The Nation Newspaper

Category: Infotech

  • Innovation: Let all home spin

    Innovation: Let all home spin

    No denial that technology is fast changing the way we do things, the way we approach things and even the way we live our lives as individuals and as a people.

    In the light of that, this latest innovation from Kickstarter project is set to both make life more comfortable and even more colourful.

    With the fast development of technology in the world right now, many different devices have been introduced, which Nigerians are yet to catch up with. Sometimes, many complain of the cost of acquiring these devices. They don’t cost a fortune, especially this new device named SPIN.

    The device is a remote control which has no button but can operate every remote controlled device in your home from the television set to the sound system, Air Conditioning system, etc.; it is a durable product that comes with so much ease to access.
    SPIN is a product that helps combine all functions which you truly need into a single device and its fast and easy to access for anyone, the remote will be important for every home most especially to reduce the rate of having many remote in one’s home and the device is used to access all remote accessible electronics gadgets. In the market soon.

  • SIM reg: Fresh NCC sanction looms

    SIM reg: Fresh NCC sanction looms

    Last year, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) came down hard on all the telcos for failing to deactivate improperly registered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards on their networks. MTN was worst hit as it was slammed with N1.04trillion fine for keeping over five million such SIMs on its network. While the telco is still writhing in pains over the fine, LUCAS AJANAKU writes that the operators appear not to have taken any lesson as they have returned to their old ways.

    Lafenwa is a sleepy residential community in Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State. A resident of the community, Augustine Ojogbede, father of three, had bought a mobile phone for his eldest son, 12-year-old Daniel, who was preparing to go to Federal Government Science and Technical College, Ushi Ekiti, Ekiti State. At least, the mobile phone will keep him and the other members of the family connected, Ojogbede had reasoned.

    So, when one of the mobile operators “stormed” his community with a bus loaded with teenagers, male and female but mostly females, with packs of SIM cards and mouth-watering promises – such as free air time one hour after activation, free 2gigabytes of data, he decided to buy two SIM cards from one of the young women who identified herself simply as Gloria.

    He sent for Daniel and his younger sister, Tolani, to come and do the biometric capture as part of the SIM card registration requirements of the NCC.

    The obviously untrained agent used the data capture machine, about 10 inches in size, to capture the face of Daniel, who was backing the crowd that had gathered to watch the dancers that came with the telco’s SIM registration team. After the other information – such as state of origin, date of birth and others – had been taken down, then came the time to capture the finger print. Daniel’s right hand thumb couldn’t be captured by the machine. Gloria tried several times but no luck. Then she suggested that Mr. Ojogbede offer his thumb in place of Daniel’s. He did and paid N400 – N200 for the two SIM cards and N200 for its registration.

    This is just one example of what is going on with SIM card registration across the country. Determined to grab subscribers, the telcos and their agents have decided to throw caution to the winds, ignoring the laid down procedures for SIM card registration and unwittingly compromising the security situation in the country.They also sell pre-registered SIMs at a premium price to willing buyers.

    All the telcos except Etisalat Nigeria failed to respond to media inquiries concerning the development and the level of training, supervision and monitoring given to the agents commissioned to carry out SIM card registration on their behalf.

    Chineze Amanfo of the Public Relations Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Division of Etisalat explained: “Etisalat carries out SIM Registrations at Experience Centres and authorised dealer partner outlets, and we are committed to strict adherence to NCC’s guidelines on subscriber registration. Our agents across all channels are duly trained and our supervisors in charge of SIM registration regularly carry out checks to ensure that all agents follow the laid down guidelines.”

    NCC’s SIM Registration Regulations set forth very clear requirements for subscriber registration:  Biometric Information-four fingerprints; clear facial image of the subscriber collected in accordance with the agreed Registration Specifications.

    Personal Information – full name;   mother’s maiden name; gender; date of birth;

    Proof of Identity: any of the following must be sighted: National Identity Card, International Passport; Driver’s Licence; Letter of authentication by traditional ruler/community leader affixed with passport photograph (in rural areas).

    Data quality: must be in accordance with Registration specifications in digital Image Standards, Data Dictionary.

    Starting in 2007, the NCC commenced the SIM registration and finalised it in 2011 with enactment of the SIM Registration Regulations.

    Key objectives of the exercise are to create a central database of telecoms services users in Nigeria, regardless of medium.Other objectives include facilitating know your customer (KYC) for adjacent sectors – such as the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others.

