Google seeks application for 2nd Launchpad Accelerator Africa - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Google has opened applications for Class 2 of its Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme reports ITRealms.

Also, Google announced it is extending the program to include startups from a further 12 African countries.

This, ITRealms gathered, means it is now accepting applications from startups in 18 countries across the continent including Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Cameroon, Botswana, Sénégal, Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria and the existing six - Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda . Interested startups can apply here: https://developers.google.com/startups/regional/

Applications for Class 2 will close on 8 July.  To qualify, startups have to be a technology startup, based in Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting the African market, and have raised seed funding. Google additionally considers the problem the startup is trying to solve, how it creates value for users, and how it addresses a real challenge for its home city, country or Africa broadly.

As applications for Class 2 will open at midnight tonight, Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class 1 is graduating today in Lagos.

“The three month programme has connected the 12 participating startups with more than 20 teams from Google as well as 40 mentors from nine countries including India, the UK, USA and Jamaica. Each has received $10 000 in an equity-free cash grant, and between them they have raised over $7 million. The startups have directly created 132 jobs and impacted 4.5 million users,” says Folagbade Olatunji-david, head of startup success and services, Launchpad Accelerator Africa, Google.

Launchpad Accelerator Africa was announced less than a year ago by Google CEO Sundar Pichai at Google for Nigeria on 27 July. In terms of his announcement, the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme will provide African startups with over $3 million in equity-free support, working space, and access to expert advisers from Google, Silicon Valley, and Africa over the next three years. Participants receive travel and PR support during each three-month program.

“We are humbled to be part of the success stories of these 12 startups, and as individuals we have learned great lessons from their dedication, focus and drive. The companies will now go on to be part of the global Launchpad Alumni network, joining over 100 companies from 40 countries across 5 continents,” Olatunji-David declare.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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In this 20th year of ‘democracy’ - ITREALMS

Commentary]@ITREALMS:

Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, which is currently running, was born on May 29, 1999—with Olusegun Obasanjo as inaugural executive president. A year later, on May 29, 2000, the president proclaimed May 29 of every year Nigeria’s “Democracy Day”. The day was also added to the list of the country’s national public holidays. 

It was a unilateral executive decision—by which I mean that neither the proclamation of “Democracy Day” nor the declaration of public holiday was endorsed, before the acts, by the constitution or any legislative body or any other institution of the Nigerian state or any organized public opinion.

It is a fact of the Nigerian history that President Olusegun Obasanjo’s executive proclamation and declaration were criticized, at that time, by the National Assembly, parties other than the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), state assemblies and governments other than those controlled by the PDP, popular-democratic and pro-democracy formations, political pressure groups, large segments of the press, organisations of the Nigerian Left and a wide range of prominent and respected public and private figures.

Some entities who had the will and power to do so went beyond criticism to active and practical opposition and rejection or counter-proclamations and declarations. For instance, several organisations and a number of state government declared June 12 (the anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential elections) as their “Democracy Day”.

We may now add, as a footnote, that on June 6, 2018, after 19 consecutive annual celebrations, President Muhammadu Buhari announced a shift of Nigeria’s “Democracy Day” from May 29 to June 12. Some say that the action was political. Of course, it was. And why should it not be? It was as political as his failure to do so for three full years he had been in power; and it was as political as the failure of Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan to do so from 2000 to 2015. There are, in fact, more actions the president can take to further enhance his 2019 re-election chances!

Back to the original declaration of May 29 as Nigeria’s “Democracy Day”. Three grounds of criticism stood out at that time: that the proclamation and declaration were unilateral; that a number of other days in our national history—including June 12—were more important than May 29; and that, in a sense, the proclamation of “Democracy Day” was a mockery because the processes leading up to May 29, 1999 were thoroughly undemocratic.

That the “Democracy Day” has, in recent years, been celebrated with fanfare by all the decisive segments of Nigeria’s political class and the Nigerian state is an indication of how much has changed in the politics of Nigeria’s ruling class since the inauguration of the Fourth Republic. And the incumbent president’s act of June 6, 2018, is the latest measure of the balance of political forces in the country as a whole, and in the ruling class in particular.

It is also politically and ideologically significant that large segments of the nation’s popular-democratic and mass organisations are now as enthusiastic as the Nigerian State and the political class in the celebration of “Democracy Day”—a celebration that received the harshest criticism from the public at the beginning of the Fourth Republic. At a personal level, no fewer than 20 Nigerians (female and male, young and old, poor and not-too-poor) greeted me on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 with “Happy Democracy Day!”

We may finally note—before we go to the main subject of this discussion—that, for the Nigerian state, the various governments, the ruling class as a whole, the political parties, segments and factions of the political class (those in power and those out of power), this year’s Democracy Day—together with the politics around it—was a big national opportunity to rehearse campaign and propaganda messages, and “test-run” the machines designed for delivering them.

