Samsung Corby phones hit market

Samsung Nigeria, one of the leading mobile phone manufacturers has announced the launch of the Corby family of mobile handsets including, B3210 Corby Txt, B5310 Corby Pro and S3653 Corby, reports CHARLES OKOH.

In a press statement to ITRealms Online, Samsung said the Corby series were designed to support highly connected lifestyles of today’s younger mobile users.

Corby Txt, on the other hand, is a phone with a sensuous design that is a perfect medium for messaging.

According to Head, Mobile, Samsung, Mr. Peter Lee B5310 Corby Pro combines business productivity and efficiency with style and pizzazz while S3653 Corby is a curvy, stylish, full touch screen communicator for the discerning user.

He also said the Corbys easily fit in the palm of the hand and they are a standout in the crowd with their fun changeable fashion jackets.

“Corby incorporates Samsung easy to use Touchwiz user interface and haptic feedback system which gives users the ability to customize their Corby with widgets and applications,” he said.

Mr. Lee said Corby has one-finger zoom which allows users to zoom in and out with one finger. Samsung, said touch technology is so intelligent that with C-type touch, one doesn’t need a stylus to use the phone. Just slide a finger across the screen. It has smart unlock which allows the user to unlock the phone by drawing a letter on the screen.

It comes in a selection of coloured fashion jackets which are interchangeable and allows users to change the style of the handset to suit their lifestyle or fashion.

Corby Pro is a hybrid slider with a slide out QWERTY keypad and a variety of entertainment and multimedia capabilities like push email, exchange activesync and conversational SMS.

“It has a 3MP camera, Wi-Fi, 3G/HSDPA and quad band connectivity. It comes equipped with a 3.5MM ear jack and dedicated music keys. It offers the ultimate in multimedia and music entertainment,” Lee said.

Corby Txt is a message-centric mobile delivering easy-to-use SMS and IM, as well as simple social media uploading functionality. Quick launch buttons offer fast access keys to key features and messaging application.
Widget that allows one click access to social networking sites like facebook, Myspace, Picassa, flickr. Users can update their status, access updates and live feeds.
Fast internet connection for speedy file transfers and access to other devices AM FM stereo, video recorder and MP3 player.

All three Corbys, Mr. Lee said, have cameras with smile shot, thus ensuring that the people in the photos are always center stage whereas video recording is also available.

Furthermore, he said it has an MP3 player stereo FM radio for round-the-clock music, news and information. Users have one click access to Social Networking Sites like facebook, Myspace and Picassa.

Lee pointed out that more people today access the internet through their phones than via personal computers (PCs).

Corby, Corby Txt and Corby Pro give the user access to internet and multimedia services at the push of the button. It allows access to Instant Messages like Yahoo! messenger or MSN messenger. It is a dynamic business tool and one’s best buddy at the same time,” he said.

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Stakeholders commend Beacon of ICT awards 2010

Stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) sector have commended the debut of the Beacon of ICT awards.

They also said that the merit-centric awards are coming at the right time to reward best practices and recognize outstanding contributions in the sector.

The showers of unprecedented praises are coming as votes for the nominees continued to flood to the selection committee.

While casting his vote, Adeyinka Adewusi, wrote “I want to appreciate the efforts of the organizers for throwing the awards open for Nigerians to vote. I think this is the first time the general public especially the stakeholders in ICT sector (end users) will be given the opportunity to pick the outstanding telecom companies in the year 2009”

Elsewhere, Premo’ Ojokojo, head, Corporate Services, Phase3 Telecom Limited also commended the efforts of the organizers to showcase the ICT industry with the awards.

Ikem Joe, also wrote to say “big thanks to the Communication Week Media Limited ICT, you are doing a good work keep it up and may the almighty God give you the grace in this work of Communication”

Reacting to this development, Ken Nwogbo, editor of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek said that the newspaper is happy with the responses so far.

Beacon of ICT awards, he said, were instituted by Communication Week Media Limited, publishers of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, to reward organizations and individuals who contribute the most to put Nigeria and Nigerians in the global ICT map in 2009.

