Blue Gate makes inroad with UPS

Sole marketers of the Blue Gate brands of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) in the country, Tripplesea Limited has disclosed that its products have made some inroad into the Nigerian market.

Tripplesea, the hardware solutions provider, reiterated its resolve to setup an automated product service center in Lagos, to offer after sales support services for  all models of  Blue Gate range.Making this disclosure at product relaunch in Lagos recently, the General Manager at Tripplesea, Mr. Osita Godson, said that the service center would be fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to deliver high quality service, stressing that every Blue Gate product comes with a 12 months warranty.

Reassuring customers of affordable price, he said that Blue Gate products were tailored to the needs of  Nigeria’s Information Technology (IT) and electronics market by focusing on home appliances and office equipment to protect the systems from destruction in event of  power outage.

“We are in partnership with major marketers of inverters and solar panels by powering their inverters and solar panels with Blue Gate deep cycle batteries to deliver a longer, purer and highly regulated steady power supply to equipment installations all over Nigeria, and even beyond our shores,” he declared.

According to him, Blue Gate deep cycle inverter batteries are designed using the best technology in high-dept discharge battery manufacture.“They are extremely rugged and can withstand tougher operating environment than all others, including Gelled electrolyte batteries,’’ Osita said.

He explained that the ruggedness of the product was embedded because of a factor called ‘positive grid corrosion.’

“It ranks among the major reasons for battery failure. The positive (+) plate is what gets eaten away gradually over time, so eventually there is nothing left - it all falls to the bottom as sediment. Thicker plates are directly related to longer life, so other things being equal, the battery with the thickest plates will last the longest.

And that is the Blue Gate Deep Cycle batteries,” he said.Osita further reiterated that the batteries “are recombinant, hence oxygen and hydrogen recombine inside the battery using gas phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water while charging.”

This, he noted, goes to prevent the loss of water through electrolysis; a process that is typically 99 per cent efficient.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Lagos, Programos, others bag RIMAF awards

The Records and Information Management Awareness Foundation (RIMAF) has awarded a certificate of excellence to the Lagos State government for deploying technology and promotion of records and security management particularly with the introduction of Close Circuit Television project (CCTV) and street tags, reports CHARLES OKOH.

The event which took place in Lagos also saw other recipients including Channels Television (Online NewsPortal), Programos Software (e-Business Solutions), Bowe Bell Howell (Ngenuity), Fujifilm (Data Storage Media), Cohasset Associate (SreaMER),Galaxy Television (National Pulse), and Tokunbo Smith (Information Management Personality Award for the Year.

According to RIMAF president, Mr. Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, the awards provided attendees with unique opportunities to compare the most comprehensive range of information management and security solutions from all the leading suppliers within and outside of the country.

The workshop which was declared opened by Dr. Jide Ayeni had a key note presentation on “Cyber Crime, an Impediment to National Development” by the President of the Nigeria Internet Group, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, followed by another presentation on “The Role of National Archives In Records Management In Nigeria” by the Director, National Archives of Nigeria Mr. Lafinhan Harry Adedoyin and Mr. Horn S. William, Senior Consultant at Cohasset Associates, USA also presented a paper on Assured Records Management among others.

Participants at the event included Officetron Company Limited, Busicon Nigeria Limited, CohassetAssociates USA, National Archives of Nigeria, Fujifilm/CaledonianTechnology, Docuscan Africa, Pacific Solution to name a few.

The awards which marked the climax of the workshop and exhibition, he said, recognised deserving individuals and corporate organizations for their contributions towards promoting records and security management.

The RIMA is organized by RIMA Foundation a non-profit organization that seeks to promote proper management and security of records and information in Nigeria and Africa.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

iWay Africa introduces business server

Leading Internet Service satellite provider on the continent, iWay Africa Nigeria Limited (INL) has introduced the ‘iWay Business Server’ (IBS) into the market.

