NATCOMS rejects N65 ATM service charge

DigitalSENSE Business News:

The National Association of Telecommunication Subscribers, (NATCOMS) has rejected the N65 per transaction charge on the fourth withdrawal of another bank using ATM saying the CBN governor was insensitive to the plight of consumers, and not in the interest of consumers of banking services across the country DigitalSENSE Business News gathered.

In a statement made available toDigitalSENSE Business News, the association lambasted the CBN governor saying that his action ‘to say the least is not consumer-centric’ and not in tandem with international best practices (IBP).  

The statement which was signed by the association’s president Mr Deolu Ogunbanjo observed that the directive does not portray him as a CBN Governor that will care for Consumers of banking services in Nigeria insisting that the welcome gift the new Central Bank Governor should be thinking of giving consumers of banking services in Nigeria is bank account portability as it is currently done in other developed economies.

“This ATM charge regime is not in line with international best practices (IBP) and is definitely not in the interest of consumers of banking services in Nigeria. The N65 ATM withdrawal charge is punitive, excessive profit-driven, exploitative and totally unacceptable as well as being a terrible welcome gift from the new Central Bank Governor to consumers of banking services in Nigeria. He should take a cue from his colleague in the Nigerian Communication Commission – Dr. Eugene Juwah who introduced mobile number portability in Nigeria’s Telecoms sector in line with international best practices”, he said.

Chukwudi Obi  

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

"African Telecoms sector worth $65b By 2018" – Analysis Mason

DigitalSENSEBusiness News:

The telecommunications market in the Sub-Saharan African region is set to be one of the main growth success stories for the telecoms sector in the next five years with an estimated $65 billion worth over the next five years, DigitalSENSE Business News authoritatively reports.

According to a new report titled: ‘Sub-Saharan Africa telecoms market: trends and forecasts 2013–2018’ from telecoms specialist, Analysis Mason, the telecommunications market in African will record an explosive growth in the next five years.

In the report, the telecoms market in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is transitioning, as growing revenue from mobile data services is becoming proportionate to mobile voice growth while increased 3G coverage and capacity, and the widespread introduction of low-cost smartphones will help support the take-up of mobile data services.

A related key driver is the increasing take-up of adjacent digital economy offerings – notably, mobile financial services.

According to Analysis Mason’s regional analyst Mpho Moyo, “SSA’s telecoms market is growing faster than that of any other region, and will increase its share of worldwide telecoms revenue over the next five years, although this will still remain small compared with other regions.”

The SSA market, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered, accounted for only 2.9 per cent of worldwide telecoms revenue in 2013, increasing to 3.6 per cent by 2018 while mobile voice and handset data revenue will together deliver 90 per cent of the total telecoms revenue growth in the region in the next five years.

DigitalSENSE Business News checks indicate that telecoms revenue in SSA will continue to be heavily dominated by mobile services, which accounted for 86.5 per cent of telecoms revenue in 2013 and will contribute an even higher 89.4 per cent in 2018.

According to the report, mobile voice will continue to be the largest component of the telecoms market through 2018, as new subscribers, new market entrants and Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) reductions drive price competition and increased traffic.

However, the report speculates that mobile data revenue will grow faster than mobile voice revenue.

Mobile handset data’s share of total telecoms revenue will almost double by 2018, reflecting the role of mobile devices as the main Internet access point for most users in Africa.

According to the analysis, “Telecoms service revenue in the SSA market will leap at a six per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) during 2013–2018 (mobile at 6.7per cent and fixed at 1.0per cent), soaring from $49 billion in 2013 to more than USD65 billion in 2018”.

Chukwudi Obi

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

Nigeria can eradicate Ebola by September if... – NCDC

DigitalSENSEBusiness News :

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that Nigeria could eradicate the deadly Ebola epidemic from the country by September 2014, if it sustains its current efforts at tackling the disease, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered.

The Project director NCDC, Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi, who stated his during his presentation at a workshop organised by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) on Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment for Hemorrhagic and Zoonotic Viral Diseases, recently in Abuja, commended President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, for the support given to health workers to confront the virus.

“Let me say here that if the current efforts at tackling the disease are sustained, we should be able to defeat Ebola on or before September 6, 2014. But, that is not say the threat of reappearance will no longer be there.

