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Tag: Minister of communications

  • FG set to establish ICT University, says minister

    FG set to establish ICT University, says minister

    The Federal Government has concluded plans to establish the first Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University in Nigeria within the next three months.

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, stated this on Tuesday while featuring in a quarterly radio programme, Guest of the month, at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan Zonal Office.

    The minister spoke on “Harnessing the Potentials in the Communications Sector for Sustainable Development.’’

    Shittu said that the university would be an off-shoot of an existing ICT-based institute, The Digital Bridge Institute , currently in operation in six centres across the country.

    “It is time to leverage on the bountiful opportunities in the Communications sector to generate additional revenue for the government.

    “We all know that ICT is now redefining how we live, how we deliver businesses and services in terms of government to government as well as between government and citizens,” he said.

    He said that the university would be the first of its kind on the continent of Africa.

    “We currently have what we call Digital Bridge Institute. It has six campuses- one in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Owerri, Yola and in Benue state.

    Shittu said that the present standard of education in the universities do not meet the needs of industry operators.

    He said this informed the proposed upgrading of the Digital Bridge Institute.

    The minister said the institute would become the ICT University in partnership with all the leading institutions in ICT throughout the world.

    “I have had the privilege of speaking with a lot of operators throughout the world ,including Motorola, Mark Zuckerberg (FaceBook founder) and others.

    “They have promised to partner with us and bring in a lot to fund and logistics to be able to sustain such a university which will provide world class hands to train experts in the telecoms industry,’’ the minister said.

    He also said that he had embarked on an administrative process to ensure that all the stakeholders were carried along in the establishment of the 21st century university.

    The minister said that as soon as the process was completed, Nigerians would see the birth of the institution.

    “This will be the fastest means to create employment for our teeming youths, improve access and enhance the quality of service delivery and affordability in our country.

    “I took a memo to Mr President on it and he asked me to get the input of the Ministry of Education and the National University Commission (NUC).

    “I am glad to say that I got positive inputs from the two agencies and we are at the stage of going to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

    “As soon as we get the approval of FEC, we will set up an implementation committee and within three months, we should be able to take off.

    “The infrastructure is on ground because it is an existing institution that we are set to transform to the ICT University,” Shittu said.

  • Nigeria investment market big for investors – Shittu

    Nigeria investment market big for investors – Shittu

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has restated that the Nigerian investment market is big and boisterous enough for prospecting investors.

    Mr Victor Oluwadamilare, Special Assistant, Media, to the minister, said in a statement that Shittu expressed the view in Abuja on Wednesday when he received the management team of YAS RIH Group in his office.

    The group came to present the company’s intention to partner with the Nigeria in the area of digital transformation solutions and telecommunications operations.

    Shittu said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would provide a favourable environment for investment.

    He said the administration had resolved to make Nigeria’s business environment safe and conducive to  investors in its determination to diversify the economy.

    The minister said the country’s regulatory processes were open, effective and transparent.

    He urged the ICT firm to fully comply with all regulatory guidelines set for intending ICT operators by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Shittu urged YAS RIH Group to forward a proposal through  NCC and assured it that the government would not hesitate in approving a licence for the firm to operate in the country.

    Earlier, the leader of delegation, Ayman Al Rlfai, who is the Personal Assistant to His Royal Highness, Prince Fahad Bin Magrin Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, delivered a goodwill message of Saudi Arabia’s King.

    Presenting the company’s profile, the Chief ICT Officer, Mr Francois Hannouche, said the group was ready to bring expertise and experience in digital transformation solution and telecom infrastructure operations to impact positively on Nigeria’s economy.

    He said that if given the opportunity to operate in Nigeria, the company would bring both direct and indirect impact on Nigeria’s GDP.

    Hannouche said data was the new oil in the global market.

    He lauded operators in the Nigerian telecom sector, such as MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat, for their international ratings.

    Hannouche said YAS RIH Group supported digital transformation projects.

    The delegation included Abdulmanaf Muhammad, Vice-Chairman of YAS RIH International, Wad Tawil, CEO, YAS RIH International, Dave Cain, Abdullahi Garba, Managing Director, Forsysthia, and Muhammad Saed.

