NAWANI, ready for commissioning – Galaxy

Galaxy Backbone Plc, a public sector ICT infrastructure and services company charged with connecting ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), has said that the Nigerian Army Wide Area Network Infrastructure (NAWANI) project, is ready for commissioning.

NAWANI is an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) project built by Galaxy Backbone, and would be commissioned by the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Murtala Shehu Yar’Adua and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General AB Dambazau as part of the activities planned for this year’s Army Day celebrations.

Confirming this, Head, Federal Public Sector, Galaxy Backbone, Mr. Frank Ugbodaga, said NAWANI would provide the ICT component for transforming the Nigerian Army into a modern military institution with the potential and capability for achieving goals related to the tactical, operational and strategic efficiency of a military organization in a 21 century knowledge society.

He also said the project was conceived last year based on the commitment of Nigerian Army to enhance its readiness for the attainment of national security objectives by leveraging on benefits of ICT.

Precisely, he said, Galaxy is providing the infrastructure and the project management expertise, as well as coordinating efforts by two other ICT companies aimed at achieving Nigeria Army objectives for the project.

“The choice of Galaxy Backbone, a public enterprise of the Federal Government, is in line with a global trend that has witnessed Governments in India, South Africa, Malaysia, Egypt, Ireland, Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, to positively transform public institutions and ensure national development through the establishment and empowerment of similar entities like Galaxy,” he said.

Highlights of the proposed official commissioning of NAWANI at Army headquarters Abuja, would be live demonstrations of the video conferencing and video telephony capabilities of the network and the ceremonial cutting of tape to formally commission a state of the art Data Centre with an offsite Disaster Recovery facility by Alhaji Yar’Adua, Lt. Gen. Dambazau and other dignitaries at the event.

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Netsize facilitates SMS with CRM

France-based Netsize has added Short Messaging Service (SMS) as a standard channel to Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management (CRM) 4.0 system.

This, the company said, enhanced the CRM solution with quick SMS, SMS marketing campaigns and SMS workflows through its plug-in architecture.

Group Marketing Communication Director at Netsize, Mr. Alexander Vlasblom made this disclosure in a press statement made available to ITRealms Online.

He quoted the chief executive officer, Netsize, Stanislas Chesnais, as saying that version 2 of Netsize mPlug-in for Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables users to leverage the mobile channel to increase business process efficiency and customer satisfaction.

“Companies are recognizing that mobile messaging enables them to increase business agility and serve customers better. With Customer Relationship Management at the center of many business processes, being able to use the mobile channel like any other channel is a must-have,” Chesnais said.

The features of Netsize mPlug-in for Dynamics, the CEO said, include an all features are fully integrated in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM user interface.

“With quick messaging Dynamics CRM users reach customers, business contacts and employees globally. Messages can be personalized with dynamic text fields and customized sender address,” Chesnais said, stressing that mPlug-in enables users to set-up, schedule and execute large volume SMS marketing campaigns, to target Dynamics CRM contacts and leads. Contact and lead attributes can be used to tailor and personalize the message contents. mPlug-in checks the validity of each recipient’s mobile number.

“Users can test campaigns prior to their launch,” he said.

With the SMS workflow functionality of mPlug-in, Chesnais said, users could create actions that send an SMS message triggered by predefined events.

“Like quick messages and campaigns, mPlug-in SMS workflow actions can use Dynamics record attributes to adapt message contents,” the CEO said.

Netsize mPlug-in, he said, provides an extensive statistics dashboard with delivery reports on sent messages and campaigns, as well as statistics data could be exported for use in other programmes.

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Samsung W.A. appoints CMC account managers

Leader in household appliances, mobile telephony and Information Technology (IT) products Samsung Electronics West Africa, has announced the appointment of CMC Connect Limited as its new public relations agency.

Affirming this, the Head, Corporate Marketing, Samsung West Africa Limited, Mrs. Funke Michaels-Ntekim, said CMC Connect is tasked with the responsibility of sustaining Samsung’s brand awareness through products press releases, brand equity building and corporate communications as well as government relations.

She also said the appointment of CMC Connect was as a result of the company’s clear understanding of the brief, as well as the creative and revolutionary ideas brought forward during the pitch processes.