    NCC’s actions were hinged on assisting law enforcement and security agencies to fight the growing level of insurgency (in the Northeast) and criminality (in the South), as some subscribers abused anonymity to embarrass, defraud or carry out illegitimate activities.  Unregistered SIMs have been implicated in acts of kidnapping, financial crimes (419) while registration/location information have been used successfully to track down criminals – such as the Osokogu case. SIMs can also be used to detonate improvises explosive devices (IEDs).

    Before the sanction imposed on the telcos last year, NCC said from the about 38.78 million SIMs transmitted to it by the telcos were found wanting and were shipped back for correction but the telcos ignored all entreaties to do the right thing. At the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency, they were given August 11 timeline to deactivate all the SIMs. Director, Public Affairs at the NCC, Tony Ojobo, said a situation where a single individual had over 200 SIM cards unregistered was unacceptable.

    NCC’s Head, Compliance and Monitoring Unit, Efosa Idehen, said some 18.6 million SIMs’ data were sent back to MTN; 7. 49 million sent to Airtel; 2.23 million to Globacom and 10.46 million to Etisalat.

    Some of the SIMs ordered deactivated by the regulator were either unregistered, pre-registered or registered but had one defect or the other, including poor finger prints, poor facial information and other biometric hiccups.

    The matter led to a tussle between NCC and MTN Nigeria, on which a whopping N1.04 trillion fine was imposed.

    An agreement was later reached after eight months that MTN pay a reduced fine of N330 billion within three years in a staggered form, and be listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) as soon as it is commercially and legally possible.

    NCC said the N330 billion would include the initial payment of N50 billion earlier made by MTN to the government.

    The balance of N280 billion would be made in six tranches within a period of three years. MTN will pay N30 billion into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), 30 days from the date of the agreement dated June 10, 2016.

    Other dates of payments include: March 31, 2017-(N30 billion); March 31, 2018-(N55 billion); December 31, 2018-(N55 billion); March 31, 2019-(N55 billion) while the balance of N55billion will be paid in May 31, 2019.

    It was also agreed that MTN shall tender an apology in line with the apology previously tendered in correspondences relating to the matter to the government of Nigeria and Nigerians within the one month of the execution of the agreement.

    The agreement,which was signed by both parties, also mandated MTN, to subscribe to the voluntary observance of the Code of Corporate Governance for the telecoms industry and ensure compulsory compliance when the said Code is made mandatory for the telecommunications industry.

    Both parties agreed that these terms of settlement cannot be altered, varied, annulled or modified, except by writing duly executed by both parties; and the terms of settlement constitute all the terms and conditions of the settlement and supersede and replace any previous offers, representations and terms.

    The huge fine of N1.04 trillion caused panic within the management of MTN, which led to the resignation of three top executives. The first was the former Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group, Mr. Sifiso Dabengwa, who was forced to resign. He was immediately replaced by an Acting Executive Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko.

    Few weeks after his resignation, the former Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, and the former Head, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck also resigned.

    Meanwhile, Ojobo has urged the carriers to remember the N200,000 penalty for selling an unregistered SIM card, warning that the commission had noticed the sale and use of pre-registered SIM cards.

    He said: “Operators through their dealers/agents are still selling pre-registered SIM cards in several parts of the country. We wish to reiterate and draw attention to the following provisions:

    “Sections 19 and 20 of the Nigerian Communications Commission (Registration of Telephone Subscribers) Regulations, 2011 state that:

    “Any licensee who fails to capture, register, deregister or transmit the details of any individual or corporate subscribers to the Central Database as specified in these regulations or as may be stipulated from time to time by the Commission is liable to a penalty of N200,000 for each subscription medium.

    “A licensee who activates any subscription medium without capturing, registering and transmitting the personal information to the Central Database commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N200, 000 for each unregistered activated Subscription Medium.

    “Any licensee who activates or fails to deactivate a subscription medium in violation of any provision of these Regulations is liable to pay a penalty of N200,000 for each unregistered but activated subscription medium.

    “Where the Commission is satisfied that a body corporate is culpable, the Director, Chief Executive Officer, Manager or Secretary shall also be liable to pay a fine of N200, 000 unless, having regard to the nature of his functions in that capacity and to all the surrounding circumstances, he proves that- the offence was committed without his knowledge, consent or connivance; and he took all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the Commission of the breach.”

