AfTLD, DCA battle for soul of dot Africa

Two Mauritius-based African Top Level Domains (AfTLD) and DotConnect Africa (DCA) are squaring up for the soul of Dot Africa (.africa) over who the Africa Union (AU) should back in pursuit of this continental domain.

AfTLD acts as a focal point for all the African TLDs managers, to discuss matters of policy that affect over 50 country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) including dot ng for Nigeria, among others, as well as present the group’s position as one voice in relation to Domain Name System (DNS).

On the other hand, DCA is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organisation incorporated in Mauritius Africa with intension to primarily sponsor, establish and operate a TLD registry with global recognition and regional significance dedicated to the needs of pan-African and African community.

While AfTLD is still seeking the endorsement of AU, DotConnect Africa (DCA), said it has already gotten the ‘AU mandate’, even as African Union Commission has debunked the claims by DCA, saying it has not yet given any endorsement or mandate to any particular organisation on dot Africa, pending the decision of the commission which is currently accepting applications for the dot Africa bid until Friday, June 3, 2011.

“The AU Commission would like to hereby categorically state that it is not supporting any one individual or organization in this bid,” a communiqué made available to ITRealms Online May 12 read.

AU also said that its member states meeting within the framework of the Conference of African Union Ministers in Charge of Communications and Information Technologies had decided to allow competition from any African organization or entity that is interested in bidding for the domain name on behalf of and for the use of the African organizations and citizens at large.

This decision, AU confirmed was endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2010 and was reiterated in 2011.

However, raising from its three-day 5th annual African ccTLD meeting in Accra, Ghana, AfTLD’s position to bid for the dot Africa domain name was backed by the Minister of Communications, Mr. Haruna Iddrissu and .gh chairman, Dr. Nii Quaynor.

The Ghana Minister of Communications in his address, noted, that the government of Ghana, attaches great significance to online privacy, and plans to pass into law the Data Protection Bill by July this year, and expressed Ghana’s support to the Africa Union Commission (AUC)-led process of endorsing a suitable bidder that will apply to ICANN for the delegation of the dot Africa new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD).

He stressed that AfTLD, as the foremost TLD association in Africa, represented sufficient African Internet community interests to manage the dot Africa new gTLD on behalf of the AUC.

Dr. Quaynor in his address reminded the meeting how Ghana was instrumental in establishing AfTLD about a decade ago and urged African TLD managers to take note of the imminent changes in the domain name policy environment globally.

He enjoined African TLD operators to be strengthened to meet the challenges that ICANN’s new gTLDs will bring as many capacity challenges still faced African TLDs, including higher level governance interventions.

He echoed the Minister’s support for an AUC endorsement of a suitable bidder to apply to ICANN for the operation of dot Africa.

At the end of the AfTLD Annual General Meeting (AGM), its chairman, Mr. Vika Mpisane said the case of the AfTLD dot Africa project was an illustration of the commitment of the AfTLD to help African TLDs grow.

Mpisane expressed the belief that AfTLD had a good opportunity to win the endorsement of the African Union (AU) and the approval by ICANN, stressing that they would do their best to ensure that AfTLD wins the dot Africa bid, even as all the ccTLDs drummed support of AfTLD’s dot Africa bid.

But reacting, Dot Connect Africa Organization described AfTLD meeting outcome as innuendoes and veiled references to DCA made by some prominent participants in the same meeting, saying that DCA’s concerted campaign against the “illegal proposal of awarding an unjustified mandate to AfTLD by the AU” has been again vindicated.

DCA position made available by Thomas Kamanzi, showed that this is against the backdrop that DCA has already received the same endorsement from the AU more than one year ago.

“The position of the AfTLD and its backers is grossly untenable and very unjustified. This mandate can only be given by ICANN,” he said, pointing out that DCA was not surprised by the attendance and list of attendees of the Ghana meeting, since it has become increasingly clear by the day that the most vocal voices and viewpoints expressed are the same forces that have arrayed themselves in vehement opposition to the DCA on the issue of DotAfrica.

DCA, therefore reiterated its “unshakeable belief that AfTLD is not suited to operate DotAfrica, and would like to again stress that DCA has no problem with any organization attempting to compete and win the DotAfrica gTLD mandate from ICANN based on rules of fair competition.

“DCA believes that any eligible organization is free to participate in an open and transparent bid process that is corruption-free,” he said. Just as he insisted that DCA refused to accept a situation whereby double-dealing are being institutionalized to pave the way to enable AfTLD win an unfair endorsement from the AU on DotAfrica.