But it was a lie, a huge mockery of the nation and the masses who labour, in pains and hunger, and almost in despair, to sustain and reproduce it! And older compatriots are painfully aware that for some time now, there has been this growing tendency on the part of the Nigerian state and its governments to erode the integrity of Workers’ Day by dominating and even attempting to appropriate what used to be an autonomous workers’ event.

The preceeding notes, especially the last two paragraphs, may serve as introduction to what I now propose as the central tasks of the Nigerian Left in the next 12 months—that is, from now through the next general elections and up to and beyond the inauguration of a new set of administrations on May 29, or June 12, 2019. In this 20^th year of “democracy” the Nigerian Left will have to concentrate and focus on a limited number of fundamental tasks in areas of organization, education and electoral politics.

It is necessary to preface the listing of tasks with some clarifications. First: For those who ask the question—either sincerely or cynically—I assert that the Nigerian Left exists. It exists in several forms: historical, ideological, political and organizational. In fact, the Nigerian Left is one of the oldest tendencies in Nigerian politics. Born during the colonial era, it developed through the decolonisation and post-colonial periods and has continued to exist up to the current peripheral capitalist globalism.

In this self-affirmation, Leftists must learn to differentiate between a movement (such as the labour movement) and organisations of the movement; between an organization and its leadership; and between this leadership and the individual leaders. Any confusion in simple matters like this may give room for self-doubt. The Left must therefore renew its self-education and popular mass education. We declare again: The Nigerian Left exists and has existed continuously as a fighting force since the mid-1940s.

The second clarification is that the Nigerian Left cannot be asked, and is not being asked, to start “afresh”. No. What is being proposed is that the Nigerian Left should make a leap from where it is and from what it has been doing. But that leap will not detach it from the present or the past. When there is a leap in knowledge or practice, the past, as an entity, is not wiped out or rendered irrelevant. The third clarification is that, historically, every authentic organization of the Nigerian Left has had at least one of the following words in its name: labour, workers’, people’s, revolutionary, working-people’s, socialist or communist. There is absolutely no reason to break with that tradition of self-identification and self-affirmation.

With this extended preparation I may now make my proposal on the central tasks of the Nigerian Left in this 20^th year of “democracy”. The tasks can be grouped into two: special and general. 

The special task can be formulated like this: A small ad-hoc group of Nigerian Leftists—from the ranks of revolutionary Marxists—should volunteer and select themselves and assume the revolutionary responsibility of convening an all-Nigeria “unity meeting” of Leftists (Marxists, socialists and radical democrats). The ad-hoc group should present the following to the meeting: a draft people’s manifesto, a draft memorandum on participation in electoral politics, a draft newsletter, a provisional coordinating and documentation centre, a draft “unifying name”, and a draft programme and structure.

The general task, which is for all Nigerian Leftists, has already been apprehended informally and is now being executed—in form of debates, discussions and conferences. Interested non-Leftists will be encouraged to participate in these activities but will not be allowed to disrupt them or act as agents-provocateurs. The special ad-hoc committee will monitor the process.

Finally, just as the committee will volunteer and announce itself, it will also dissolve itself at the end of its assignment.

*Edwin Madunagu, mathematician and journalist, writes from Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

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‘Why Young, Samsung’s MD must be deported’ - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigerian Senate has adduced reasons why it directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to immediately deport the Managing Director, SamsungWest Africa with office in Nigeria, Mr Young Ho Jo, back to South Korea, for purportedly entering the country with improper documentations, reports ITRealms.

The Red chamber, ITRealms gathered, gave this directive on Thursday via its Chairman, Ad- hoc Committee, investigating the $16.35 billion Egina Oil Field Project, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC Lagos West) during interactive session with major and subcontractors of the project.

Senator Adeola said the resolution for immediate deportation of Mr. Ho Jo, Samsung chief, was taken by the Senate a week earlier, in line with recommendation to that effect by the ad- hoc committee in its interim report.

The Senator, who made this proclamation in the presence of the embattled South Korean and other operators of the Egina oil field project, revealed that illegality of Mr. Young Ho Jo residency in Nigeria came to the fore during scrutiny of his papers.

“Mr Young Ho Jo who has been working for the past two months in Nigeria as the managing director of Samsung without fulfilling legal requirements for such told us that he couldn’t complete his documentation as a result of alleged break down of machines of the Nigeria Content Development Monitoring Board (NCMDB).

“But the NCMBD wrote to us that their machine had never broken down in the period claimed showing that the man has contravened the Local Content law. Going by recommendations made by this committee to the Senate and resolution adopted, MD Samsung is no longer recognised on account of improper documentation as shown by papers he presented.

"To the Senate and this committee, Samsung MD is an illegal immigrant who must be deported by the Nigerian Immigration Service, to which a letter to that effect has been forwarded to the Ministry of Interior. He can, however, come back to the country through proper documentation thereafter,” he said.

