GutsyPen4ICTD: Google Hopes to Train10M Africans in Online Skill...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Google Hopes to Train10M Africans in Online Skill...: Google Hopes to Train 10M Africans in Online Skills , CEO Says Alphabet's Google aims to train 10 million people in Africa in onl...

Google Hopes to Train 10M Africans in Online Skills, CEO Says

Alphabet's Google aims to train 10 million people in Africa in online skills over the next five years in an effort to make them more employable, its chief executive said Thursday.

The U.S. technology giant also hopes to train 100,000 software developers in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, a company spokeswoman said.

Google's pledge marked an expansion of an initiative it launched in April 2016 to train young Africans in digital skills. It announced in March that it had reached its initial target of training 1 million people.

The company is "committing to prepare another 10 million people for jobs of the future in the next five years," Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a company conference in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.

Google said it would offer a combination of in-person and online training. Google has said on its blog that it carries out the training in languages including Swahili, Hausa and Zulu and tries to ensure that at least 40 percent of people trained are women. It did not say how much the program cost.

Africa, with its rapid population growth, falling data costs and heavy adoption of mobile phones, having largely leapfrogged personal computer use, is tempting for tech companies.

Executives such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s Chairman Jack Ma have also recently toured parts of the continent.

Basic phones, less surfing

But countries like Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, which Google said it would initially target for its mobile developer training, may not offer as much opportunity as the likes of China and India for tech firms.

Yawning wealth gaps mean that much of the population in places like Nigeria has little disposable income, while mobile adoption tends to favor more basic phone models. Combined with bad telecommunications infrastructure, that can mean slower and less internet surfing, which tech firms rely on to make money.

Google also announced plans to provide more than $3 million in equity-free funding, mentorship and working space access to more than 60 African startups over three years.

In addition, YouTube will roll out a new app, YouTube Go, aimed at improving video streaming over slow networks, said Johanna Wright, vice president of YouTube.

YouTube Go is being tested in Nigeria as of June, and the trial version of the app will be offered globally later this year, she said.

-https://www.voanews.com/amp/google-hopes-train-millions-africans-online-skills/3962512.html

GutsyPen4ICTD: Mass Communication Enabled By ICTs Can Foster Nat...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Mass Communication Enabled By ICTs Can Foster Nat...: Mass Communication Enabled By ICTs Can Foster National Cohesion and Progress -NCC Commissioner … Says Internet Opportunities Are Eclip...

Mass Communication Enabled By ICTs Can Foster National Cohesion and Progress-NCC Commissioner

… Says Internet Opportunities Are Eclipsed Without Robust Broadband

By Clifford Agugoesi

Mass communication practitioners in the country have been handed a charge to use their expertise and immense value propositions of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to facilitate the cohesion of the country and ensure its survival as an indivisible entity.

Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management (ECSM) at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Sunday Dare, gave the charge in a keynote titled Imagery and National Cohesion in the age of Communication Technology delivered Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at the Annual Lecture of the Mass Communication Students Association of the University of Lagos, UNILAG. The lecture is a key component of the annual students week programme of the Department.

The event was held at the Biodun Shobanjo Hall, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos.   Dare was represented at the event by NCC's Head of Online Media and Special Publications, Omoniyi Ibietan.

Dare’s challenge to mass communicators is coming against the heels of mounting discordant tones and heightened agitations to dismember the country, culminating to pointed calls for the restructuring of the country, even as some analysts feel the restructure calls are self-serving, although they argue there is the need for Nigerians to discuss and chat the way forward for the country.

Dare’s position is that despite the diagnosis and prognosis undertaken by doomsday doctors on the future of Nigeria, the national question could be resolved with a careful application of imagery potentiated by ICTs. “Given the contemporary realities of our country, majority of us here will agree the timing is auspicious for us to discuss how we can foster national cohesion using the force of logic, rather than the logic of force,” he said.  

Praising the quality of the guest lecturer, the keynote speaker said he was convinced, the lecturer was ‘sufficiently armed with the tools of dialectics to enrich our understanding in this regard as we listen to his brilliant presentation. The thematic focus of the main lecture is: Imagery – A Mechanism in Building Brand Acceptability and National Cohesion.’

Showing understanding of his critical remit at the lecture, he affirmed his duty to speak briefly and through that process nudge the participants to reflect on how they might explore the potential of imageries to build brands, especially brand Nigeria to foster national cohesion amidst the age of communication technology.

According to the ECSM at NCC, imagery finds expression in the use of pictures and ideas to represent and communicate thought. As a generic word, it incorporates metaphors, personification, allegory, symbols, similes and other figures of speech and arts rooted in cultural practices. Imageries, he said abound in many forms in practically all literary works, not only as figures of speech but also in folktales and many cultural forms, citing the works of two of Nigeria’s leading lights of the literary world Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart which has been translated into tens of languages and nobel laureate Wole Soyinka’s Telephone Conversation to buttress his point.

The import of the works of Achebe and Soyinka, according to the keynote speaker, demonstrates the value of imagery especially in helping humans construct a better understanding of their world. Noting that there is a special significance and illumination the use of imagery brings to the communication process and the enhancement of meaning exchange, he stated the most central benefit of the process is the unity of those involved in the communication process arising from mutual sharing of meaning, understanding and tolerance of the perspectives and dynamics of the process, adding it is from this reality that a sense of solidarity and the spirit of cohesion grow.

