The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ICT

  • Foreign investments in ICT exceed $42b

    The Minister of Communications, Dr Adebayo Shittu yesterday said foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the information communication technology (ICT) sector have exceeded $42 billion.

    He restated the commitment of the Federal Government  to ensuring that the ICT sector realised its full potentials as a viable alternative to the diversification of the economy.

    Shittu spoke in Awka, Anambra State capital, during the second Phase Sensitisation Workshop on National ICT roadmap, with The Role of the Private Sector in the Implementation of Nigeria’s ICT Roadmap as theme.

    He said: “The purpose of ICT, apart from providing services and convenience, is to increase the revenue base of all societies.

    “For Nigeria alone, the present foreign direct investment has exceeded $42billion and you know what that means to the economy.

    “The implication is that such huge sum could have been lost without the ICT and if it had not come, you know how many jobs that could have been lost or unavailable, and you know the ripple effect on the larger economy.”

    According to him, Nigeria now boasts of more subscribers than the United Kingdom with over 152 million active telephone lines.

    He also said that 97 million Nigerians were now connected to the internet, which places the country on 170 per cent teledensity.

    The state governor, Willie Obiano described the workshop as timely, affirming his administration’s compliance to ICT in the business of governance.

    Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, the governor attributed the increase in the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N475million to N1.7billion to the introduction of ICT to the system.

    He urged the Federal Government to revive the nation’s energy sector as ICT could not thrive well without adequate power supply.

     

  • Chamber seeks improved healthcare delivery through ICT

    To improve healthcare delivery, there is the need for investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has said.

    Its President, Oluwatoyin Akomolafe, said incorporating ICT into healthcare would improve the quality of health care, safety, and efficiency of public health service delivery.

    He also said it would also improve the public health information infrastructure, support health care in the community and at home, while also facilitating clinical and consumer decision-making.

    Akomolafe, who spoke at the inauguration of the chamber’s Healthcare Sector Group in Lagos, added that incorporating ICT tools into the healthcare delivery system would boost skills and knowledge.

    The NACC Healthcare Sector Group was inaugurated at its Breakfast Meeting in Lagos. The meeting themed “Improving quality outcomes through health information” was sponsored by Flying Doctors Nigeria and Zenith Carex Limited.

    The Healthcare Sector Group is expected to provide a platform for engagement by member-companies within the same industry.

    It would also provide the needed platform for member companies to collaborate, undertake sector-focused advocacy and grow together with support from the secretariat.

    Akomolafe, represented by the Chamber’s National Treasurer, Dr. Ikenna Nwaosu, noted that the traditional way of solving health problems was outdated hence the need to leverage on ICT to improve healthcare delivery system.

    He said lack of adequate funding worsened the crisis in the health care sector in developing countries, particularly Nigeria. He, however, said access to ICT tolls would change the narrative.

    “With the significant growth in Internet access in urban areas, health-care workers can adopt its usage for communication, access to relevant health-care information, and international collaboration.

    “ICT can improve the quality of care patients receive by averting medical errors, improving communication and boosting efficiency,” he stated.

    Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, observed that the healthcare system was mostly paper-based, with manually operated documentation system.

    He noted that the system was sub-optimal, as healthcare providers lacked the right computing skills proportional to their responsibilities.

    He observed that patient information and direct clinical examination in most health institutions were still being drawn from paper–based records, which is slow and cumbersome.

    Faduyile listed other challenges associated with the analogue healthcare system to include lack of uniformity and standards, inaccessibility, and inaccuracy.

    He, therefore, said there was the need for advocacy, especially among health providers to adopt health information technology to drive health care.

    He also said there was a need for collaboration among agencies and professional associations in the sector to ensure the deployment of ICT in healthcare.

    Flying Doctors Nigeria founder Dr. Ola Brown highlighted the pillars of healthcare reform to include primary care expansion, healthcare financing, maternal/child health and centralisation of tertiary care.

    Brown identified logistics as one of the most important aspects of healthcare, adding that air ambulances would help address this challenge.

  • Navy trains 19 officers on advanced ICT

    Pressed by the need for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-driven solutions to combat maritime illegalities, the Navy at the weekend concluded a seven-week intensive course for 19 officers.

    The officers; lieutenant commander to sub-lieutenants, were from various units and commands. The course was initiated by the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC).