AfTLD cannot maintain its credulity as a fair player whilst being an obvious beneficiary of illegality, alleging that DCA frowns upon the fact that AU Task Force members on DotAfrica are also advisors and confederates of AfTLD, maintaining that such affiliations are unwholesome and foster corruption, nepotism, abuse of office, and large-scale illegality.

As we wait for the result of the application submitted to Africa Union Commission on the endorsed organisation to bid on behalf of the continent on dot Africa after June 3, all eyes are now on AUC to ensure every process leading to that is devoid of DCA allegations by instituting transparency on the bid.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

InterSwitch revives brand identity

Electronic payment (e-payment) transaction switching company, InterSwitch, has revived its brand identity at a corporate unveiling in Lagos.

The chief executive officer, InterSwitch, Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, said at the unveiling that his firm is vigorously pursuing its expansion plans across the continent of Africa.

“We are expanding into East and West Africa, however we realise that InterSwitch has typically been viewed as a card company and the primary driver of the growth in Automated Teller Machines (ATM), and Point of Sale Terminal (POT) usage in Nigeria, but we do far more than that,” he said.

Elegbe also said that they revived the company’s identity and communication to reflect exactly what InterSwitch do so as to know where to serve organisations and governments across Africa.

According to him, the repositioning of Interswitch business has given them an opportunity to refresh its corporate identity in line with current times, develop consumer associations in line with business offering.

Additionally, he said, the refreshing of its identity would create an awareness of Interswitch products and services in existing and new markets. InterSwitch, he said, opened the preliminary stage of its Pan-African expansion drive through the sale of 67 per cent equity to Helios Investment Partners and Adlevo Capital.

Elegbe said Helios has significant investments in financial service firms in East and West Africa while Adlevo Capital has typically invested in businesses where technology and continuous innovation are critical for business success.

Earlier to the sale, he said, InterSwitch had acquired a controlling stake in Bankom Limited, Uganda’s only licensed inter-bank switch, and more recently won a competitive bid to partner with the Central Bank and Bankers Committee of Gambia and Sierra Leone to design, implement and manage the national switches in these countries.

He explained that with multi-channel innovative solutions such as Quickteller; a value added service platform, Paydirect; a payment collections, lodgment and monitoring solution, Verve; a domestic Chip and PIN payment card, and MasterCard Verve - a co-branded payment card for domestic and international markets; InterSwitch has become a prominent brand in electronic transaction switching and payment processing in Africa.

The Chief Marketing Officer, InterSwitch, Mrs. Tito Adeniyi-Aderoju said, the reviving of the corporate identity forms part of an overall brand strategy to communicate how InterSwitch has, and could partner with businesses to accelerate growth, and reduce transaction costs irrespective of where the business may reside on the African continent.

“InterSwitch has phased the brand refresh over a period of time and expects to complete the entire process by third quarter of 2012,” she disclosed.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MTN, MTV partner on African youth empowerment

MTV Networks Africa and MTN Group are partnership on the empowerment of African youth as their interest in national and global affairs continued to rise with a function tagged MTV Base Meets … with MTN, in Lagos last week.

This follows an eight-part youth empowerment initiative under MTV Base Meets … with MTN television series that creates a platform for a dialogue between young people and the political, business and cultural leaders who shape the world today.

Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, Mr. Alex Okosi, disclosed that the intimate documentary series would allow African youths to put probing questions to influential, inspirational and sometimes controversial individuals.

He noted among the prominent people who will feature in the series include the former Liberian President and Africa’s first and only elected female head of state, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Mr. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and South African politician and President of the ANC Youth League, Mr. Julius Malema and many African leaders or influencers who exercise a significant impact on the continent.

As said by him, the series are expected to keep television viewers - young and old - on the edge of their seats.

“A diverse panel of young people representing different youth interests will be assembled from across the African continent, with participants coming from Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda, among others,” he said.

Okosi further said that young, but well-informed, the panelists are articulate, engaging, provocative and opined on a range of complex subjects but not limited to HIV/AIDS, global warming, education, poverty, corruption or entrepreneurship.

“They are fearless and have attitude. Their no-holds-barred approach will make for exciting television viewing as they fire big questions to the influential people whose actions and opinions have a direct impact on their lives,” he said.

African youth will be encouraged to nominate influencers and submit their proposed questions for the programme via a dedicated MTV base Meets…with MTN website or via their mobile handset.

“MTV base Meets…with MTN provides young people with the opportunity to engage directly with decision-makers and world leaders in order to address some of the key issues that are important to them. The initiative demonstrates our belief in the positive impact that the youth can have in shaping the future of the Continent. We hope that MTV base Meets…with MTN will inspire young people across Africa to know that their voice matters and to help prepare them to take their own roles among the leaders of tomorrow,” Okosi said.