Looking above and beyond fiction, which in actual sense is a representation of reality, Dare explained there are tangible realisms from the daily lives of Nigerians of how imagery has helped them create a more perceptive understanding of their existence. More concretely, he cited as examples the Nigerian flag and the Coat of Arms which he believes have helped to foster cohesion and as mainstream symbolisms of the national identity. On the National Pledge he wondered whether the rendition was undertaken sincerely or perfunctorily and how much of the real significance and meaning of these brand identities do people know?

He said this is where the duties of mass communicators are critical. “Since communication is a creative science, as students and practitioners of communication, it is our responsibility to interpret the essence of the identities to the rest of the people because we are supposedly armed with the tools that prod a better understanding of the brand essence to the formation of national cohesion,” stated Dare.

Crucially, he pointed out that to be able to play this role effectively, mass communicators need both information and transformative knowledge. “Knowledge of new ways to optimise our creative enterprise. Knowledge that will enable us to deploy new skills that our country requires to nudge national cohesion. That cardinal principle and obligation required to deploy the knowledge as communication professionals operating in a multicultural society, is to focus on the elements of our culture and social reality that tend to bond the people, NOT to emphasize on the differences – though knowledge of the differences and their recognition is important to shape our relationships.

That knowledge is today enabled by information and communication technologies. There is no aspect or sphere of knowledge today that is not available on the Internet. For instance, when it comes to using imagery for communication, GIMP, an Image Manipulation Programme is available on the Internet, among many others, and it is free to download tool which can be used with digital photos to make creative touches (image composition, changing colour to black and white, picture editing, touch ups) to your snaps. All you need do is “to download a piece of software first to enable you to install GIMP”

“Flickr is another of the available resource of the virtual world which combines as a networking site. Flickr is a way of sharing images and a basic membership is free. If you already have a Yahoo account then you can use that to sign up. Through Flickr, you can create an online photo album but there are a number of other ways to use this tool especially as a means of creative communication. Indeed, there are so many other applications and software that enable users to create imagery for fantastic creative and expressive communication. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are proven enablers and the Internet is the abode of these resources.”

He underscored the critical place of ubiquitous and affordable broadband to release the huge opportunities locked up on the Internet. The evidence of the centrality of technology in contemporary world, he said, is the fact most innovative countries are the most advanced and prosperous because investments in technology and innovations have been major sources of wealth creation. To underscore this point, he stated that the top four most capitalized companies in the world are communication technology firms namely Microsoft, Apple Google, and Facebook.

“This explains why the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory authority for telecommunications in keeping with the spirit of the National Broadband Plan instituted clear processes to make broadband available, accessible and affordable in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Specifically, Two slots in the 700MHz band have been earmarked for Commercial Broadband deployment; The 800MHz band also known as the Digital Dividend 1 has been re-planned and licensed for LTE deployment – LTE is acronym for Long Term Evolution, a wireless technology designed to support roaming Internet access by cell phones and handheld devices; Part of the 1800MHz band has been refarmed for LTE deployments; The 60GHz unlicensed band will soon be opened up for broadband deployment; The 900MHz E-GSM band has been licensed for LTE deployment; The 2.3GHz band was licensed for LTE deployment; The 2.6GHz band was licensed for broadband wireless; and the 70/80GHz band (E-Band) is also opened up for LTE deployment.

“In addition, NCC already put in place a robust strategy to explore for the benefit of all Nigerians, the huge possibilities of 5G networks – the next evolution of mobile broadband. As the Commission plans for the future, it is also addressing the challenges of the moment. The declaration of 2017 as the Year of the Nigerian Telecom Consumer by the Nigerian Communications Commission speaks to the preeminence of the consumer in the comity of the industry stakeholders. It is a statement of commitment by the Commission to back Nigerians all the way as the citizens tap into the limitless possibilities offered by new communication technologies.

“The advent of ICTs gave birth to greater possibilities of exploring our world. The pervasiveness of ICT tools in almost all spheres: media, health, education, finance and banking, governance, entertainment and agriculture has opened up our world to great opportunities - whether through imagery or other digital means we are able to perform our tasks smarter. This ICT revolution now plays out in the emerging smart world we live in. We have smart phones, smart cities, smart governance and smart cars. Today, humanity is at the threshold of the Internet of Things (IOT) that promises the interconnectedness of virtually everything via a smart technology process. So, welcome again to the smart world. And be primed to explore its limitless possibilities and opportunities.”

Dare concluded that the connection and values of imagery, national cohesion and communication technologies have been espoused in the keynote in a manner that would deepen the day’s discussion and enable participants reflect on how they could communicate better and build a peaceful and prosperous country driven by creativity, technology and innovation.

Some of those who were at the lecture included but were not limited to Head of Mass Communication UNILAG, Dr. Sunday Oloruntola, and Zonal Head FCMB, Omowunmi Kalejaiye;  and Nigeria Editor AFRICA CHECK, David Ajikobi

                                                                         ###

Data Centre As A Critical National Infrastructure , powered by the Rack Centre, is up for discussion at the LCCI-ICTEL EXPO 17, taking place at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, July 25, 2017.

