NIRA awards Galaxy Backbone 2016 Best Hosting Company

ITRealms:

Leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and services provider, Galaxy Backbone Ltd, has been awarded the Best Hosting Company in Nigeria at the 2016 .ng Web Awards by Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA). NIRA are managers of the country’s Internet real estate, reports ITRealms.

The award aims to continuously encourage the growth of local website hosting companies in Nigeria. To qualify for this category, content must be hosted in Nigeria. Galaxy Backbone alongside 3 others namely; .ng (Upperlink Limited); .com.ng (Galaxy backbone Limited); and .com.ng (MTN) were assessed by the Award Jury as fulfilling the criteria.

The winner was determined by the number of votes received. The organizers had advised nominated organizations to reach out to their employees, customers, friends and fans to vote for them. According to the letter of notification, the more votes received by an organization the better the chances of emerging winner in this category.

“The strategic position taken by Galaxy Backbone Limited to register and use the .ng domain name, demonstrates the organization’s commitment to relate with the .ng online identity of Nigerians, Nigerian businesses, local content and culture. This key to doing business within and outside Nigeria and this qualifies Galaxy Backbone Ltd as an invaluable asset in this our historic celebration of the .ng online identity, excellence and creativity” NIRA was quoted in a press statement made available to ITRealms by Head, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Franklyn Ginger-Eke.

He also said that Galaxy Backbone Ltd handles the registration of .ng top domain name in the Nigerian public sector.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Galaxy Backbone nominated for .Ng Web awards, calls for votes

ITRealms:

Leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure and services provider, Galaxy Backbone Ltd,  has been nominated into the finalists for the “Public Sector: Star Website Award” category of the .ng Web Award by Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), reports ITRealms.

The category, ITRealms gathered, recognizes websites/portals of a government agency that provides best user experience and is doing business with .ng domain name.

Galaxy Backbone alongside nine others including jamb.org.ng, WAEConline.org.ng, CAC.gov.ng, NIMC.gov.ng, FIRS.gov.ng, Immigration.gov.ng, Galaxybackbone.com.ng and Nigeriatradehub.gov.ng) was assessed by the Award Jury as fulfilling the criteria.

ITRealms equally gathered that the winner would be determined by the number of votes received.

“The organizers have therefore advised nominated organizations to reach out to their employees, customers, friends and fans to vote for them,” a press statement from Galaxy Backbone read.

According to the letter of notification, the more votes received by an organization the better the chances of emerging winner in this category.

The voting mechanism is available on NIRA website.

“The strategic position taken by Galaxy Backbone Limited to register and use the .ng domain name, demonstrates the organization’s commitment to relate with the .ng online identity of Nigerians, Nigerian businesses, local content and culture. This key to doing business within and outside Nigeria and this qualifies Galaxy Backbone Ltd as an invaluable asset in this our historic celebration of the .ng online identity, excellence and creativity.”

Head, Stakeholder Management, Galaxy Backbone Ltd, Mr. Franklyn Ginger Ekeh said..

ITRealms recalls that Galaxy Backbone Ltd also handles the registration of .ng top domain name in the nation’s public sector.

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Galaxy Backbone achieves secure critical national ICT infrastructure

ITRealms:

*Ilukwe hands over to Kazaure

Leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services provider to the Federal Government, Galaxy Backbone Ltd, has achieved yet another feat in securing critical national ICT infrastructure, reports ITRealms.

This is coming as the outgoing Managing Director, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe has smoothly handed over to his successor, Mr. Yusuf Kazaure.

According to Mr. Franklyn Ginger-Eke of Stakeholder Management unit, Galaxy Backbone Ltd in a press statement made available to ITRealms, this achievement positions Galaxy as first public institution in Nigeria and sub-Sahara Africa to achieve certification with a newer version-ISO27001:2013 by the British Standard Institute (BSI).

ITRealms notes that Galaxy Backbone Ltd received the certificate for the newer version - ISO27001:2013 from the British Standard Institute this week, after undergoing Information and Security Management Systems (ISMS) verification and recertification audit exercise in June 2014.