“After a rigorous exercise, CMC Connect Limited was selected by the panel as a result of their depth of industry knowledge, strategic thinking and the creativity demonstrated by the firm’s team during the pitch process. As a merit-driven global company, we had no other option than to award the account to the agency that showed the most innovative ideas for propelling our business forward,” she said.

Further, she said Samsung West Africa is looking forward to working-in-partnership with CMC Connect, a choice that would help the company develop the Samsung brand across the country and reinforce its position as a world leader.

Samsung, she said, plays strongly in several segments of the global market with consumer electronics like Television sets, Audio and Hi-fi sets; mobile phones; household appliances like air conditioners, microwave ovens, and washing machines; IT products like laptops, printers, and projectors; as well as image-technology with digital cameras and camcorders.

In his remark, the Managing Director, CMC Connect, Mr. Yomi Badejo Okusanya, said that the firm is very delighted to work with Samsung West Africa, just as he promised to ensure excellent execution of all communication and marketing activities aimed at achieving the objectives set by Samsung in the region.

He expressed thank to Samsung for the confidence reposed in his firm and reaffirmed CMC Connect’s commitment to offer strategy-driven communication solutions from development to execution in line with client’s particular needs and to solidify the relationship between the Client and its various publics in the Nigerian market.

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flyaero.com achieves 40m hits

flyaero.com, the website of Aero Contractors, has achieved the mark of 40 million visitors since the launch of the airline’s website.

Head, Commercial at Aero, Mr. Robert Prophet, said that the regional airline, as at June 2010, has recorded 40 million visitors to the site.

He underscored the fact that flyaero.com has become synonymous with website bookings now accounting for over 70 per cent of all tickets sold by the airline and it has been some new online services to ensure complete travel experience for customers.

He attributed the dramatic growth in the website hits to the growing popularity and continuing expansion of the airline’s routes and fleets, coupled with the fact that www.flyaero.com offers an increasing range of online travel services and information and the best fares in the market.

“Internet marketing has revolutionized air travel. Passenger traffic on our site had grown steadily and strongly,” he said, stressing that Aero has proved very popular with passengers who like the ease of booking on line at very affordable fares.

“We are proud to say that this is so far the highest for any Nigerian carrier,” he declared.

flyaero website, Robert added, is at the cutting edge in the industry and allows the firm to reduce operational costs and pass those benefits on to customers in form of low fares.

“We have firmly established ourselves as Nigeria’s low cost airline and we aim to remain so, continuing to bring low cost travel, and open up new destinations to the people across the nation,” he asserted.

According to him, the airline has grown to be one of the most reputable regional carriers in West Africa, operating over 50 flights a day to more than 10 destinations with a fleet of modern 737s and Dornier Dash 8.

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Akunyili, Obi lead delegates to Abuja ITEC

Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Mrs. Dora Akunyili and Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State, would next month, August, lead delegates to the 2010 Information and Communication Technology Exhibition and Conference (ITEC) scheduled to hold in Abuja, reports Geraldine Okolie.

Managing Director, Medalion Marketing Limited, Mr. Fidel Ikenna Ndubisi, confirmed this while briefing newsmen in Lagos, at the weekend.

He also said that the forthcoming ITEC in Abuja, by his firm’s ability in replicating its track records in management of both domestic and international trade fairs across the country.

Ndubisi said that the event slated to hold at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja, has been designed to unfold what is new in the information technology (IT), telecom industry.

“As Nigeria’s No.1 exhibition and event’s company offering first-class seamless services in the organization and management of trade fairs, we have successfully organised more than 25 international trade fairs in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt including 15 local fairs in Warri, Owerri, Jos, Onitsha, and Markurdi among others,” Ndubisi said.

Medalion, he said, is targeting over 150 companies from the ICT sector and 300 professionals at the event billed for August, which promises to have on the roll call of speakers the Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State.

Other dignitaries expected, he said, include the acting Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Bashir Gwandu as well as Chairman Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, Senate Committee chairman on Communications among other personalities.

The conference theme, he said, is “The Role of ICT in improving competitiveness” promising that ITEC 2010 is one event that would not only tackle the way Nigerians do business but also the way they live, learn and play.