Etisalat Nigeria To Trade As 9Mobile

Etisalat Nigeria has bowed to pressures from the Etisalat Group to rebrand.  The telco will now trade as 9Mobile and this information is from the grapevine.

Details of the name change are sketchy, but GutsyPen4ICTD learns that the new name resonates with the stakeholders as it has connection with the 0809 that the brand launched with which gels with its promise to uphold everything Nigerian!

Earlier today, we engaged with the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the firm, Boye Olusanya, who, in a friendly revert said: “Thanks.  I am sure we will catch up soon.”

It is not clear whether the catching up has to do with interfacing with our reporter or attempts by the new management to tidy up things at the embattled telco.

The Etisalat Group as part of their exit plans gave Eisalat Nigeria three weeks within which to cease using the Etisalat name.

Etisalat Nigeria Rubishes Claims of Closure of Its Offices Etisalat Nigeria has assured its stakeholders that Etisalat Group’s reported refusal of the right to the continued use of the Etisalat brand in Nigeria by EMTS, does not translate into discontinuation of its business.  It is promising its subscribers that quality of service on the network will not be compromised. Currently, Etisalat Nigeria is the fourth largest mobile service provider. Reports in the media Etisalat Nigeria’s experience centres and outlets are being closed are false, the telco assures through a company statement signed by Vice President, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Ibrahim Dikko and seen by GutsyPen4ICTD. “All Etisalat offices, Experience Centres and outlets across Nigeria are in full operation and are providing services including customer care services on 24/7 basis,” Dikko said. The telco reiterates its unwavering commitment to delivery of quality services and commitment to continuously empowering all segments of Nigeria through the development and roll-out of innovative products, services and solutions that help individuals, businesses and organisations solve their everyday problems. The firm is intensifying efforts aimed at reaching full closure on ongoing discussions with regards the transition phase, and assures its customers and stakeholders will be informed as soon as these are concluded, including  details of a rebranding should that become necessary.”

: Universal Service Provision FundTasks Young Innov...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Universal Service Provision FundTasks Young Innov...: Universal Service Provision Fund Tasks Young Innovators …Says they ought to be solutions providers By Clifford Agugoesi From the Un...

Universal Service Provision Fund Tasks Young Innovators

…Says they ought to be solutions providers

By Clifford Agugoesi

From the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) comes a challenge to Nigerian young techpreneurs to deploy  their ingenuity in  solving relevant problems  confronting the country and wrought disruption in the system through creativity and innovation.

As a catalyst to this charge, it has set up a nationwide contest  open to young innovators, software developers, UX designers, students, and other ICT enthusiasts from all over Nigeria, tagged  USPF Innovation Changemaker Challenge 2017.

Africa Telecom & IT understands that the challenge is aimed at tackling a selection of identified problems based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), as they apply to Nigeria and offer working solutions to them.

Participants will be required to create their own technology intervention for any of the following areas:

1.         Agriculture and Creation of Mass Employment: In the production, storage or distribution of food.

2.         Environment: Oil & Gas, Flood, Erosion/Climate Change.

3.         National e-data on Poverty, Disease, Security.

4.         Health/Lifestyle: Medical Doctors Information Exchange Tool; Health Insurance etc.

5.         Epidemic Mobility Tracking Solutions: e.g. Ebola, Lassa fever.

6.         Disease Destroyer Games: Educational games on disease eradication e.g. Malaria, Polio, and HIV.

7.         Education: Virtual Education, E-Library & E-Learning Systems.

8.         Intelligent Technologies for Scientists, Science Teachers, Engineers, etc.

9.         Girls4Tech: Interactive solutions aimed at getting young girls interested technology and innovation.

10.       Fraud whistle-Blowers: Enabling or assistive technology.

11.       Information Technology: Communications Quality of Service.

12.       National Security: Cybercrime and Cyber security Solutions, etc.

13.       E-Government: Government Automation Processes.

14.       E-Commerce: e-Transactions, Payment Systems, etc.

Entry is open to teams, minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 members (no individuals). Teams with female members will have definite added advantage as USPF seeks to encourage more gender diversity in technology innovation. Thirty (30) teams will be shortlisted (consisting of the top 5 entries from each geopolitical zone). They will be invited for the national finals, where the top 3 finalists will win the following prizes:

1st Prize – N1, 000,000* plus acceptance into incubation programme

2nd Prize – N750, 000* plus acceptance into incubation programme

3rd Prize – N500, 000* plus acceptance into incubation programme

*Monetary prize includes product completion and cash

Registration for the challenge commenced  4th July and closes  14th August, 2017.

Finals for the Changemaker Challenge  come up on 28th & 29th October, 2017

To register, interested contestants are to log on to: http://www.uspfchangemaker.ng

The Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) No 19 of 2003, Part IV, established the Universal Service Provision and mandated the Board to supervise and provide broad policy directions for the management of the USP Fund.

Section 118 of the Act established the USP Secretariat and states that it shall reside in the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Universal Service Provision. Pursuant to this mandate, the USP Fund started operation in August 2006 and has embarked on various projects to realize its objectives.

