the redelegation of the .NG top-level domain on 15 January 2008.

The .NG domain name is designated in the ISO 3166-1 standard for Nigeria with a population of over 150 million people.

The .NG top-level domain was initially delegated in 1995 to then, Ms Iyabo Odusote of the Yaba College of Technology, while it was being technically managed by Instituto per le Applicazioni Telematiche (IAT) based in Italy, and was later transferred and executed by Mr. Randy Bush in the United States.

In 2004, ICANN redelegated the .NG top-level domain to the National Information Technical Development Agency (NITDA), a national governmental agency, with the eventual conclusion being that the proposed redelegation appeals for the “Nigeria Internet Registration Association” to be designated as the Sponsoring Organisation for the .NG top-level domain.

Some members of NIRA Executive board of directors who graced the meeting included the Vice President, Mr. Sunday Folayan, chairman Establishment Committee, Mr. Sekiru Shehu, his counterparts in Communication and Publicity as well as Accreditation committees, Messrs Remmy Nweke and Biyi Oladipupo, respectively, in addition to the COO, Mr. Bickersteth.

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Wale Jones tackles legal framework @ Nigeria Internet Governance forum’11

RENOWNED solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mr. Adewale Jones, would be tackling ‘The Imperative of Legal Framework’ at the 2011 Nigeria Digital Sense forum, which focus is on Internet Governance and Development in the country.

Disclosing this, the Executive Director, DigitalSENSE Africa, the organizers of the forum, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said Mr. Jones would deliberate on the aforementioned as subtheme of the forum, which dwells this year on ‘Internet Governance and Broadband Evolution in Nigeria.‘

According to her, Jones, who is the managing partner at Ashfield and Bowman Attorneys is well grounded to raise salient issues and proffer solutions on Internet Governance in Nigeria and the need for policy framework to streamline the activities in this area.

She noted that Mr. Jones, who was formerly a director at LM Ericsson Nigeria and currently the second Vice President, of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has been following developments in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry to lead discussions in this regard.

Mrs. Nweke pointed out that Jones, is a member and the current country representative for Nigeria at the International Technology Law Association (Itech law) and an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School.

In his response, Mr. Jones commended the organizers for finding it worthy for him to make a presentation at this year’s event.

He described the subject: Imperative of Legal Framework as a timely subtheme while promising to make the best of the situation with relevant insights that would agitate the minds of participants.

Jones was educated at the Universities of Lagos (Nigeria) Strathclyde (Glasgow-UK) Northumbria(Newcastle-UK) and Queen Mary, University of London, and holds M.Sc LL.M (Lagos) LL.M (Northumbria-UK) LL.M (Strathclyde-UK) Post-graduate Diploma -International Commercial Arbitration(Pg.Dip ICArb) Queen Mary, London.

A former university teacher, with many years of experience in the private sector, had worked at the West African Portland Cement Plc (now Lafarge WAPCO Plc); Alraine Nigeria Ltd (now SDV Nigeria Ltd) Nigerite Ltd.

Presently, Mr. Jones is, a partner in the law firm- Ashfield and Bowman Attorneys’ with specialization in IT law, telecommunications law, Intellectual Property law, domestic and international commercial arbitration.

He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) UK; Member, Nigerian Bar Association; Member, International Bar Association; Member, Society for Computers and Law UK; Member, Commonwealth Law Society; Member, Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria; Member, Nigerian Society of International Law to name a few.

ITRealms Online recalls that DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) forum series is an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; a registered group of media public relations experts, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) analysts and consultants; internationally award-winning team.

The DigitalSENSE Africa forum offers the African populace more and more information on how to optimism ICT through an African community of experts.

The DigitalSENSE Africa forum was first organized since November 2009 and holds annually ever since.

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Peery Foundation invests in PIN

THE Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Mr. Gbenga Sesan, has confirmed the investment of Peery Foundation, a Palo Alto-based family foundation established in 1978 by Richard Peery, into the PIN project.

Sesan who disclosed this in Lagos quoted the Dave Peery as saying that the foundation was excited by the works by PIN.

“We’re excited to be supporting PIN’s work! Following series of discussions and checks by the Foundation, we are proud to make this social investment. We are encouraged by the thoughtfulness of PIN’s model and the importance of working with such an under-resourced demographic in Africa,” Dave Peery was quoted in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online at the weekend.

He explained that Peery Foundation invests in and serves social entrepreneurs and leading organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world, and their mission is to strengthen youth and families to build lives of dignity and self-reliance.

According to him, the deal between the foundation and PIN commenced after a member of staff of the foundation listened to a presentation on PIN’s work with youth in Nigeria by PIN’s Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan, as part of the requirements of his participation in the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) programme at Santa Clara University last August.

“The grant will help PIN kick-start series of technology-for-entrepreneurship (‘technopreneurship’) training programs for youth across Nigeria. The training programs will serve as the foundation for PIN’s plan to host an annual conference, from the last quarter of 2012, tagged “Techie. Entrepreneurial. Nigerian. Talented” (T.E.N.T) – where young talents can meet with the industry and investors,” Sesan explained.