“ITEC 2010 is the ideal platform for local entrepreneurs in ICT sector to launch their new products to visitors and exhibitors who are coming from all the sectors of the converging information and communication technology environment,” he declared.

The five–day event, he noted, would serve as a forum for mobile phone operators, computer hardware resellers, software developers, to name a few, to network with manufacturers, development partners and distributors and discuss the latest developments in internet, telecom and computing sectors, IT security, business systems satellite industry, broadcasting and many other IT and telecom related operators.

According to him, the event has been designed to facilitate the establishment and sustenance of highly rewarding commercial partnerships between foreign investors and technology providers and local representatives including dealers and distributors as well as resellers in the country.

On the choice of Abuja, he explained that it was because of Medalion’s track records having done international exhibitions in the north for eight consecutive years and in order to reach out to digital mobile operators, fixed wireless access operators including long distance operators, internet service providers in the North in order to stimulate the market.

Also speaking, Managing Director, Lohi Consulting, Ms Annie Eimiakhena, said ITEC has a learning aspect.

“The conference is going to be knowledge–based because of the different papers that will be presented at the forum by leading experts in the ICT sector,” she said.

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MTN takes 2010 World Cup actions to Highway Africa

Global sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, MTN Group, has taken the actions in the game to this year’s Highway Africa conference, which kicked off on Monday at the Western Cape city of Grahamstown.

Highway Africa is the largest annual gathering of African journalists and media practitioners on the continent on the development and dissemination of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) which holds yearly at Rhodes University, Grahamstown with the theme, “African Voices in the Global Media Space.”

MTN Group Executive for Corporate Affairs, Ms Nozipho January-Bardill, said at the commencement of a two-day hosting for participants’ viewing sessions of the semi finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the delegates which ends today, Wednesday, noting that the timing of this year’s Highway Africa coincided with the ongoing 2010 FIFA World Cup, a global football extravaganza which MTN is the first and only African global sponsor.

She urged participants to relax and enjoy the sessions alongside the Highway Africa conference, which offers both a celebration and an interrogation of African journalism and media on how these are opening up and expanding spaces for engagement.

“The exponential growth of social media and the internet is rapidly altering the media landscape and changing the way news gets disseminated and consumed. Through our partnership with Rhodes University, MTN is proud to be at the forefront of deliberations and discussions that will help evaluate the role the African media should play in influencing global perceptions about the continent,” she said.

The MTN spokeswoman, further said that Highway Africa offered an opportunity to appraise how the media on the continent could assert Africa’s place in the global arena, particularly on critical issues such as socio-economic development, the promotion of democracy and climate change.

Over 500 journalists attended Highway Africa this year.

ITRealms Online recalls that last year, FIFA Local Organising Committee chief executive Dr Danny Jordaan opened Highway Africa by addressing delegates about South Africa’s state of readiness at a session held at then newly-built Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Executive Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris Kabwato, pointed out that this year’s conference witnessed a high level debate on a theme and how is African media framing Africa’s role on the global stage in relation to China, Climate Change, emerging economic order, terror and security.

This, he said, was followed by a roundtable discussion on ICT Trends and Innovations in Africa: what is and what is not happening on the continent, just as MTN representative on the panel discussion was the EASSy Project Manager, Mr Trevor Martins.

Equally, during the workshop on “Mobile is the Future, the Future is here” led by Professor Harry Dugmore, Chair of MTN Mobile Journalism at Rhodes University, Head of Public Access & Mobile Money, MTN Uganda, Mr. Mr Richard Mwami participated.

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Nigeria is a key market for Aviat - Burchell

Vice president of Aviat Network for Africa region, Mr. Trevor Burchell, has said that Nigeria is a very key market on the continent.

Speaking exclusively with Champion Infotel in Lagos, during an official working visit, last weekend, Mr. Burchell said that the new brand seen in Aviat Networks came about because they felt the need to make sure the coming together makes things better for the company’s customers.

According to him, the opportunity of changing the company’s name to Aviat from Harris Stratex, gives them the leverage to offer better site management.

