NCS applauds govt on IT Ministry

Umbrella body of Nigerian Information Technology professionals, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), has applauded the Federal Government (FG) for its advanced strategy to create an Information Technology (IT) Ministry soon.

The group also said that this step by the Federal Government should be seen as in fulfillment of the yearnings of IT professionals for a long time now.

They added that once the ministry comes upstream, States should follow in replicating the steps to ensure involvement of the rural areas in its evolution.

The National President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Charles Uwadia, gave this applause while reacting to the development to ITRealms Online in Abuja at the weekend.

He said that the decision is commendable, pointing out that government only picks ideas from those who would deliver on its promises, expressing glad that the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria alongside NCS among others have participated actively in bringing this message to the frontburner and enjoined all not to relent until full realisation.

He urged every stakeholder, especially the professional groups to take up their roles very seriously and play very well for the eventual realization of this soon to be established IT Ministry.

“Those who would man or head the ministry must be those ready to bring to fruition the promises of government,” he said.

NCS, Uwadia said, is doing its own part and would continue to support the government in this regard, especially on finding the kind of people who will man the new IT ministry.

Uwadia reiterated that the secretary to the government gave the hint that the government would like the new ministry to be manned by an industry person, who is a professional.

“So, we are actually entering a new vista in opening up the industry and we expect whoever is going to man the ministry to ensure that government programmes give the needed impact towards changing the lives of people,” he said.

For the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) president, Chief Chris Uwaje, it is one of the industry prayers answered going by the interaction the team had with Anyim.

“As society migrates, ministries changes; yesterday we have ministry of import and export and today they are no more,” he said, maintaining that professionals should be allowed to head the Ministry from inception.

“So, the real issue is that we must ensure that who mans this ministry delivers on the dream and aspiration of stakeholders,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalled that in what looked like fulfilling an electioneering promise, the Federal Government through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, penultimate Wednesday, disclosed that FG would soon create and Information Technology (IT) Ministry.

Anyim gave this assurance while hosting the President and Chairman of council of Computer Professionals Registration Council if Nigeria (CPN), Mr. Ibrahim Tizhe-led delegations to his office, last week.

“In fact, the IT Ministry is as good as created,” he was quoted as saying, noting that professionalism should be seen as key to development of this country.

According to Anyim, no economy could advance without Information Technology, adding that IT drives the economy globally and Nigeria could not afford to be left behind, emphasising that if the Vision 202020 goal must be attained, then, IT must be made to drive the process.

He further assured CPN leadership that their concerns have been noted and aligned with that of government, asserting that “without IT, we can’t cope with other advance economies of the world. By the time Ministry of Information and technology takes off, we will be able to have somebody in the sector to head the ministry.”

Responding, Tizhe congratulated Anyim on his new office, pointing out that the essence of the visit was for the body to reassure the government of its member’s willingness to co-operate with the government in realisation of her goals in moving the nation forward, via technology.

“We applaud government’s pronouncement of the establishment of the Ministry of IT,” he said, underlining the fact for the process to begin immediately, urging Anyim to use his good offices to make certain that stumbling blocks are removed in realised this Ministry’s take off.

The Nigeria Computer Society as the umbrella organization of all Information Technology professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in Nigeria, was established in 1978 as the Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) and transformed into NCS in 2002 as a result of harmonization with other stakeholder and interest groups.

NCS is the national platform for the advancement of Information Technology Science and Practice in the country.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

ICT: Still awaiting bail-out funds

Making a request is one thing, especially when it involves fund and waking up to the follow up demand is another. REMMY NWEKE reports that both ALTON and ATCON now have the floor to make positive demand for bail-out for the sector.

A few months ago in Lagos during a breakfast meeting of stakeholders graced by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, one thing that came to the forefront was the issue of some large number of dying operators across all sections of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

Be it in the Internet Service Provision (ISP), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and even Value Added Service (VAS) industries, this seems to have cut across all.

Out of the agenda, however, broadband-related incentives seem to dominate the session, which resulted in stakeholders calling for a bail-out from the Nigerian government for the sector.

Chairman, pioneer Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the country, Linkserve Limited, Chief Chima Onyekwere, tasked the ICT regulator, the NCC, should have a bail-out fund for various operators within the ICT sector in the country.