Additionally, he expressed the belief that if the potentials in youth are discovered, trained, mentored and supported with their interests in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) innovation, it may prove difficult to visualize legitimate millionaire emerging from the sector in the future.

“… Especially while they’re in their early teens, they can’t become ICT experts and legitimate billionaires in their late twenties,” he noted, stressing that it has be nurtured over time.

Sesan recollected that PIN, a Lagos-based social enterprise, addresses the gap between Nigeria’s disadvantaged youth and economic opportunities by providing demand-driven Information and Communica­tion Technologies, entrepreneurship and life skills train­ing.

PIN’s Ajegunle.org training programme connects trainees with internship opportunities which result in full-time employment or provide training towards small businesses that improve their livelihoods – and allows them to serve as role models to other youth.

ITRealms Online noted that through its Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria programme, in partnership with Microsoft, PIN works to redirect the energy of young Nigerians from cybercrime.

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Ndukwe dedicates Internet award to OBJ

The immediate past Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Ernest Ndukwe has dedicated his latest award by the Internet Exchange Point Nigeria (IXPN) to the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Ndukwe who was speaking after receiving his souvenir for outstanding support for the development of internet in the country at the formal launch of the Nigeria Internet exchange facility in Lagos, last weekend, said that President Obasanjo was definitely one president that supported development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the country.

He also said that Obasanjo deserve to share in the award because of free mindedness when it comes to development of ICT, especially the independence of the NCC.

According to him, at a stage, President has wanted to pave the way for NCC to report directly to him at the presidency, because he does not want the politicization of NCC role.

This step took the doggedness of then NCC chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Joda to convince President Obasanjo to drop the plan.

Ndukwe further said that he wish every African and Nigerian presidents would be like OBJ when it comes to independence of telecom regulation, which would spur development in all facet of the economy.

He also solicited such independence to be extended to the current management of NCC by President Goodluck Jonathan in the years ahead.

Ndukwe who recalled that the establishment of the Internet Exchange Point Nigeria Limited came during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia; when President Obasanjo had asked him what he takes to have one for the country and directed that every step achievable should be taken to ensure its realization as soon as possible.

This exchange, he said, the testimony of that resolve by Obasanjo in effort to bring down the cost of Internet traffic in the country.

Earlier, the chairman of IXPN board of directors and group chairman, Linkserve, Chief Chima Onyekwere traced the establishment of the exchange to 2005, even as he urged NCC for more support in the establishment of other facility centres across the country.

Some other personalities recognized alongside Ndukwe at the event included the chief executive of Tara Systems Limited, Mr. Seni Williams, Mr. Yen Choi of NetComs, late president of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, who got post-humus award among others, for variously supporting the growth of the Internet Exchange till date.

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Beneficiaries applaud MTNF on CSR

IT was a free flow of emotion at the weekend, in Lagos, as some beneficiaries of MTN Foundation Medical Intervention Scheme (MIS), applauded the telecoms giant on its corporate social responsibility (CRS).

In her opening remarks at a thanksgiving party organised for them in Lagos, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, the CRS arm of the company, Ms Nonny Ugboma, said the scheme which is in its second year, was conceived to engender emotional and social equity for MTN.

“This event, now in its second year, is a rare bonding opportunity for all of us here present. Today, we are happy to gather together to celebrate with our beneficiaries who have successfully undergone different kinds of medical treatment,” she said.

Ms Ugboma said the scheme was designed to offer vital medical treatment to indigent individuals with chronic but treatable ailments whose conditions have become the subject of media attention, public discourse and appeals or correspondence with MTN.

She said the scheme which kicked off in 2009 saw a set of 11 beneficiaries, comprising nine children and two adults, who were sent abroad for various medical treatments.
Ugboma said 16 patients were selected for treatment last year.

“We have spent millions of naira in this area and we are willing to commit more to put smiles on the faces of needy Nigerians, she said.

Expressing her appreciation, Mrs. Cadisa Abiola, whose daughter Muminat Abiola, had a hole in the heart which required N1.5m for treatment said the intervention came from MTN less than 40 days after the discovery of the ailment.

“It is a miracle because I did not expect a thing like this in this country. I was in India with my daughter and we were warmly received right from the airport to the hospital,” she said.

For Lukman Adejumo, his daughter also had a heart surgery requiring N2 million in India.

On his part Mr. Akin Williams, an accident victim, said walking again was a miracle. According to him, he had broken head, legs, ribs and arms and was on wheel chair for many years.

Other beneficiaries present were 6-year old Ngozi Chijioke, 8-year old Oluwatosin Williams, Miss Mary Oluchi, a breast cancer victim as well as Great Ukong, a burns victim.