  • Nigeria loses 127 billion yearly to Cybercrime, says Minister

    Nigeria loses 127 billion yearly to Cybercrime, says Minister

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu said Tuesday that Nigeria is losing about 127 billion naira annually to cybercrime and urged stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology, ICT, industry to rise up to the challenge.

    He also the Ministry in collaboration with the military is poised to use modern technology to fight insurgency, corruption and other crimes that pose a threat to Nigeria’s unity.

    He spoke while declaring open the 26th edition of the National Conference of the Computer Society of Nigeria holding at NAF Centre, Abuja.

    He told the gathering that all hands must be on the deck to face the challenges confronting the nation with the deployment of ICT, stressing that the theme of this year’s conference was more apt as “no nation can develop without safety and security.”

    He said: “national safety and security further encompasses securing the nation’s cyber space. Our growing dependence on digital infrastructure introduces and poses grave threats to national security. It is quite shocking that Nigeria loses about N127 billion which is 0.08 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), yearly to cybercrime”.

    He said further “Without safety and security, growth is impossible. “Information Technology for National Safety and Security”, the Conference theme, is highly relevant as it aligns with the National safety and security priority of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Securing lives and properties is both an enabler and an imperative for growth and development. Threats emanate from local and global terrorism which strikes fear and shatters the much needed national peace and security.

    “Nobody, no organization can perform optimally under a cloud of fear. Uncertainties and raised anxieties strain our economy and society. We must however acknowledge successes recorded so far in the fight to keep Nigeria secure.

    “It is appropriate that the efforts of the armed forces and the significant achievements in the fight against Boko Haram are recognized. Though the Nigerian Army is already using some technology platforms, there may be some requiring close attention by the conference.  The Ministry is also engaging with the Nigerian Army on possible technology collaboration to tackle the activities of insurgents and other security challenges in the country.

    “Beyond military might, financial crimes and corruption are added burden to the national security challenges that threaten the very existence and development of the nation. In Public finance, the electronic platforms used by the Nigerian government such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) have resulted in significant savings and elimination of waste in governance.

    “Though great strides have been made in these areas, there is still a lot to do to secure our dear nation. We all know that ICT is the globally recognized enabler in all spheres of development and it is most appropriate for NCS to step in by offering the nation an authentic platform to explore the role of ICT in national safety and security. Using ICT and Geographical Information System (GIS) to tackle Boko Haram, Niger Delta militancy and other security challenges with enhanced efficiency and professionalism has become a matter of paramount importance. ”

    “As at today, ICT is currently contributing up to 10 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and had created over 10 million jobs in the past 10 years. Developments in the ICT sector have provided well over $32 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the last 15 years. It is indeed one of the fastest growing sectors of the Nigerian economy which is the second largest ICT market in Africa.  The number of Internet subscribers in Nigeria also rose from less than one million in 2003 to over 80 million in November 2015,” the Minister added.

    In his remarks, the President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Prof. Sola Aderounmu noted that more pro-active steps are needed to drive the ICT industry in the country considering the enormous challenge facing the nation.

    He said the theme of this year’s conference, Information Technology for National Safety and Security, was carefully chosen to enable stakeholders brainstorm on issues that would bring about speedy growth and development of the ICT industry.

    Prof Aderounmu commended all the past presidents of the association for their contributions to the development of the country and the organization, adding that a number of activities have been lined up during the conference to honour them.

  • N1.04trn fine: Reps reject MTN’s N330bn offer

    N1.04trn fine: Reps reject MTN’s N330bn offer

    The House of Representatives Friday rejected the offer of the service provider MTN to pay N330bn instead of the N1.04 trillion it was fined by the Federal Government.

    In a briefing on the issue Friday, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Hon. Saheed Fijabi said he wondered why the sudden shift in the position of the NCC offer the issue of MTN fine.

    A March 1, 2016 memo from the Nigerian Communications Commissions, and in possession of our correspondent reads: ” The proposal to pay the sum of N300 billion as against the N1.04 trillion (and subsequently reduced to N700 billion by the Federal Government of Nigeria “FGN”) is not supported by any verifiable justification.