NCC Board  Hails Collaboration  with CBN over Etisalat Restructuring

The Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),  has praised the quality of collaboration between the agency and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on the on-going restructuring at Etisalat Nigeria Nigeria, GutsyPen4ICTD has learnt. The NCC board, headed by Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, rose from an emergency meeting, Wednesday July 5, 2017, to comprehensively review  issues around troubled the telco.

Information on the meeting, seen by GutsyPen4ICTD, signed by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, said financial and technical integrity standards, the telco is expected to meet, took the front burners at the crucial board meeting.

While commending the NCC Management for its able handling of the Etisalat issue till date, the board noted  its concerns are three-fold: ensuring continuous service to the over 21 million Etisalat subscribers, safeguarding the employees, and stabilizing the telecom sector to ensure its contribution to GDP is not impacted and investment interest continues. 

Details on the three-fold concerns were sketchy yet as at the time of this report, but the NCC board directed the Management to ensure always  that telcos meet the financial and technical integrity standards expected of them.

It will be recalled that, the Central Bank of Nigeria, recently reconstituted the board of Etisalat Nigeria, chaired by its deputy director, Dr. Joseph Nnanna, giving it a 6-month deadline to ensure the telco met its financial obligations to 13 creditor  banks led by Access Bank Plc.

Ntel targets mass market with new device.

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Ntel targets mass market with newdevice
By Cliffo...: Ntel targets mass market with new device By Clifford Agugoesi In a strategic move to avail its subscribers of functional and affo...

Ntel targets mass market with new device

By Clifford Agugoesi

In a strategic move to avail its subscribers of functional and affordable devices and ensure their stickiness with its network, Ntel has launched the  NOVA 4G/LTE dual-SIM phone into the Nigerian market.

Ntel operates a 4G/LTE Advanced network which is not 2G or 3G phone-compatible.

By the introduction of the Nova into the market place, telecom industry watchers believe, Ntel is targeting the mass market segment, which previous devices launch may have inadvertently  literally excluded, in order to shore up its subscriber base and delete whatever disadvantages this may have caused the firm, as it strives to take its disruptive services to all parts of Nigeria.

The timing of the launch of the Nova 4G/LTE device is apt as the Nigerian economy struggles to wriggle out of recession waters and subscribers could barely cope with the pricing of other devices which literally bites the already lean purses of consumers of telecom services. 

Make no mistakes about it, Nigeria, nay Africa, is a price-sensitive market and even a marginal price reduction will excite the right sentiment in buyers and get them respond to a product or service even when they are least ready to part with their money. And, coupled with the exchange volatility in the market, a product pricing around N25,000.00, envisaged for Nova, will most likely gel with consumers. 

And, from a hardware point of view, Nigeria is least operator-led, say experts. In operator-led markets, subscribers purchase devices directly from network operators.  In Nigeria, most subscribers buy their devices in the open market.   At  best, it is a laggard market  with a small percentage of buyers depending on their networks, while South Africa is a clear continental leader, although Kenya is held to be Africa’s best example when considering a hybrid model wherein operators supply devices to consumers in addition to purchases from an open market.

Interestingly, Ntel CEO Kamar Abass  maintains his company is not for the rich.

So, what is the insider thinking within Ntel that instigated the telco to bring in the Nova?  An amalgam of factors put together, especially a recessed economy and exchange rate volatility,it is held, will not attract many deep pocket buyers for the princely priced devices and so focusing on these will not help Ntel achieve the kind of volume and scale its marketers are projecting.  So what will do the magic?  A rugged , well-priced, double sim device that is market-tested and reliable.  This is a yawning vacuum that the Nova 4G/LTE phone has come to fill and it proves to be a killer strategy for the telco.

“The entry of ntel NOVA into the device market signals a new dawn in the evolution of the Nigerian 4G/LTE segment which has been impacted by concerns around the availability and affordability of 4G/LTE-capable devices. Our investment in ntel NOVA further underscores our firm commitment to changing the game in the 4G/LTE broadband segment and to support the actualisation of the penetration targets outlined in the National Broadband Plan of 2013,” a company information to which Africa Telecom & IT is privy, says.

From a devices design perspective, the ntel NOVA phone is, according to the Ntel information  “an exciting ergonomically designed, low priced, dual-SIM device defined by characteristics of both a feature phone and a smart phone.

The sleek device which comes in three distinct colours; rose gold, gold and grey, runs on the Android 6.0 operating system with a 8GB+1GB RAM capacity and has front 5 mega pixels and rear 2 mega pixel cameras, with Bluetooth and WiFi hotspot capabilities.

The ntel NOVA has space for a micro USB 2.0, earphone jack and two micro SIM card slots. It has 1800mAh battery capacity, with Standby time of 7 days and talk time of 9 hours.

In addition to a high-quality 3.8-inch capacitive touch screen, it also provides a traditional keyboard for quick dialing while boasting 4 dedicated Quick Launch keys for internet apps – Facebook, Internet Browser, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

To ensure visibility and ubiquity of the Nova,  Ntel is doing a road show across its three major cities of operation to introduce the phone and create awareness for its latest 4G/LTE device which comes in to complement its fast selling MiFis and routers.