The awards, he said, are free and have been designed primarily to recognize government and business organizations as well as individuals for their creativity and excellence in the application of ICTs and solutions to provide efficient and high-quality services to Nigerians.

According to him, the awardees will be chosen by Nigerians who recognize and appreciate the guiding lights of the organizations and individuals as well as the symbols of hope they raise.

Voting lines for the various categories, he noted, opened since November 2, 2009 and will close 6 pm, Monday, March 15, 2010.

Nwogbo further said these awards will encourage organizations and individuals to continue to strive for excellence in all of their business and customer transactions, by implementation of innovative and improved ICT based services.

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Zain concludes Naira Rain promo with N10m draw

Zain Nigeria has concluded its Naira Rain promo with the draw held for the grand prize of N10 million in Lagos.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Commercial Officer, Shamel Hanafi represented by the Director, Marketing Strategy and Decision Support, Zain Nigeria, Mr. Godfrey Efeurhobo, said that the final draw marked yet another important day for all Zain family in the country.

He noted that the promo which was launched on November 23, 2009 provided a rare opportunity for several of its Nigerian subscribers to become millionaires.

“So far, the offer has produced over 300 winners in the one million naira category while six winners emerged in the five million naira category,” he said.

Pointing out that the grand finale draw ushered in one lucky customer into the exclusive club of big time millionaires.

He also said that the promo was designed for a singular purpose of delighting and rewarding Nigerians for their loyalty as well as empowering customers to fulfill their dreams.

“Indeed, this beautiful idea is in line with our company’s brand philosophy of a ‘wonderful world,’” he declared, reiterating that Zain is sincerely committed to extend its brand promise for a wonderful world to all its customers.

Further, he commended their partners in ensuring transparency of the project including Alexander Forbes and TCQ & A, whom he said, acted as the external auditors for painstakingly auditing the system and process of the promotion and draws.

Equally speaking, the Marketing Director, Zain Nigeria, Mr. Mostafa Younes, pointed out that in the past weeks, Zain offered subscribers on the network various categories of prizes in the Naira Rain promo, including N1m daily and N5m per week, during the period of the promo.

He described the final grand prize as special, because it saw the emergence of the mega prize winner of N10m, stressing that Zain has gone the extra mile of ensuring that these millionaires receive their cash prizes.

“My colleagues in the regions have worked hard to ensure that every winner that emerges from this promo gets his or her cash prizes. And we do not have to look far for evidence of this as we get to see the prize presentations in the media almost on a daily basis,” he asserted.

Younes explained that the promo was for existing and new customers of Zain had same opportunity to participate and win big in the campaign.

“Customers only needed to use as low as N50 airtime to participate in the draw for the particular day, through the duration of the promotion,” he said.

He emphasized that winners were selected randomly via a raffle draw and the process of the offer is made very simple to make it easy for Nigerians regardless of their education, financial and social profile to participate in the promo and become winners.

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Visafone opens ultra-modern shop @ Festac

Acclaimed leader in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) market, Visafone Communications Limited, has opened an ultra modern shop at Festac Town in Lagos.

Disclosing this, the Media Relations Officer, Visafone, Mr. Justice Ilevbare, said that the residents of Festac Town and its environs are now experiencing unique customer care and service delivery as Visafone opened the ultra modern shop in the neighborhood, thereby bringing its quality products closer to the community.

He also informed in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online that the shop is equipped with facilities that will take care of the needs of both new and existing subscribers in the area and is designed to provide such services like data connection, voice connection, sale of handsets, modems among other telecoms devices under Visafone brand.

He quoted the Director, Sales (South) at Visafone, Mr. Sam Edoho as saying that with the highly trained and efficient customer care personnel to man the shop, Visafone has brought first class communication experience to the residents of Festac Town.

“We are also offering top of the range customer service, in a friendly and cozy environment,” he declared.

In addition, Mr. Edoho said the opening of the Festac shop was in line with Visafone’s commitment to widen the reach of its services that are nearer to the populace.

