Kenya to host African IGF in September

The outcome of a bid submitted by the government of the Republic of Kenya has been accepted as the host for 2013 African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) which is the second on the track.

ITRealms gathered that Kenya filed its bid application through the Ministry of Information and Communication in February this year and confirmed in March, the AfIGF secretariat announced that the 2nd African Internet Governance Forum, slated to hold in Kenya from 11-13 September 2013.

The meeting will be hosted by the government in cooperation with the Internet Society Kenya Chapter.

Kenya has hosted with great success the global 5th Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which had the highest number of participants in the history of the IGF.
 

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FG inaugurates 19-man Broadband Council

Mrs Johnson middle flanked by members of the council

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 19-man Broadband Council to see to the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Broadband, which recently submitted its report.

Conducting the inauguration in her officer of the President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, Tuesday, July 16, said the Broadband Council is chaired by herself, while members will work on implementation modalities for the newly developed and approved Nigerian National Broadband plan for the period 2013 - 2018.

The inauguration of the Broadband council, Mrs. Johnson told ITRealms, represents an important and significant milestone in the implementation roadmap of the national broadband plan. 

According to her, the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Broadband Council include providing periodic reports on the progress of the plan, facilitating the coordination and collaboration of the various stakeholders during plan implementation, ensuring that relevant agencies, institutions, and the general public are actively engaged.

“Where necessary the Council shall highlight adjustment areas where needed in the execution of the strategy and roadmap,” she said.

The Broadband Council, Mrs. Johnson, pointed out, has both institutional, government and individual representation, adding that institutional representation is to ensure that the requirements of the industry are taken into consideration; such institutions are ATCON, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria.

On individual representations, she said, comprised of highly knowledgeable people who are extremely credible in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry and have shown a great passion to see to the deployment of robust broadband infrastructure in the country including the two former co-chairmen of the recently concluded Presidential Committee on Broadband, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe and Mr. Jim Ovia.

Google and Microsoft, she said, represent a small section of the international partners strongly positioned to advance the broadband agenda, while the government institutions that have the direct mandate to deliver broadband to the country were also included namely the Ministry, NCC, USPF and NITDA.

Special Adviser, Media to the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Efem Nkanga confirmed to ITRealms that the members of the Broadband Council are Dr. Ernest Ndukwe-Chairman Openmedia Group, Mr Jim Ovia-Chairman of Visafone, Dr. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Ms Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, Main One Cable Company, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, Managing Consultant, Telecom Answers Associates, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo-Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications.

Equally on the council is Mr Ademola Aladekomo, President, Nigeria Computer Society, Mr Bayo Banjo-President, Nigeria Internet Group, Mr Lanre Ajayi-President, Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria, Mr Abdullahi Maikano-Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor-Country Manager, Google Global Services Nigeria Limited, Mr Junaid Dikko-Director, Etisalat, Mr. Mohammed Rudman-Chief Executive Officer, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, Mr Ayoola Oke-Managing Partner, Ayoola Babatunde Oke& Co, Engr John Ayodele-Director, Ministry of Communication Technology, Mr Emmanuel Onyeje, Microsoft and Mr Jinmi Sonuga, principal consultant-Business Unusual Ltd.

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Johnson says eCommerce, catalyst for economic growth

The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson has described the electronic commerce (eCommerce) as catalyst for economic growth.

Making this disclosure at the first annual eCommerce conference hosted by Jumia in Lagos, she said that the sector has the capacity to significantly extend the reach of wholesale and retail trade in the country leading to accelerated economic growth and job creation.

Dwelling on “eCommerce and ICT in Nigeria: Engine for Job Creation and Economic Growth,’ she informed the audience that eCommerce represents many sectors and players coming together for economic gain.

She cited an instance with suppliers of goods partnering with online retailers such as Jumia to offer their products to consumers that could use banks and other channels for electronic payments to purchase items.

These goods, she said, are then delivered by logistics and delivery companies often using communications technology to schedule delivery.

She noted that in one transaction the participation of entities in the wholesale and retail trade sector, financial services sector, transport sector, postal sector and telecommunications sector are involved.

Mrs. Johnson identified some of the barriers inhibiting growth of eCommerce industry to include inadequate broadband access, high cost of internet and mobile communications services, low awareness amongst the public of the relevance of eCommerce to their lives, low consumer confidence in using electronic payment channels, and low availability of skilled personnel amongst others.

The Federal Government, she said, is working to address these challenges through its on-going implementation of the National Broadband Policy, reformation of the postal sector amongst others.

The postal market in Nigeria, she said, is a highly competitive sector with  substantial growth potential that needs to be deployed to give consumers increased choice and access to the postal operator’s extensive network of urban and rural outlets.

The Ministry, she said, is contributing towards removing payment barriers byreforming postal services and developing postal outlets that will become venues for financial and economic inclusion. Postal outlets constitute the most widespread retail network in Nigeria that can be deployed to foster the reach of eCommerce in the country.