    NCC warned operators and their dealers to desist from the practice of pre-registering SIM cards and selling same in the open market in violation of the above stated provisions.

    “The general public is also notified to stop purchasing pre-registered SIM cards and insist on being registered personally for any new SIM card purchased.

    “All violators will face stiff sanctions as the NCC will enlist the assistance of law enforcement agencies to address and curb this menace.”

  • $1.6m software renewal fee cripples NIMC

    •Agency mulls outsourcing e-ID cards’ printing

    The inability of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to pay $1.6million software licence renewal fees to its offshore patent has crippled  the agency’s activities saddled with aggregating the country’s biometric data.

    According to sources, the activities of the agency registering Nigerians with the promise of delivering an electronic or e-identity card have been stalled by paucity of funds.

    Nigeria is said to be losing about $2.8 billion yearly to the importation of ICT hardware and software in form capital flight out of the country

    Meanwhile, NIMC has reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out its statutory responsibility to Nigeria and to Nigerians in spite of prevailing cash crunch in the country.

    Its Director-General/Chief Executive officer (CEO), Aliyu Aziz, who spoke at the weekend, said the commitment was in line with the NIMC Act 2007 which established the Commission and clearly defined its role and responsibility to Nigerians. ‘’So far, we have enrolled over eleven million unique data into the National Identity Database (NIDB).

    “We have also printed about a million National e-ID Cards, and have issued over four hundred thousand of these Cards to their owners. Most of the unissued cards are lying in the NIMC State Offices, the owners are yet to come and collect them,” he said.

    He said there are plans to outsource the personalising and printing of the National e-ID Card to private printing bureaus, so that the backlog of the unprinted cards could be cleared and issued to their owners before long. “Outsourcing of the card printing to other printing bureaus in Nigeria will also ensure that once you enroll for the NIN, you will get the National e-ID Card immediately or within a maximum period of seven days,” the CEO said.

    Aliyu said though the Commission is facing funding challenges which has been slowing its activities and timelines, this was not peculiar to the Commission as the country is undergoing economic restructuring.

    Hit by scarcity of funds, allocations are not available to ministries departments and agencies (MDAs), including NIMC. This is a temporary interruption that will soon be over, as government is geared towards reinvigorating the funding mechanism for the Commission, he added.

    He said the funding challenge has not deterred NIMC from carrying out its obligations as it has continued to provide service at its over 400 Enrolment Centres across the country, and the number of citizens who have obtained their National Identity Number (NIN) has continued to increase, even as more Nigerians have been urged to go to the closest NIMC enrolment centres to register.

    NIMC has also refocused its efforts on the harmonisation of data with other agencies, as it has become imperative to ensure we ramp up the records in the National Identity Database to deliver better service to the nation.

    “We have commenced harmonisation with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) on the Bank Verification Number (BVN) records, so anyone that has registered for the BVN will get their NIN; so far we have processed two million records from the BVN data collected.

    “In addition, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also agreed to release data from the ongoing Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards registration exercise to the Commission; all these are in line with the Federal Government’s directive to sister agencies collecting biometrics to harmonise and integrate with the NIMC being the central repository of biometric data in Nigeria.

    “By 2019, it is projected that NIMC should have over 100 million unique record at the central database. At that time, we would have commenced the enforcement of the mandatory use of the NIN for all services and transactions requiring the authentication and verification to confirm individual’s identity. At that time also, whoever that has not enrolled (and is not a child) will be required to pay a token in order to get enrolled for the NIN. So, it is advisable for everyone to get enrolled and get the NIN before that times comes,” a statement endorsed by NIMC Head, Corporate Communications, Loveday Ogbonna quoted the CEO to have said.

  • Ericsson: ICT tool vital to SDGs attainment

    The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be realised through the deployment of the tools of information communications technology (ICT), Swedish original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Ericsson, has said.

    Head of Ericsson Nigeria, Johan Jemdahl, who spoke during the signing of an agreement with Galaxy Backbone on deployment of e-government solutions to enhance public sector delivery,  said Ericsson would work with Galaxy Backbone, the government and private agencies to scope the roadmap and implement solutions for industry transformation.

    He said: “A recent report by Ericsson and the Earth Institute at Columbia University on the impact of ICT on sustainable development, calls on governments to harness technology, investment and new types of partnerships to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

    “This partnership with Galaxy Backbone touches upon all of these criteria and places Nigeria on a clear path towards meeting the needs of a growing economy using ICT. This partnership also supports our vision of building a networked society in Nigeria, and we are excited to be partnering Galaxy Backbone on this journey.”