“The opening of the new shop further expresses the company’s determination to bring fast and easy communication to every Nigerian no matter where they live,” he said, stressing that this is another move to ease the joy of communication with family, friends and loved ones.

Edoho equally said this was part of the telco’s drive to empower Nigerians with various communication tools, as they don’t have to commute or walk long distances to be able to enjoy products and services on their network.

“With this development, Nigerians in the historic town can now subscribe more easily to the various exciting products and services which the telecoms provider offers as it is now within reach,” he said.

ITRealms Online recalls that Visafone recently recorded a historic feat of becoming the first network in Africa to be Open Market Handsets (OMH) compliant.

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ATCON, NIG back Broadband summit 2010

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) have given support to the forthcoming Broadband Stakeholders Summit, due to hold next month in Lagos.

In a press statement made available to ITRealms Online, weekend in Lagos, the chief executive, e-Business Life Communication Limited, Mrs. Ufuoma ‘Daro, the organizers, said the theme would focus on “Broadband Revolution: Harnessing Broadband for National Development,” and has been scheduled to hold on Tuesday, February 09, 2010.

She quoted the National President of ATCON, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, as stating in a letter to the organizers of the summit, that ATCON was delighted to endorse the summit as the topic is apt and will “give us an avenue to deliberate and prepare to systematically and gainfully channel and effectively utilize the expected broadband capacity by the middle of the year 2010 as well as Nigeria’s digital harvest in Year 2015.”

The letter entitled “Endorsement of One-day Stakeholders’ Summit on Broadband Fibre Optics,” Ekuwem noted that the telecoms outlook for the Year 2010 clearly indicates the availability of capacity in large quantum during the second half of the year.

“The question then is: what do we do with the expected bandwidth? How do we utilize these broadband to automate processes of national economic, social and political lives of our compatriot?”

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the association, he said, has decided to collaborate with e-BusinessLife Communication Limited as the summit will enable us answer some of these questions.

In the same vein, the Nigeria Internet Group in its own letter signed by its National President, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said the future outlook of broadband infrastructure deployment in Nigeria looks good with the level of investment by operators, just as he stressed that if the right environment is created the nation will benefit a great deal from these developments.

“It is our opinion that the stakeholders’ summit proposed by e-Business Life Magazine will help us collectively look at ways of tapping into the great opportunities that the expected massive rollout of broadband in 2010 will achieve and also look at ways to overcome possible challenges,” he said.

In her comment, “Broadband Revolution: Harnessing Broadband for National Development,” Mrs. ‘Daro noted that while it is no longer news that Nigerian telecommunications sector is adjudged to be the fastest growing in Africa; this is only in the area of voice as it is not yet Uhuru in the area of data.

She recalled the report of AfricaNext Investment Research, which had earlier disclosed that Africa’s broadband market will grow more than fourfold in five years from 2.7 million in 2007 to 12.7 million.


This prediction, she pointed out is already reflected in recent developments in the country, which are expected to bring about a revolution in broadband during the course of the year 2010.

“Some of these developments according to her, includes the advent of Glo 1, which is expected to cater for long term bandwidth requirements for voice and data transmission in the West Africa sub region; Main One Cable, which is expected to berth in June 2010.”

Other efforts, she said, included the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Wire Nigeria Project (WIN) as well as the already existing though not stable SAT-3, which is expected to become more efficient and effective once it gets a better manager. It is expected that these developments will boost the Nigerian broadband space remarkably in the year 2010.

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ICANN seeks volunteer reviewers on 4 key areas

Internet coordinating agency, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), has called for volunteer reviewer of its four key objectives.

Announcing this, weekend, ICANN said the reviewers would focus on the four key areas, namely, ensuring accountability, transparency and the interests of global Internet users; reserving security, stability and resiliency of the Domain Name System (DNS); promoting competition, consumer trust and consumer choice; and Whois policy.

ICANN also said that the reviews will be performed by review teams composed of volunteer community members representing the relevant supporting organizations and advisory committees.

A paper introducing draft proposals, ICANN noted, has been dedicated to the organization of the review processes, while it’s available for public comment until the end of January.