Ntel is Nigeria’s first advanced 4G/LTE network providing superfast Internet access that enables voice, data video and TV on demand. Its network is built on the 900/1800 Mhz which are the best propagation frequencies for the deployment of 4G/LTE technology.

Ntel offerings include: National Bandwidth, International Voice Termination, International Bandwidth, Mobile Network and Fixed Network.

The company made its first on-net test data call in Lagos on Monday January 18, 2016 and followed up with its first on-net Voice over LTE (VOLTE) call in Lagos on Tuesday, February 23, 2016.

Full commercial operations began on Friday 08 04 2016 in Lagos and Abuja with Port Harcourt coming on stream in December 2016.

 

Enabling Environment and Market Forces Critical to Bourse Listing of Telcos

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Enabling business environment and market forces c...: Enabling business environment and market forces critical to bourse listing by telcos– Airtel CEO A conducive business environment cou...

Enabling business environment and market forces critical to bourse listing by telcos– Airtel CEO

A conducive business environment coupled with market dynamics are success factors germane to the listing of telecommunications firms on the Nigerian stock market, so says the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya.  But GutsyPen4ICTD learns, Mr. Ogunsanya’s statement is with a proviso-barring challenges confronting operators in the sector.

According to the CEO of the telco, an enabling business environment, policies that promote ease of doing business and market forces in line with best practices are key factors that can encourage telcos to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Ogunsanya gave this hint while delivering his presentation entitled “Creating an Enabling Environment for Public Listing of the Economy’s Commanding Heights: The Case for Telecoms Sector“ at the 2017 Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) Annual National Workshop held in Abuja.

He noted that following the liberalisation of the telecoms sector in 2001, the nation has benefitted in terms of employment creation, attraction of foreign direct investments and social-economic development.

Said he: “The sector currently accounts for 10 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and therefore makes it a critical national infrastructure. In addition, connectivity among Nigerians has been enhanced with the 145,350,702 active lines as at May 2017, investments in the sector as at Q1 2017 stood at $68billion with FDI contribution amounting to $35billion, while over 10,000 direct jobs and 1.3million indirect jobs have been created.”

He stressed that telcos are committed to providing qualitative world class telecommunications services and in turn contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. However, operators are still facing challenges which stifle growth and inhibit services delivery.

He urged government to address lingering industry issues such as multiple taxation, prohibitive right-of-way fees, broadband spectrum pricing/ availability among others.

According to him, high interest rates are a major draw-back on use of debt financing, the fluctuation of foreign exchange rate has adversely impacted use of debt financing, while adverse market conditions occasioned by recession have adversely impacted viability of public equity alternatives.

The CIS Annual Workshop themed “Transition from Recession to Global Economic Power: A Working Template for Nigeria” was a convergence of stakeholders in the nation’s financial services sector.

Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyema; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo; Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun were among top government functionaries, captains of industry and dignitaries that attended the event.

The workshop was organised in conjunction with the Nigerian Capital Market Institute, a training affiliate of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the apex regulator of the Nigerian Capital Market

GutsyPen4ICTD: NITDA inaugurates committee for GITEX

GutsyPen4ICTD: NITDA inaugurates committee for GITEX: NITDA inaugurates committee  for GITEX The Director-General (DG) of the National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA), ...

NITDA inaugurates committee for GITEX

NITDA inaugurates committee  for GITEX

The Director-General (DG) of the National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA),  Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has set up a committee to steer Nigeria’s participation at the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition Conference (GITEX), holding in Dubai, from the 8th to 21st of October, 2017.

GutsyPen4ICTD understands this bold move is  part of the agency’s strategy to pursue its core mandate namely capacity building, regulation, digital job creation, government digital service promotion, local content development and promotion, cyber security and revenue generation.

The DG of NITDA  charged the  committee members with the responsibilities of ensuring that Nigeria’s young innovators are well represented, create an environment for Nigeria’s IT firms to network with their foreign counterparts, devise ways and strategise to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) and encourage domestication of IT firms that would add value to Nigeria’s IT sector, among others.

Dr. Pantami, who has not hidden his disdain for the predilection of Nigerians to consume foreign goods and services and its impact on the local currency, said at an industry event  in Lagos recently: “If you look at the amount of money we spend annually on the importation of goods and services of ICT you will be amazed.  It is approximately around US$2.6billion annually and this amount is projected to reach  around US$147 billion in 2020.  It is almost 6 times our current budget.  And that is why we are putting more pressure on our local currency (the Naira).

“There is no strategy on developing our local content.  We are focused on sourcing forex and  importing something into our nation without cross-checking  whether we have it in our nation locally or not.  Because we are more addicted and inclined to anything foreign. That is the mentality that we have.  And some of the goods that are being imported into our nation are not up to the standard of what is being produced at home, but we only admire other nations whatever they produce we patronise, but whatever is made in Nigeria, we neglect it.

“Our President, Muhammadu Buhari…, stated recently that economic growth is impossible without emphasis on made in Nigeria.  Without regulation, you cannot in any way promote our local content; you cannot in any way encourage and motivate people to patronize it.  Look at our local industries all over, they are complaining about patronage. Why?  Because we have this mentality that whatever we have as Made in Nigeria  is local.  Why is it local?”