    Galaxy Backbone is Federal Government’s ICT shared services provider in Nigeria. The partnership is to design and deploy ICT based solutions and services supporting the delivery of efficient public services in the country.

    This deal is in keeping with Federal Government’s commitment to leverage ICT for job creation, improved security, economic diversification and social inclusion. It also supports the Minister of Communication’s vision to deploy e-Government as a tool to improve governance and efficiency in the delivery of quality public services.

    Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Backbone, Yusuf Kazaure, said: “The transformative role of ICT for improved delivery of public services has become quite significant and in Nigeria, Galaxy is at the forefront in terms of the provision of the infrastructure and services that empower MDAs (ministries, department and agencies) to achieve their mandates through better service delivery to the citizens they serve.”

    Under the terms of the partnership, spanning three years, Ericsson will serve as advisor, systems integrator and implementation partner for ICT based solutions and services covering the transport, utility and safety and security sectors.

    Ericsson will also manage all deployed solutions and services while building capacity within Galaxy Backbone and partner public parastatals, ensuring that all deployments are eventually handed over to the government along with selected private sector players.

     

  • Diminishing naira crippling ICT

    Diminishing naira crippling ICT

    The downturn in the economy occasioned by the slump in crude oil prices is taking its toll on all sectors. It is compounded by the free fall of the naira against major currencies, especially the dollar, and the policy that shuts access to foreign exchange (forex) from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). LUCAS AJANAKU reports on their crippling impact on the information communications technology (ICT) sector.

    The continuous slide of the naira, to less than 50 per cent of its value since April 2015 is spelling serious technological development concerns and consequence for Nigeria. It is such a worrying moment for businesses, technology and telecom firms operating in Nigeria.

    Although many economists and financial analysts have, from different academic perspectives, debated the effects and impact of the free-falling currency on the country, it appears only a few have considered the enormous loss in naira power and the dire consequence on the country’s technological development.

    The treacherous slip of the currency down the slope and alley of technology stagnancy or backwardness is, to state the least, the resulting disaster that awaits technology stakeholders at all levels of the economy. The issue, if not checked quickly, may exacerbate and further send the country backwards from what is already an ‘eggshell’ fragile technology development, onto a banana skin retrogression which could make other nations leave Nigeria further way behind.

    A Senior Manager at Accenture, Michael Ogunjobi, said the precarious state of the economy in recent months, which many commentators attribute to the aftermath of maladministration by past governments, is almost unprecedented. The free-fall of the Naira has definitely surpassed the currency devaluation shocks of the late 1980s – 2010, which fuelled the exodus of thousands of young, intelligent and enterprising human resources in droves for better lives, new hope and new beginnings to the Western world.

    In between the ‘mass exodus’ of the last two to three decades, the world has witnessed the advent, rise and boom of the internet technology which had turned out to be a blessing to a large number of  Nigerians in the Diaspora who seized the opportunity to retrain into new careers in IT.

    Over the last two decades, Nigerians living in the West have become one of the best sets of people that have great technology expertise, second only to Asians.

    Ogunjobi said while many Nigerian technology experts and professionals in the Diaspora have done very well for themselves and for their adopted countries, most were no longer contemplating return to motherland until about five years ago when the country began to open its doors for their return through the attraction of fairly stable exchange rate and businesses’ willingness to pay fairly decent wages in return for the expertise provided, which made returning home a bit more attractive

    The availability of such indigenous experts in the country, no doubt, amplified implementation and technology delivery success rates which were the values they gave in return. To a large degree, businesses, local resources and Nigeria as a whole benefited from the arrangement that saw indigenous professionals back into the country.

    “No doubt Nigeria has made more strides in the technology space in the last five years than the previous 15 years, largely due to the ‘Returnees’ coming back home with cutting edge skills,  knowledge and enhanced work ethics, which to a large extent was made easier by the equilibrium struck between knowledge and reward. However, this stability is now being threatened by the disruption that has been rocking naira since last year, 2015. Recent decisions made by the government to stem the foreign exchange outflow from the economy, reduced crude oil prices and the alleged misappropriation of funds are few of the many factors causing unwillingness of technology professionals to return to Nigeria in the recent months. And, where they are willing to come to Nigeria, they are asking for 200 per cent+ of the usual 2015 earnings and in many cases demand to be paid in foreign currencies, which employers are finding harder to come by,” he said.