In parallel with this process, ICANN informed that it now invited interested individuals to express interest in serving as a volunteer review team member.

This is a permanent call for applications; however, candidatures for the first review ‘Accountability and Transparency’ will be accepted until February 17, 2010.

However, the executive summary of the draft proposal on affirmation reviews: requirements and implementation processes, stipulated that contains specific provisions for periodic review of four key ICANN objectives be made as aforementioned.

It presented a draft framework to address Affirmation review requirements, stressing that the purpose of the paper includes both to provide a vehicle for community comment on all aspects of the review process, and to serve as guidance for the review teams.

“This proposed methodology is based on a lightweight but rigorous and meaningful approach, integrating standard review cum participatory evaluation practices in order to achieve sound, implementable outcomes,” ICANN stated.

The concept behind the Affirmation reviews, ICANN noted, provide a mechanism to assess and report on ICANN’s progress toward fundamental organizational objectives.

“The reviews themselves should follow this principle of simplicity. The Affirmation document outlines many of the parameters of the reviews, establishing in advance the basis for each review’s terms of reference,” part of the executive summary read.

Further, the Affirmation document defines who selects the review teams, and defines the type of review team participants, just as it finally, outlined time frames for each review that dictate a streamlined approach to performing the reviews.



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President’s absence: Nigerians @ FB demand video clips

Worried by the over 50 days absence of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Nigerian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders and internet enthusiasts have taken their concern to the largest social networking site in the world, the FaceBook (FB), demanding for a video clips if only to confirm his health status.

ITRealms Online recalls that President Yar’Adua purportedly travelled out of the country to Saudi Arabia on what his officials later told Nigerians was on a trip for usual medical check-up.

These concerned Nigerians who started this campaign with a mere Short Messaging Service (SMS) to who cares are soliciting to know from the government and its officials the where about of Mr. President.

While those carrying out the campaign on the where about of President Yar’Adua, soars, they were in unision in demanding video clips of the President alive, with the number of fans for the clamour increasing by the hour.

For the SMS’ making a round they earnestly asked where exactly is President Yar’Adua, just as they enjoined other well meaning Nigerians to inquire on the whereabouts.

Part of the SMS making a round read: “Where exactly is President Yar’Adua? Join in asking. Demand to know! Send to at least 10 pple.”

Whereas this SMS has continued to make more Nigerians really began to ask questions about the president and more affirmed they have received this kind of SMS twice.

Already, there are majorly four groups carrying out this campaign in the popular FaceBook, namely Where is Yar’Adua? Where is President Musa Yar’Adua?; 150m people who want to know where Yar’Adua is?; ‘Where is Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’ and Where is the President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua?

At present, the membership of groups have soared to 260, 26, 53 with common interest across their membership and 10 fans in the Where is Umaru Musa Yar’Adua with interest as non-profit, while the group ‘Where is the President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua?’ has recorded 151 followers with common interest largely drawn from the government officials.

The most worrisome point raised among the FaceBook fans was the fact that President Yar’Adua left for the check-up without formally handing over powers to his Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

This, they agreed is unhealthy because, what happens in the case of any external aggression against Nigeria, who should give orders for the military, for instance, to come in defense of the nation, given that the ‘Commander in Chief’ has taken a French leave.

As much as all Nigerians across the various fan groups wished Mr. President well, they also want him to return to the country alive to carry on with his job, though they were emphatic that it was a gross error for him to have travelled out without formal handover note to enable VP Jonathan to act, rather than stagnating the nation.

According to the group ‘Where is the President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar’Adua?’ its motive is to draw the attention of the world to the plight of Nigerians, since the President of over 140 million people had reportedly gone missing.

“We were told that he went to Saudi Arabia for a checkup more than a month ago ...! And tasked Nigerians to join in asking for the whereabouts of Mr. President, they therefore declared Umaru Musa Yar’Adua missing,” the group asked.