    Of 19 participants, 17 graduated wirh Second Class, one each had Third Class and Pass grades, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said at the graduation ceremony on Friday.

    Ibas, who was represented by Director of Naval Transformation Rear Admiral Jason Gbasa said the maiden ICT course was aimed at improving officers capabilities.

    “I want to sincerely thank the FOC NAVTRAC Rear Admiral Stanfford Enoch for…sponsoring the course … To the participants, there is no doubt that NNS QUORRA must have provided you with an excellent opportunity of extending your knowledge of the ICT…

    Earlier, Enoch said the training was to build capacity of personnel in the CIT and other departments of the Navy to enhance their professional competence.

    “It is also to improve their knowledge and skills in manning, managing and operating Navy ICT platforms and infrastructure. Today, the world over, ICT is the driver of progress and development and no serious-minded institution, especially the military, would want to be left behind…

    “Furthermore, ICTs have changed the way organisations conduct their businesses, making them faster, better and more efficient. Hence, for us to evolve into a naval force better suited for operations of the 21st century, we need to address identified knowledge and skills gaps…” he said.

    Enoch said the seven week training was a big step by NAVTRAC to bridge expertise gaps in the CIT Department.

    “With the benefit of hindsight; the course duration would now be increased to accommodate the voluminous course contents in order to give participants the best.

    “…the command has sunk enormous resources to ensure the take-off and successful completion of this course…be reminded that the service has heavily invested in you … You must, therefore, demonstrate a high return on investment by replicating the knowledge and skills acquired…

    “You should be able to set up a wireless access network, manage database and administer servers in your units.  The hands-on practical experience infused into the course curriculum was geared towards achieving this objective,” he said.

    He advised beneficiaries to leave their comfort zone, step into new realities, noting the dynamism and speed of the IT world; urging them to develop IT solutions and applications to solve the training and operational needs of the Navy.

  • Chamber seeks improved healthcare delivery through ICT

    To improve healthcare delivery, there is the need for investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has said.

    Its President, Oluwatoyin Akomolafe, said incorporating ICT into healthcare would improve the quality of health care, safety, and efficiency of public health service delivery.

    He also said it would also improve the public health information infrastructure, support health care in the community and at home, while also facilitating clinical and consumer decision-making.

    Akomolafe, who spoke at the inauguration of the chamber’s Healthcare Sector Group in Lagos, added that incorporating ICT tools into the healthcare delivery system would boost skills and knowledge.

    The NACC Healthcare Sector Group was inaugurated at its Breakfast Meeting in Lagos. The meeting themed “Improving quality outcomes through health information” was sponsored by Flying Doctors Nigeria and Zenith Carex Limited.

    The Healthcare Sector Group is expected to provide a platform for engagement by member-companies within the same industry.

    Read also: Chamber seeks foreign tech for business growth

    It would also provide the needed platform for member companies to collaborate, undertake sector-focused advocacy and grow together with support from the secretariat.

    Akomolafe, represented by the Chamber’s National Treasurer, Dr. Ikenna Nwaosu, noted that the traditional way of solving health problems was outdated hence the need to leverage on ICT to improve healthcare delivery system.

    He said lack of adequate funding worsened the crisis in the health care sector in developing countries, particularly Nigeria. He, however, said access to ICT tolls would change the narrative.

    “With the significant growth in Internet access in urban areas, health-care workers can adopt its usage for communication, access to relevant health-care information, and international collaboration.

    “ICT can improve the quality of care patients receive by averting medical errors, improving communication and boosting efficiency,” he stated.

    Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, observed that the healthcare system was mostly paper-based, with manually operated documentation system.

    He noted that the system was sub-optimal, as healthcare providers lacked the right computing skills proportional to their responsibilities.

    He observed that patient information and direct clinical examination in most health institutions were still being drawn from paper–based records, which is slow and cumbersome.

    Faduyile listed other challenges associated with the analogue healthcare system to include lack of uniformity and standards, inaccessibility, and inaccuracy.

    He, therefore, said there was the need for advocacy, especially among health providers to adopt health information technology to drive health care.

    He also said there was a need for collaboration among agencies and professional associations in the sector to ensure the deployment of ICT in healthcare.