Senator Adeola further disclosed that Young Ho Jo, during his illegal residency in Nigeria as Managing Director, Samsung, also violated the Local Content Act by spending $1.6bn out of the $3.5bn contract, Samsung got from $16.35bn Egina Oil Field Project in Goje, South Korea.

Nenye Dom/GEE, with additional reports from Vanguard.

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Pix: Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Singapore opens Nairobi overseas centre to boost trade - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Enterprise Singapore (ESG) has opened the Nairobi overseas centre to boost investments and trade, reports ITRealms.

The Nairobi Overseas Centre, ITRealms gathered, was opened by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Cooperatives Mr Adan Mohamed, and Singapore’s Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Trade and Industry Dr Koh Poh Koon.

This is Enterprise Singapore’s third office in Africa, which will serve as its regional hub for East Africa. It complements Enterprise Singapore’s existing regional hubs in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Accra (Ghana). Enterprise Singapore’s Nairobi Overseas Centre will facilitate Singapore companies’ investments in Kenya and East Africa, and promote partnerships between Singapore and East African companies.

“East Africa houses some of the fastest-growing economies in the continent. Enterprise Singapore sees great potential for Singapore companies to offer their knowledge and expertise across areas such as infrastructure development and manufacturing, which are key priorities in this region. Kenya, with its stable growth and business-friendly environment, is the gateway to East Africa and we are positive that our office here will broaden our network of East African partners and strengthen the Singapore brand in the region,” said Mr Yew Sung Pei, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Singapore.

Currently, there are over 60 Singapore companies operating in Africa, across more than 50 countries, with US$19 billion invested in the continent. At the opening today, seven Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed between Singapore and Kenyan companies across corporate governance, e-payment, trade facilitation and natural resources.

In addition, the Nairobi Overseas Centre will allow Kenyan and African companies, including Small and Medium Sized Companies, to leverage Singapore as a gateway to capture growth opportunities in Asia. Strategically located at the heart of Asia, Singapore is in the middle of key trade flows from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Australia and Asia, hence making a good springboard for African enterprises seeking growth in Asia.

On 12 June 2018, the Kenyan and Singapore governments signed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) agreements to further cement bilateral economic ties. The signings were witnessed by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Shanmugaratnam. Singapore will also sign a BIT and an Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Rwanda on 14 June 2018. These agreements further boost cross-border trade and investment flows, adding to Singapore’s fast-growing treaty network with Africa.

Over 150 business and government leaders from Singapore and Africa attended Enterprise Singapore’s Nairobi Overseas Centre opening ceremony. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Shanmugaratnam and Senior Minister of State Koh are visiting Kenya and Rwanda from 12 - 14 June 2018. They are accompanied by 20 Singapore companies on a business mission jointly organised by the Singapore Business Federation and Enterprise Singapore.

Some of the Singapore companies that operate in Kenya include: CrimsonLogic , which is working with Kenya Trade Network Agency to design and run innovative and sustainable services to collaborate with Kenyan citizens and ecosystem. It also won the Kenya National Electronic Single Window System (KNESWS) in 2012; Pacific International Lines (PIL) , one of the first few liners in the world that provides a link from Asia/Middle East to Africa; and Red Dot Payment , which provides online payment solutions. They just signed a MOU today to provide alternative e-payment methods to Equity Bank.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Ugandan innovation, Matibabu wins £25,000 Africa Prize - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

A 24-year-old Ugandan software engineer, Brian Gitta and his team, have won the £25,000 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation with innovative Matibabu, used in testing malaria in persons, reports ITRealms. 

Brian Gitta, ITRealms gathered, is the first Ugandan to win the prestigious Africa Prize, and the youngest winner to date.

Gitta and his team developed Matibabu, a device which tests for malaria without drawing blood. Matibabu, which means ‘medical centre’ in Swahili, is a low-cost, reusable device that clips onto a patient’s finger, requiring no specialist expertise to operate. The results are available within one minute on a mobile phone that is linked to the device.

A red beam of light shone through the user’s finger detects changes in the shape, colour and concentration of red blood cells, all of which are affected by malaria.

Gitta wins the first prize of UK £25,000 (124 million Ugandan shillings). At an awards ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya on 13 June 2018, four finalists from across sub-Saharan Africa delivered presentations, before Africa Prize judges and a live audience voted for the most promising engineering innovation.

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK, is Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation. It encourages talented sub-Saharan African engineers, from all disciplines, to develop innovations that address crucial problems in their communities in a new, appropriate way.

Gitta and his team decided to develop the device after missing lectures, having had malaria several times. Matibabu is currently undergoing testing in partnership with a national hospital in Uganda, and is sourcing suppliers for the sensitive magnetic and laser components required to scale up production.

Matibabu is aimed at individuals, health centres and diagnostic suppliers. The team also aims to set up the device on the streets to allow people to do a single test at a time.