Equally speaking, the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Bola Akingbade, said MTN’s association with this initiative forms part of the on-going focus on youth empowerment, which is informed by the recognition that the world’s demographics favour the youth - with half of Africa’s population of 1 billion being under the age of 35.

“Through this series, MTN hopes to give this growing segment of Africa’s population a bridge to connect with decision-makers through dialogue. Gone are the days when young people were relegated to the periphery of important debates in business and politics,” Akingbade said.

MTV Base Meets…with MTN is an African localized version of the established MTV Meets… franchise and has previously interviewed influential individuals including Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Morgan Tsvangarai and Wyclef Jean. The series will air across African from 18 July on MTV base (DStv Channel 322), and on terrestrial, DTT and CATV channels including STV (Nigeria), HiTV (Nigeria), WBS (Uganda), NTV (Kenya), Canal2 (Cameroon), Muvi TV (Zambia), Zuku (Kenya), ZAP (Angola), Smart TV (Kenya) and Star Times (Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi).

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MainOne introduces Partner Advantage

Main One Cable Company has given a boost to its offering by introducing Partner Advantage Programme for customers on its platform.

Chief executive officer, Ms Funke Opeke said that the submarine network cable unveiled a new customer incentive plan, Partner Advantage Programme in Lagos, aimed at enabling existing and new customers to increase their broadband capacity subscriptions and provide benefits for incremental subscriptions.

She said the programme is also aimed at cultivating closer relationships between Main One and existing partners as well as service providers seeking to connect to the Main One network by collaborating together on business solutions for the customers of the partners.

Opeke noted that in continuous effort to lead the availability of uninterrupted high quality broadband capacity, her firm is pleased to introduce a new partner incentive platform to provide resellers in Nigeria with an opportunity to sell high quality broadband solutions which guarantee an increase in business opportunities for both Main One and its partners.

“The Partner Advantage Programme will give our partners the flexibility to target and simplify access to the resources required for new products and services,” she assured.

Further, Opeke said that demand for highly secure, high bandwidth network capacity from different categories of customers is motivating Main One to deploy additional service platforms and partner incentive programmes to encourage its partners to help push for better Internet penetration in Nigeria, which today stands at roughly 13 per cent.

However, she lamented the poor level of broadband internet access in Nigeria and called for closer collaboration between the government and service providers to bridge the gap.

She recommended the development of a national broadband strategy by the government with input by industry players as a way of charting a roadmap for sustainable broadband growth in Nigeria.

Before now, Main One had on July 2010, switched on its 1,920 Gbps, 7,000 kilometers long, submarine fiber optic cable system linking West Africa to Europe. The cable, which has landing stations in Nigeria and Ghana and branching units in Morocco, Canary Islands, Senegal and Ivory Coast, delivers unprecedented broadband capacity to West Africa, more than ten times what was available.

A wholly African and the first privately submarine cable, MainOne cable has landing stations in Nigeria, Ghana and Portugal.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Sachdev to speak @ WAFICT congress 2011

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mahesh Sachdev, has accepted to deliver a keynote paper at the West Africa’s leading ICT conference and exhibition, the West African ICT Congress (WAFICT) and the West African International Telecommunications exhibition (W.Afri.Tel).

Disclosing this, the chief organizer of WAFICT and W.AfriTel in Nigeria, Mr. Mkpe Abang, who doubles as the Editor-in-Chief of IT & Telecom Digest, said this was the outcome of a recent meeting with the high commissioner in his Abuja office.

Mr. Sachdev, was quoted as saying in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that Nigeria’s enviable ranking as the fastest growing mobile phone market in Africa confers on the country leadership position that needs to be fully harnessed by all stakeholders.

He described WAFICT Congress and the W.Afri.Tel exhibition as contributing immensely to the development of the sub-region, the High Commissioner noted that India, as a partner to Nigeria, stands ready to support the aspirations of Nigeria especially as encapsulated in the Vision 20-2020 programme, saying telecommunications will continue to be a major driver in achieving the vision.

Mr. Sachdev, who inaugurated the Indian Pavilion, which made its debut at W.Afri.Tel last year and also remarked at the WAFICT Congress 2010, he would be glad to encourage as many Indian companies as possible to see the opportunities in Nigeria and findways of contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

Incidentally, India’s Airtel, which is the world’s fifth leading telecommunications company, is platinum sponsor for WAFICT Congress 2011.

Briefing the High Commissioner on preparations for this year’s conference and exhibition, Mr. Abang stated that broadband will be at the core of discussions at the conference, while exhibitors and delegates will have rare opportunities to see latest technologies, value added services and products from telecom operators from across the world.