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eTranzact improves access to mobile banking

eTranzact International Plc, the acclaimed Nigeria’s first award-winning multi-application and multi-channel electronic switching and payment processing platform, has improved access to mobile banking with the introduction of its new global Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) platform.

According to the brand manager at eTranzact Nigeria, Mr. Adeyemi Opene, in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, the interactive USSD enables all network and mobile phones to utilize eTranzact menu-generated mobile banking applications by sending a text message to a short code and the application comes up on the mobile phone.

Opene quoted the Group Head of Technology, eTranzact Nigeria, Mr. Richard Omoniyi, as
saying that with the USSD on the firm’s platform, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) subscribers on all network could now enjoy easy mobile banking services.

He explained this is because the services are very simple, user-friendly, common and acceptable on all kind of phones.

“eTranzact is the only e-payment provider in the country that enables payment solution via your mobile phones,” he said.

Further, he explained that the eTranzact mobile banking and payment solution provides users services such as funds transfers to any bank account or ATM cards or mobile phone using the ATM CardlexCash service, bills payment – any Cable TV bills, PHCN bills, Postpaid bills, Airtime TopUp of any GSM/CDMA network, Check account or card balance.

“With the ATM CardlexCash service, you can send money anytime, anywhere to a third party’s mobile phone and the funds can be withdrawn at any ATM machine without the use of a physical ATM card,” he said, stressing that as a mobile banking and payment solution provider we are leveraging on the functionality to provide mobile banking services to all mobile phone users.

“So, users can simply get their mobile banking applications from their banks. The eTranzact Mobile Banking is a global service and can work outside and within the country. This is in line with the company’s vision to be a global leader in providing innovative mobile payment services,” he said.

eTranzact Mobile banking solution currently provides its services to major banks in Nigeria, which includes; United Bank of Africa, First Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Access Bank, Oceanic Bank, First City Monument Bank, Fidelity Bank, Union Bank, Skye Bank, Spring Bank, and Wema Bank.

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ATCON advocates true liberalised power sector

Lack of genuine liberalization of the public power system in the country could mean throwing good money after bad on the problem without commensurate results, according to the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

The group in its 2011 outlook made available to ITRealms Online on Sunday and endorsed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Ajibola Olude in a five-point agenda, said that the absence of genuine liberalization of the power sector, would not aid the industry.

ATCON also said that it believes in a truly liberalized electricity delivery system, the one which would encourage private investment into generating, transmitting and distributing electricity under independent and proper regulation.

“A system that is not underpinned by the tenets of choice, competition and freedom to do business under independent and fair regulation, is anything but liberalization,” ATCON said.

On the frequency management, ATCON noted that the net industry and social benefits of an efficient frequency management system is yet to be attained.

“Its mismanagement poses real threat to investment and expansion initiatives,” ATCON said, stressing that developing skills in this special area represents an antidote to predictable catastrophe in planning, allocation and management such that the industry reduces pollution and increases re-use.

Olude said that ATCON would align itself with all efforts which seek to improve the industry in this regard.

Also, ATCON said that independence of the regulator should not be compromised or coveted to selfish aggrandizement.

“To the extent that the operating law has given very commendable independence to the regulator from which the industry has immeasurably benefited in the last decade, it is important that we counsel that such independence is not subject to officials’ whims and caprices capable of derailing the march,” Olude said.

The independence of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as the telecom regulator, ATCON said, has truly been threatened in the past two years but fortunately, the ICT sector has a judiciary, press and industry players that have stepped up to the mark and showed its resolve guaranteeing that we continue to move in the right direction.

“The Advance Third Generation (3.5G) and the N6.1billion debacles are prime examples of undisguised attempts to compromise the independence of the Commission,” ATCON said.

They further argued that ATCON is not against moderating the regulator, but called for a clear line of demarcation between the boundaries of moderating and of unhealthy interference.

ATCON pointed out that the outlook was released as part of the implementation of the 2011 business plan, it welcomes collaboration on initiatives which conform to its mission for the year.

The framework and process of implementation to get endorsement and collaboration has been laid out and the areas of focus for industry development additionally include optimal exploration of convergence, ubiquitous broadband access.

“It is fundamental that the industry is ultimately restructured to reflect the changes that are already taking root and imposed by technological advancement. The benefits of these changes will not be realized by simply willing them to happen but rather by matching those aspirations with credible and tangible investment,” ATCON leadership said.

The group maintained that it is desirable for the nation to develop knowledge and skills in emerging technologies as there is a reservoir of knowledge in this realm that needs to be tapped into.

“A failure to do so will perpetuate our paying over the odds, and for poorer and outmoded services,” ATCON said, promising to mobilize awareness and motivate of members, investors, and businessmen, to invest in appropriate infrastructure construction for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Concerning ubiquitous broadband, ATCON said the primary duty of government is to provide access to e-resources for all the citizens and it cannot for reasons of liberalization shirk discharging of its responsibility.