“The president should be commended because he came back from a trip when the virus landed in the nation and swiftly went into action by championing the cause of containing the disease, and made funds available to that effect. The minister and governor are excellent people; their performance was excellent because they acted swiftly and decisively to bring the situation under control,” he said.

He further condemned the call by some embassies for intending travellers to present an Ebola-free certificate, describing it as unnecessary.

According to him, “You only need to screen (the blood of) those who have come in contact with an infected person, not everybody. Asking everybody to screen their blood for Ebola is out of WHO’s recommendation.”

The federal government, he noted, was already taking it up with embassies that now put this as one of the requirements for visa processing.

Chukwudi Obi

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

‘Only 5% of Nigerians have access to power’

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Only five per cent of 170 million Nigeria have access to electricity DigitalSENSEBusiness news authoritatively reports.

This is coming as the country needs an annual investment of $4 billion (about N647, 799,988,000) over a ten year period.

The Managing Director, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Ramesh Naravanan who stated this at the business luncheon for chief executives organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Apapa Branch in Lagos, said the investment which will cover generation, distribution and transmission would use up about 70 per cent investment into plant machinery while the other 30 per cent will be into construction.

According to Naravanan, only five per cent of Nigeria’s 170 million people have access to electricity available to the 11 discos while the rest of the population are still battling with energy needs.

Naravanan who said that the investment will open up opportunities in the nation’s manufacturing sector further called on the federal government to organise capacity building programmes to train and equip Nigerians with the necessary skills to reap the benefits of the investment.

The MD said the investment would also generate new direct and indirect job opportunities in the country, urging private and public academia to rise up to the challenge to train more engineers to fill up the job opportunities the investment will offer.

Chukwudi obi

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

We’re doing all we can to battle B’Haram- Jonathan

 Trade and investment: 

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that the Boko Haram insurgent sect is more than a domestic terrorist group that poses a threat to regional peace and security insisting that his administration is leaving no stone unturned to stop the violent sect, DigitalSENSE Business news reports. .

The president, who reiterated his administration’s effort to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness in Nigeria, said these at the US-African Leaders Summit in Washington DC amidst concerns over the growing incidents of piracy in the Horn of Africa and the gulf of Guinea.

“Nigeria is doing everything possible o combat Boko Haram and violent extremism. While we continue to enhance our intelligence and military capacities, we are at the same time, working on political solutions by engaging state governments and local communities. We are seeking economic solutions through various economic empowerment and job creation programmes. We are creating economic opportunities and addressing the root causes of youth restiveness.

“We are also building partnerships, both at the regional and international levels, to combat teh threat posed b terrorism in our sub-region. In this enterprise, we are pleased to acknowledge the supportive role of the United States.

“We are optimistic that continuing international support will help us rid our continent of te growing incident of terrorism.  We call for an effective international sanctions regime that would hold accountable any country, institutions and individual that financed terrorism in any part of the world”, he said.

In his words, piracy in the horn of Africa and the horn of Africa is undermining regional peace and the fragile security of African countries adding that the United States government resolve to enhance is partnership with Africa was reassuring.

“Across the region, piracy is dovetailing into other forms of organised crimes, including oil theft, hostage-taking, human and drug trafficking and proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons. Regional efforts to forge initiatives to counter these dangers have so far proved ineffective largely because these countries lack adequate and appropriate maritime surveillance and enforcement capabilities.

 “It is reassuring to have the US government pledge to enhance its partnership with Africa and o work with governments across the continent to address shared priorities. A large part of the task ahead would be t o expand economic opportunities and enlarge political space in our countries on the principles of popular participation, rule of law and respect of human rights”, he said.

Chukwudi Obi 

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

Women ICT summit set for Abuja, UK, USA

Gender ICT:

Barring any last minute hitches, all is now set for the 2014 edition of the Women’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Summit tagged “Women and National Security: Utilizing ICT for Community Policing and Self Actualisation", DigitalSENSE Gender ICT reports. 

President, HighTech Centre, Dr. Mrs. Wunmi Hassan, the organisers of the summit, disclosed to DigitalSENSE Gender ICT in Abuja recently that the summit will expose women to security challenges in Nigeria and the need to actualize their potentials using ICT tools for development, while taking cognizance of their corporate roles in community policing for a safe society and family protection.