Meanwhile, the NITDA DG has also inaugurated the eNigeria 2017 Local Organising Committee, LOC, charging the members to ensure a successful conference.

eNigeria, NITDA's annual IT flagship programme,  aims to proffer solutions to problems hampering the growth of Information Technology in Nigeria

This year's event is built for  the 7th to 9th November, 2017 under  theme “Imperatives of Effective ICT Regulations and Promotion of Indigenous Content for Sustainable National Development.”

GutsyPen4ICTD: NIGCOMSAT Steps UpVisibility Efforts… Organises ...

GutsyPen4ICTD: NIGCOMSAT Steps UpVisibility Efforts
… Organises  ...: NIGCOMSAT Steps Up Visibility Efforts … Organises  Resellers Interactive Forum With a few weeks elapsing, after it hosted the Nigeria...

NIGCOMSAT Steps Up Visibility Efforts

… Organises  Resellers Interactive Forum

With a few weeks elapsing, after it hosted the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Space Engineering Division) in a one-day interactive seminar, with the theme "Improving Nigeria's socio-economic development through space science and technology," the agency is again holding a Resellers Interactive Forum.

GutsyPen4ICTD learns the forum is to enable NIGCOMSAT discuss with its channel partners who have supported and  utilized its  services over the years.  “We are with our strategic partners and channel distributors to exchange ideas and reintroduce our mission and vision,” the information says.

This forum, ICT analysts believe, is coming against the background of insinuations NIGCOMSAT is not doing enough awareness campaigns to sensitise its current and prospective customers on its real and perceived rich value propositions.

The agency is streaming the forum live on its social media accounts, including Facebook.

GutsyPen4ICTD: Ecdysis Is The New Reality AtEtisalat Nigeria…Sec...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Ecdysis Is The New Reality AtEtisalat Nigeria…Sec...: Ecdysis Is The New Reality At Etisalat Nigeria …Sector regulator may hold the ace on direction of changes With heightened speculation...

GutsyPen4ICTD: NCC Releases ProceduresAnd Requirements For Obta...

GutsyPen4ICTD:

NCC Releases ProceduresAnd Requirements For Obta...: NCC Releases Procedures And Requirements For Obtaining Certified True Copies Telecommunications sector regulator, the Nigerian Commu...

GutsyPen4ICTD: Information and Communication TechnologyGives Dist...

GutsyPen4ICTD: Information and Communication TechnologyGives Dist...: Information and Communication Technology Gives Distinct Character to Real Estate Phyllis Okeke tells Clifford Agugoesi information and co...

GutsyPen4ICTD: Samsung titillatesconsumers with launch of the ne...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Samsung titillatesconsumers with launch of the ne...: Samsung titillates consumers with launch of the new S8 and S8+ The newest flagship smartphones from Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., ...

GutsyPen4ICTD: New Board and Top Management Appointments Announc...

GutsyPen4ICTD:  New Board and Top Management Appointments Announc...:   New Board and Top Management Appointments Announced at Etisalat Nigeria Normalcy appears to be gradually returning to Etisalat Niger...

GutsyPen4ICTD: Regulatory Intervention SavesEtisalat NigeriaMor...

GutsyPen4ICTD:
Regulatory Intervention SavesEtisalat Nigeria
Mor...: Regulatory Intervention Saves Etisalat Nigeria More facts have emerged showing it is regulatory intervention that led to the reconsti...

Regulatory Intervention Saves Etisalat Nigeria

More facts have emerged showing it is regulatory intervention that led to the reconstitution of the board of Etisalat Nigeria. Gutsy Pen For ICT Development, GutsyPen4ICTD, learns that both the banking and telecom sector regulators, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), respectively, played a collaborative role in the exercise.

While the CBN, which actually led the process, was more worried that Etisalat has not been able to liquidate its financial obligations to 13 banks led by Access Bank Plc, running into billions of dollars, the NCC is said to be concerned non sector quantities do not take over the telco and, by so doing, exacerbate the poor quality of service challenge the national network is facing.

A director of the apex bank, Dr. Joseph Nnanna was appointed Chairman of the board of the telco.  Other members of the new board include Oluseyi Bickersteth, Ken Igbokwe, Boye Olusanya and Funke Ighodaro.

Boye Olusanya, a one time Acting Chief Executive Officer of Celtel now Airtel Nigeria,  has been confirmed as the Chief Executive Officer and will replace Matthew Willsher, who was CEO until divestment by minority shareholders Mubadala. Funke Ighodaro takes over from Olawole Obasunloye as Chief Finance Officer.

The appointment of a new board at the telco is a function of joint efforts by the CBN and NCC to ensure operations at the telco are not grounded while efforts are coordinated to ensure Etisalat meets its obligations to its creditor banks.  Regarding the chemistry between the two regulators, perhaps, what investment analysts have seen is a closing of ranks rather than a fight.  For example, there were suggestions the NCC should be on the board of the firm, but the regulator did not find this attractive as taking a board position could have a backlash on its regulatory neutrality.

The attention of the regulator was drawn to a report by some media organizations that it is represented on the new board of Etisalat, according to NCC information at the disposal of GutsyPen4ICTD. The information was inked by the Director of Public Affairs at the Commission, Tony Ojobo.