“This extends to providing necessary support to industry players. One good case is the extension of broadband infrastructure across the country as well as providing incentives and financial support to fledging and upstart companies who show promise to disperse major broadband infrastructure and forge ubiquity of access. This is essentially the panacea to mobilizing all Nigerians for production. We shall pursue this and collaborate with others to do so,” he said.

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Airtel, IBM finalise deal on African market

The International Business Machines (IBM) and Bharti Airtel, have announced the completion of contract negotiations for technology services spanning 16 African countries.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online and confirmed by the Public Relations Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Otokhine showed that as part of the 10-year agreement signed in December 2010, IBM will deploy and manage the information technology (IT) infrastructure and applications to support Airtel’s goal of providing affordable and innovative mobile services throughout Africa, the world’s fastest growing mobile market.

The deal, he said, would afford IBM a platform to bolster innovative and affordable mobile services across the continent of Africa.

According to him, IBM tends to consolidate and transform the 16 different Information Technology (IT) environments across Airtel’s African operations into an integrated IT system.

This, he further said will oversee the management of all applications, data center operations, servers, storage and desktop services.

“IBM will deploy technologies, processes and best practices to enable Airtel to offer superior customer experience,” part of the press statement read.

The agreement calls for IBM to provide customer support applications that include customer relationship management, billing, and self-service that will empower customers and assist Airtel in delivering innovative and convenient 2G and 3G mobile services.

In addition, IBM plans to deploy a powerful media management system to offer content such as music and video over mobile devices, while simultaneously facilitating the growth of the application developer community in Africa, which will enable Airtel to tap new sources of revenue.

The Chief Executive Officer (International) and Joint Managing Director, Airtel, Mr. Manoj Kohli said, the relationship with IBM is catalytic in its delivery of Information and Communication Technology solutions across Africa.

“The deployment of cutting edge technology will provide a positive multiplier effect to our customers, employees and business partners through applications that deliver enhanced services, data and processes in real time.

An empowered ecosystem will manifest in quick delivery of solutions that meet the evolving needs of Africa’s consumers,” he said.

And for the General Manager, IBM Growth Markets, Mr. Bruno Di Leo, that this agreement further fortifies the business partnership and efforts in developing smarter telecommunications networks in remote areas of the world with Airtel.

“With more than half a billion mobile subscriptions and significant annual growth, Africa represents 10 percent of the global market. The demand for new services - such as mobile internet access - spurs the need for a developed network of telecommunications connectivity.

IBM is helping Airtel tap this growth by accelerating the rollout of an enhanced consumer experience across the continent,” he said.

The agreement extends the relationship between IBM and Bharti Airtel established in 2004, when South Asia’s leading mobile communications provider selected IBM to run IT and applications for its entire network in India.

Since then, Airtel has seen explosive growth from six million subscribers to more than 202 million customers today. Airtel currently has 40 million customers across its African operations and is targeting 100 million by 2012 - 2013.

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Nsukka TCP forum to dwell on SIM card registration

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) consumer forum, which comes tomorrow in Nsukka would dwell on Sim card registration: A veritable tool for consumer protection.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online, stated that the impact the exercise would have on the statistical data base of the nation and the need to protect subscribers from theft of handsets informed the decision to embark on the exercise.

It said in spite of the initial furor and objection raised by the exercise, it remains a veritable tool for telephone consumer protection in the country.

The forum which would bring together stakeholders from all walks of life would also educate the people on the necessity for the exercise.

“The NCC in its characteristic responsible stance, has taken up the gauntlet in ensuring that this vice is curbed maximally by educating consumers on the necessity of registering SIM cards as a way of dissuading snatchers and thieves of handsets,” part of the statement said.

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Etisalat relaunches EasyCliq

Etisalat Nigeria, on Monday in Lagos relaunched its EasyCliq package designed to address the lifestyle of youth market segment. Just as its subscriber base has reached over 6 million.

ITRealms Online recalls that EasyCliq was initially launched on May 8, 2009, but owing to its impact, the operator decided to relaunch the product with additional features of Cliq of the week and of the day.

Chief Commercial Officer for Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar said that Cliq for the week offers 15 mega byte of free data browsing for subscribers when they recharge with N200 or more weekly, the Cliq for the day offers discounted call rate of 25 kobo per second to other Easy Cliq subscribers at a daily fee of N5.

The reloaded Easy Cliq, he also noted comes with features like unlimited Short Messaging Service (SMS), free midnight calls, Talk ‘n’ share, Bonus on incoming calls and one cliq one tune, which endeared the product to the youth and young at heart. Ammar pointed out that the product was repackaged to meet the ever-increasing demand of the youth market for unique service offerings and data services.

“Easy Cliq is repackaged to showcase our commitment to subscribers who constantly desire a refreshing and dynamic approach to expressing themselves in the way they communicate with friends and loved ones,“ he said.

Explaining how to migrate, Ammar said for Cliq for the day, a subscribers simply need to dial *330*1# or send ‘On’ to 330 and subsequently receive a notification confirming their subscription to benefit from the tariff proposition. Subscription to Easy Cliq for the day can be confirmed by dialing *330# or by sending ‘Help’ to 330. To opt out of the plan, subscribers will dial *330*2# or send ‘off’ to 330.