He noted that even if today Nigeria deploys broadband nationwide, there is still challenges of compatible user premises equipment for it to be put to use adequately, declaring that operators in the industry strongly need subsidy to make a difference expected.

“A subsidy from NCC will help a great deal,” he asserted, pointing out that in South Korea and America, governments have assisted immensely in deployment of broadband in their various countries and urged the Nigerian government to queue into this process to move the ICT industry in the country forward, especially if the nation is still desirous of meeting her Vision 20-2020.

The chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, noted that voice only and scratch card companies are no longer in business, like most of the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are no longer operational.

Lamenting the fact that all is not well with telecommunications or ICT sector, he said that Nigeria and Nigerians started very early to celebrate the revolution of telecommunications, especially with the advent of GSM.

He proposed that his group and ATCON would join hands to come up with guidelines to help the government and its agencies to understand what is going on within the ICT, which would expose them to some of the challenges.

Adebayo outlined some of these challenges to comprise lack of right of way, electricity, vandalisation of telecom infrastructure, multiple taxation by various second and third tiers of government respectively, whom he alleged see telecommunications as a cash-cow.

Adebayo further suggested that industry regulator, NCC, may have to go cap-in hand to the relevant authorities of government to enlighten them and show factors depicting that all is not well with the industry, especially the operators.

He urged NCC to probably secure right of way from the Federal Ministry of Works and Environment and offer that as part of the Federal Government’s Broadband initiative like WIRE Nigeria, in order to save the operators the trouble of leaving their competence and chasing one local government and ministries from the other.

Corroborating the chairman of ALTON, his counterpart in the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, declared that it has not been too rosy for the sector as Nigerians were made to believe.

Also, he said that they saw it as a challenge that would be faced, assuring that ATCON would partner ALTON in detailing challenges facing the industry and channel it to the industry regulatory, who in turn has the liberty to send it to the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication for onward presentation to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which is the apex FG implementation organ in the country.

Equally, during a courtesy visit by ALTON to Airtel management team recently in Lagos, Adebayo said they had made representations to the NCC to develop an incentive-based bailout plan for the industry by granting exemptions, waivers or rebates on certain portions of the levy to ailing operators as a means of providing regulatory support, considering the Annual Operating Level (AOL) and payment suspension and reductions of dues payable to the Commission.

This, he said, would further assure the sustainable growth of the industry, stressing that ALTON strongly oppose the House of Representatives Bill on Telecommunications (Equity) (HB173) Bill of 2009.

“This Bill set to mandate shareholding in telecommunication companies: our position was submitted to the Nigerian Investment Promotional Commission (NIPC) on the 12th of May 2009,” he said.

Some of the outlines of ALTON submission, he said, included that if the bill is passed as drafted may fundamentally alter the Federal Government’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy and negates the role of NIPC as well as “... Amount to re-enacting the indigenization Act of 1972.”

ALTON, Adebayo said, had intervened variously on the implication of multiple regulations in the industry and the confusion that follows, asserting, “We engage NCC continuously to assert its responsibility over telecommunications sector oversight and control at the appropriate governmental level.”

Adebayo pointed out that ALTON is a body duly registered in 2000 under the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria as an incorporated trustee, and the industry advocacy group for all providers of telecommunications network and subsidiary services in Nigeria.

Membership of ALTON he said includes all network operating companies as well as those providing ancillary and other related value added services, whereas, its major objectives is to foster inter-network cooperation and industry harmony amongst all the operators and the regulator, as well as provides a platform for industry cum stakeholders’ interaction and collaboration for the advancement of the Nigerian telecommunications market.

Welcoming the visitors to Airtel Nigeria office at Banana Island, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rajan Swaroop, commended ALTON and assured that the company has been built on professionalism and have been growing professionals to meet its demand in delivering good telecom services in the country.

He suggested to ALTON to make case for shortening of customer service agent engagement by subscribers to about three minutes to accommodate more needy subscribers. Alternatively, he suggested that it could be charged to compel telecom consumers to be precise on their inquiries to customer service agents.