“The Commission, hereby, makes it clear that it is not on the Board of Etisalat. As the regulator of the telecommunications sector, there was a recommendation suggesting that NCC should be on the new board of the company, but the Commission declined. The NCC considered it necessary to bring this to the attention of the general public,”Ojobo said.

However, there are those who believe, the contribution of the NCC is significant considering the throwing up of the CEO Boye Olusanya, for example, who is a trusted and tested hand in telecommunications business, and is believed to possess the midas touch to run the company profitably within the time frame prescribed, giving the input of his colleague members of the board, who equally command intimidating credentials.

The board has a mandate to ensure that Etisalat Nigeria honours fully its obligations to the creditor banks, within six months, which is not intractable, since the business is potentially prosperous and commands a large subscriber base.

So far, the outstanding loan sum to the consortium of banks stands at $227m and N113bn, a total of about $574m representing nearly half of the original loan of $1.2bn. Etisalat has been servicing the loan up till February 2017, when discussions with the banks, regarding the repayment restructuring, began.

New Board and Top Management Appointments Announced at Etisalat Nigeria

Normalcy appears to be gradually returning to Etisalat Nigeria, weeks after a consortium of creditor banks, led by Access Bank Plc, threatened to take over the affairs of the telco, with the appointment of a new board and management to take the company out of the woods. 

GutsyPen4ICTD learns that the telco and its creditor banks may have resolved their differences following interventions facilitated by both the regulators of the telecommunications and banking sectors, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), respectively.

With this development, stakeholders of the telco can now rest assured the new board and management would do the urgent needful and return the telco to a growth path.  Members of the new board include Dr. Joseph Nnanna - Chairman,  Oluseyi Bickersteth, Ken Igbokwe, Boye Olusanya and Funke Ighodaro.

A former Acting Chief Executive Officer of Celtel now Airtel Nigeria, Boye Olusanya, has been confirmed as the Chief Executive Officer. He will replace Matthew Willsher, who was CEO until the time minority shareholders Mubadala pulled out of the firm. Funke Ighodaro  is replacing Olawole Obasunloye as Chief Finance Officer.

The decisions reached so far validates the confidence of the stakeholders on the viability of the telco which says it is committed to continuously serving its subscribers, through the provision of innovative products and services with its committed staff, partners and vendors to empower the needs of its customers and improve their experience on the network.

In October, 2016, Etisalat Nigeria  announced the official launch of its mobile 4G Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) service in Nigeria, an offering, which, demonstrates Etisalat Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to deliver superior customer experience to its subscribers.

Samsung titillates consumers with launch of the new S8 and S8+

The newest flagship smartphones from Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the Galaxy S8 and S8+, have been launched into the Nigerian market, following their unveiling at the company’s unpacked event in New York. The Nigerian launch event took place at the Renaissance Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, south west, Nigeria, recently.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature polished metal chassis covered by curved Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back. The devices are available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray and Maple Gold colours with internal memory of 64GB and up to 256GB microSD support.

Boasting some of the largest wrap-around screens ever made, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ come with 14.73 cm and 15.75 cm curved screens, respectively. Both devices have 1,440X2,960 screen resolution and are equipped 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries, respectfully.

The display quality is Super AMOLED, featuring a new design named "infinity display", which wraps around the devices in a smooth, perfectly curved pristine end-to-end screen, giving it a perfect symmetry while eliminating the bezels. Courtesy of the new display, the physical home button usually located in the front of the phone has been replaced with a digital home button, built in the glass. Both devices feature a rear mounted fingerprint reader, quite close to the camera lens.

Speaking at the launch event, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Paul Lee said, “Samsung consistently pushes the boundaries of possibilities with a focus of unlocking value by delivering products that are, not only stunning to look at but, also comfortable to hold.”

“The launch of these smartphones marks the beginning of a new era of smartphone devices without edges or limits. This is a new way for our consumers to experience the world, capture every moment and share every memory through a device that is sleek and small enough to fit into their hands, but big enough to contain everything needed for work and play,” Lee stated.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ come with exciting new features for remarkable user experience. The extended screen is perfect for multitasking. Users can open their favorite IM app whilst watching a video simultaneously, by using Multi Window; this is same for typing text with the full keyboard without having to hide the video. 

The smartphones offer five types of security technologies: iris recognition, face recognition, pattern, password, and PIN; users can easily choose their preferred method. Users can use the iris scanner to unlock their devices without having to swipe the phone. With Face Recognition, users can instantly unlock their devices with just a look even without the PIN or pattern; simply look into the camera on the lock screen and the device is unlocked. 

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ 12 MP rear camera utilizes Dual Pixel technology for incredibly fast autofocus, allowing users capture important moments. Thanks to the F1.7 lens, pictures appear bright and crisp even if taken in low-light environments. Samsung did revamp the front-facing camera to an 8MP with auto focus. This will definitely excite ‘selfie queens and kings’ as pictures come out sharp and vibrant.

Similar to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are IP68-certified for dust and water. This feature protects the device from immersion in up to 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, allowing users capture memories at pool parties or on the beach with loved ones.