Ammar recounted that year 2010 witnessed a remarkable increase in Etisalat’s subscriber base from less than 3 million in 2009 to close to 7 million subscribers at the end of the year.

“It was the year we changed the face of tariff proposition with the introduction of Easy life which enables subscribers make calls at 25 kobo per second across networks; it was our special gift to Nigerians on the 50th anniversary of the nation,” he said.

The year 2010, he said also saw the re-launch of Easy starter, the Etisalat’s flagship product, while in October last year, the operator presented a school building to the Lagos State government under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Adopt-a-School initiative, while over 300 University undergraduates benefited from its scholarship programme.

“It was the year we brought the Nigerian Idol, the reality show designed to promote and discover talents among the Nigerian youth,” he noted.

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Fire razes Focus Television station

•JACITAD, DSA respond

THE premises of Lagos-based Focus TV studio were over the weekend razed down by an early morning inferno. Properties worth several millions of naira were lost to the fire.

Confirming this to newsmen on Monday, the chief executive officer, Focus Television, Mr. Tayo Adewusi said as at 7am they were in the premises to put finishing touches to some fittings, only for him to receive a call about the inferno an hour later.

He also confirmed that nothing was recovered from the studio which was commissioned in 2008
by the former Minister of State for Communications, Alhaji Dasuki Ibrahim Nakande.

Located in Ikeja, he noted that the studio is a digital entertainment cable television station with bias for information technology, business and gospel.

Adewusi also said the Focus TV is a cable channel on the Disc Communications platform, offering a bouquet of digital cable channels that could be received with an installed Yagi antenna on UHF 45.7 MHz on the DISC terrestrial transmission space.

Focus TV, he said, became a powerful tool in the hands of creative men and women, entertainers, politicians and the state as a medium for broadcasting items of news, music, talk, sports, entertainments and movies.

“It has bias for Information and Communications Technology - ICT reporting in line with global trends which takes into cognizance the role of ICT in the development of the various strata of society and humanity,” he said.

Adewusi recalled that Focus TV drive its offering from the ICT Watch; a weekly industry feature on Minaj Broadcast International (MBI) which has been sustained for over seven years and continues to provide issue-based reports and analyses as well as the coverage of industry innovation and product launch.

Reacting to the incident, a non-governmental organisation, the Joint Action Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Awareness and Development (JACITAD) called on the industry stakeholders, especially telecom operators and concerned individuals to come to the aid of Focus TV in the bid to rebuild the studio.

JACITAD through its president, Mr. Prince Osuagwu kick-started the support with a donation of N100,000.

This donation, he said, though was not anticipated by has to be promptly decided after due consideration and consultation with relevant members of JACITAD executive.

Equally responding to the call by JACITAD, an affiliate, DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media supported JACITAD’s on this project with a sum of N10,000.

Speaking after visiting the scene of the fire, the Executive Director, DSA, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, lamented the inability of fire service personnel at Alausa to contain the fire, describing it as a sad situation.

She also prayed for the grace to bear the loss by the management of Focus TV led by Mr. Adewusi.

She urged industry players to contribute their quota in re-building of Focus TV at this trying period.

In addition, Mr. Bayero Aganbi of AIT Infotech, said that what has gone with the fire cannot be quantified in monetary terms, adding that since the studio came on live in 2008, a lot of additional investments have been made in terms of equipment and documentation of programmes.

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DDC machines: Oji-Alala urges for patient with technology

Former President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Deacon Ojinta Oji-Alala has urged Nigerians to be patient with the technologies deployed for the on-going voters’ registration.

Oji-Alala, made this call in Lagos while speaking to newsmen, saying that technology driven processes require practice and experience to get it right.

While reviewing the current voters’ registration exercise, Oji-Alala said that he was confident that it would succeed but required the public, the governments and the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain focused on the objectives of achieving a free and fair election through the exploration of modern technology.

Also, the former NCS boss noted that the public must show resilience through maturity, patience and effective participation.

As said by him, the finger printing process has become a challenge and the way to get about it is for the INEC officials to follow strictly the guidelines provided by INEC and the equipment manufacturers.

He equally said that excessive dirt, sweat and grease might affect the effectiveness of the scanners.

“Everyone who goes for scanning must ensure that the fingers are dirt free,” he declared.

Oji-Alala further urged the INEC operatives to ensure that the scanners are always placed on a flat surface while scanning and should never be cleaned with chemicals as this will damage it. For him, he is aware that INEC calibrated her software to achieve high quality finger print and this may cause slow scanning.

Additionally, he said that there is nothing wrong with the actual Direct Data Capturing (DDC) hardware, either the laptops produced by Zinox or the printers from Hewlett Packard (HP).