In a public statement made available to DigitalSENSE Gender ICT in Abuja recently, she said, commencing from September 2 through 4, the Nigeria summit would hold in Abuja, while on September 20, her team will be heading to the United Kingdom as well as that of United States slated to kick off on November 14, this year.

She pointed out that some of the sub-themes of the Summit would include Nigeria’s security challenges: Issues and Options for women and families; Promoting involvement of women in community policing and ICT Applications to address national security and community policing techniques. Other sub-themes according to the statement are role of Media in Managing Security Challenges, ICT for wealth creation and women’s entrepreneurial development and workshops – Mobile apps, social media (facebook, gmail account, blogs and website design)

The three-legged Summit, she further said, is open for female policy makers, parliamentarians, public sector personnel, non-governmental Organisation (NGOs), business women, civil societies, women in the academia and women from 18 years and above.

The organisers of the Summit say the event will provide a platform to formally sensitize Nigeria women on the issues, challenges and concerns about security in the country, open the mind of women to ICT tools available for domestic and community policing purposes; encourage women to get involved in community policing for the security of their families and society and expose the participants to ICT options for making a living in a knowledge economy for sustainable development.

Some of the features of the Nigerian leg of the Summit include panel discussions, hands-on training and exposure to mobile ICT and security Apps development, models for safety and community policing strategies and group or syndicate projects. Other features of the Summit are ICT Campaign / Walk for Life and High Tech Annual Awards 2014 for women entrepreneurs and innovators in Nigeria and ICT Industry.

Chukwudi Obi

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

Ebola postpones West Africa Internet Governance Forum’14

DigitalSENSE Business News:

The Gambia’s ministry of information and communication infrastructure has postponed the West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF), which was scheduled to hold between 6^th and 8^th of August in Banjul, The Gambia indefinitely, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

A statement signed by a representative of the permanent secretary in the ministry, Amodou Nyang, and made available to DigitalSENSE Business News, notes that the ebola outbreak in the West African Sub region prompted the postponement of the WIGF.

“After due and relevant consultations with government authorities and stakeholders, the Ministry of information and Communication lnfrastructure came up with the conclusion  that West African lnternet Governance Forum (WAIGF) slated from the 6th - 8th August in Banjul, The Gambia be postponed  till further notice.

This was prompted due to recent Ebola cases across the sub region which now has an impact on flight availability.

“We apologies for any inconvenience caused”, the official stated.

Chukwudi Obi/ GEE

... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

60m Nigerians spend 1.8bn on sports betting daily

DigitalSENSE Business News:

No fewer than 60 million Nigerians spend 1.8 billion naira ($11, 042944 US dollars) on sports betting DigitalSENSE Business News gathered.

A study carried by Nigerian News Agency (NNA), estimated that presently about 60 million Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 40 are spending 1.8 billion naira (£ 670,000) daily on sports betting.

This is as Lagos state government has said that it will do more to create enabling environment for the lottery industry.

According to the study an average Nigerian bettor wagers 300 Naira (£1.10) daily.

DigitalSENSE Business News checks reveal that sportsbetting has grown in popularity among Nigerian youths and young adults, with international football being the nation’s most popular sports betting market.

Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lottery Board Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila who disclosed this in Lagos recently, urged federal government to put more policy frameworks in place to open up the lottery industry for more operators to come in.

“The state government has been making efforts to provide an enabling environment for the lottery industry but only 40 per cent of the industry had been tapped into. We urge the Federal Government to create a more enabling environment for operators in the industry to increase revenue and create jobs for youths. The major needs of the operators are improved electricity and internet provision to boost the business,” he said.

DigitalSENSE Business News authoritatively reports that sports betting operators are accessed through internet cafes throughout Nigeria while payments are made using digital micro payment providers who allow Naira currency to be processed and mobile phones

In the NNA study, many younger individuals denied themselves food in order to wager on sports betting markets.

Read more:

Chukwudi Obi /GEE
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!

ITREALMS: Mobile App on Ebola debuts

ITREALMS: Mobile App on Ebola debuts: ITRealms :

A new mobile application known as Ebola nationwide report centre has made a debut, ITRealms reveals. The proponent o...

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D