They also argued that the nation cannot be sick or in comatose simply because Mr. President is sick, therefore, they canvassed for the best of information to really show Nigerians that their president is alive apart from the politicization of the office of the Vice President from taking over or even in acting capacity, while the ruling party looks the other way.

Mr. Ojuks Amadi expressed the belief the office of the vice president was created for a situation like this, and lamented the trend the politicking of the issue has taken.

“I strongly believe the office of the vice president was created for unpredictable times like what we have now. It worries me that we Nigerians politicize everything even when it´s detrimental to our national interest and security,” he stated in his FB’s wall.

For Ms Ulo Ume, at this point even a doctored video evidence could be desirable, stressing that it would, at least, show effort on the part of his whereabouts or on even his ‘abductors’.

“Effort to accord us with an explanation, effort that may begin to signify that the retards do realize that silence is unacceptable. Also give us a new basis and impetus for further developments and discussions,” she argued.


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ICT: Shaky start, glorious ending (1)

The year 2009 started on a shaky note but ended gloriously, reports REMMY NWEKE in this review.



THE Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector started on what some industry observers described as a shaky note in view of the fracas that erupted between Multimesh Communications Limited and the National Copyrights Commission (NCC).

It was disclosed that the misunderstanding was against the backdrop of the alleged piracy by Entertainment Highway Limited, right owners of the English Premiere League (EPL) and operators of HiTV, over rebroadcast rights.

Multimesh threatened Copyright Commission with court action:
This resulted in Multimesh threatening to drag NCC and HiTV to court, for unlawfully, and forcefully damaging its transmission equipment worth millions of Naira.

Multimesh, a Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) operator. which hinges on wireless telecommunications offerings to deploy its Television (Tv) broadcasting. The company in a petition by its chief executive officer, Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, dated January 8, 2009 and addressed to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Mike Aondaokaa insisted that the raid by NCC was illegal.

Weeks later, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) led by its Director General, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, intervened and brought the misunderstanding to rest at a meeting held at the NBC’s headquarters in Abuja. its officials led by the Director General, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, extracted an agreement from the feuding parties, just as it was established that a contract had earlier existed between the two organisations since 2007.

This, industry observers, said gave credence to the claims by Multimesh that what transpired was a business dispute and not a case of piracy.

Omatek consolidates e-Xpress scheme:
Following this soon after was the plans by one of the nation’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Omatek Plc to consolidate its e-learning initiative in the country, tagged Omatek e-Xpress programme, which would act as a one-stop shop, to ensure that ICT tools are readily deployed to schools and classrooms under a carefully structured learning environment.

“That is equipped with our 8” and 10” computers; internet connection to create virtual connectivity between students and teachers or lecturers. It also involves the deployment of a robust content and curriculum development,” Mrs. Florence Seriki, the group managing director of Omatek said.

The internet connectivity via the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology, she said, would offer hotspots around the schools, “thus creating an enabling environment for teachers and students to deploy their Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) for connectivity.”

… Unveils smart notebooks:
This development came as Omatek Plc, unveiled its latest and advanced version of smart notebooks, the eight and 10 inches categories. She said, the eight and 10 inches notebooks were initially manufactured for pupils, but demands spurred her company to advance on the qualities and features of the smart notebooks to be optimally useful for even the working class who want to look smart and still be mobile.

She noted that the initial batch of 8 and 10 inches notebook from Omatek has the same specifications, their hard-disc sizes have improved from 216 to 512 and from 512 to 1 Gigabytes. Whereas the batteries are normal computer batteries such that could last up to an hour or more, while the weight is lighter than before with strong Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) presence.

Epson opens office:
This is coming as Eposon opened its office in the country in the first quarter with a target of N592 million, according to the Accounts Manager, Epson Corporation, South Africa, Mr. Shaun Robinson, the company is targeting in 2009 financial year the sum of $4 million, (about N592m) from the Nigerian market.

Responding to questions at the ‘Exceed Your Vision’ seminar in Lagos, organized in collaboration with its main distributor in the country, Technology Distribution (TD) West Africa Limited, Mr. Robinson declared “our target for this year in Nigeria is $4 million.”