This, the company said, is a product that will save business customers time and money.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online from the company quoted the General Manager, iWayAfrica Nigeria Ltd, Mr. John Ugbe, as saying that iWay Business Server is a feature rich software bundle that is a self-contained “network in a box” targeted at the Small, Medium Enterprise (SME) segment.

He also said that the business server incorporates a full set of security services such as anti-spam, virus protection, firewall, intrusion detection and prevention and access control as well as business critical applications including email server, Domain Name System (DNS), web server, file and print services, web proxy, web filtering and Virtual Private Network (VPN) services among others.

As said by him, for a company to assemble the similar functionality critical for running a business, it takes time and could cost a company thousands of dollars to acquire and maintain.

“The iWay Business Server is an ideal complement to our award winning Internet products as iWay focuses on delivering reliable, secure Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services to our customers,” he said.

Additionally, he said, this was another way in which iWay tends to add value to customers’ businesses.

“The Business Server is scalable and can be implemented in very small companies as well as larger companies of up to 100 employees,” he asserted.

He emphasized that iWay understands that different companies have different needs, so, some companies may already have many of the components of the iWay business server whilst others may have none.

“Our approach is to understand the specific ICT needs of our customer before implementing the solution. That way each business server is tailor made for our customers where we can implement the full extent of features available on the Business Server or implement a sub-set as required by our customer,” said Ugbe.

He also noted that the solution is simple to setup and configure with many standard parameter already preconfigured by iWayAfrica.

“There is an extensive self-help library to ensure for quick and easy configuration and trouble shooting. iWayAfrica Nigeria Ltd also offer extensive professional services around the product which includes telephonic support and remote access support,” he said.

Marketing Executive, iWayAfrica Nigeria Ltd, Mrs. Muyiwa Esomojumi, said “Business Server allows our users to manage and control their employees’ bandwidth usage and extract detailed reports on employee internet usage which allows for greater cost control to our clients’ business.”

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

GSMA selects comScore for Mobile Media Metric

Global trade association of mobile operators, the GSMA, has announced the formal selection of comScore to be its measurement partner afor the GSMA’s Mobile Media Metrics (MMM) commercial implementation in the United Kingdom (UK).

The GSMA, comScore and the five UK operators, namely Vodafone, Orange, O2, 3 and T-Mobile weekend, reached a formal agreement to launch the GSMA MMM services in the UK.

A press statement from the group made available to ITRealms Online, indicated that this was the outcome of the results of the feasibility study announced at Mobile World Congress in February this year.

Initial data, ITRealms Online gathered will be available in the fourth quarter of 2009 with full commercial launch early in 2010. 

This joint action by the UK operators will create a unique market research tool to drive the growth of mobile media to the benefit of consumers, mobile service developers and the broader media industries.

Director, Media and Entertainment at GSMA, Mr. Henry Stevens said that comScore has been a dedicated and effective partner in developing a technical solution for MMM that both meets the measurement needs of the media industry and fully respects the privacy of consumers.

“comScore has combined mobile-specific expertise with its established strength in online media measurement and we are very pleased to continue this successful relationship. Together we will show how, in a challenging economic environment, mobile is and will be a major driver of growth for the advertising and media industries,” he said.

Results of the MMM feasibility study, he noted, were announced at the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this year, were based on a sample of irreversibly anonymised, aggregated data from UK mobile operators.

The feasibility study, GSMA pointed out, is aimed to develop the process for measurement and demonstrate the level of analysis that the MMM solution will deliver for all mobile browsing activity.

Additionally, the GSMA will be working with ABC Electronic to deliver independent verification of MMM to industry agreed standards.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

20 heads of state for ITU telecom world-09

Over 20 Heads of State, heads of government and ministers of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) are expected to grace the forthcoming Telecom World being put together by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, next month, alongside the United Nations (UN)Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon.

ITU is the leading United Nations (UN) agency for information and communication technology issues, and the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services.