He explained that Zinox being an indigenous computer manufacturer deserves commendation for supplying 80,000 out of the 94,000 DDC machines that INEC has so far deployed in this exercise.

Oji-Alala emphasised that it is natural at this point for Nigerians to blame even software problems on the hardware branded Zinox.

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Samsung ends LTV fair in style

The Lagos Television annual end of year fair 2010 ended in the centre of excellence with the full participation of Samsung Electronics West Africa (SEWA).

The event which took place at the Lagos State Television ground, Alausa, Lagos, attracted visitors from all walks of life.

Speaking on the event, Product Manager, Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Menmohan Chandroth, said, Samsung’s participation in the annual fair which saw several people visiting the stand during the month long fair, with three special open days, was targeted to reach different consumers, in line with the company’s strategic objective to reach more people and create awareness for Samsung products in the marketplace.

According to him Samsung understands the Nigerian market as the company has been in Nigeria for 13 years with 20 per cent market share in the home appliances category.

“Though Nigerian market is still an emerging market, it is highly competitive and rapidly growing and Samsung is poised to do things that will improve the market. The customers are also getting matured, looking for quality products at good prices. That is exactly what Samsung is offering them,” he said.

He also informed that Samsung has started assembling some of her product range in Nigeria.

Products like refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners are being assembled in the country. He informed that the company will be assembling television sets right here too.

“We are coming out with new products next year which will be highly user friendly and rightly priced for the Nigerian people. This approach will endear Samsung more into people’s hearts and our products acceptance level will be much higher. Nigerians are highly price conscious and they want the best product at the right price. Samsung will be at the forefront, offering great products at affordable prices. We will continue to come out with innovative products in the coming year”, he adds.

Samsung products are A+ which saves energy and are also eco friendly. Consumers of Samsung products should expect new models in 2011.

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Microsoft partners Blueprint, FinArch on IFRS

SOFTWARE giant, Microsoft Nigeria, in collaboration with Blueprint Technologies and FinArch, last week, in Lagos, held a workshop aimed at preparing the nation’s financial institutions on how to prepare financial statement in accordance with International Financial Regulatory Standards by 2012, reports CHARLES OKOH.

Tagged ‘International Financial Regulatory Standards (IFRS) Academy’, the workshop had over 60 chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief information officers and risk managers from the nation’s top banks, insurance companies and auditing firms as well as government parastatals, in attendance.

The Public Relations and Communications Lead, Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Ngozi Ife Anene, said the workshop featured presentations on the challenges financial institutions may face and the opportunities they would gain implementing IFRS as they strive to achieve accounting and reporting compliance.

Vice President Business Development FinArch, Mr. Mounir Baccouche, gave a presentation on FinArch’s 7 Steps to IFRS, which provided practical insight on transactions, data management and classification, IFRS valuation calculators, Multi GAAP event based accounting generation, IFRS subledger, reporting codes enrichments and compliance reporting.

On her part, the Director of Risk Management, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ms. Folakemi Fatogbe, who delivered the keynote address, focused on how the implementation of IFRS would improve the corporate governance landscape in Nigeria.

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Juwah commissions Lagos Internet exchange N3bn

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, has officially opened the Network Operating Centre (NOC) of the Internet Exchange Point Nigeria (IXPN) in Lagos.

This is coming as Nigeria is to save an estimated $20 million, about N3,068,199,951.17, in offshore Internet bandwidth transactions.

Speaking at the occasion, Juwah said that he was delighted to perform the commissioning of the Internet Exchange Point for the nation.

He also said that the event marked a major starting point for realizing the desire to achieve speedy spread of Internet services across the country, and the quest to reduce cost of Internet connectivity, improved quality of Internet services and above all, keeping the nation’s local Internet traffic local.

“It is well known in the industry that one of the most cost effective ways of managing the Internet traffic of any country is to ensure that domestic Internet traffic is kept within the nation,” he said.

According to him, this facility would go a long way in checkmating the imbalance in the global telecom connectivity that forces some nations of the world to send local traffic designed for local destinations through international hubs located outside their countries.

This, he noted, attract extra cost and consuming more international bandwidth, which means that this facility would save the nation some foreign exchange when fully implemented, stressing that immediate drop in connectivity costs is expected as well as cost savings of more than $20million in offshore Internet bandwidth payments in the first year of operations.

Juwah declared that this is commendable, pointing out that the facility would allow local management of Internet traffic in Nigeria to remain local and result in improved security profile of the Internet traffic and save the nation of the embarrassment of volumes of scam mails originating in this country that tend to affect the our image abroad.

“This is in addition to giving the practitioners the opportunity to create local content which is very desirable in this country,” he said.

The EVC said that this were some of the reasons why NCC with the cooperation of the stakeholders initiated the implementation of the Internet eXchange Point (IXP) centres to be located in each of the geopolitical zone.

“This is, therefore, is part of the commitment of the Commission to ensure cost effective and speedy spread of the Internet across the nation,” he said.