Another worry expressed by the Airtel boss, was that despite business decision to expand, installations of towers takes up to three months to finalise due to some bottlenecks in getting relevant approvals from the government and its agencies.

He enjoined ALTON to take this up with the regulatory authorities so as to find a solution to the aforementioned, just as he assured of Airtel Nigeria’s support to ALTON in its advocacy campaigns among others.

On the other hand, the apex telecommunications regulator in the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that despite the media reports that Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector needs bail-out, it is yet to receive any formal request to that effect.

Reviewing the industry, recently in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah disclosed that none of the operating companies or industry interest groups has really come out literally to demand for the bail-out.

He advised whosoever agitating for bail out to come up and take the necessary steps to ensure due process. He counseled “It’s better for the agitators to come up with convincing facts,” adding that NCC is ready to do its part whenever such facts are made available to the Commission.

Juwah explained that for such a request, it’s a process to get actualized, especially in policy formation, pointing out that its left for the agitators to convince NCC on this premise, the Commission could now take such facts to the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, who is the custodian of government policies in the sector.

Noting that it’s now left for the Minister in charge to take up from there to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), from where if it’s accepted becomes a policy of the government and budget then allocated to it.

As the demands for bail out for the ICT sector continue to gain moment, the onus is now on the various trade groups especially the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) to take the lead and create the enabling time to meet, and probably set up a joint committee on this subject with terms of reference that would not exceed one month.

The urgency call as far as the bail out for the ICT sector is concerned is that the momentum is ripe with the acknowledgement of NCC to work on their demands.

A stitch in time saves nine.

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Verwaayen canvasses open innovation

The Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel-Lucent, Mr. Ben Verwaayen, has said that the world needs open innovation to persevere growth, prosperity and sustain global economies, mostly in the emerging world.

This is coming as Alcatel-Lucent joined the group of international organizations to launch the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2011 edition.

Verwaayen made this known in his foreword contribution to the latest edition of the Global Innovation Index 2011 launched at the weekend, entitled ‘The World Needs Open Innovation.’

He observed that GII report is a sweeping country-by-country analysis of the role innovation as foundation for a global conversation on the role of innovation.

According to the Head of Communications, Africa, Sherine Aziez, said that the CEO, Mr. Verwaayen wrote a chapter in the report as well as other material contributions from the company helping to define key research criteria.

The report, Aziez said, provides a wealth of data that social policy researchers, companies, governments and non-governmental organizations could use to evaluate and help make recommendations and drive policies that could foster innovation.

“As importantly, it provides a powerful tool for exploring the benefits of deliberate efforts to promote innovation,” Aziez said.

Mr. Verwaayen was quoted in a press statement also made available to Daily Champion, as saying that by bringing together diverse parties to explore how innovation is being applied around the world, and what conditions make for successful innovation, it is making an essential contribution to the promotion of open innovation as a basic operating principal for the global community.

Alcatel-Lucent, Aziez noted is participating in the GII report as a knowledge partner along with other leading groups including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, the Confederation of Indian Industry and Booz and Company.

Pointing out that as an active partner in the development of the report, Alcatel-Lucent helped to define key research criteria.

Equally, the spokesperson for Alcatel-Lucent Africa said the company also contributed a research chapter entitled Making Cities Smart and Sustainable, which explores how open innovation could be applied to the challenge of rapid urbanization underway around the globe, and help realize the potential of a connected world.

The chapter, Aziez said, discussed how innovation, in terms of both ideas and technologies, is essential to making cities more environmentally and economically sustainable, to increasing digital inclusion in both cities and rural areas, and to better support the health and welfare of city residents.

In addition, Aziez said, the chapter also concluded that strong collaborations between governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, universities and other institution are needed to address large-scale societal challenges of this kind.

In association with the report, Alcatel-Lucent also has conducted an analysis of data included in the GII and found that one particular “foundation” for innovation -- Information and Communication Technology (ICT) -- is clearly correlated with most dimensions of well-being.

This analysis reveals that countries that have higher levels of ICT penetration tend toward political stability and lower levels of violence, had more effective governments, and benefited from more robust educational, business and research and development environments.

Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Starcomms picks SkyVision for IP connectivity

Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity provider over satellite and fiber optic systems, SkyVision Global Networks Limited, has been chosen as broadband fiber connectivity solution provider by Starcomms Nigeria plc.