    Flying Doctors Nigeria founder Dr. Ola Brown highlighted the pillars of healthcare reform to include primary care expansion, healthcare financing, maternal/child health and centralisation of tertiary care.

    Brown identified logistics as one of the most important aspects of healthcare, adding that air ambulances would help address this challenge.

     

  • ICT in Nigeria’s next four years

    SIR: The ICT sector has a specific and clearly stated budget in the key campaign promises for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election. There’s a $500 million fund for the technology and creative industry to hopefully  create about 500,000 jobs for Nigerians. He also plans to treat the Internet as ‘a critical infrastructure’ to ease living for Nigerians by moving broadband coverage to 120,000km of fibre network across the country.

    These clear and attainable goals bring specificity. They are in line with an independent projection that the number of internet users in Nigeria could double to 197 million by 2023. They are also relevant considering the dismal economic performance of 2017 which has heightened the need for job creation.

    Nigeria needs more jobs more than ever before. Labour figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that the total number of people classified as unemployed in Nigeria increased to 20.9 million by Q3 2018 even as the economically-active or working age population (15 – 64 years of age) increased to 115.5 million. Hence, the decision to put ICT at the forefront of an outlined five main ways to drive a job creation agenda is strategic.

    The plan as a whole seems to be a shift from past bogus commitments to the technology sector which has been somewhat seen as shouldered mainly by private entities. To place improving internet use alongside age-long infrastructural issues like roads, rail and power says a lot about what to expect in four years at least as seen on paper.

    It opens a big room for the country’s tech startup community to grow as predicating basic social issues on ICT could help them contribute innovative solutions to major problems Buhari intends to tackle in the next four years. From allowing more youths in government boards to mentoring schemes for graduates to serve at ministries; the government-backed entrepreneurship bank’s proposed offer of online services for young entrepreneurs; to digital literacy for students and teachers and a widened health system, opportunities abound for creative tech startups to tap.

    An addition would be for the administration to take their time to explore what the technology making open, indestructible and tamper-proof data possible: the blockchain technology. This is not because a presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar, mentioned introducing Blockchain into the Nigerian economy as a key highlight of his campaign. But because, as a progressive, it is needful to take the time to understand that within the technology lies several features that can make some of the rigorous tasks of the government better.

    Take the time to set brains and resources to work to understand that the blockchain technology may be taking longer to gain traction globally, the fact remains that its deployment has more positives for a country like Nigeria in certain sectors. From supply chain distribution to immutable record keeping, tasks get done with less human interference as we know it. The effort would serve well today and, to a greater extent, lay a solid foundation for tomorrow’s Nigerians.

    Thinking in a generational context goes beyond words and promises; it entails creating the right space for innovation to thrive in a society that is beaming with creatives seeking to be empowered with the right environment. The growth of the all-encompassing ICT sector is now a significant fundamental need for young Nigerians especially the under-24s which now make up more than 60% of our approximately 191 million population. The repression of the past and the subsequent economic downslide Nigeria has seen cannot be undone. But they can be reversed, gradually.

     

    Olusegun Ogundeji,

    Barcelona, Spain.

  • Industrial Training Fund trains 700 youths in ICT

    THE Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has started training 700 youths in Information and Technology (ICT) under its Infotech Skills Empowerment Programme (ISEP).

    The programme, which is in its first phase, had youths from six states: Plateau, Bauchi, Imo, Ondo, Kaduna, Cross River and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    ITF Director-General Sir Joseph Ari disclosed this during a visit to an ITF centre in Bauchi State. He said beneficiaries would receive specialised skills in computer hardware maintenance, advanced computer networking and computer networking.

    Of the objectives of the programme, he said it would produce  certified professionals that would  bridge the ICT skills gap, prepare  youths  for job and wealth creation, stimulate growth, promote entrepreneurship and self-employability and reduce youth restiveness.

    Ari said unlike the Fund’s other intervention programmes that are targeted at a broader segment of Nigerians, ISEP is restricted to holders of the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and above.

    He said Computer Hardware and Maintenance (A+) and Computer Networking (M+) trainees were required to hold an OND, while beneficiaries of Advanced Computer Networking (CCNA) were to have the Higher National Diploma (HND) or its equivalent.

    Ari said the ITF would pay each trainee a monthly stipend of N5,000 during the three-month training, adding that successful participants would get start-up packs to set up their own business.

