The Nigerian ICT sector continued to witness a lot of growth in 2011. Our ICT industry is one of the fastest growing in the world and certainly the fastest in Africa.
First, the industry rose to the occasion of providing some level of automation in the Nigerian voter
IN a proactive move to boost optical network performance in the country, Alcatel –Lucent, has expanded over 100 gigabits-per-second signals into it operation.
The company’s Strategic Development Manager, Mr. Michael Ackland, said: “This latest addition to the company’s portfolio is designed to enhance the ability of communications service providers to address exploding demand for high-bandwidth services like video and fixed and mobile
With technology closing digital divide among global communities, there are strong indications based on International Business Machine’s (IBM) predictions that the year 2012 will open a new vista in the technology industry as smart machines, predictive software, smart email, biometric password, among others would become realities by changing the way people work, live and play in the next five years.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm, MTN Nigeria in collaboration with Cisco and TATA Communications has upgraded its MTN ePresence to be able to operate at an international capacity in a bid to make customers do business beyond borders in a cost effective manner.
Speaking in Lagos at the media launch of the MTN ePresence (International) recently, the Chief Executive Solution Officer (CESO), Mr. Babatunde Osho said, “MTN business is excited and
BARELY a week after its launch in Xicheng, China, Nigeria’s replacement satellite, NigComSat-1R has started attracting customers.
Disclosing this at the weekend in Abuja, the Managing Director of NigComSat Ltd, Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai, said that presently the Ghanaian government, through its Ministry of Communications, has requested the Federal Government to grant it access to some NigComSat-1R facilities.
He said that NigComSat had received a request from Ghana to
IN THE CURRENT PRINT EDITION
You need to upgrade your Flash Player or to allow javascript to enable Website Slide Show. Get Flash Player
While the euphoria on the achievements of the last 10 years in the telecom industry in Nigeria lasted almost through to the end of 2011, the New Year awakens Nigerians to the reality that despite those achievements, challenges still abound; and onward, we must move. By SAMSON AKINTARO
To Stride Ahead
Just like a flash, another year has just rolled by. While many still rue the unaccomplished targets of 2011, many are looking forward to a brighter New Year. The fact remains that year 2011 has gone and can only appear in the world’s calendar as history.
The most important thing is to enter the New Year with workable plans while putting behind failures of the past year. It is often said that those who fail to plan, plan to fail, hence, from individual level to associations, corporate organisations and governments, planning is a vital issue in transiting to another year.
But then, while looking ahead into 2012, it would not be out of place to look at many events and policies of the previous year, which would definitely affect the prospects of the New Year. Obviously, for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, the year 2011 was an eventful one with lots of interesting landmarks that are definitely going to shape the industry in 2012.
In Nigeria for instance, amidst` the celebration of a decade of successful telecommunications revolution were landmark events such as the commencement of SIM card registration; the creation of a new Ministry of Communication Technology out of the hitherto Ministry of Information and Communications and the eventual appointment of an expert to manage the affairs of the new Ministry. In the same year, Nigeria made another successful entry into the space with the launch of NigComSat-1R, a replacement for NigComSat-1, which was de-orbited three years ago.
Again, while celebrating the success of GSM revolution, the issue of poor .read more
He remains outstanding being the first Nigerian to head the leading PAY-TV firm in the country. In this interview with IT & TELECOM DIGEST, MR JOHN UGBE, the newly appointed Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria speaks on the company’s giant strides and moves to develop local content in the country. Excerpts:
Question: First of all, congratulations on your appointment as the first Nigerian Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria. When you are given a task like this, those who gave you the task are looking at figures; how would you make sure that the figures you are going to have for the next financial year are such that those who gave you the responsibility would be happy? What strategies do you have in place?
Answer: The first thing I will say is about our people; I will say I am very lucky to be in a company that has some of the best . read more
Over the years, much has been said about the need for service providers in the Nigerian telecommunications industry to provide the necessary service quality that gives the consumers value for their money. The industry regulator on its part has taken some interventions in beating the operators to this line; yet, the issue of poor quality of service, poor customer relations, inadequate or lack of provisions for the physically challenged, among others remain contentious in the Nigerian telecom sector.