    Arguably, the economic cycle in which Nigeria finds herself has yielded more cons than pros such that business and technology development have been slowed down considerably as the exchange rate saga plays out. More and more technology professionals are returning to Europe and America to ply their trade as the loss of naira value is no longer justifying their stay in the country nor able to maintain their life styles. In a number of cases, many of them have immediate families living abroad and therefore have foreign exchange commitments which cannot be met on their current naira income. For example, a technology professional engaged in April 2015 when the rate was $1: N150 is now effectively earning half of the wage in 2016 when unofficial rate from banks is $1: N320. With mortgage, education and other commitment abroad, the professional may be left with no option but contemplate a return to a place where he or she can meet her/his obligations.

    Expanding ICT infrastrcuture becomes a daunting challenge in this case.

    IHS Co-Founder and Interim CEO, Mohamad Darwish, said telecoms service quality will continue to be a challenged until the yawning gap between available base transimssion stations(BTS) and the required number is bridged.

    He also said lack of equipment is a factor as technology transits from 2G, 3G and 4G, adding that studies have shown that there is a deficit of some 20,000 BTS in the country. He also said that investment is still needed to bridge existing gaps in the industry.

    All these equipment could only be imported into the country with forex.

    Meanwhile, in order to achieve the goals of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and the three cardinal objectives of President Muhammdau Buhari’s administration of job creation, ant-graft war and national security, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has urged the Federal Government to consider relaxing its forex policy for telecommunication companies in the country so that they can expand current capacity.

    Danbatta said the call was necessary in view of the fact that Nigeria is currently at the bottom 10 of the world in terms of infrastructure development, and hence the need for special incentives for the telecoms firms “to tackle our infrastructure deficit”.

    Ogunjobi lamented that unfortunately, ‘home coming’ dream of many technology professionals willing to make a difference is being put on hold, rather the ones that came in earlier are returning to their adopted countries, just as it was in the 1990s and early 2000s. Needless to say that recruiting technology professionals from Europe or United States (U.S.) in the last 12 months has been painful and almost impossible or where this has been achievable, the brave or selfless professionals recruited are easily getting distracted and saddened at the rate at which their agreed remuneration gets eroded by the fall in naira value. It is getting to a stage where most are requesting their employers to hedge their income against stable currencies, but the conundrum is that most employers do not seem to have foreign exchange to pay the professionals for their services unless they turn to the black market.

    Delivering technology is becoming more challenging and very expensive once again as skilled technologists are becoming rarer in Nigeria, by the day. Even the local resources that were shadow-learning or understudying ‘Returnees’ are beginning to find their out of the country for pastures anew. There is a new level of attrition amongst technology personnel, especially those with less than five years of experience, most of whom either find ways to travel overseas or hop to another local employer to double their earnings.

    “Yes, many are beginning to head for the exit door, driven with the fear of tomorrow and focus on themselves as against the bigger picture, the development of Nigeria. But can anyone blame them? The biggest winners in the technology/currency quagmire are the Western countries who open their doors to skillful Nigerians and provide them with the platform and reward for greater productivity in their countries. And the biggest loser is Nigeria. Certainly, Nigeria need these experts to develop her potentials,” Ogunjobi said.

  • How to stop $2.8b yearly loss in ICT sector, by NCS

    The Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) has urged the Federal Government to encourage the development of standard software in the country through funding to the education sector.

    According to industry sources, Nigeria loses about $2.8 billion yearly to the importation of information communications technology (ICT) hardware and software. These losses are in form of capital flight out of the country.

    NCS President, Prof Adesola Aderounmu, said industry operators do not patronise indigenous software developers because their products are usually substandard.

    He said with the setting up of a software testing facility in Lagos by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), it is hoped that well written standardised software will be made available locally to conserve scare foreign exchange.

    Speaking on the sideline of media presentation of the communique of the 26th National Conference and 49th Annual General Meeting of the NCS held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, Prof Aderounmu lamented the lack-lustre attitude of student when it came to software writing. According to him, students are no longer interested in learning coding and software writing, adding that they are now interested in cutting corners to make quick money.

    He said NCS has been unrelenting in promoting the growth of computer education, adding that facilities are in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and the University of Ibadan.