It also organizes worldwide and regional exhibitions and forums, such as ITU TELECOM WORLD, bringing together the most influential representatives of government and the telecommunications and ICT industry to exchange ideas, knowledge and technology for the benefit of the global community, and in particular the developing world.

A press statement from ITU informed that Telecom World 2009 brings to the fore innovative ICT strategies to drive economic growth, which is key priority for government and industry leaders.

The event scheduled for Geneva from 5-9 October, ITU said, is expected to welcome trade visitors from 150 countries, along with over 300 exhibitors showcasing new solutions and services as well as media, which will welcome over 230 speakers from 70 countries and 1,300 delegates from 90 nations worldwide.

Equally, the event will this year feature over 30 national and thematic pavilions showcasing the ICT industry of countries and regions including Africa Lusophone countries, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Burundi, China, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Lake Geneva Region, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, the UK and the Ukraine.

In addition, this year’s show floor will feature a number of innovative thematic pavilions; focusing on ICT solutions for e-health, Green@ICT, UNESCO, the WiMAX Forum, Internet, and more.

While top-level executives from over 300 companies including China Mobile, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Huawei, KDDI, Microsoft, Nokia Siemens Networks, NTT, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung, Saudi Telecom and ZTE.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

MTNF graduates 40 lady mechanics

The corporate responsibility arm of the mobile giant known as MTN Foundation recently graduated 40 lady mechanics, under the Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI).

The Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms Nonny Nduka-Eze, made this disclosure in Lagos and said that those who passed out at the occasion completed three-year intensive automobile repair training, including internships in Nigeria’s foremost automobile companies.

“40 young ladies sponsored by the MTN Foundation under the Lady Mechanic Initiative (LMI) have graduated as qualified automobile mechanics. Thirty-five of them have secured employment in various automobile service centres across the country,” she revealed.

She also said that the Foundation partnered with LMI since three years ago to help young ladies who are under- privileged to quit a life of financial dependency and start earning honest living through automobile repair work. MTNF, she also said, invested over N38 million to provide practical training in auto mechanic at Pay & Train centres, theoretical lectures in mechanical engineering, monthly self-help lectures on social economic and health issues, three (3) months industrial attachment at Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), Kaduna, driving test and provision of driver’s license, trade test certification and internship programme at Mitsubishi, R.T. Briscoe, Elizade and Toyota.

“These ladies have shown the can do spirit which is one of the core values of MTN Nigeria and we are proud to be part of their success story today. Not only have they been empowered to take care of themselves and their families, they are also living testimonies to the fact that anything is possible if you are determined,” she said.

The Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman, who represented President Musa Yar’Adua at the occasion expressed delight that the project is in line with Seven Point Agenda.

“It is the sort of initiative we need in our dear country to help combat vices and crime, and we must commend it to other public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies,” she said.

Each of the successful graduands received a set of tools from MTN Foundation, while the best three with outstanding results among them also received various gifts including a DVD mini Hi-Fi system, a microwave oven and a pressure cooker.

The Lady Mechanic Initiative was founded in 1985 by Sandra Aguebor-Ekperuoh, the first female mechanic in the country to shepherd indigent girls in the communities away from vices and crime into meaningful means of livelihood.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Highway Africa-09 sets South Africa agog, kicks off

The 2009 edition of the annual Highway Africa (HA-09) continental congress, has set the city of Grahamstown, South Africa agog, as it plays host to over 500 media practitioners with common interest in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The event which is on its 13th edition has as the theme, ‘Reporting Africa 2010, Development and Democracy’ and is organized as collaboration between Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), with the support of several other partners, development agencies and sponsors.

Highway Africa attracted a record attendance of 735 persons in 2008 and offers journalists reflection on 2010 in the New Media environment, just as the Highway Africa annual awards has been expanded to over five (5) categories in their ninth year, in effort to continuously recognise excellence in ICT journalism on the continent.

