NCDMB, APPO plan 'Centres of Excellence in African Local Content Development' - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) have recommitted their partnership towards establishing African centres of excellence in local content development. 

Both organisations also encouraged African petroleum producing countries to develop specialised capacities in core oil and gas services, and patronise one another in their respective areas of expertise.

PHCs: Lagos SAT visits Epe facilities, Vice-Chairman urges people on usage - ITREALMS

A wake-up call has been made to the community dwellers in Epe axis of Lagos State, to frequent the health facilities in their domain like the Primary Health Centres (PHC) established to solely provide health services delivery to them, reports ITREALMS.

This call was made by the Vice Chairman, Epe Local Government Area (LGA), Hon. Sikiru Adeniyi Owolomoshe while receiving the State Advocacy Team (SAT) in his office on Monday.

Trend Micro to secure AI-enabled private data centres worldwide - ITREALMS

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… New security solution using NVIDIA NIM revealed at COMPUTEX


Global cybersecurity leader, Trend Micro Incorporated, has announced plans to demo a new data centre solution, using NVIDIA technology, for security-conscious business and government customers harnessing the power of AI. 

This is just one of multiple AI security solutions being shown for the first time at COMPUTEX 2024.

Ekeh donates tech centres to IMSU, St. Augustine University - ITREALMS

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In keeping to his mission to empower future generations, Africa's leading tech icon, philanthropist, and Chairman of Zinox Group, a major ICT conglomerate, Dr Leo-Stan Ekeh, has donated a state-of-the-art training centre to Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri and St. Augustine University Epe, Lagos State.

Both centres named the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF) Centre was unveiled on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at a grand ceremony held at the respective institutions. The two events were graced by their respective Vice Chancellors, DVCs, Senate and Council Members and very esteemed academics of the respective institutions.

SAT calls for proactive upgrade of Lagos healthcare centres - ITREALMS

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The Lagos State Advocacy Team (SAT) has called for proactive steps to upgrade the healthcare facility at the Akinogun primary health centre, reports ITREALMS.

This call was made during an advocacy visit to the supervisory councillor of Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Honourable prince Akeem Adeyemi in his office on Monday.

Taraba raises ECC to 25 nationwide - ITREALMS

The Taraba State's Emergency Communications Centre (ECC) joined the existing operational centres in 23 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to raise the number to 25 centers, reports ITREALMS.

These ECCs, ITREALMS gathered are currently located in the FCT, Adamawa, Imo, Enugu, Ondo, Oyo, Kwara, Plateau, Ogun, Kano, Katsina, Ekiti, Cross River and Edo. Others are Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Bauchi, Osun, Zamfara, Kebbi and Gombe States.

NCC upgrades emergency communications centres - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has embarked on the deployment of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) solution.

This bolstering of the capacity of emergency response agencies is coming on the heels of Commission's recent activation of the Taraba State ECC, thus bringing the total number of operational ECCs across the country to 25.

ChineseVirus-19: Oyeyemi shuts license centres nationwide, advises on use of online by-pass - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Following the lockdown directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on the Chinese Virus-19 also known as COVID-19 pandemic on Sun 29 March, 2020, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has ordered the shutdown of Driver's License database in Abuja with immediate effect, reports ITREALMS.

This, he said was in line with the President’s directives to lockdown, stressing that expectedly, the Drivers License Centres will not be able to process licenses for applicants nationwide.

"However, applicants can go via the by-pass mode to process for the license to be delivered after the lockdown period," says the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, in a press statement available to ITREALMS.

He also revealed that the shutdown is aimed at sustaining existing endeavours already in place by the Federal Government to curtail further spread of the menace.

Kazeem quoted the Corps Marshal as saying that in the wake of the pandemic all DLCs should maintain maximum hygiene through provision of adequate water, soap and alcohol-based sanitizers at the Centres. ITREALMS recalls that the Corps Marshal had earlier advised applicants to avoid physical capture at this critical moment when the world is battling a common enemy (COVID-19), and explore the BY-PASS option which is the online processing of the National Drivers License without physical presence of the applicant at the DLCs.