Through their participation in the Africa Prize, the Matibabu team have been approached by international researchers offering support and are currently writing up their ground-breaking findings into an academic paper, to be published within the next few months.

“We are very proud of this year’s winner. It’s a perfect example of how engineering can unlock development – in this case by improving healthcare,” said Rebecca Enonchong, Africa Prize judge. “Matibabu is simply a gamechanger.”

Sixteen shortlisted Africa Prize entrants, from seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa, received six months training and mentoring during which they learned to develop business plans and market their innovations. The group received coaching on communicating effectively, focusing on customers and approaching investors with confidence.

The Africa Prize provides a unique package of support, including funding, comprehensive business training, bespoke mentoring and access to the Royal Academy of Engineering’s network of high profile, experienced engineers and experts, and their networks.

It helps turn engineers with incredible ideas into successful entrepreneurs.

Launched in 2014, the Prize aims to stimulate, celebrate and reward engineers who have developed innovations that will benefit Africans.

The three runners up, who each won £10,000, include Collins Saguru, a Zimbabwean working in South Africa, for AltMet, a low-cost, environmentally friendly method for recovering precious metals from car parts; Ifediora Ugochukwu from Nigeria for iMeter, an intelligent metering system that gives Nigerian users transparency and control over their electricity supply; Michael Asante-Afrifa, from Ghana for Science Set, a mini science lab that contains specially developed materials for experiments

Reacting, Gitta expressed gratitude over the award.

“We are incredibly honoured to win the Africa Prize – it’s such a big achievement for us, because it means that we can better manage production in order to scale clinical trials and prove ourselves to regulators. The recognition will help us open up partnership opportunities – which is what we need most at the moment,” Gitta said.

The fifth Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is now open for applications. Individuals and small teams living and working in sub-Saharan Africa, and who have an engineering innovation, are invited to enter. Potential entrants can find more information here. The deadline for entries is 23 July 2018.

The Africa Prize is grateful to The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund, a founding sponsor of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Johannesburg set for Digital Transformation Congress 2018 - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Digital Transformation Congress, hosted by IT News Africa, is set for 26 July 2018 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, reports ITRealms.

The conference, ITRealms gathered, will assemble hundreds of senior executives who will explore emerging technology trends such as AI, IoT, blockchain, GDPR, IT security, 5G and robotics, and how they impact business operations.

“It is the key meeting place for business and IT leaders seeking to advance their knowledge of the latest business technologies and innovations,” the organisers said.

Additionally, they said, the acceleration of innovation is becoming a source of constant surprise for organisations.

“For this reason, DTC 2018 will offer an interactive and educational experience where world class speakers, through provocative presentations and engaging panels, will breakdown key strategies for leading digital transformation in business, identifying competitive advantages as well as managing digital disruption,” they told ITRealms in a press statement.

ITRealms further gathered that included in the event’s selection of world-class speakers is ‘Obama White House digital leader’, Tom Cochran. With nearly 20 years of digital experience, Tom Cochran is a digital transformation veteran who’s spent over four years in the Obama administration as a presidential appointee and digital leader.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Edgal, CP Lagos, orders show of force across state - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, has ordered all police formations under the command to embark on Show of Force, the exercise will commences today, Thursday, June 14, 2018 from 0600hrs through 1600hrs across the state, reports ITRealms.

Police Public Relations Officer for Lagos State, a Superintendent of Police (SP) Chike Oti, in a press statement made available to ITRealms, said that the operation is to assure Lagosians of the readiness of the command to provide adequate security for the inhabitants of the state throughout the Sallah holiday and beyond.

The Show of Force, among other things, is designed to send a clear warning to criminal elements that the police, at the forefront of internal security (I.S) in the state, with the active collaboration of sister agencies, will give no room for evil and anti-social acts.

Members of the public are advised not to panic when they see policemen marching through their streets with their security assets as the operation is not to cause fear or intimidation. Any inconvenience caused by this operation is not intended.

The CP, therefore, seeks the understanding and cooperation of Lagosians while the activity lasts.

Investigations by ITRealms, showed that the exercise has commenced already including Oshodi-Isolo and some parts of Ikeja GRA, at the time of this report.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Stop victimization of whistle-blowers - AFRICMIL

ITREALMS:

The continued persecution of whistleblowers by agents of state is threatening the effectiveness of the whistleblower policy introduced by the government to curb endemic corruption in the Nigeria, reports ITRealms.

Coordinator, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Chido Onumah, stated this in a press statement released on Wednesday. 

He said at least two whistleblowers in the public service that were unjustly sacked for exposing financial fraud and subsequently recalled are currently going through a fresh round of victimization in form of withheld salaries. 

Mr. Onumah said it was “most disturbing that citizens who, at the risk of their personal safety, decided to heed the call of the government to blow the whistle on improper behaviour in the society are being punished, despite promises for their safety and protection.” 