The Executive Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris Kabwato, noted that the continent would have journalism as a weapon which could translate to lightening up Africa when and where quality print media, quality radio, quality television and quality online media exist.

With the aforementioned, he said, African media would be able to rise above “the culture of mediocrity” and that was the concept behind the theme of this year.

He stressed that for 13 years, the Highway Africa conference has attempted to be a space where African journalism and media could be dissected, interrogated and celebrated.

“All in the hope that this could aid numerous other efforts to improve the state of our journalism and with the 2009 theme being ‘Reporting Africa 2010, Development & Democracy,’ I am looking forward to debates that would move us forward,” he said.

Mr. Kabwato also said that two key things are happening around the media that should challenge African journalism, namely, the global financial crisis and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As said by him, the financial crisis invariably has shaken received wisdom on the unfettered reign of the market and requires a re-think on the nature of global capitalism, which is playing itself out in much of American and European media, just as most African media are eloquent with deafening silence.

“It is business as usual. Let others think for us,” he declared.

The Highway Africa boss, wondered that the World Cup is just months away, but “how different will be the Africans framing of the narrative of this soccer spectacle from that of the global media?” pointing out that these are important issues because, beyond the jingoism of post-modernism and other isms, Africa exists.

“Africa exists because we relate. Africa exists because we stand on its earth and our identities are contingent on that. Africa deserves great story-tellers and chroniclers. So, let us then have a great time talking, learning,” he urged.

In a related development, the two-day fourth Digital Citizen’s Indaba (DCI) ended weekend at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa.

The annual event which brings together bloggers, online and mobile journalists, citizen reporters, new media practitioners, online industry experts and civil society representatives, is aimed at encouraging citizen participation in debate about the state of digital media, information sharing and skills transfer using experts in the field.

“It encourages the use of new media take-up by non-journalists,” the school outreach officer, Rhodes School of Journalism and Media Studies, Khaya Thonjeni.
DCI theme for 2009 is ‘Digital civil society and journalism in Africa’.


ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

Adedoyin calls for Federal Record Centre

Director, National Archives of Nigeria (NAN), Mr.Lafinhan Harry Adedoyin, has called for the immediate establishment of the Federal Records Centre (FRC) and adequate record management in the country.

He also said that the application of general records retention and disposition schedule for the nation should be taken seriously so as to check the challenges facing effective records management practices.

Adedoyin who was speaking on ‘The role of national archives in records management in Nigeria,’ recently in Lagos, at this year’s Records and Information Management Awareness Foundation Awards (RIMAW) noted that the national archives over the years carried the burden of archives and records management for the whole country in spite of the fact that archives is on the concurrent list of the Nigerian constitution.

He equally said there is an ongoing sensitization programme of personnel in the public service for effective records management practice in the country, stressing that with this properly put in place the records management practices will be sustained.

“The Federal Government is also repositioning the National Archives of Nigeria. The bill for the upgrading of the National Archives of Nigeria is receiving attention at the National Assembly. When the law is enacted, it will not only enhance records management practices but will also seek for its compliance,” Adedoyin said.

Further, he said that NAN is therefore committed to an effective records management practice, hence it encourages states in country that are yet to establish their own archival institutions to do so.

“I am happy that one of the new entrants is the Lagos State government with the establishment of Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB). I wish to use this occasion to call on other States in Nigeria like Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Anambra, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Cross Rivers among others to take a cue from Lagos State recent example and establish their own State Archives,” he said.

The National Archives, Adedoyin assured is ready and willing to give technical support to states with plans of establishing their own archives.

With the Theme: “Cyber Crime and Impediment on National Development is an annual events organized by the Records and Information Management Awareness Foundation (RIMA), a non-profit organization that seeks to promote proper management and security of records and information in Nigeria and Africa. The 2009 event addressed major issues affecting information management and security with definitive answers to growing information management and security needs and challenges in the country.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

SAP world enterprise tour commences in Lagos

SAP West African office would today in Lagos commence a two-day enterprise tour being sponsored by CWG, Serve Consulting as platinum sponsors, while IBM, Britehouse, EOH, C2G as gold sponsor, Egbeniran & Co. and Accenture as silver sponsors.