Director and Business Leader, Information Technology and Mobile, Emmanouil Revmatas, said that Samsung is delighted about these smartphones as they display the company’s heritage of great innovation and stunning design, and will continue to define barriers and ensure that consumers get the best out of their devices.

Information and Communication Technology Gives Distinct Character to Real Estate

Phyllis Okeke tells Clifford Agugoesi information and communication technology is redefining real estate

GutsyPen4ICTD: What is the underlying philosophy behind the Wealth Forum organized by your company?

Phyllis Okeke: The underlying philosophy is to substantially reduce the epidemic of wealth truncation and erosion prevalent among wealthy heirs, their successors and businesses. To promote a sustained habit of Generational Wealth and Succession Planning in Nigeria. Our experience has shown that Nigerian-grown businesses stand a better chance of cross-generational success if progenitor entrepreneurs device strategies to bequeath wealth to their offsprings, through early preservation planning, structured investment and philanthropy. Take for example, some of Nigeria’s wealthy people, including Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, Paschal Dozie and Mike Adenuga, who have not only  created wealth, invested and are successfully passing it on through their various foundations, through their children co-managing with them and also by going to the stock market.

GutsyPen4ICTD: Your core competencies are in consulting, real estate and investment. How has information and communication technology (ICT) impacted your group’s business and fortunes?

PO: The world is a global village today, courtesy of the impact of information and communication technology (ICT),  which has largely disrupted the way people  live, work and play as well as the way businesses are  formed  and run. For us at Zela Group, ICT has modified  Information dissemination and customer engagement, through our website and our online presence and at a budget friendly terms.  Our social media presence, for example,  serves to put us at the global marketplace and use of e-payment channels have not only speedified transaction times, but equally positively impacted our personnel and corporate safety and security, when compared with the pestle and mortar approach of our forebears.

GutsyPen4ICTD: How has your background in banking, technology and diplomatic service affected your real estate business?

Real Estate thrives on your knowledge, integrity and the type of contacts you have in your network. There is this saying that one’s network determines one’s networth.  Having spent years in the aforementioned professional fields, one comes away with loads of contacts that lead to investment in Real Estate, and naturally, people deal with whom they trust. It becomes interesting, because, we deal with clients who know for a fact that Real Estate is “The Real” investment for Legacy-building and mostly form part of assets willed to the next generation. Again, the central role of information and communication technology, in facilitating these exchanges, cannot be overemphasized.  Our experience in these fields is a plus for our businesses as we seek to touch lives through them. You have followed our Wealth Creation programmes and could see from the configuration of our resource persons that the import of these diverse professional backgrounds has not been lost  on us.

GutsyPen4ICTD: At your Wealth Forum last April, one takeaway by participants is the optimism within real estate circles that property values tend to appreciate every year.  To what extent do you think real estate could prove a solution to an economy in recession such as is currently experienced in Nigeria?

PO: Real Estate does not operate in a vacuum; it reflects the general economic trend. Current environment requires consistent raising of the bar on the skills of the Real estate consultant. It calls for true entrepreneurship, extreme professionalism, great sphere of influence, good business background and perfect timing. Again, you could see there is no way the pervasive role of ICT as a business enabler is obscured. Having said that, Nigeria’s  Minister of Finance  Kemi Adeosun, at a recent event, spoke of the Federal Government working with the private sector to provide over 400,000 housing units in different locations of the country. This will prove a major injection into the economy and stimulate different ancillary services and sectors of the economy such as ICT, amongst others.  Investors with robust portfolio also see this time as an opportunity to come into the country for various other real estate investments like malls, agricultural settlements and industrial real estate with a long-term plan of 5 to 10 years.  How relevant would these investments be without ICT infrastructure and tools being available, accessible and affordable? Your guess is as good as mine.

GutsyPen4ICTD: How much of wealth truncation do you think is happening in Nigeria, in particular and Africa in general and how have your seminars served to arrest the epidemic as it were?

PO: This is like 75 per cent of all the great wealth of individual and corporation.  Research has shown that 70 per cent of family wealth is lost by the end of the 2^nd generation and 90 per cent by the end of the 3^rd generation. Very poor statistics in general. The Wealth Forum by Zela has been holding various talks and seminars to provide professional advice together with our partners. We have another one coming up… more details will be provided, so wealth progenitors and persons intending to CREATE, INVEST and PASS ON WEALTH, should watch this space.  Again as you may have discovered, many ICT heavy-weights like Airtel  have started showing interest in these programmes, because of the huge window of opportunities they open up for their businesses.

GutsyPen4ICTD: You counsel that wealth progenitors at both the individual and corporate levels must shoulder the responsibility of putting in place, a litigation proof and a financial structure to pass on wealth to the next generation.  How critical is the role of ICT in all this?

PO: ICTs have come to play a critical role in documentation, security and record preservation where you have varied and alternate options on storage, accessibility and flexibility. So, yes, ICT is part of the equation and will remain so, going into the future.

GutsyPen4ICTD: To what extent are you applying social media in your marketing efforts and how effective have these been?

PO: Together with our partners, social media is one of our effective tools in marketing our properties, Consulting- Marketpro Marketing & Sales Training, and The Wealth Forum by Zela. Our target audience are on these various platforms; LinkedIn, Facebook, Whatsapp and email marketing, among others.