Marketing Communications Manager, SkyVision Global Networks, Ms Iris Tovim said that Starcomms, which is quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange prides itself with over 3.2 million subscribers and acclaimed largest Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Third Generation (3G) mobile network in the country.

She also said that SkyVision’s end-to-end solution is based on the company’s Point of Presence (PoP) located in Lagos and connected to international submarine cables on the coasts of Nigeria. Tovim explained that by way of international submarine cables, SkyVision provided connectivity solutions for a range of Starcomms’ PoPs across Nigeria, thus, enabling hundreds of Mega bytes per second (Mbps) high quality connectivity to Tier-1 Internet Service Providers through SkyVision’s PoP in Lagos.

The chief executive officer, SkyVision, Mr. Doron Ben Sira, was quoted as saying they were pleased to be able to respond to Starcomms’ demand for high quality international fiber connectivity for its major PoPs across Nigeria.

Mr. Sira said that they were honored to support Starcomms’ vision to become a premier provider of world-class, fixed and wireless communications solutions throughout Nigeria.

“Through our fully customized, independent and scalable solution, Starcomms is able to provide its customers with high quality internet connectivity and support the increasing demand for superior service in the Nigerian market,” he said.

Chief Commercial Officer, Starcomms Plc, Mr. Logan Pather, noted that as proven high quality Broadband communication provider over satellite for the past three years, SkyVision’s continuous commitment, close attention to company needs and first-class customer service made them the natural choice of provider for this exciting new venture.

“With SkyVision’s international fiber connectivity to Starcomms’ PoPs across Nigeria, we can now provide our customers with top of the line Tier-1 internet service,” he declared.

ITRealms Online recalls that SkyVision acclaims leadership in global IP telecommunication service provider to emerging markets, offering solutions that combine satellite service platforms with high-capacity fiber optic connections.

This is especially so via its gateways in Europe, North America, Africa and the Middle East, where SkyVision provides IP connectivity with access to the global Internet backbone, as well as an extensive suite of both customized end-to-end solutions and industry-standard services.

And with a connectivity network spanning 100 countries, SkyVision’s solutions combine global reach with active local presence and support, whereas its customers include incumbent telecoms, ISPs, cellular operators, global and local enterprises and governments.

While Starcomms prides itself as a vast network of over 1.5 million subscribers, Starcomms is the first telecommunications operator in Nigeria to be listed on the domestic Exchange.

Till date, Starcomms has presence in 38 major cities and covering 182 towns nationwide.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MultiChoice, Eutelsat boost Mindset channel with awards

MultiChoice Africa is partnering Eutelsat Communications to boost Mindset Learn, a channel on the Digital Satellite (DSTv), with ‘DStv Eutelsat Star Awards’ for students.

Head: Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Caroline Creasy said the partnership would promote science and technology learning in African schools.

She noted this was in continuation of the joint strategy to expand and democratise the Information Society (IS).

According to her, the development of technology and science skills among students is a key factor; hence Africa is no exception to this.

“... Much like in other regions of the world, stimulating young minds is core to creating relevant solutions for the development of the African continent,” she said.

Creasy explained that with a shared vision that education is a key driver for the development of Africa’s social and economic landscape, MultiChoice Africa and Eutelsat Communications, supported by Mindset Learn, have assembled their expertise to initiate a pan-African student competition called the “DStv Eutelsat Star Awards”.

The aim of the awards, she said, is to inspire innovative thinking among secondary and high-school students, to create awareness on how science and technology could be applied to everyday life, and to show the many ways that satellites already impact on the development of the African continent.

The awards, she said, would take the form of a competition open to 14-19 year-old students in 42 countries across the continent.

The students, she said, would be invited to write an essay or design a poster on satellite technology and how it could assist further development of their communities, country or the African continent.

“Country winners vying for the overall prize will go on to compete at an international level, adjudicated on 12 September 2011 by an international judging panel,” she said, while the overall winner will be invited to see a live rocket launch and to Eutelsat’s headquarters in France.

The merit award winners, Mrs. Creasy further said, will win a trip to Johannesburg to see DStv’s technical facilities and television studios at the MultiChoice Africa offices.