This perhaps, explains why Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2009, inaugurated the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum to work in an advisory capacity to the Commission regarding the interests and concerns of consumers of ICT products and services including persons with disabilities and the elderly, to ensure protection from unfair practices. Since inauguration, the forum chaired by the Director General of the Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ify Umenyi has been meeting on the task given to them and probably advising the commission as expected. .read more
One of the major challenges bedevilling the Nigerian telecom sector is the issue of multiple taxation and despite ceaseless outcry by operators, it seems nobody is ready to listen and look into the situation. Perhaps the much touted success of the sector over the last 10 years given the geometrical growth of the market is somewhat a blessing turned sour. Governments at all levels are now seeing the telecom operators as cash cow, with each bringing its own charges and levies for one right or the other.
Currently, in addition to the statutory taxes levied on operators, telecommunications operators pay Annual Operating Levy (AOL) of certain percentage of earnings to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and are required in addition to pay various rates and charges to other Federal Government agencies like the Consumer Protection Council, Nigeria Lottery Commission, federal and state ministries of environment including authorities in every state and local Government in which they operate..read more
In living up to its brand promise of meeting consumers’ needs with innovative products and cutting-edge technology, LG Electronics has once again created a new era for scanners with the launch of LSM-100, the mouse with an in-built scanner.
The innovative mouse incorporates technology specifically developed for the new device, offering an array of unique functions that blend surprising innovation and user convenience.
The LG LSM-100 Scanner Mouse is the world’s first mouse with an embedded scanner function that offers convenience, mobility and simplicity. An innovative scanner that breaks through the limitations of complicated, non-portable conventional scanners is expected to be the next hit in the technology marketread more
More:-
Twenty lucky winners, including a Professor and a retiree, who have won prizes in the Glo N1 Billion SIM registration promo, have been presented with their cheques of N1 million each at a special presentation ceremony held at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
The winners include Adetayo Shakiru Sanni, Ajibade Oloruntoba, Alabi Fatai Olawale, Musa Jimoh and Awaye Abosede Adeola. Others are Adebayo Moses, Oladejo Tunde, Jide Adebayo, Akinbobola Raphael and Odetayo Afolabi. One of the winners, Mrs Awaye Adeola, who got a call that she won N1 million in the promo just 6 days after her retirement from the Oyo State civil service said she was grateful to God and to Glo for the special blessing.
“I never expected this just six days after starting my retirement. I was not sure of what to do next. But now I am grateful to God and to Glo for using this to open a new door of opportunity for me”, she said..read more More :
I am delighted to welcome you to this fourth quarter meeting of the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and ICAF’s first of its kind open forum for the year 2011.
ICAF acts in an advisory capacity to make recommendations to NCC regarding the interests and concern of the consumers of telecommunication products and services, the interests and concerns of physically challenged persons and at the same time ensure that consumers are protected from unfair market practices.
Apart from making recommendation on issues pertaining to the foregoing, I am happy to inform you that ICAF has in the recent past facilitated the review of the commission’s consumer code of practice regulations..read more
Having the ability to dream big and encouraging others in achieving their big dreams is humanity at its best. Many have dreams but only a few have the courage to take that first step to turn such into reality.
Ben Murray-Bruce is one of the few individuals who dare to dream big and also have the courage to pursue such dreams. With a paltry sum of N20,000 loan from his father who wasn’t very much in support of his chosen path, Ben went into business in a small office space rented from the same money. His only work tool then was his dream to become number one in what he wanted to do.
Today, 30 years after, he has grown the business into an empire worth several billions of Naira. This is the story of Benedict Murray-Bruce, the starry eyed youth with the lofty dream of becoming the number one entertainment company owner in the world..read more
Me & My Phone
Wilson's Cafe
Her department remains one of the most active at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), having to move from one state of the federation to another on monthly basis all in a bid to ensure that telecoms consumers get the best from their operators. MRS MARY UDUMA, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau of the NCC, is ever active on her job, especially, when it comes to organising and managing the outreach programme of the commission, Telecoms Consumer Parliament, which is also a platform to inform, educate and protect telecom consumers in the country. In doing this, she works with a team who moves around and of course who have to make adequate preparations for every meeting with the consumers. Obviously, this requires constant communications to make things work. What kind of phone does she use to do these multiple communications task and how does she make use of it? She has these to say: What type of phone do you use?