He noted that abominable reprisals are continually being visited on whistleblowers in a manner that endangers whistleblowing as a tool for reducing corruption in the country. 

Mr. Onumah said Ntia Thompson, an Assistant Director in the SERVICOM unit of the Department of Technical Cooperation in Africa, an agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who later sought transfer to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and Aaron Kaase of the Press Unit of the Police Service Commission have been denied their salaries and allowances since their reinstatement.

For instance, said the statement, “As soon as Thompson who was sacked in December 2016 for reporting fraud totalling $229,000 was reinstated in July 2017, he was redeployed to the library just to frustrate him. The emotional setback resulting from that made him ask for transfer to another government office. As we speak, he has yet to be paid seven months’ salary, from the December 2016 to July 2017. 

“And as for Kaase who got a court judgment reinstating him in November 2017 but was not called back until March 2018, he has not been paid for three years now, since he was suspended without pay in May 2015 for reporting that the Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, was involved in fraud of N275.5m in the Commission.”

The statement added that besides being denied his entitlements, Kaase is also being harassed with a trumped-up charge of visa scam wherein he is being falsely accused of collecting N1 million to procure US visa for somebody but failed to do so. 

“Clearly, this allegation was manufactured by those whom he had accused of fraud so as to intimidate and shut him up.” Mr Onumah said, “Although two different courts have discharged and acquitted Kaase for “lack of diligent prosecution and lack of evidence to prosecute the case, respectively, his tormentors have refused to back off”.

He said if the unfortunate development was not quickly checked whistleblowing would suffer, and this would badly affect the anti-corruption war. 

“Unless we commit to sustaining the confidence of whistleblowers by ensuring their full protection, whistleblowing will not deliver the result we all expect.” 

To save the situation, the statement urged prompt intervention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, “to rescue the patriotic Nigerians and save the lofty policy”. 

The organisation also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite action on the allegations raised by the two whistleblowers.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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ICT holds key to credible elections in Nigeria – Prof. Aderounmu

ITREALMS:

The President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and Co-Centre Leader, World Bank-Designated Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering, Professor Adesola Aderounmu, has said that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) holds the future of credible elections in the country, reports ITRealms.

In a keynote at the 5th Covenant University Conference on e-Governance in Nigeria, recently, Prof. Aderounmu insisted that to guarantee the credibility of future election process, it must be ICT-driven process.

He also urged Nigerians to beginning to form the electoral culture of institutionalizing ICT in this area.

He lamented that elections in Nigeria hitherto have been that of violence and discord.

“Since the dawn of politics in post-colonial Nigeria, our elections have mostly been a tug of war, riddled with violence, rigging and all manners of complications,” he said.

Stressing that democratic experience has been progressively retrogressive, essentially because the electoral process has been consistently defective.

“Free and fair elections in our part of the world have been rare like an exotic treasure that you only find by luck. In short, ours has been a history of traumatic electoral misadventures that have been part of indices defining us as a third world country lagging behind the advanced democracies of the West,” he said.

Prof. Aderounmu noted the importance of highlighting the existence of a genuine need for ICT systems for development in sub-Sahara Africa.

“In particular, we have to distinguish elections as the best opportunity to encourage political leaders to promote innovation in the polity. So, using ICT to elect credible leaders could motivate successful and satisfied politicians to encourage emerging governments to adapt the innovations to mainstream development and governance.

“As the 2019 elections draw closer, there is no doubt that putting in place relevant ICT infrastructure now for the application of adaptable technology in our electoral processes will go a long way to ensure transparency and credibility of the elections.

“It is a welcome development that the leveraging of technology had started, even if rudimentary, with the last 2015 elections that ushered in the present administration in Nigeria.

“For instance, the application of technology for biometric registration of voters, the issuance of smart permanent voters card (PVCs) to voters and voter verification and authentication using the smart card reader, has helped the infiltration of ICT into the electoral process.

“So also was the idea to scan and upload all voting result sheets for all the elections on a database, which was made accessible to all stakeholders for some months after the 2015 elections.

“All these formative adaptations of technology with the 2015 elections are commendable, but there is still a long way to go with our future elections. Let us now go into specifics on how ICT can transform our future electoral processes and elections,” he said.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Ernest Ojelum gets MVP scholarship @NNPC/Shell Cup

ITREALMS:

One of the most outstanding players in the 2017 edition of the annual NNPC/Shell Cup, Ernest Ojelum, has won an International Summer School Scholarship to the United Kingdom, reports ITRealms.

This coming with a reception to welcome Ernest and the other Most Valuable Player in the 2017 finals, Iyobor Arase has returned after a weeklong training tour in The Netherlands.

Ernest of Henson Demonstration School in Benin City will be joining other international scholars at the University of Sussex later in the year in an all-expense paid programme.