Looking forward, Burchell said he sees Aviat on top of site management on the continent and in Nigeria particularly, stressing that top on the agenda of the company is how to optimise capital expenditure (CAPEX).

“I see Aviat in the top management lead and we have a lot to offer and optimizing the infrastructure,” he said.

Emphasising that Aviat’s strategy is to remain the number one.

“We would still be No. 1 and more are yet to come,” he assured.

Mr. Burchell hinted that his visit to the country afforded him the chance to meet with Aviat’s customers, mainly operators and trying to clarify any form of ambiguity over the rebranding to Aviat Networks.

ITRealms Online recalls that in February this year, the hitherto Harris Stratex changed to Aviat Networks as part of the third anniversary of the merger between the microwave communications division of Harris Corporation and Stratex Networks Incorporated.

With offices across the continent including Nigeria, Aviat Networks, said that the new brand represents a culmination of the company’s transformation over the last three years from that of a specialized microwave backhaul equipment supplier into a world-class provider of advanced internet protocol (IP) wireless network solutions, with a comprehensive portfolio of migration solutions and lifecycle services.

Aviat Networks, further said, its ideally positioned to assist operators successfully evolve their existing networks toward an all-IP broadband future, expand into untapped rural and remote markets, and capitalize on the explosive growth of mobile data traffic around the globe.

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Kufuor leads speakers @ 10’Highway Africa

FORMER president of Ghana, Mr. John Kufuor is leading speakers at this year’s three-day Highway Africa annual conference in Grahamstown, South Africa.

Highway Africa is the largest congregation of media practitioners, mostly practicing journalists from Africa who write and report on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Affirming this in his welcome address to the 14th edition of the event he described as the gathering of the ‘family of media professionals,’ the Executive Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris Kabwato said that this year they would dwell on “African Voices in the Global Media Space.”

He noted that it was not a coincidence that, in the year that Africa hosts the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time ever, “we should seek to focus on Africa’s place in the global political and development agenda.”

Highway Africa is a partnership involving Rhodes University (School of Journalism and Media Studies), the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Department of Communications (South Africa), with the support of several partners, development agencies and sponsors.

Pointing out that for fourteen years, the Highway Africa conference has been at the centre of Africa’s debates on journalism, media and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The conference also has over the years become the largest annual gathering of African journalists in the world. In the last seven years Highway Africa has evolved into a multi-pronged programme with the following components, namely research, education and training as well as reporting development and conference.

He also said that the presenters and trainers at this annual conference come from all over the continent and beyond, stressing that 2010 edition includes a unique mix of plenary and keynote presentations, panel discussions and hands on workshops where delegates acquire practical skills and expertise.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online by the duo of Messers Moagisi Letlhaku and Nqobile Buthelezi from the local organizing team, quoted Kabwato as disclosing that other key speakers would include Advocate Pansy Tlakula; Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Professor Alfred Opubor; Dr. Diana Senghor; Mathatha Tsedu; Nozipho January-Bardill; Amadou Ba; Professor Mindy McAdams; Cheriff Sy; Robert Kabushenga and Professor Adam Clayton Powell to name a few.

Welcoming participants to this year’s Highway Africa, Kufuor said it is a unique event that offers journalists
and the media a platform to reflect on how ICT is impacting on their work and the future of the media, and more importantly an opportunity for journalists and other media professionals to examine critically how they report Africa.

“Its people, its governments and its institutions in both conventional and new media. Your role as journalists is a critical one – you carry the burden of truly informing and educating our people for the advancement of our continent. Your task is to ensure the sustenance of good governance, peace and stability in Africa. It is a role you should guard jealously,” he declared.

The former Ghana leader said that Africa is undergoing a fundamental transformation with more elections and democratic governments coming into office, even as the economic growth rates are steadily improving in spite of the many challenges of the global financial crisis.

“Positive stories of democratisation and modest economic growth in some countries on the continent must spread and lead to a prosperous Africa; a well educated population, an industrialised continent ready
to take full advantage of advances in technology and science,” he said, stressing that the stories of Africa’s success should find as much space in the continental media organisation as the stories of her difficulties.