    According to him, the NCS is now working with the ivory tower, developing a template to develop the requisite software needed to drive Nigeria’s economy to the next level.

    Another major challenge he identified was funding. He said funding is at the heart of the project, arguing that if standard software is developed in the country, it could also be exported.

    According to Wikipedia, the online knowledge platform, India has the one of fastest growing service sectors in the world with annual growth in the services, and software industry valued at over $167.0 billion of service exports in 2013-14.

     

  • Zinox secures N7.88b European tech fund

    Indigenous information communication technology (ICT) giant, Zinox Technologies, has secured $25million (about N7.88billion) counterpart funding with which it intends to roll out three digital hubs across the country.

    The Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, explained in text message that the funding is a “Technology Research and Innovation loan from the European Technology Trust Fund.”

    The fund will be used to build three ultra-modern digital hubs across the country to promote the development of a digital economy and complement Federal Government’s efforts to increase ICT sector contributions to gross domestic product (GDP) and job creation.

    The digital hubs, one of which  is already being constructed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital will, among other things, create employment and empower thousands of digital-minded youths in search of the right platforms to develop their skills. Same with the one located in Abuja which is nearing completion and all things being equal, will become active early next year.  With the current improvements raising hopes of stability in public power supply next year, Zinox plans to install the digital plants and commence production shortly.

    Ekeh, who spoke at the weekend in Lagos when Acting Director-General, Dr  National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, as well as other executives of the agency paid an official working visit to Zinox Headquarters in Gbagada, said the economy is in dire need of an alternative to crude oil, stressing that the ICT sector can effortlessly play that role by boosting the nation’s dwindling earnings.

    He said there are millions of digital-minded Nigerians who have the potential to become billionaires, adding that what is required is the platform for self-actualisation.

    He cited the start-up and pioneer composite e-commerce outfit, Yudala, which received little funding from investors and within one year is a leading e-commerce brand in the country with 400 graduates as employees. Ekeh said the strength of the firm was not necessarily cash backing, but the knowledge of the business backed with strong front and back-end technologies.

    Ekeh affirmed that thousands of such brilliant kids exist in the country, even as he urged the government to partner with technologically-minded companies in unearthing such raw digital diamonds in the country.

    A simple app developed by a Nigerian which achieves global acceptance could usher such an individual into the league of billionaires while putting the country on the world map.

    He said: “I had a similar experience when Zinox acquired an Ibadan-based software company Xputer. The young chaps behind Xputer were so talented and had huge capacity to develop amazing content but no individual, corporate bodies or government saw any potential in them. Some of the apps developed by these young Nigerians are being used today by e-commerce companies in Nigeria which they would have paid millions of dollars for, had it been developed by foreign companies.

    “With the digital hubs, we are going to create the enabling environment and platform for more of our youths to develop their capacities and unleash their creative abilities. This is part of our contribution towards reducing the scourge of unemployment and boosting the revenue-earning streams of the government. We are the last company in the country that will retrench quality indigenous employees.”

    Olatunji was led on the tour of the facilities by Ekeh to see the digital computer hardware manufacturing and assembly plant, telecoms e-Hub unit, Data Centre, bandwidth aggregation, digital security infrastructures and warehousing facilities as well as integrated after-sales service and support centre, among others.

    Olatunji who reiterated the commitment of the agency in partnering with Zinox Technologies in the task of empowering the youth through the provision of requisite capacity-building programmes and initiatives, expressed delight with the infrastructure and facilities on display at the Zinox headquarters. He said NITDA was keen to empower tech start-ups as a means of promoting opportunities in non-oil sectors, noting that a partnership with Zinox Technologies will go a long way in helping to achieve this aim.

  • How to stop $2.8b yearly loss in ICT sector, by NCS

    The Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) has urged the Federal Government to encourage the development of standard software in the country through funding to the education sector.

    According to industry sources, Nigeria loses about $2.8 billion yearly to the importation of information communications technology (ICT) hardware and software. These losses are in form of capital flight out of the country.

    NCS President, Prof Adesola Aderounmu, said industry operators do not patronise indigenous software developers because their products are usually substandard.

    He said with the setting up of a software testing facility in Lagos by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), it is hoped that well written standardised software will be made available locally to conserve scare foreign exchange.