On its part, the Federal Government has adopted the WAFICT Congress 2011 as the platform to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the telecom revolution in Nigeria. To this end, the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku, has issued a formal letter endorsing the WAFICT Congress and W.Afri.Tel exhibition and urged mobile companies, ISPs, government agencies and establishments, telecom operators as well as all other stakeholders, to support the events and join theministry in giving a voice to Nigeria’s achievements in telecom.

In the letter, entitled ‘To whom it may concern - Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Nigerian Telecom Revolution: Special West African ICT Congress 2011, by IT & Telecom Digest’, endorsing the two events, which run concurrently, from June 14-16, 2011, at the new Eko Expo Hall, Lagos.

“I am writing to confirm that the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications endorses and recommends IT & Telecom Digest Magazine to organise the West African ICT Congress 2011, as part of the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Nigerian Telecom Revolution.

“The publication will celebrate the progress that has been made during the past one decade in the Nigerian telecom industry. In doing so, IT & Telecom Digest will host the WAFICT Congress 2011, of which the Ministry is in full support and will participate fully. This is important to further open up our country to the rest of the world as the investment destination for telecom in Africa,” he said.

“In this regard, the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications officially endorses WAFICT Congress, which is being hosted alongside the 11th W.Afri.Tel Exhibition, in Eko Hotel, Lagos, June 14-16, 2011, and the Ministry hereby urges all businesses, companies, professionals, all stakeholders, government agencies, etc, to lend their support to the events and join us in celebrating this happy milestone: Ten Years of the Nigerian Telecom Revolution 2001 – 2011.”WAFICT Congress 2011, like last year’s edition, is being organised by IT & Telecom Digest, in conjunction with the UK-based Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), and has the theme: The Emerging New Frontier: – Opportunities and Potentials for Sustainable Growth in West Africa. WAFICT Congress 2001 will run alongside the 11th edition of the West African International Telecommunications exhibition (W.Afri.Tel), organised by EMS of South Africa, of which IT & Telecom Digest is also the Sole Nigeria Agent.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Covenant University certifies 283 on IT, honours Akano

A total of 283 students of Covenant University have been certified on Information Technology (ICT), even as the institute honoured the managing director of New Horizons, Mr. Tim Akano.

The public relations executive of New Horizons, Mr. Akinyemi Sokoya, who made these disclosures at the weekend, said that the journey of IT training partnership between New Horizons and Covenant University, began four years ago and has paid off afterwards.

He explained that this was consequent upon the completion of certificate presentation ceremony organized last week by the school.

Sokoya said that the university which became certified in CISCO certified Network Associate, CCNA; CISCO Certified Network Professional (CCNP); Project Management; EC-Council Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Web Multimedia.

He noted that after the partnership was sealed in 2007 with the mandate to integrate all its students into the international certification based training, irrespective of their discipline to better equip them for the challenges ahead.

The Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Prof. (Mrs) Aize Obayan said in her address to the occasion that the feat being celebrated and the subsequent presentation of the international certificates to the 283 students was an affirmation of the entrepreneurial drive of the university to refocus Nigeria education system.

She pointed out that as an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) driven institution, the university is on a revolution mission aimed at bringing the desired change and transformation of Nigeria education system to the bare. Stressing that a change could place the Nigerian university graduates shoulder above their peers at the global arena.

“With these certifications the graduands are now better equipped and prepared to move into the world and drive enterprises for themselves and their Alma Mata, especially now that they are going into the over saturated labour market,” she said, adding that in Covenant University, they are committed to raising the bar for a betterment and future of Nigerian education systems.

“The solution we seek for Nigerian education system is right here with us, and now we can see that the beautiful ones are here in ICT revolution, ready to give India and China a fight for their edge in ICT advancement” she said, maintaining that the feat attained by the students’ as the product of the vision of the school and the beginning of a silent revolution going on in Nigeria.

Commenting after his award by the institute, the chief executive officer, New Horizons Nigeria, Mr. Tim Akano said that the importance of ICT in the 21^st century cannot be overemphasised and congratulated the students for their resilience and hard-work.

“ICT should be taken more seriously now than ever before, as it has proven to be the highest paying profession in the world,” he said.

Akano recalled that it took him 18 months to convince the management of the university on the importance of ICT to its students, but expressed satisfaction that once the partnership agreement was signed, the efforts did yield positive results with Covenant University attaining the best ICT university award for three years consecutively.

He urged the students to take ICT with seriously, particularly now that the rest of the century is going to be dominated by ICT.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D