    He added that to enhance participants’ employability, the trainees would be enrolled for professional exams, such as the CISCO, CompTia A+, CompTia N+ and CCNA.

    He charged participants to take the programme serious, warning that only those tho completed the course work, achieved at least 70 per cent attendance and had above 80 per cent in the final exams, would graduate.

    He said ISEP was ITF’s commitment to boosting job creation, adding that it trained 450,000 last year.

    Responding on behalf of the trainees, Abdullahi Yusuf, lauded the ITF for its strides in entrepreneurship and employability.

    He said ISEP was a laudable initiative, especially for graduates seeking jobs, pledging that the Bauchi centre would make the best of the opportunity given them.

  • Obaseki’s reforms: Facebook, MainOne to invest in Edo, says Opeke

    The Chief Executive Officer of MainOne Cable Company, Funke Opeke, has said that the investment by Facebook and MainOne in broadband network infrastructure in Edo State is as a result of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ease of doing business reforms and commitment to boosting productivity through technology.

    Opeke, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists, said that the project in Edo is part of Facebook’s mission to connect people around the world via the internet.

    MainOne has been laying fibre cables across the state since November last year, in what is seen as a major step to firm up the state’s burgeoning technology ecosystem, after the launch of the Edo Innovation Hub.

    READ ALSO: Obaseki’s reform: Edo tours forest reserves, decries degradation

    Noting that the investment is part of the 750km open-access fibre infrastructure in Nigeria implemented with MainOne, she said, “The overarching focus for Facebook is improving internet connectivity and empowering partner operators such as MainOne with the tools to build networks to connect more people.

    “With our partnership with Facebook, we have invested in building new infrastructure in states like Ogun and Edo that is open-access and can be used by all operators. You may recall that the major challenge impeding broadband proliferation in Nigeria is the limited access to distribution   infrastructure   to   get the abundant internet capacity available in submarine cables on the Nigerian shoreline in Lagos to the hinterland.”

    She said that the leadership in Edo State prioritises technology development, which is why the project was able to scale through in the state.

    According to her, “Our work brings our team in contact with the leadership in many of the states.  These particular states have leadership that is promoting the development of technology ecosystems and job creation in their states.  When we had the opportunity to engage and share with them our capabilities    and    accomplishments  on  previous  projects  in  places  such  as  the  deployment  of fibre infrastructure for Silicon Yaba  with  CCHub,  the  deployment   of   Express   Wi-Fi   with   Tizeti  in  Lagos  as  well  as  our aspirations for pervasive broadband   everywhere   in   Nigeria, they  welcomed  us  to  build  infrastructure in their states.

    “The Edo State government has prioritised technology as one of the cardinal pillars of the ongoing reform agenda in the state, introducing ICT-compliant pedagogy in primary schools; building the Edo Innovation Hub, where school leavers and graduates undergo beginner and advanced training in technology, as well as revamping technical education to increase productivity. The duo of Governors Godwin Obaseki and Ibikunle Amosun have identified ICT as critical  themes for the transformation of their states and have been supportive of our fibre expansions.”

  • Partnership with Skool Media will enhance lCT skills in schools-FG

    The federal government has restated its commitment to realisation of excellent Information Communication Technology (ICT) education in schools.

    Speaking at the commissioning of Skool Media Technology Experience Centre at Queens College, Yaba, Federal Government College ljaniki and Federal Science and Technical College (F.S.T.C) Yaba, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Sonny Echono, said ICT delivery in schools would redefine the teaching processes and give students leverage to compete with their counterparts in other countries.

    He stated Skool Media is an education technology infrastructure company focused on revamping the educational sector by redefining the learning processes and experiences in schools and communities using technology.

    Echono, who was represented by Director, ICT, Ministry of Education, Abubakar Isah, said the centres would facilitate students’ technology experience, promote design thinking and enhance project based learning in schools.

    He commended Skool Media, adding government believes in such Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects to develop the country.

    Project Director, Skool Media, Mr. Moses Imayi, said the firm had invested about N500 million towards driving the growth of digital educational sector across the six geo-political zones.

    “Our expectation is to invest in the future of the Nigerian child and equip them to be at par with students across the world.