Just as the General Manager, Marketing at TD, Mrs. Chioma Chimere assured that given the avalanche of her company’s outlet through the dealers and resellers in the West African region, they would be equal to the task.

FOSS is truly free!
As the first quarter advances, Finland-based Nigerian Chief Technology Officer of WoodGong Communications, Mr. Sunny Odum advocated for the adaptation of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in the country, insisting that it’s truly free.

“Free and Open Source is truly what the name implies,” he said, stressing that in a developing country like Nigeria, there is need to tap into FOSS in order to alleviate poverty. Emphasizing that in the developing world it’s so scared to copy technologies from the developed world, “… Are we also not capable of using FOSS that we are even encouraged to rip and use, hook, line and sinker?” he wondered.

Speaking while presenting a paper recently on “Global Economic Turmoil, Free and Open Source Software and Nigerian Information Technological Development” made available to ITRealms Online, Odum said that people in the developing country like Nigeria needs not pay a dime on software if they adopt, adapt and develop FOSS.

FG, China enter deal return of NigComSAT-1:
Equally, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and its Chinese counterpart reached a deal on the replacement of the nation’s failed NigComSAT-1, which was de-orbited early November 2008, even as the provisional completion date for the substitution satellite to return to orbit is this first quarter of 2010.

ITRealms Online gathered that in order to guard against lack of back-up in future, the Chinese authorities have reached another deal with Nigeria to split the NigComSAT-2 and 3 into phases, which is expected to mitigate the effect of any eventuality as regards to the satellite failure in the future.

Thus, China agreed on a phase out plan for the unleashing of NigComSat-2 and 3, which would be built into the new deal as part of strategies to avoid the dilemma faced by NigComSat-1 customers when the solar panel of Africa’s first communication satellite failed in November 2008.

ATCON urges work on NigComSAT-2:
The umbrella body of telecommunications companies in the country, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), described the failed Nigerian Communications Satellite-1 (NigComSAT-1) as a technical tragedy, and urged the Federal Government (FG) to commence work on NigComSat-2.

National President ATCON, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, said that there is urgent need for the nation to start the processes on NigComSAT-2 immediately on learning about the failure of NigComSAT-1, which was reportedly parked after developing charging fault, prior to November 10, 2008 when the government owned up.

Ekuwem said that Nigeria must start process toward the actualization of the NigComSAT-2 without further delay and advised that before then, government must truly unravel the cause of the failure of NigComSAT-1, warning that the incident should not deter the government from investing in future satellite projects.

“No nation shies away from challenges. We should proceed to NigComSAT-2 provided we unravel the cause of the failure of NigComSAT-1,” he said.

Main One, Pioneer Consulting in strategy deal:
One of the Nigeria’s cable service provider, MainOne Cable Company Limited in the year just ended entered a deal with a United States-based telecommunications consulting, engineering and market research firm, Pioneer Consulting.

Chief executive officer, Main One Cable, Ms. Funke Opeke, said the consulting firm was hired as an integral part of the Main One management team, to supervise the implementation of the network. “It will provide expert advice while tracking the design, engineering and implementation of the project,” she said. While the Managing Partner, Pioneer Consulting, Mr. Howard Kidorf, was optimistic his team would deliver on the project.

Zain produces 20 millionaires @ Valentine promo:
Also, Zain Nigeria in the first quarter of 2009 introduced a Valentine Millionaire promo which produced 20 subscribers on the network within one month. With the concept of at least, 5 millionaires per week, the promo, the telco said, was designed to give many Nigerians and especially subscribers on Zain network a lift financially, despite the current global meltdown. It was introduced to provide people with the wherewithal to celebrate Valentine Day, as said by the Head, Corporate Communications, Zain Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Oparah.

1m handsets lost annually:
One revelation that took front seat in the year just ended was the proclamation that telecommunications subscribers in the country lost an estimated 1 million mobile phones annually, according to the chief executive officer, NetVisa GSMSecured Nigeria Limited, Prince Emeka Uchendu.