    “When considered vis–a – vis the quantum of fine, the present sum is a far cry and there is no verifiable basis for arriving at the new figure.”

    The lawmaker said the offer of $1.7billion (or N330 billion) by MTN, instead of the total fine of $3.9 billion (N1.04 trillion fine by NCC for violation of SIM card registration laws was unacceptable.

    According to him the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, has been summoned by the committee to explain the new development on Monday.

    The committee chair noted that it was wrong to accept a reduction while the House was investigating the ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and MTN on the fine.

    He said:  “It came to us as a surprise to hear that MTN is paying N300bn. How can they be paying that amount when the minister told us that everything was stalled pending the outcome of our investigation?

    “As a House, we have opposed the reduction of the fine because there is no provision in the NCC’s Act that the fine can be reduced. In fact, section 21 of the Act stipulates that even the CEO of a defaulting firm can be made to pay additional fine of over N200, 000 on each of the lines.”

    The lawmaker said ordinarily, MTN’s total fine “should be doubled to about N3 trillion and not even the N1.4 trillion they were asked to pay.”

  • No plan to handover NIPOST to foreign managers – Minister

    No plan to handover NIPOST to foreign managers – Minister

    The Minister of Communications and Technology, Mr Adebayo Shittu said Monday that the Federal Government has no plan to hand over the operations of the Nigerian Poster Service, NIPOST, to foreigners.

    He dismissed as untrue insinuations that the government had concluded arrangements to allow foreign managers operate NIPOST and reposition it for profitability.

    The Minister in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Victor Oluwadamilare described the insinuations as misleading, but however noted that the government was committed to turning the fortunes of NIPOST around for profitability.

    Mr. Oluwadamilare also announced that the minister has streamlined the appointments of his aides.

    Accordingly, he said, Messrs Abdullah Adeyanju Binuyo is now Special Assistant (Technical); David A. Awotunde, Special Assistant (Admin); Victor Oluwadamilare , Special Assistant (Media) and Hon. Razak Bayo Olubodun –,Personal Assistant.

    “This development which is with immediate effect, is in line with the Federal Government guidelines on the appointment of aides by Ministers,” he added.

    On the issue of NIPOST he said: “our attention has been drawn to various insinuations making the rounds on the social media and a section of the Nigerian press to the effect that the Ministry of Communications was said to have concluded plans to hand over NIPOST to foreigners to manage.

    “Ordinarily, we would have ignored the innuendoes, as there is no iota of truth in the said story, except for the likelihood of Nigerians being misled on our genuine intentions to reposition and revitalise NIPOST.

    “In putting the records straight, the Government of the day has no plan whatsoever to either privatize NIPOST nor hand it over to foreigners to manage. This could only happen in the imagination of those who concocted and orchestrated the rumour to achieve only their inordinate mischief.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, and as stated at different fora by the Minister of Communications, Barrister Shittu, Our vision of the new NIPOST is a total transformation from being a mono-product service organisation to a one-stop multi-product service provider with the ultimate aim of making it a cash-spinning establishment that can make meaningful contribution to the country’s revenue base.

    “Such transformation will no doubt, entail diversification of services which will include rendering robust and all-inclusive financial services, utilising post offices across the country for rural telephony services, commercialising NIPOST’s fleet of vehicles, running a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and expansion of the stamp duties processes among others.

    “Barrister Shittu, an avowed nationalist is a patriotic Nigerian who is wholly committed to the sustenance of our national institutions and legacies will never join the league of those hell-bent in selling off our common heritage,” the statement added.

  • Ajimobi, Shittu, others for communications retreat

    Ajimobi, Shittu, others for communications retreat

    Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi will declare open a two-day communications retreat being organised by Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Shittu will deliver the keynote address on the occasion.

    Other participants at the retreat include National Assembly members, key Ministry officials, chief Executive Officers of NCC, NIGCOMSAT, NITDA, NIPOST, Galaxy Backbone Ltd and Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), industry bigwigs and major stakeholders are set for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital this weekend to attend the 2016 Communications Sector Retreat.