    “Quality education has been a major backbone of our strategic plan as we continue to be a role model for the adoption of technology in education in Africa and the opportunity of being a reference point for all edu-tech stakeholders in Nigeria,” he said.

    He noted that the purpose of the centre was to make learning fun and seamless whilst engaging technology and innovation to drive productivity.

    According to him, skills to be acquired at the tech centres included: coding, Google digital skills, hackathons, information retrieval-information literacy using search engines, creative writing and public speaking workshops.

    Principal, Queens College, Mrs. Yakubu Oyinloye, said the tech centres would enhance the value and performance of students while equipping them with various skills to boost their competitiveness in a dynamic environment if modern learning.

  • ‘ICT key to economic growth’

    The information communication technology (ICT) and telecom industry are the key drivers of modern economic transformation and development, Communications Minister, Dr Adebayo Shittu said yesterday in Lagos.

    The minister who spoke at a forum tagged: Business Roundtable/Stakeholders Engagement  for the Financing   and Sustainability of the National ICT Park at the Abuja Technology Village, said with a youthful population and an import-dependent economy, the only viable alternative to oil is the development of the ICT sector.

    He said: “ICT/Telecom industry is key to the economy. The country has a youthful population and a consumer nation. Thus, the industry holds the key to the nation’s growth. To further unlock the potential in the sector, policies and programmes that have the capacity to boost economy are always pursued with vigour with stakeholders’ collaboration.

    “The role of ICT in the transformation of societies into knowledge-based economy cannot be overemphasised. In line with this, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Communications designed a programme to establish a National ICT Park with the aim of providing an enabling platform, where ICT knowledge can be acquired through appropriate initiatives, including incubating tech ideas into viable startups, research and development, testing and certifications of ICT solutions and others.”

    According to Shittu, the objective of the meeting was to inform the major stakeholders and the private companies operating in the ICT ecosystem of the Ministry’s plan to establish ICT Park and to solicit their cooperation and support towards its success. It was also designed to respond to any queries which  may arise regarding the execution and operationalisation of the project.

    He said as a result of the collaboration between the Ministry of Communications and Abuja Technology Village (ATV), a 6344sqm of commercial land has been secured for the establishment of a National ICT Park within the free trade zone owned and operated by the Abuja Technology Village (ATV).

     

     

  • NCC: telecoms, ICT boost GDP with N4.7trl

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said total contribution of the telecoms and information communication technology (ICT) sectors to the economy grew to N4.7trillion. It added that in the third quarter of this year alone, the sectors added N1.5 trillion.

    Its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the development represented a significant milestone for the industry as it means that the quality of services would improve across the country, adding that the country has also achieved 30.9 per cent broadband penetration to service the country’s telecom industry.

    According to him, active voice subscription has also grown from 165.2 million in October 2018 to 169.1million in November 2018.

    Represented by the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, Mr Sunday Dare during an interactive session with reporters at Ibeto Hotel, Abuja, he said internet subscription grew from 107.5 million in October to 108.9 million in November 2018 , while total active broadband subscription on 3G and 4G platforms as at November 2018 is now 58,965,478.

    “Contributions of Telecommunications and Information Services to GDP from Q1 – Q3 2018 was N4.7 trillion naira according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics. In the last quarter (Q3, 2018) the amount stood at N1.5 trillion, according to Q3 figures reported by the NBS,” the EVC said.

    He added that the telecommunications and information services sector also grew by 14.7 per cent from Q1, 2017 – Q3, 2018.

    Speaking earlier at the 86th Edition of Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP), at the Shehu Masa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Prof Danbatta said about nine persons have been arrested in a sting operation involving security agencies in Lagos for activities bordering on Call Masking/Refilling, while their devises were impounded.

    He added that those arrested have been handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

    The NCC chief said it is estimated that over $60 billion is being lost annually to the problems of Call Masking at the global level, he asserted that the good news is that the commission has been able to obtain the technology to track down the criminal act.

    He noted that the step taken by the NCC to address the problem has precipitated a reduction of about 34 per cent of the menace across the country.

    Danbatta said: “After the 85th Edition in Lagos, the Commission, in its wisdom and based on suggestions from participants, decided to treat the same topic at the 4th Quarter Edition of the Parliament holding here today. This is to essentially underscore the seriousness of the Commission in combating any instances of ‘communication fraud’ such as call masking/refiling in the industry.