Remmy Nweke

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35 graduate from first African School on Internet Governance

The first African School on Internet Governance (AfrIGS) ended its three-day training in Durban, South Africa with 35 graduates.

Communications and network building manager, Mallory Knodel confirmed that participants from over 15 African countries successfully completed the training organised by the NEPAD’s e-Africa Programme and Association of Progress Communication (APC). Readmore

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1,800 participants @ ICANN 47 public meeting in Durban

Estimated 1,800 participants are taking part in the on-going public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in the city of Durban, South Africa.

Disclosing this to ITRealms was the chief executive officer and president of ICANN, Mr. Fadi Chehade during his opening remarks at the Durban 47 on Monday.

According to him, 1,800 attendees from 92 countries are taking part in the meeting while South Africa has about 10 per cent of the today, that is, in excess of 100 participants.

He commended Africa and South Africa specifically for the agreeing to host ICANN public meeting 47.

Chehade, enjoined Africans to imbibe the spirit of Madiba in the development of Internet on the continent.

Also, he urged participants to deploy this kind of spirit in engagement of one another, learning and sharing throughout the public meeting, so as to leave Africa and the entire ICANN global committee, mostly by the end of the meeting.

The day was closed with an event by AFRALO which began with entertainment from local dancers from Durban.

 

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Top 10 Africa registrars, registries honoured @ Durban47

Some of the Africa Domain Name award nominees 2013 with ICANN CEO, Chehade

Top Ten Africa Domain Name System (DNS) players have been honoured at the on-going 47 public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in Durban.

Chairman of the African Domain Name Awards 2013, Dr. Nii Quaynor gave the names of the nominees to include seven registries and three registrars.

He listed these nominees to include Registries .TZ, .NA, .ZA, .SN, .TN, .BI, and .TD, while three registrars namely the Afriregister, Kheweul.com, and Diamatrix CC.

The awards were presented to the winners by the leadership of ICANN including ICANN chairman, Dr. Stephen Crocker, its president, Mr. Fadi Chehade and Ms Susan.

ITRealms recalls that a domain name registrar is an organization or commercial entity that manages the reservation of Internet domain names, according to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia. 

Though they are usually accredited by a generic top-level domain (gTLD) registry and/or a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry.  The management is done in accordance with the guidelines of the designated domain name registries and to offer such services to the public.

On the other hand, a domain name registry is a database of all domain names and the associated registrant information in the top level domains of the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet that allow third party entities to request administrative control of a domain name. Most registries operate on the top-level and second-level of the DNS.
 

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ICANN president says Africa is fastest growing continent

ICANN press conference @Durban47: L-r Vice President, ICANN Stakeholder Engagement

 for Africa, Mr. Pierre Dandjinou, ICANN President, Mr. Fade Chehade, chairman, board

of directors, Dr. Steven Crocker, chairman of the Africa Strategic Working Group, Dr. Nii Quaynor.

President and chief executive officer of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Mr. Fadi Chehade has described Africa as a hopeful continent and fastest growing continent in the world.

This is coming as he said that ICANN is changing its DNA in order to walk the talk when it comes to multi-stakeholderism spirit.

Speaking to ITRealms at a press conference at the ongoing 47 public meeting of ICANN in Durban, South Africa, Mr. Chehade who was accompanied at the session by the chairman, board of directors of ICANN, Dr. Steven Crocker, chairman of the Africa Strategic Working Group, Dr. Nii Quaynor and Vice President for Africa at ICANN on Stakeholder Engagement, Mr. Pierre Dandjinou, said that 1 out of every six Africa have access to the Internet today.

He said, ICANN is positive to be in Africa to present ICANN to Africa and the world, just as he believes ICANN have the mechanism to address growth issues in the Domain Name industry, especially regarding the post-agreement signing with some ICANN registrars based on the new Registrar Accredited Agreement (RAA).

According to him, Africa made history today with the signing of the performed on its soil, assuring that ICANN has to move on with its vision carefully, stressing that his organization is determined to evolve with other global organization with similarity in its agenda to work together.

Internet, he said, is a different kind of resource that no one single country or organization can manage single-handedly including ICANN.

ICANN, he further said, should evolve as an oasis by being all inclusive.

“We’re changing the DNA of ICANN by hiring outside the US,” he said, adding that ICANN included in the latest RAA the rights of registrars, so they should be seen as part of ICANN but not ICANN customers.

For Mr. Pierre Dandjinou, his appointment is a new season for Africa, even as ICANN depends largely on partnership by making Africa real and help in development the DNS industry.

He urged African government to have a rethink on how they see the Internet and its governance because of its benefits, which are enormous.

ICANN 47 public meeting as it has been tagged, began on Sunday, July 14 and would last till Thursday, July 18, 2013, at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Durban.

 

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