Announcing the scholarship award on Monday in Lagos, General Manger External Relations of Shell Nigeria, Mr. Igo Weli, described the emergence of Ernest as the outcome of a painstaking process involving the partner University of Sussex and Henson Demonstration School. “We are delighted that our new partnership with the University of Sussex has brought a whole new excitement and incentive to the NNPC/Shell Cup to validate our belief that education and football can go hand-in-hand.”

Reinforcing this defining principle behind the 20-year old tournament, Group General Manager of National Petroleum Investment Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Roland Ewubare, expressed excitement at the yearly improvement to the tournament which he said has made the NNPC/Shell Cup a standard in youth sports competition.

“We are encouraged by the emerging partnerships with Feyenoord and University of Sussex that have changed the whole motivations around the tournament, making it a household name in every part of Nigeria,” said Ewubare who was represented by the Deputy Manager, Community Relations of Public Affairs Department of NAPIMS, Ms. Julie Utang.

An elated Ernest described the NNPC/Shell Cup experience as overwhelming. “From the announcement of my name as one of the most valuable players at the finals in 2017, the transformation to my life and world of experience I’ve been exposed to by NNPC and Shell are far beyond my expectations. Sometimes I think perhaps I’m dreaming.”

Ernest’s father, Mr. Humphrey Ojelum, echoed similar surprise noting that youths stand a better chance of success in sports with a solid foundation in education as being promoted by NNPC and Shell.

Also speaking, Iyobor charged youths to hold firm to education while pursuing other interests particularly sports. “If I had been out of school, I’m not sure I would have had this early opportunity of training tour in The Netherlands, among other benefits I’ve received from being part of the NNPC/Shell Cup.”

The 2017 edition of the leading youth football tournament started in May 2017 with the preliminary matches involving some 54,000 students from 2,750 secondary schools across Nigeria competing for honours.

At the finals played at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, on July 4, 2017, the Henson boys defeated their counterparts from Holy Ghost College, Owerri, Imo State by 2:0 to emerge champions of the 19 th edition of the 20-year-old tournament.

Admin/GEE

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Onu’s Science and Tech Ministry joins ‘FOI Hall of Shame’

ITREALMS:

The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu has been inducted into the ‘FOI Hall of Shame’ by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) for alleged blatant disregard of the Act Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011 in the past seven years, reports ITRealms.

MRA’s Legal Officer, Ms Morisola Alaba, announced the induction in a statement in Lagos, saying “In the last seven years since the enactment of the FOI Act, the ministry has not submitted a single annual report on its implementation of the Law, thus violating section 29 of the Act and the Guidelines for the Implementation of the FOI Act, issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation pursuant to his powers under the Act.”

She noted that the ministry whose vision is to make Nigeria one of the acknowledged leaders of the scientifically and technologically developed nations of the world deliberately disregards the FOI Act which is aimed at enabling citizens to be aware of the operations, businesses and activities of Government, including all public institutions, in order to make informed decisions in all aspects of their lives.

Although the ministry has published on its website a description of the organisation and its responsibilities, including details of the programmes and functions of each of its departments, it nonetheless failed to publish a list of description of documents containing final opinion including concurring and dissenting opinions.

Ms Alaba added that “there is also no indication whatsoever that the ministry has provided the appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information or records held by the ministry or trained them to effectively implement the Act, as it is required to do by section 13 of the FOI Act.”

She further said that the ministry, whose mandate includes acquisition and application of science, technology and innovation contribution to increase agricultural and livestock production; creation of technology infrastructure and knowledge base to facilitate its wide application for development; and application of natural medicine resources and technologies for health sector development, among others has failed to acknowledge the FOI Act in order to make information relevant to its mandate readily available.

According to Ms Alaba, the ministry failed to proactively disclose list of files containing applications for any contract, permit, grant, licenses or agreement, reports, documents, studies, or publications prepared by independent contractors for institution; and materials containing information relating to any grant or contract made by or between the institution and another public institution or private organisation, as required by section 2 (3) (e) of the FOI Act.

She stated that although the ministry has names and profiles of its management staff on its website, it failed to disclose the names, salaries, titles and dates of employment of all employees of the institution, as required by section 2 (3) (d) (vi) of the Act.

Ms Alaba said the ministry also failed to disclose information on documents containing final planning policies, recommendations, and decisions as well as information relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds of the institution in violation of section 2 (3) (iii) and  (v) of the FOI Act.

She added: “Although we cannot determine at this point the scale of non-responsiveness by the Ministry to requests for information from members of the public owing to its failure to submit annual reports for 2011 to 2017, which would have provided that vital information, we know for a fact that it has failed to respond to FOI requests from civil society organizations such as the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and Paradigm Initiative.  Instead of providing the information in accordance with the Law, it has opted to waste public funds defending the refusal to disclose the requested information in court.”