The success of this project, he said, gives confidence that the plans for pervasive broadband Internet availability for the citizens will be realized.

“The Commission has already stepped up plans on its focus on the broadband availability and is currently reviewing the implementation of the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) and the Wire Nigeria Project to give them more verve,” he said.

Broadband availability in Nigeria, Juwah said, remains very high in the priorities of the Commission and the success of this project provides an impetus and hope that we will succeed in this direction.

He, therefore, commended the board and management of the IXPN Ltd and renew the pledge of continued support for its projects.

“We commend the cooperation of all the companies and institutions involved in the implementation and usage of the Internet Exchange Point,” he said, underscoring the fact that the cooperation of different companies and institutions in this project is very remarkable and an indication that success is sure, even for the future success of IXPN projects.

Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman, board of directors, IXPN, Chief Chima Onyekwere, said that the journey of this Exchange point started with a dream shared by the nation’s Internet community several years ago.

“This dream has come to birth today officially and we are all so proud,” he said, underscoring the importance of an Internet Exchange Point, which he described as a physical network infrastructure that allows several Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and several network operators to exchange traffic between their networks.

He explained that the key purpose is to allow networks to interconnect through the exchange.

“In effect, the benefits to all the networks or operators are a reduction in costs, latency and bandwidth typically,” he said, noting that normally traffic passing through an exchange is not billed by any party while traffic through an operator is.

He pointed out that prior to the establishment of this Exchange, traffic was routed through foreign countries.

“This is an inefficient traffic routing process until this development,” he said, noting that the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) was initiated by the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who directed the NCC to set up a national based Internet Exchange Point.

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Social Innovation camp provides home grown solution – Tijani

THE Managing Director, Co-Creation Hub Nigeria, the organizers of the Social Innovation Camp, Mr. Bosun Tijani, has called for home grown solution to the social problems confronting the nation.

Tijani, who was speaking at the weekend, in Lagos, during the first edition of the camp, lamented that most of the solutions imported from abroad do not meet the nation’s every need.

He said the Social Innovation Camp was created to groom local talents who have solutions that are web-based or via mobile on how to confront the social challenges of the people in all spheres of the nation.

“We want to empower Nigerians to find solutions to the day to day problems we face as a country. We tend to always depend on solutions coming from abroad and while some of them are good, they do not always meet all our need. We can think of ourselves as change agents, and the interesting thing is that there are a lot of Nigerians with great ideas on how to solve some of these problems but what we lack is the enabling environment,” he said.

He said 46 ideas were received out of which six were selected; from which three would emerge eventual winners.

“We invited people who have ideas which they think can be used to solve these social problems, but for now we limited that to ideas that can work on the internet, which is web or via mobile. It could be any idea, whether solving health or governance issues, education, and youth employment. We got 46 ideas, six were selected and out of the six three winners would emerge,” he said.

Highlighting on the process, Mr. Femi Longe, also of Co-Creation Hub, said 60 professionals from different walks of life would determine if the ideas can impact the people; if it is sustainable and viable as well as the entrepreneurial skills of the proponent.

“If you develop an idea that is social and cannot sustain itself, in a couple of months the company would die. These 60 experts are divided into six teams to work on the ideas,” he said.

He said apart from the prize money which is N500,000, N300,000 and N200,000 for the first, second and third positions respectively, they have invited venture capitalists who invest in businesses.

“For instance, we have someone here from Ireland who is here to scout and understand some of these businesses to see if they are worthy of investment and if they are they would be talking with the owner on how they can collaborate to take them forward,” he said.

On her part, the President and Founder, Growing Businesses Foundation, Dr. Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien, lamented that with the alarming population of unemployed people in the country, budding entrepreneurs can take advantage of the project to become employers of labour.

Nnoli-Edozien who would also act as one of the judges, commended the organizers of the projects for targeting the youths essentially.

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Accion Microfinance Bank, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson, said access to technology should be a basic human right of the people.

“The camp provides the youths with the opportunity to be another Facebook and providing indigenous innovative solutions to the nation’s problems,” she said.

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Glo turns mechanic into multi-millionaire

Globacom has turned a Lagos-based mechanic, Mr. Adebola Olugbenga to multimillionaire with the on-going ‘Text4millions’ promo.

Mr. Olugbenga became the winner of the first monthly jumbo prize of N10 million in the promo, which has produced several millionaire on weekly bases.

Receiving his cheque during a prize presentation ceremony held at the Mike Adenuga Towers, the corporate headquarters of Globacom in Lagos, 26-year old Adebola who attended the ceremony with his wife and son was overwhelmed with joy and was thankful to Glo for changing the fortunes of his family for good.

“I am just too overwhelmed to know what to say. I have seen poverty but Glo has liberated me.
I never knew this year will be my year. I am thankful to Glo for changing my life and making me a better person. Glo has always been special to me. I will continue to use the line while I pray that the company will continue to grow from strength to strength”, he declared.