Currently I use Blackberry Bold. It was given to me by my organisation, which is NCC. read more
One additional day every four years doesn’t sound like much. But when that additional day falls on a Wednesday then it’s not just another 24 hours. It’s a life and death matter for one group of working people known as “corporate warriors”, or, if you like, workaholics.
It seems a pretty personal question to ask, but did you feel overworked last year, and the year before that? If your answer is yes, then perhaps you should answer a second, related question: did you figure out the reason why? Even so, did you feel - however remotely - that you faced some risk, and that something could suddenly go terribly wrong with your health?
These are the kinds of questions millions of working people across the world asked themselves last year, and millions more will be asking themselves now. The questions become particularly compelling given that these days people’s New Year resolutions hardly include a determination to work less and play more!
In society after society, all manner of fears (of poverty, career stagnation, social slippage) have given rise to the equally serious disease of overwork. Show me one executive who does not secretly groan under the pressure of work? A taxing combination of long days at the desk, hours upon hours in an aeroplane cabin, and long nights of sleep-substituting mental exertion – it’s all in a day’s work, the saying goes. It translates to working day shift and night shift within a given 24-hour span.
Research has established that the consequences of overwork – or so-called ‘corporate warrior’ lifestyle – are dire.read more
As Nigeria prepares to meet the June 17 target for complete migration to digital broadcasting, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said there would not be anything like subsidy for people to acquire top boxes which convert analogue signals to digital.
Speaking at a summit in Kenya, the Director General of the Commission, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, who acknowledged the acquisition of these boxes remains a challenge in the quest to migrate to digital broadcasting, however said government subsidies to ease acquisition of these boxes cannot be considered since the petroleum subsidies introduced by the government years ago had left a bad taste in the mouth. "We are not looking forward to any subsidy what we are doing is public and private sector cooperation to drive this migration," noted Bolarinwa.
Concerns over the effect, if any, of mobile phones, masts and other telecom and ICT products and infrastructure, have continued to gain grounds across the world, especially as the use of ICTs, mobile phones in particular, has become indispensable in daily living globally. In Nigeria, these concerns have also been expressed repeatedly.
In a rather proactive manner, the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), played host recently to the Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa, of Mobile Manufacturers Forum (MMF), Mr. Thomas Barmuller, for bilateral discussions with the regulator on reassuring the Nigerian telecom consumer of their safety from electromagnetic field (EMF).
The MMF is an international non-profit organisation founded in 1998 by a number of leading manufacturers of mobile radio equipment, including leading ones like Nokia, Samsung, Apple, as well as network suppliers like Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks and Alcatel-Lucent, among others..read more
The creation of the Ministry of Communication Technology from the hitherto Ministry of Information and Communication came as a surprise to many; yet, it was greeted with open arms. A surprise because the once Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Information were merged by the President Olusegun Obasanjo government in a move that was seen as following global trends in the convergence train.
But seeing the need to have a distinct ministry to look after the Information and Communications Technology issues in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan excised that part and called it simply Ministry of Communication Technology, leaving the other part back as it used to be, as Ministry of Information..read more
Kia Motors Corporation is delighted that the all-new Kia Picanto and its Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer, have received honors in the BBC Top Gear Magazine annual awards announced recently. The Picanto has been named ‘Bargain of the Year’ and Schreyer was selected as one of the ‘Men of the Year’ in the special awards issue, published on 30 November 2011.
The Picanto has been showered with awards since its launch in Europe during June this year and BBC Top Gear Magazine wrote of the car, “Finally, here’s a Korean supermini that you might choose over, say, a Fiat 500. You want a bargain? The car we have here is a touch over 10 grand (£10,000 GBP), but you can have one for under eight. That’s two grand less than the cheapest Cinquecento, and – for our money – it’s the better car.. read more