Ms Alaba  said there was no indication on the ministry’s website or anywhere else that it has designated an appropriate officer to whom applications for information should be sent, and accused the ministry of also violating Section 2(3)(f) of the Act, adding that even the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the oversight body for the implementation of the FOI Act, which maintains a database of such FOI Desk Officers of public institutions, has no record of compliance by the ministry.

Launched by MRA in July 2017, the “FOI Hall of Shame” highlights public officials and institutions that are undermining the effectiveness of the FOI Act through their actions, inactions, utterances, and decisions.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Communique of Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series 2018 - Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable - ITREALMS Online

Communique  of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum Series 2018 9th Edition Themes: Internet Governance: Sustaining Development & IPv6, Broadening the Horizon A one-day conference and exhibition by DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media in conjunction with Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), & Proudly supported by Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Internet Society, Nigeria Chapter, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), IPv6 Council, Nigeria, Ntel Date: Wednesday 6th June 2018                                                                Time:      9:00am VENUE: Co-operative Hall, Oshodi-Isolo LGA Secretariat, Oshodi-Lagos

Rapporteurs: Elonna Aguh (Lead)                       Albert Aguh (Support) Compére: Chris Uruakpa

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2018 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series on Internet Governance for Development (NDSF IG4D) (in its 9^th year) is an annual rallying point for internet stakeholders in the country to discuss and proffer solutions to improve challenges around internet governance, security and socio-economic impact, with special focus on students, youth and women.

Erudite minds gathered and spoke exhaustively on issues and challenges bothering on the internet; IPv6 and GDPR. One of the recurring decimals in recent times has been the migration of the internet protocol version 4 to version 6 (IPv4 to IPV6). This challenge suggests that the IPv4 is almost exhausted and the need to upgrade to higher version is pertinent. It is estimated that in the very near future appliances on IPv4 will be so obsolete they cannot function anywhere in the world

Developed countries have already migrated to this version while developing countries such as Nigeria is still lagging behind. However DSA through her DSA Media Ltd and DSForum have been at the vanguard, championing the course of advocacy urging Nigerians to migrate to IPV6. Today, there is an IPV6 Council in Nigeria and gladly, the Lead Strategist and Group Executive Editor of DSA media Ltd, Mr. Remmy Nweke is the pioneer chairman of this committee with Mr. Muhammed Rudman as the Council Chairman.

The benefits of the ICT cannot be quantified and migration to IPv6 has provided for enormous benefits; affecting all aspects of life ranging from Domestic to Economics, Government, Corporate and even Spiritual life etc.  However, the forum identified a myriad of challenges confronting the Internet, IPv6 and GSM service providers and seeks government intervention to curb this trend. These challenges have contributed immensely to the cost of internet services and poor quality services experienced in the country.

One of the major challenges for internet users is cyber security.  With the recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in place in EU nations, better cyber security is guaranteed for EU nations and countries doing business with the EU nations. It is hoped that locally here in Nigeria, cyber laws will come in place to ensure cyber security for internet users here in Nigeria.

Government was therefore enjoined to play its part in the growth and development of ICT in Nigeria by ensuring enabling environment, while on the other hand students, youth and women and indeed all good users of the internet were also advised to make judicious use of the internet bearing in mind the GDPR existing in the EU nations.

COMMUNIQUE

The one-day Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum Series, 9^th edition on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) was held on Wednesday 6^th June 2018 with the theme, “Internet Governance: Sustaining Development” and Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable, in commemoration of the World IPv6 Day with the theme IPv6, Broadening the Horizon, in addition to the Panel session on “IPv6 and GDPR: Issues and challenges in Nigeria,” at the Cooperative Hall, Oshodi-Isolo Secretariat, Oshodi-Lagos had participants cut across Stakeholders in ICT industry in Nigeria, Students, Youth and women in attendance.

The following are their submissions:

RECALL

1.      That the forum has been created and nurtured for the past 9 years as a platform to x-ray issues and potentials germane in the ICT sector, with particular emphasis to computing, internet governance-related issues, propagating its use, impacting positively on young minds and new users and also helping to further advance Nigeria in the ever-rapidly advancing phenomenon of global ICT

2.      The aim of Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable is to create a forum that will encourage public discourse and create awareness on technological and business benefits of internet Protocol version Six (IPv6) addresses and to motivate organisations across the industry - internet service providers, hardware makers, operating system vendors and web companies to prepare their services for IPv6, and also join the rest of the world to celebrate the World IPv6 Day as well as offer a platform for networking.

OBSERVATION

1.      Internet is one of the primary influences on globalization and it is increasingly playing an important role in the ability of nations to participate meaningfully in global economic activities

2.      All businesses today depend on the internet to reach customers, manage suppliers and conduct most internal and external business operations

3.      Nigeria has a huge potential for digital dividends considering her high population density

4.      All regions continue to show double-digit growth rates but Africa stands out with a growth rate of over 40% – twice as high as the global average

5.      Mobile broadband is the most dynamic market segment and stands at around 78 active subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in Europe and the Americas; Africa is the only region where mobile broadband penetration remains below 20%

6.      Nigeria has one of the largest and fastest growing telecoms market in Africa

7.      Telecommunication is the 5^th most resilient sector in Nigeria.

8.      Telecommunications constitutes a significant portion of the Nigerian economy. It contributes 8.88% to the nation’s economy as such it should be supported.