It is therefore to be noted that the By-Pass option is applicable only to applicants who intend to renew their licenses not fresh applicants. This is hereby reiterated as part of the Corps’ concerted efforts to curb the spread of the global health challenge.




Accordingly, Kazeem added that the closure of the DLCs will not affect the Operational formations of the Corps as Operatives have been deployed to render required essential services in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies at all levels to enforce both the Presidential and State Government's directives on restriction of movement and sit at home among others.




To this end, the Corps Marshal has notified the Chairman and Secretary of the Joint Tax Board about the effect of the temporary shutdown of the DLCs nationwide.




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NITRA breakfast: Nigeria needs 72 data centres, demands critical infrastructure status

ITREALMS:

Stakeholders in the Nigeria's data centre industry have disclosed that the nation requires some 72 data centres nationwide to make access to data much accessible to the populace, reports ITRealms.

Leading discussion on this at the weekend was the Managing Director, Medallion Communications Limited, Mr. Ike Nnamani, his counterpart in MDXi Mr. Gbenga Adegboye and Mr. Tunde Coker of Rack Centre represented by Director of Operations, Mr. Ezekiel Egboye, agreed on various degree of expansion of data centre operations beyond the city of Lagos, just as they were in tandem that data centre be declared a critical infrastructure.

As of today, almost all the data centres in Nigeria are located in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the country.

They made this known at the first-ever 2018 ‘Breakfast Meeting With The CEO’ held Friday at Protea Hotel, Ikeja GRA by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA).

For Mr. Nnamani, Nigeria needs at the least 72 data centres across the country, that is, estimated 2 data centres per the 36 states of the federation, to bring the access to these data closure to the people, given the population and vast land in Nigeria.

He also noted that the level of velocity in accessible data currently suffers extensive buffering on the network when accessed from the northern and eastern parts.

Also reacting to this discussion, the General Manager, MDXi, Mr. Gbenga Adegbiji, endorsed this position, saying it would bolster the data centre industry in the country to take its rightful place among the West African states.

This, he also said could translate into more cheap connectivity, more flexibility on network choices thereby improving end-user experiences.

In addition, he said when more data centres are in place, there will be extensive higher connectivity redundancy across network performances with accompanying lower latencies.

“Leverage multiple network options to connect seamlessly to end users,” he declared.

For Director of Operations at Rack Centre, Lagos, Mr Ezekiel Egboye, Nigeria has insufficient technology infrastructure as far as data centre is concerned.

Nigeria, according to him, would have to invest more in technology infrastructure for the centres to be among global competitive, insisting that data centre connectivity and service play significant role in an economy.

“There should be an enabling environment to do with good power supply, capable manpower and proper control, ” he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the chairman of NITRA, Mr. Emma Okonji, said that the world nowadays is increasingly exploiting information technology for innovative services and competitive advantage, thus data centre plays a rapidly expanding role in job creation and preservation as well as the overall economic recovery as big data soars in Nigeria.

He also pointed out to the fact that Nigeria has witnessed significant investments in data centres being established in the country, stressing that availability of world class Data centres in Nigeria will spur critical infrastructure required for the implementation of the country’s Broadband initiatives among others.

The theme for this breakfast, ITRealms reports was “Data Centre Operation In Nigeria: Impacts, Benefits And Challenges In a Knowledge Economy.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Nigeria to increase data centres - Shittu

ITRealms:

Minister of Communications, Barr. Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu has said efforts are on to expand the number of Data Centres in the country as part of government’s plan to expand its presence on a digital platform, 1-gov.net, reports ITRealms.

The platform, apart from consolidating existing government ICT infrastructure, it also enables MDAs to exchange data in a seamless manner while allowing each other to remain independent and maintain its privacy and the security of its operatives.

The Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Victor Oluwadamilare in a press release said Barr. Shittu stated this in a keynote address titled Empowering Digital Governments to share latest innovative technology trends and government solutions with emphasis on Microsoft’s Technology platform to improve the capabilities of government within Nigeria”.which he delivered at the 2017 Microsoft Digital Government Conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The minister said through the 1-gov.net, government has become more participative and accessible where citizens can participate in policy process through discussions, suggestions and online-polls.

“Various Government Departments are using this platform for seeking inputs on a wide range of issues. Using the 1-gov.netPlatform, Government has been able to save 30% of what it would have expended on a unit per unit cost. As at date 90% of all MDAs within Abuja are linked with fiber backbone and 3,500 locations of different MDAs have been touched across the country. 

"About 270 MDAs websites and applications are being hosted on the network, adding that“Government has recorded success in 1-gov.net, we now focus on some services that have direct bearing on the present administration’s priorities, and we determined to continue with the shared ICT infrastructure and services initiative in the MDAs. The1-gov.net is promoting Whole-of-Government approaches in the information Age based on shared services," he said.

In addition, he said, this approach will enhance productivity of government officials, increase experience of patrons of government services, enhance security and drive out the menace of corruption.

He said the government recognizes the urgent need to increase efficiency and transparency, improve and align processes, smart government and smart cities, attract new investors, bridge the digital divide, transform government transaction services, data-driven government, better access to and management of information, thereby enhancing citizen satisfaction and trust, meeting the needs of rapidly changing demographics and balancing costs while optimizing efficiency.

According to him, digital government is a vision statement that seeks to bring about citizen empowerment by harnessing the potentials of ICTs as well as seeking to transform government into digitally empowered society and knowledge economy in a manner that government is available on the palm of every citizen, where - The Government is open and the Governance Transparent.

Digital Government, he said, does not comprise the digital architecture alone, but it encompasses digital delivery of citizen-centric services, and ultimately, digital empowerment of the people.

He said, “Internet users in Nigeria have crossed 90 million. The mobile users have also crossed 156million mark. The smart phone users are more than 60 million. Today, from booking of train tickets to payment of fees and taxes, from post office and banking transactions to issue of digital documents, online registrations to online applications and e-services, Digital Revolution is seen everywhere and touches almost every aspect of life of a common citizen.

Barr. Shittu disclosed that government invests in shared ICT Infrastructure to secure the benefits of lower cost, increased security, increased innovation and faster service delivery, adding that government is supporting the development and sustenance of ICT applications that are driving cost effectiveness and transparency in Government Service Delivery. He added that applications supporting the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA), IPPIS, Budget Portal and BVN verifications among others are already resulting in huge savings.

The Ministry of Communications, he said,has expanded the Open Government Data Portal which is a part of the Federal Government Open Data Initiative, stressing that many civil servants have been trained across MDAs on the use of the portal.

He said government would appreciate the opportunity for Microsoft to help train our local ICT savvy youth and key into our local content policy on current projects and priorities to ensure a smooth transition, while he emphasized that Nigeria is the new bride in empowering Digital Governments to share latest innovative technology trends and Government solutions to improve the capabilities of government within Nigeria.

Commending the digital giant, he said,“I take this opportunity to applaud Microsoft and its contributions in the development and growth of the country through this noble initiative. The Ministry of Communications will continue to partner with the organized Private sector, and other stakeholders, in its bid to move the digitization efforts of the country forward. I would like once again to congratulate the Microsoft team for organizing this timely and commendable conference.

“I am aware that Microsoft in collaboration with the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) & Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) are committed to supporting the government's transformation by leveraging technology to drive productivity and empower citizens to do more regardless of location and time. Citizens’ engagement is a key performance indicator of any government and Microsoft, NITDA & NCC can provide robust platforms that help citizens provide feedback and queries to their leaders. Ultimately, digitally transforming government leads to good governance, accountability to citizens and builds trust between the government and its citizenry.”

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