He also revealed that Galaxy received the initial certification to ISO/IEC 27001:2005 in 2011, stressing that certification was valid for 3 years and expired on 5^th July 2014 and thus threw up the need for a fresh assessment for Galaxy to retain the certification.

Adducing reasons for the recertification of the initial version - ISO27001:2005 and transition to the newer version, Igoji Owoicho, Head of Internal Audit and driver of ISMS in Galaxy Backbone, pointed out that based on BSI rules, “companies already certified against the ISO/IEC 27001:2005 revision will have to transit to a newer version which came in to force in October 2013.”

Owoicho said that the company focused on the key objective of putting in place a globally accepted standard of information security management process that would guarantee the trustworthiness of its data centre services and Network Operations Centre.

“The certification has increased the confidence of our customers and key stakeholders to our commitment to benchmark international best practices in our business processes,” Owoicho said.

The certification, he further said, reinforces the important role of ICT as a major tool towards the attainment of a 21^st century economy and society.

“With the certification, Galaxy Backbone is well positioned to support Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the delivery of efficient and cost-effective services to Nigerians,” he said.

The outgoing Managing Director/Chief Executive, Galaxy Backbone, Gerald Ilukwe, said that the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification is an independent revalidation of our ability to protect information assets from all manner of threats.

Galaxy Backbone, Ilukwe said, they used the opportunity of the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification to raise stakeholder awareness on information security issues such as cyber security, information security, disaster recovery and business continuity planning and its implications for supporting the role of ICT in governance and national development.

Remmy Nweke:

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Pix: Yusuf Kazaure, MD/CE Galaxy Backbone Ltd in a congratulatory handshake with Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, SGF and Chairman, Board of Directors, Galaxy Backbone Ltd at a valedictory board meeting and formal presentation of handover notes by Gerald Chukwuka Ilukwe, outgoing MD.

Jonathan names Yusuf Kazaure MD/CEO Galaxy Backbone

ITRealms:

President Goodluck Jonathan has named Mr. Yusuf Kazaure the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Ltd, with effect from Friday, 5 September, 2014, ITRealms can authoritatively report.
 
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim who disclosed this in a letter dated 29th August, 2014, congratulated Kazaure and enjoined him to take the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company to greater heights. 

ITRealms recalls that Mr. Kazaure replaces Gerald Ilukwe, the pioneer Managing Director and Chief executive of Galaxy Backbone Ltd whose tenure ends on 4th September 2014 following an eight-year meritorious service and outstanding leadership.
Mr. Ilukwe in an internal email to employees announcing the appointment wrote, “Dear colleagues, join me in congratulating Mallam Yusuf Kazaure on his recent appointment as MD/CE of Galaxy Backbone Limited effective 5th September, 2014. This elevation is an honour and responsibility well deserved. I enjoin everyone to give him all the support needed to succeed in moving this fantastic company to even greater heights. Congrats Mallam Yusuf!”
ITRealms notes that Yusuf Kazaure is a seasoned professional with over 25 years cumulative working experience spanning Construction, Banking, Government and Information Technology.
In 2002, he was appointed as the pioneer Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunication Ltd - a Jigawa State owned ICT company. He was responsible for the planning, setting up and running of the award winning Jigawa Broadband Network.
His passion for deepening the role of ICTs for effective governance and national development resulted in Yusuf being a key member of the initial core team of Galaxy Backbone Plc in 2006.

As one of the pioneer staff of Galaxy Backbone, Yusuf at various times headed the Business Operations, Education, Development and States; which focused essentially on ICT4D Initiatives and customer services departments of the company.

Before his appointment to the top post, Mr  Kazaure was the Executive Director, Corporate Services.

In the eight years he has been with Galaxy Backbone, the company has laid the foundation for e-Government by creating an enabling platform that currently connects over 700 Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in over 3,500 locations across the country.

Yusuf possesses a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Bayero University Kano and an M.Sc in Architecture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as a Diploma in Computing from Oxford University.

An avid sportsman, his interests include playing Squash, Golf, Swimming, Horse riding, and Farming.

He is married with children.

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