9.      NCC has removed the barriers to market entry and now rely upon natural market forces and technology to ensure market sustainability

10.  IPv4 (the underlying architecture that has supported the internet thus far) is almost exhausted and is not nearly enough to meet the ever-expanding needs of the commercial interne.

11.  The rapidly growing numbers of internet users, network and connected devices require, more unique identifiers than IPv4 can provide.

12.  The establishment of the IPv6 Council is a positive step in the right direction

13.  The recent introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the EU, rights and data protection are better secured for EU nations. Countries, individuals, government and corporate bodies doing business with EU nations are bound by that same regulation.

OBJECTION

1.     We frown at the poor quality of service caused primarily by network capacity constraints; the lack of physical and transmission infrastructure; scarce spectrum resources; unreliable power supply; disparity in telecommunications facilities between urban and rural areas; shortage of long term investment capital; skill shortages; security challenges; theft; transmission cable cuts etc.

CHALLENGES

1.     The introduction of GDPR poses great risks for countries doing business with EU nations.

2.     Poor infrastructure that supports ICT development should be improved upon

OPPORTUNITIES

1.     Nigeria has rich cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge; students, youth and women are encouraged to make positive use of the internet for their self-development.

2.     Nigeria should endeavor to migrate to IPv6 to participate actively in the global ICT trend.

3.     Nigeria should embrace the great potential in her human and natural resources and leverage on it to create services and products with IPv6 compliance to address our local challenges.

THE WAY FORWARD

1.      There is need for everyone to get connected to the internet

2.      The Federal Government should make Telecoms Infrastructure a critical national resource to help in protecting online jobs and businesses

3.      While we desire for a quick migration to IPv6, there is also the need to prepare for the challenges that come with it, as such the Federal Government is advised to be more proactive in providing the enabling environment for a smooth migration of the nation to IPv6.

4. There should be IPv6 awareness and capacity building by organizing seminars and trainings, possibly incorporating IPv6 into university curriculum.
5. IPv6 Task Force to Visit 10 top service providers with IPv6 allocation but not yet activated.
6. Provide some profit incentives to Internet Industry for encouraging them to adopt IPv6 based Infrastructure. These incentives could include reduction in regulatory fee and tax rebates.
7. Upstream Internet connectivity providers should be encouraged to enable IPv6 in their networks.
8. All new IT equipment supplied to Government should be IPv6 compliant and Government to set target date for MDAs to have IPv6 compliant networks.

9.      Government should make haste to sign into law the Digital rights and freedom bill which seeks for freedom of expression online

10.  We should have more events like this and educate more masses about what is trending. More Schools and teachers should be involved at events of this nature.

11.  As developers, we should study the law very carefully since the GDPR is applicable to Nigerians doing business with European nations.

12.  Federal Government should focus more on the use of IT to create more jobs, create more wealth and also focus on building IT capacity of our youths.

13.  The advantage of the ICT adoption in governance and ultimately Nigeria will stimulate transparency, productivity, efficiency and timely operations.

14.  To further create opportunities for Nigerians, there is an urgent need to address the challenges of the industry and leverage on the opportunities. One of which is to continue to build communications infrastructures (satellite, terrestrial networks and Telecommunications) to aid transition and lower the barriers to entry, which will further increase participation and eventually drive ICT

15.  There is need to encourage young IT entrepreneurs to learn through regular capacity building workshops and symposia to indirectly build IT soft skills and employment generation.

16.  There is need to look inwards to get youngsters that will develop and maintain Apps for cost efficiency and effectiveness.

17.  There is need to migrate to IPv6 and the need to use smarter devices since the opportunities that abound in IPv6 are so vast such that you can operate your gadgets or devices at home from miles away.

18.  There is need for network and content operators to make their networks and websites available over IPv6 for the foreseeable future to encourage quick migration to IPv6 addresses and appliances.

19.  The internet is a public resource and people should be careful about what they post to avoid assault.

20.  Stronger cyber laws should be enacted and implemented to prevent and curtail cyber crimes.

21.  There is a great need to develop apps as well as capacity that help ensure cyber safety.

22.  Government at all levels should encourage e-governance as this will help in tracking government activities through the social media; it will also give people access to participate in governance thereby encouraging transparency and efficiency.

23.  Young graduates should realize they are the architects of their own future as such they should learn early enough to take their destinies into their own hands.

Photos from NDSF 2018 can be viewed here:

Video clips from NDSF 2018 can be viewed here:

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