Uchendu, who gave this insight in Lagos while preparing for the commissioning of the nation’s Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR), as President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was billed to perform the official launch on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at the Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Abuja, the federal capital territory. He assured that registration of stolen phones would be free-of-charge.

He confirmed that the initiative conceived by the government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), received the blessings of the global operators group, the GSM Association (GSMA) and Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) among others.

Uchendu said that the commissioning would pave the way for the full implementation of the project by all mobile operators in the country, through enabling telecom operators to be wary of stolen phones and block same when eventually it is appropriately reported by their owners.


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Naijapals.com achieves 260,000 users

Nigeria inclined online forum, the Naijapals.com has achieved 260,000 active users, according to the founder, Mr. Samuel Odofin.

In a chat with ITRealms Online at the weekend, Mr. Odofin said that the forum has witnessed steady growth since its debut in 2008.

ITRealms Online recalled that as at February 2009, Naijapals.com active users was about 150,000.

“… So fast we are now over 260,000 strong members and with very interactive web 2.0 platforms, indigenous and foreign people are able to share views on the same platform; the discussion forum section is very active as well and we currently serve about 9.2 million pages a month,” he said.

Odofin also plans to advance this membership to about 17 million before end of 2010 while strategising to make unique users 210,000 each month as well.

“So, it’s getting pretty interesting and the community is moderated by other users who has been there enough to earn my trust as a worthy moderator and as such, it just run automatically by the people,” he said.

With this development, he hopes to put his Information System (IS) strategy knowledge into experience with Naijapals, while promising to have some bigger projects in the near future.

Naijapals.com, he said, has become a very popular entertainment and social channel for Nigerians in Nigeria and abroad.

As said by him, naijapals.com has a database of all Nigerian universities and over 7,000 schools all together, in addition this database affords old school mates to meet easily, hence it is based on advanced formulas for finding new friends.

He pointed out that Naijapals.com, was affixed on the programme he built up in 2007 in order to keep the people together, stressing that Naijapals.com, has two major features, a debate, which he described as “’fight park’ and ‘confessions.’”

Noteworthy is that Odofin had in 2006 emerged finalist at the Stockholm challenges with Biotechnology - The Food Solution (BFS) www.odofin.com, which was selected for finals.

A year before then, Odofin had at the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-05), bagged the WSIS world summit youth award in Tunisia.


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21st Century Tech gets kudos on CSR

Leading fixed telephone operator and integrated information and communications technology solutions provider, 21st Century Technologies Limited, has been awash with commendations from government and organistions on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) over the years.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online cited the recent recognition by the Lagos State Government to 21st Century Technologies on CSR.

The Lagos State Executive Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) was quoted as saying that the firm has proved in its investment pattern as well as job implementations to be a truly socially responsible company, which warranted the award.

The award was received by the Chief Executive of 21st Century Technologies, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, who expressed appreciation to Lagos State Government and particularly, the governor, for the people-oriented projects being implemented in the state.

Still in the euphoria of this, 21st Century Technologies recently received a certificate of appreciation from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria.

According to the bank the telecommunications giant was being appreciated “in recognition of her supportive role as a valued service provider to Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria over the past 10 years.”

The certificate was endorsed by the Group Head, Procurement and Vendor Management, Mr. James Berry and Country Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Christopher Knight.

Reacting to the certificate of appreciation, Mr. Ajisebutu, acknowledged the fact that Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has proved to be a responsible and responsive corporate giant in the banking industry in the country.

In addition, the Lekki Peninsula Phase 1 Residents Association, eulogized 21st Century Technolgies “in recognition, acknowledgement and appreciation of the company’s contributions towards the development of Lekki Peninsula Phase 1, Lagos.”

In a letter made available to newsmen in Lagos, the chairman of the association, Chief Kayode V. Aderinoku, noted that the company among others acted on corporate social responsibility, rehabilitation of streetlights on Admiralty Way, and maintained the streetlights for a long time.

ITRealms Online recalls that these commendations and recognition came even as 21st Centur y Technologies grabbed the Best Integrated ICT Solutions Provider of the Year award at the eighth edition of NITTA 2009.


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