Some of the key sessions would comprise of “African Media and the Global Media Development Agenda: How is African media framing Africa’s role on the global stage in relation to the emerging economic order, China, Climate Change, 2010 FIFA World Cup” to name a few.

Additionally, participants would be examining “Mobile is the Future, The Future is Here” as well as “ICT Trends and Innovations in Africa – what is and what is not happening on the continent; New Forms of Journalism – ICT and its impact on story-telling; and Emerging Media Business Models.”

While some networking events would include the Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards & Gala Dinner, which took place yesterday, Sunday, July 4, the Absa Africa night dinner slated for today; MTN Africa united night and soccer viewing at MTN fan zone billed to hold tomorrow, in addition to the SA Tourism “Taste South Africa Night” come Wednesday July 7.

The organizers further hinted that there would be training centred on business models for community media and small media; SABC Digital Skills Training Workshop: New Media Skills in Search and Mapping; Highway Africa Workshops: Using Twitter in Journalism & Business; Teaching Online Journalism; Using Google Tools in the Newsroom: Using ICT in Disasters; ICTs for Climate Change and Upstart-MDDA Media Literacy Exchange Programme with book launch at various stages.

The conference is playing host to an estimated 500 delegates from over 40 countries on the continent.
ITRealms Online recalls that Highway Africa conference, which is on its 14th year, is co-hosted by Rhodes University, SABC and the Department of Communications, whereas the key sponsors for the event are Telkom, MTN and Absa.


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Cybercrime: Salami urges proactive action

The Director-General of the Department for State Security Services, Mr. Ask Salami, has urged Nigerians to use proactive intelligence in the fight against cyber crimes in the country, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Salami made the call in a lecture entitled “Joining the global cyber crime and counter terrorism network: the way forward’’ which he delivered at a two-day Cyber crimes and Terrorism Nigeria congress, in Abuja, last weekend.

The lecture was organised by the Anti-Money Laundering and Security Coalition of the National Assembly.
Salami said that the country could not fight cyber crimes and terrorism unless proactive intelligence measures were put in place by the three arms of government, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

"Without proactive intelligence to fight against cyber crimes, we cannot achieve anything. Intelligence is important, if we must reduce crime to its minimum in the country," he said.

The DG also called for good governance, saying that it would help to win the minds and hearts of Nigerians away from crime.

"If our people have good governance they will be comfortable and will not think of committing cyber crimes," Salami said.

Other measures to fight cyber crimes, according to him, are sensitisation on the crime, provision of fund and adequate and modern equipment for security agencies.

Salami, however, called on Nigerians in Diaspora to always monitor the activities of Nigerian students so as to prevent them from being inducted into terrorism acts.

He called on the law makers to re-double their efforts in passing relevant bills and to make laws that would enhance the efforts of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and other crime fighting institutions.

A discussant, Mr. Bala Sanga, said job creation and the use of appropriate measures on persons caught in cyber crimes and terrorism were important in combating cyber crimes.

On her part, President, African Women and Youth Organisation Against Violence and Segregation, an NGO, Princess Glory Okeke, called for a town hall meeting to disseminate information on cyber crimes to members of the public.
Also NAN reports that the seminar was attended by lawmakers, judiciary officers, NGOs, security agencies, government agencies, financial institutions and stakeholders within and outside the country.

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ICANN launches Wiki on board resolutions, demands comment

As part of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)‘s ongoing effort to build upon its strong record of accountability and transparency, has launched a searchable Wiki.

This, ICANN said would provide the public with easy-to-access information on every substantive resolution approved by the Board of Directors (BoD).

A Wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser.

ICANN officials informed that in order to get initial public feedback that could serve as the basis for further improvements before full implementation, the 2009 resolutions have been loaded on the Wiki.

Each resolution, according to officials, has a “work-in-progress” Wiki page that provides basic information, including when it was approved, what it’s about, the status of the resulting implementation actions, and links to additional information.

“Each Wiki page contains a comment box to allow individuals to share information about the resolution and its implementation,” a press statement made available to ITRealms Online revealed.

Interested individuals were also encouraged to use this Wiki and provide feedback to help build a more useful service, hence ICANN is soliciting comments to the public forum as from last weekend.


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