According to the Managing Director, SAP Africa, Mr. Pfungwa Serima, this global road show, is taking place in over 70 cities spread over 50 countries, and has reached more than 240,000 customers, partner and influencers over the last five years.

The platform, he said, provides businesses with information on how SAP solutions could help companies of all sizes successfully transform business challenges into opportunities and meet the demands of their industry and market.

Regional SAP event, he said, focuses on harnessing the power of technology to help companies achieve clarity and thrive in the current business environment.

The theme for this year, he said, is “See Your Way Clear: Strategies for Success in the New Reality,” and explores how companies could achieve transparency in every area of their operations to be best-run businesses in today’s challenging economic environment.

“Attendees will learn how to harness the power of technology in order to run lean operations, capture greater market share and gain transparency in their operations,” Serima said.

In addition, he explained that the tour is designed to enable dialogue with influencers, customers and prospects – along with members of the SAP ecosystem and parties interested in partnering with SAP.

“Through interactive formats including industry- and product-specific breakout sessions, participants will learn how the SAP business software solution portfolio can help companies adapt more quickly to changing market needs, differentiate against tougher competition, execute growth strategies in an international environment and maximize results with existing resources,” he declared, stressing that customers would continue to concentrate on core business competencies and maintain close customer relations.

In the afternoon, he said, participants would have the opportunity to choose from a number of different breakout sessions to further engage in conversations about: CIO break-out, SAP Banking, SAP public services, SAP oil & gas, SAP for telco, utilities, travel & transport.

Director, Strategic Initiatives at SAP Africa, Mr. Simon Carpenter, said enterprise world tour has continued to be a successful event.

“Based on the specific needs of our African companies, SAP can truly work with its customers, prospects and partners to discuss how technology enables companies to derive increased understanding and visibility, so they can meet the ever increasing need to be more transparent and accountable,” said Carpenter.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D

eWorld, OAU honour ICT icons

The Lagos branch of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Alumni Association and eWorld, an Information Technology (IT) entity, have honoured 12 outstanding industry icons with awards for their roles in nation building, through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The awardees who have distinguished themselves in their ICT careers have variously played significant roles in driving ICT growth and national development.

They include the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe; Director General, Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Professor Cleopas Angaye, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Group chief executive, Omatek Computers Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki; her counterpart at MainOne Technologies, Mrs. Funke Opeke.

Others include the chief executive of Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo; Chairman, Linkserve, Mr. Chima Onyekwere; Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of MTN, Karl Toriola; Managing Director of Bi-TraxAxxent, Mrs. Bunmi Afolabi; Managing Director of New Horizons, Tim Akano; Nigeria’s first ICT youth ambassador, Gbenga Sesan; and the Commandant of the Army Signal Corp, Major-General Udom.

Chairman of the award nite and Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Michael Faborede, said he was proud to be part of the award ceremony where men and women who have been properly groomed by the university at various levels of their degrees, were being honoured for outstanding performances in nation building through the use of ICT.

“This is an honour, not only to the awardees, but also to the management and staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, for the world-class training given to the awardees during that course of study at the University,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to the organisers for the honour, stressing that they truly deserved to be honoured.

Prof. Faborede disclosed that the statistics of ICT drivers in the country, showed OAU alumni dominated the ICT industry in the country and they have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the nation.

Equally, he said, OAU had been in the forefront of ICT studies and had pioneered the Internet Laboratory Studies, and established ICT parks in Ille Ife while enjoin stakeholder to support this OAU mission and vision.

Highlight of the award night was the launch of eWorld magazine focusing on the views of the awardees described as worthy ambassadors, and published by Nigeria’s pioneer Communications Journalist, Aaron Ukodie, who also is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D