Also, he said, will use the money to expand his mechanic workshop and employ more hands in addition to investing in a business centre and his wife’s fashion design outfit.

Shedding tears of joy, Mrs. Adebola, Morayo expressed gratitude to God and to Glo for not only giving excellent telecom services, but for also touching the lives of the poor masses especially its subscribers.

Also at the occasion, a brand new 3.5 litre Toyota Venza SUV was presented to Mr. Anthony Ndokule, a lawyer with the Niger State Law Reform Commission, Minna who won the first of the three cars to be given away monthly in the promo.

He noted being encouraged by his wife when he was on the verge of giving up that he could ever win, was also full of praises to Glo for the transparency of its promos.

“I thank God for the instrumentality of Glo. I also thank Glo for giving me the opportunity to play and for elevating the masses out of poverty. I will use the car personally though it is expensive. I urge other Nigerians to patronize Globacom. Glo promos are real and not a hoax”, he said.

The occasion was also used to present cheques of N1 million each to seven lucky winners who emerged in the daily draws of the promo. The winners include Prophet Oluwaseyi Fawehinmi from Owode-Yewa in Ogun state, Dr. Kola Falade, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Friday Ukpai, a businessman in Ohafia, Daniel Akuagbaoso from Onitsha, Anambra state, Mr. Obafemi Emanuel a trader from Otta, Ogun state, Abba Malloum Djaafar, a baker in Suleja, Niger state and Sikiru Salami a part-time student at the Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Nassarawa state.

Seven other lucky winners were also presented with HP laptop computers at the ceremony.

They include Kayode Ogbowa from Port Harcourt, Princess Grace Fregene from Warri, Mrs. Adunni Adepoju from Bariga, Emmanuel Salubi from Victoria Island, Alloysius Emedoh from Igando, Kingsley Ntekim from Port Harcourt and Wale Adegbuyi from Akure.

Winners of brand new motorcycles who collected their prizes at the event are Akinlolu Oni, Benjamin Okpara, Samuel Adebanjo, Gabriel Akah, J.A. Egbedina, Abdulquadri Adebayo and Abiodun Odugbesan.

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Helios acquires major stake in Interswitch

Helios Investment Partners (HIP), a private equity firm dedicated to making growth investments across Africa has acquired a majority stake in Interswitch Nigeria.

With this development HIP has become a shareholder of the largest transaction switching and electronic payment processing service provider in Nigeria and owner of the leading card scheme Verve.

The Managing Director, Interswitch Nigeria, Mr. Mitchell Elegbe confirmed this in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online at the weekend.

He noted that as Helios has join the firm’s shareholders as the core investor and its involvement is happening at a time when Nigeria is getting set for the next phase of growth in electronic payments.

Elegbe said Helios has demonstrated deep domain knowledge in the payments space combined with its leadership in African private equity, stressing that Interswitch believes the partnership will be highly synergistic and would propel Interswitch to become the leading payments company in Africa.

He explained that this strategic partnership and the remaining shareholders would further enhance Interswitch’s strong growth and accelerate the company’s pan-African expansion plans as well as build on its reputation for innovative applications developed for the African market and a service valued by banks for high reliability.

“Interswitch facilitates the exchange of value between service providers by providing a secure shared payment infrastructure and integrated message broker solutions for financial transactions, eCommerce, telecommunications value-added services, eBilling, payment collections and disbursementsm” he said, adding that the company developed and administers Verve, the leading card scheme in Nigeria.

According to him, Verve card is currently issued by 21 out of the 24 banks in Nigeria and is the first and only chip and PIN card accepted across multiple payment channels including ATMs, Point of Sale (PoS) terminals, online, mobile and at banks, and enjoys the largest range of value added services.

The company has been at the forefront of the development and growth of the e-payment sector in Nigeria, which is evidenced by its unique position of being the only switching and processing company connected to all banks in the country as well as to over 10,000 ATMs and 11,000 PoS terminals.

Aside, the company is the leading processor for MasterCard and the market leader in merchant acquiring/PoS, a segment that is still emerging and has potential for tremendous growth in Nigeria.

The completion of the switchover from magnetic strip cards to chip and PIN cards in 2010, is expected to further accelerate growth and usage of e-payments across the country. Nigeria is the first country in Africa to have completed this migration, and is one of the few countries in the world to have completed the migration in under a year.

According to the Managing Partner and Co-founder of Helios, Babatunde Soyoye, “Interswitch is a Nigerian success story having been led by a superb, highly competent, innovative and entrepreneurial all-Nigerian management team”, and benefiting from the foresight and support of its founding shareholders, along with a supportive regulator in the Central Bank Nigeria.

The statement further informed that Adlevo Capital, a technology-oriented private equity firm focused on Africa would be co-investing with Helios on this transaction. FT Advisors Limited, KPMG, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and a team of industry specialists are acting as advisors to Helios. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Aelex are serving as legal advisors to Helios. FCMB Capital Markets Limited is acting as the lead advisor to the selling shareholders.

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