    The two-day retreat, according to a statement by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Victor Oluwadamilare, with the theme: Repositioning the Nigeria Communications Sector as the Key Driver of the Nigerian Economy, is slated for International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan and will be held between Friday 22 and Saturday 23, January 2016.

    Barrister Shittu, in his avowed determination to reposition the Communications Sector in tandem with the Change Agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, since assumption of duties as Minister of Communications, had embarked on various inquisitions and fact-finding exercises, the result of which culminated in the forthcoming retreat.

    It was discovered that considerable efforts made in the past to mainstream ICT into vital aspects of life in the country, have unfortunately been undermined by the lack of an integrated framework for utilisation of ICT for socio-economic development.

    In the ensuing scenario, the Minister of Communications had to re-examine the status quo ante in order to formulate new strategies for doing things differently so as to fast track the realization of the vision of a new Nigeria, hence the all-inclusive retreat.

    Towards this end, the 2016 Communications Sector Retreat was designed to achieve among others: Define a Strategic Roadmap for Government on ICT; Provide a Common Platform for Sector Stakeholders to Share Common Vision for ICT development in Nigeria and to form a precursor for the Minister to unveil his vision for the ICT sector that will be beneficial to all.

    The fulcrum of the Minister’s new initiative is job creation, revenue generation, efficient service delivery and infrastructural development.

    Some of the technical papers expected to be delivered by seasoned Nigerians and a couple of foreign technical experts include ICT Local Content and Innovation for Employment Generation; Accelerating Wealth and Job Creation in Nigeria through ICT Skills and Capacity Development; Economic Diversification: Increasing Government Revenue from the ICT Sector and Repositioning NIPOST for Enhanced Revenue Generation and Efficient Service Delivery.

    Others are Creating Enabling Environment for ICT Development; Enhancing Policy Framework for Accelerated ICT Infrastructure Development and Leveraging on the e-Government Master Plan for Efficient, Effective and Transparent Governance.

    The two-day retreat is expected to draw over 300 industry stakeholders and policy makers to the ancient City of Ibadan, the first of its kind in the history of the Ministry.

     

     

  • Communications sector springboard for industrial revolution – Shittu

    Communications sector springboard for industrial revolution – Shittu

    Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, says the communications sector is a springboard for industrial and administrative revolution.

    Shittu made this statement during his maiden meeting with the management staff of the ministry on Wednesday in Abuja.

    According to him, God has blessed Nigeria with a large population that if explored in a fair manner communications can become the cash cow of the nation in place of petroleum.

    “There are many graduates without the knowledge of ICT; many of them end up paying exorbitant fees to engage in entrepreneurial ventures to learn these things.

    “We must evolve a policy that will engage the usage of ICT in our universities and polytechnics, which can generate a lot of income for government without being oppressive in our charges.

    “The current economic downturn may be an inhibiting factor; however, we must be resolute in our resolve to make a difference serving Nigerians with utmost dedication, transparency and honesty.

    “This we must do in order to achieve for our people the highest good possible in our circumstance, ‘’ he said.

    Shittu frowned at a situation where just about ten per cent of the budget is capital project and the rest stands as overhead.

    He stressed that if there were no capital projects, it would be difficult to achieve any level of development because hardly would jobs be created.

    “It will not be business as usually, there will be zero budgeting, every budget must outline its programmes and everything budgeted for must be actualised to its last detail.

    “We all must key into President Buhari’s plan of a society where jobs are created and readily available to make life less burdensome for those of us with many dependants.’’

    Speaking on the influence of the civil service on governance, the minister said it was a critical machinery of government.

    “The civil service has the crucial responsibilities of initiating, formulating and implementation of public policies, programmes and projects.

    “It is, however, a fact that the performance level of any government cannot go beyond the level of competence, commitment and efficiency of its civil service.

    “The government, therefore, needs you on its side to do things differently and lift our ministry to a lofty pedestal of performance, as true agents of change.”

    NAN reports that Shittu was among the 36 ministers inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier on Wednesday.

    Also in his maiden meeting with the staff, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Sunny Echono, assured the minister that the entire staff would be mobilised to carry out the president’s mandate.

    Echono encouraged staff to give a sense of direction to what ought to be done to achieve great results and move the ministry and Nigeria forward.