    Speaking on the sideline of media presentation of the communique of the 26th National Conference and 49th Annual General Meeting of the NCS held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, Prof Aderounmu lamented the lack-lustre attitude of student when it came to software writing. According to him, students are no longer interested in learning coding and software writing, adding that they are now interested in cutting corners to make quick money.

    He said NCS has been unrelenting in promoting the growth of computer education, adding that facilities are in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and the University of Ibadan.

    According to him, the NCS is now working with the ivory tower, developing a template to develop the requisite software needed to drive Nigeria’s economy to the next level.

    Another major challenge he identified was funding. He said funding is at the heart of the project, arguing that if standard software is developed in the country, it could also be exported.

    According to Wikipedia, the online knowledge platform, India has the one of fastest growing service sectors in the world with annual growth in the services, and software industry valued at over $167.0 billion of service exports in 2013-14.

     

  • ‘More infrastructure licences coming’

    ‘More infrastructure licences coming’

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will license more broadband operators to complement existing ones in order to achieve the 30 per cent broadband penetration target of the Federal Government as enshrined in its National Broadband Plan (NBP).

    Its CEO, Prof Umar Dambatta, who spoke at MUSON Centre, Lagos, during the Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) annual Middle East and Africa (MEA) Conference and Exhibition, said part of the plan of the Commission was to complete the licensing of infrastructure providers (Infracos), adding that two operators have been licensed to offer services in Lagos and \northcentral Zone under Phase 1 licensing round.

    Represented by NCC Director of Technical Standard and Network Integrity, Mr Fidelis Onah, he said availability of infrastructure remained the backbone for affordable, reliable and ubiquitous broadband services across the country.

    He said the commission was already putting in place the required infrastructure to accelerate broadband penetration.

    He said: “The NCC will continue to drive and support high speed connectivity and infrastructure which is the bedrock of ICT growth and development to end users through initiative such as license Infracos on a regional basis to provide fibre and wholesale transmission services on a non-discriminatory, open access and price regulated basis. Phase 2 licensing of Infracos for the remaining five geopolitical zones will commence soon. NCC will create an enabling environment for easy and efficient deployment of fibre optics transmission network; continue ongoing talks and discussions with various levels of government to facilitate speed in the processing of permits, harmonisation of tax regimes and ease of deployment of infrastructure including right of way charges; enhance competition in the market and improving consumer choices; classification of telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure.

    “The mobile revolution is still ongoing. The broadband revolution is about to commence; the solid metro and backbone ICT infrastructure required to carry and sustain the huge amount of data to be generated is already being planned to be put in place.

    “This will yield the growth, development and increase in GDP that is necessary for Nigeria to take her place in the league of ICT savvy nations.”

    He said it took effective distribution of infrastructure to have services permeate all nooks and crannies of the country.

  • Technology vital to SMEs’ growth, says Matt O’Bell chief

    The Managing Director, Matt O’Bell Ltd, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) provider, Dare Ojo-Bello, has identified technology as one of the key drivers of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

    Speaking in Lagos during the unveiling of OdooSME, a web-based solution that integrates all the functions and strategic business units SMEs with the added value of transparency, productivity and profitability, he said SMEs as the engine of growth of modern economies, must be encouraged to grow and contribute to the gross domestic product of the country.

    He said OdooSME is a business application that allows SMEs to run their businesses more efficiently and be coordinated like many large and multinational organisations.

    While highlighting the features and affordability of the solution, he explained that OdooSME is a suite of Odoo modules delivered as a subscription-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. The modules include accounting, budgeting, fixed assets, account receivable, account payable, general ledger, sales, purchase, inventory, customer relations management (CRM), point of sale (PoS), human resources /payroll, project management, manufacturing, e-commerce, website builder, document management and instant messaging among others.

    He further urged SMEs to leverage on the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions in order to cut out the complexities of paperwork reporting, reduce fictions with tax authorities and fairly compete with large and multinational firms.

    According to him, high cost of accessing technology has been addressed with the solution which he explained goes for as low as N500/user per month with a 30-day trial before commitment to payment comes with additional benefits such as high availability, training and implementation assistance, backups, software upgrades and support.

    He said: “The SME business is not different from the business of large organisations and even multinationals. If big companies leverage on technologies for efficiency and profitability, SMEs should not be different. Most SMEs don’t keep records and the few that do only record accounting transactions. This has left a huge hole in the compliance and access to information that is key for decision making. Although cost and complexity of available solutions was a huge limiting factor, but OdooSME has eliminated this.”