Nigeria to host Cybersecurity Regional Centre

BREAKING NEWS!
Strategies have been advanced for the setting up a Cybersecurity Regional Centre in Nigeria, ITRealms can authoritatively report.

Cybersecurity Regional Centres are part of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT) collaboration on cybersecurity.

According to the Director, ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, Mr. Brahima Sanou, the ITU and IMPACT are looking at the possibility of setting up a Cybersecurity Regional Centre in Nigeria.

This centre, he said, would play an essential role in supporting the expansion of ITU-IMPACT’s network globally, by localizing cybersecurity services to meet the unique needs of the region.

“Nigeria has indicated its interest in hosting a new Regional Centre under the ITU-IMPACT framework,” he declared.

Sanou also said the proposed Regional centre, would become a vital hub of expertise and constitute an important component of the multi-stakeholder network that must be built to support government, industry and citizens, so that the full benefits of information and communications technology could be assured for all citizens.

“While acting as a catalyst for greater regional collaboration to address escalating cyber threats, this centre would also help promote Nigeria as an advanced cybersecurity hub for the region,” Sanou said.
  

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Etisalat plans introduction of biNu apps into Nigerian market

The Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service Ltd (EMTS) trading as Etisalat, has concluded plans to introduce biNu application into the Nigerian telecommunications market.

ITRealms recalls that biNu is a cloud-based app platform that runs on a wide range of mass-market mobile phones, providing super-fast and affordable access to web-based apps and popular Internet services.

Disclosing this to ITRealms at the 2013 Mobile Web West Africa in Lagos, the Etisalat’s Data Marketing Manager, Mr. Bankole Alao said that in less than one month, precisely before the end of June that Etisalat intends to bring biNu apps to Nigeria.

According to him, this will be another first and innovative product from Etisalat to make telecom consumers in the country to better serve them.

He urged Nigerians to expect the details of this partnership with biNu over the next four weeks, “so we are looking at June definitely.”

Mr. Alao, who dwelt on ‘Opportunity and success analysis, operators perspectives’ stressed that the Etisalat’s innovation is one of the pillars, which begins by usually asking themselves questions; whether this product is innovative, will it solve some problems and push the boundaries of what have been existing in the market.

Bankole Alao with another discussant from Ghana

On the Etisalat’s role on mobile web ecosystem in the country, Mr. Alao said Etisalat provides one of the most revenue sharing formula for the content providers and business, especially start-ups; those who have ideas and those who have something to offer.

“We make sure you receive your pay when due and we have reputation of not owing our content partners based on our SLA - Service Level Agreement” he said, stressing that monetisation for start ups and operators is very high on the agenda of the telco.

Etisalat, he pointed out had since realised that needs partners, “so, that is why we are very open to people coming to us with ideas and services, which we would now push to our customers and add the extra value.”

The week-long 2013 edition of MobileWeb West Africa is expected to close, tomorrow, Friday.

 

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MasterCard to power 13m smart ID cards in Nigeria

Echoes from the 2013 World Economic Forum on Africa indicates that Nigeria may have award contract for the provision of 13 million MasterCard-branded National Identity Smart Cards with electronic payment capability.

This was announced Wednesday by the Nigeria’s National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and MasterCard in South Africa, just as officials of MasterCard confirmed to ITRealms that the proposed National Identity SmartCard is the Card Scheme under the recently deployed National Identity Management System (NIMS).

Also, ITRealms gathered from proponents including Other issuing banks will include United Bank for Africa, Union Bank, Zenith, Skye Bank, Unity Bank, Stanbic and First Bank; that the 13 Million Cards would be the first of its kind and assumed to be the largest card rollout on the continent of Africa; a formal electronic payment solution in a country and the broadest financial inclusion initiative of its kind on the African continent.

ITRealms was informed that in its first phase, Nigerians 16 years and above as well as all residents in the country for more than two years, would get the new multipurpose identity card which has 13 applications including MasterCard’s prepaid payment technology that will provide cardholders with the safety, convenience and reliability of electronic payments.

This, the proponent said, would have a significant and positive impact on the lives of Nigerians who have not previously had access to financial services.

 

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