“They will also tour the Mindset education broadcasting facilities,” she declared.

Mrs. Creasy said that a resource booklet for teachers and students has been developed for the competition and could be accessed online; www.dstvstarawards.com or from MultiChoice or Mindset Offices in South Africa only.

She added that MultiChoice Africa will leverage its network of MultiChoice Resource Centres (MRCs) which enable almost 1,000 schools in Africa to access information and educational television resources for the competition.

Emphasising that two 26-minute programmes, produced by Eutelsat on the conquest of space and how satellite applications impact directly or indirectly on everyday lives, will also be broadcast by the Mindset Learn channel on DStv and available on the Internet at www.dstvstarawards.com.

She quoted the President, MultiChoice Africa, Mr. Collins Khumalo as saying that they are excited about the new initiative.

“... Investing in the development of our continent is always a priority for us. Investing in young people and education is an ideal we take very seriously,” he said.

The DStv Eutelsat Star Awards, he said, is another way of showing MultiChoice continued commitment and support for Africa and its next generation.

“Africa and its people will benefit from a new generation of big thinkers who will take on the new world and become change agents and leaders. We are also very proud of our partnership with Eutelsat and Mindset Learn on these awards,” he said, describing it as a testimony to the fact that good relationships with partners are far-reaching and go beyond the traditional borders with a common vision that will touch many generations to come.

For the chief executive officer, Eutelsat Communications, Michel de Rosen, the information society opens a myriad of opportunities for emerging countries to accelerate their economic development on an equitable basis.

“Working with MultiChoice and Mindset Learn on this new award is a way for Eutelsat to show our commitment to encouraging African students to engage with new technologies. Over half a century since Arthur C. Clarke developed his vision for using satellites to connect the world, space still represents a field of adventure which can stimulate the minds of students,” he said.

Eutelsat, Rosen said, is honoured to launch this joint initiative with MultiChoice and together with longstanding partner to demonstrate further commitment to developing digital services in Africa.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Nokia dual SIM phones hit market

Yielding to the demands of emerging markets, particularly Nigeria, the global mobile phone brand, Nokia has officially unveiled is first dual Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) phones into the market place.

Managing Director of Nokia West Africa, Mr. James Rutherford who performed the unveiling in Lagos, at the weekend said the move goes to show that Nokia is a listening brand.

According to him, consistent with the reputation for churning out innovative products and services for its respective customer segments, Nokia has introduced a set of dual SIM phones.

Branded Nokia C2-00 and the X1-01, he said, the devices were the most affordable amongst its competitive peers across brands.

As a listening brand, he said, Nokia would continually seek ways to surpass the expectations of its customers.

Rutherford explained that in spite of being quite affordable for its prize band, the C1-00 was imbued with features that will certainly delight Nokia customers.

He underscored that fact that the phone has an external SIM slot for multiple SIMs, in addition other features, including microSD support up to 32 Gega Byte (GB), media player, 3.5mm AV connector, General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), Video Graphics Array (VGA) camera as well as web browser and micro Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector slot.

The C1-00, he said, is also a messaging device which means users could stay in touch with their loved ones with the chat applications of Yahoo, Facebook and other social media platforms.

He further explained that the X1-01 on its part is an affordable dual-SIM music phone, which allows users to give each SIM card a name and a dedicated logo as well as MP3 dedicated ring tone.

Other features of X1-01, he listed to include an MP3 music player, built-in flashlight, extra long battery life and pre-loaded games.

Rutherford noted that both phones come with Nokia’s proprietary personalised service, the Nokia Life Tools (NLT).

“The NLT enables users to benefit from personalised information on health, agriculture, sports and entertainment. Subscribers can also learn English as well also enjoy jokes.

Mr. Rutherford explained that these features and benefits are only available in genuine Nokia devices and advised Nigerians to avoid being conned into buying counterfeit devices under any guise,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that Nokia is the celebrated world’s number one manufacturer of mobile devices by market share and beyond its leadership status as a manufacturer of devices, has assumed the position of a leading solutions provider in the converging Internet and communications industries providing internet services that enable users to experience media, messaging, maps and games.

Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D