DIGITAL SENSE AFRICA

Ekuwem to preside @ Nigeria Internet Governance forum

2011-01-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

The former president of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and the Executive Vice Chairman, Teledom Group International, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem would preside over the 2011 edition of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum taking place between Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March, 2011 at the Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos, on ‘Internet Governance and Broadband Evolution in Nigeria’.

The Nigeria Digital Sense forum is an annual assembly of the Nigerian Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with particular reference to the Internet community, offering them a platform to deliberate on how the Internet is governed and its developmental impact to the country as well as contributing to the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

The annual forum is organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and endorsed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), ICANN, Nigeria Internet Exchange Point Ltd, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Joint Action Committee on ICT Awareness and Development (JACITAD) to name a few.

Disclosing the acceptance of Dr. Ekuwem who was until recently the National President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), the Executive Director, DSA, the organizers of the forum, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said it was an exciting piece of news.

She noted that Ekuwem who is reputed for his doggedness during the nation’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) controversy would be chairing the Nigeria Digital Sense forum on Internet Governance.

Ekuwem, she said, would use the platform to share critical information from his experiences in moving the ICT industry forward and specifically the .ng domains.

Mrs. Nweke also said that the two-day event has been strategically structured to boost participation of individuals and corporate, especially those offering Internet services that are looking for a meeting point with the ever increasing Internet savvy population in the country.

DigitalSense forum, she said, has become an innovative platform of taking internet offerings and services nearer to the populace.

This, she said, is crucial now that most mobile subscribers have internet embedded on their phones for easy and fast communication.

Promising that the 2011 edition would surpass the previous years, she promised of frequent updates in the coming days as DSA plans to hold the event in both plenary and working-group sessions.

In his reacting on his choice as the chairman of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum, Ekuwem noted that he has accepted the position due to the importance of the subject, which theme would be on ‘Internet Governance and Broadband Evolution in Nigeria’.

According to him, the passion he has for the Internet development has been of tremendous strength to move ahead and with the broadband evolution expected with the landing of two privately-owned submarine cables, a lot is expected in the market in Nigeria.

He commended the organizers, DSA to keep up the good work in pushing Internet awareness in the country, just as he assured that Teledom Group International and its subsidiaries have sufficient reasons to associate themselves with the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum, especially as a technology company.

It would be recalled that last year, DSA was well represented at the West Africa Internet Governance Forum in Senegal, with its Communiqué forming most position of Nigeria at the event, while the global Internet Governance Forum holding in Vilnius, Lithuania between September 14 and 17, 2010.

The chief executive, Teledom Group, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, has won several professional and international prizes including NTA Man of the Year 2010, Albert Einstein’s Centenary award of excellence by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife.
Additionally, Dr. Ekuwem, has won the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) in 2003 amidst other awards.

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DSA plans 2-day forum on Internet & broadband evolution

2010-12-22T16:00:00.000-08:00

Plans have been advanced for the hosting of the 2011 edition of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum, which would hold in Lagos between March 24 and 25, with center of attention being on internet development in the country, according to the Executive Director, Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke.

She also said that in the last two years, the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum, has been uniquely successful in creating a roundtable for the discussion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with particular reference to Internet Governance.

This year, she said, that the forum’s theme would dwell on ‘Internet Governance and Broadband Evolution in Nigeria.’

She explained that the essence is to bring to the forefront the knitty gritty of Internet Governance likely impact on the burgeoning broadband evolution which reportedly berthed in the country with the successful landing of two submarine cables; namely the Glo 1 and MainOne cable respectively.

Mrs. Nweke confirmed that the two-day event would hold at the prestigious Golden
Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos with several speakers lined up for the event from within the shores of Nigeria and internationally.

She noted that apart from re-examining the previous dual editions, those issues of concern, especially on the preparation of Nigeria to host the West African Internet Governance (WAIG) forum is top on the agenda.

Pointing out that notable Internet Service Providers (ISP), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, network vendors and consumer groups are expected at the forum.

“Most companies would use the platform to showcase their brand offering and services,” he said.

“Exhibiting ISPs, she said, would be handy to explain to Nigerians at the event how their products would facilitate penetration and improved competition for the benefit of ordinary internet users in the country.

She further urged members of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) who have commenced mobile internet services to take full advantage of the forum and expo to expose their various products to participants.

DSA boss equally said, the forum and expo would attract co-location companies, thereby availing subscribers and potential cyber café operators an avenue to interact and discussion subjects that could move the country forward, especially on Internet governance in line with the global internet forum otherwise refer to as IGF.

She further said that the forum would enable Nigerian internet community to articulate their views so as to ensure that Nigeria voice is coherent during WAIGF slated to hold mid-2011.

This important outcome, she said, was reaffirmed by paragraphs 37 and 38 of the Tunis 2005 Commitment, which states in part, “… goals can be accomplished through the involvement, cooperation and partnership of governments and other stakeholders, that is, the private sector, civil society and international organizations, and that international cooperation and solidarity at all levels are indispensable if the fruits of the Information Society are to benefit all.”

In addition, the paragraph 38, she pointed as stating that aforementioned efforts “should not stop with the conclusion of the Summit … emergence of the global Information Society to which we all contribute provides increasing opportunities for all our peoples and for an inclusive global community … we must harness these opportunities today and support their further development and progress.”

The Tunis Summit of 2005 paved the way for the IGF mandate of which paragraph 72 of the Tunis agenda, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General was charged to convene a meeting with regards to the new multi-stakeholder forum, known as the IGF.
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Nigeria Digital Sense Forum 2010 – Communiqué

2010-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Nigeria Digital Sense Forum 2010 – Communiqué
Friday, April 16, 2010
Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos, Nigeria

Theme: “Internet Governance Forum: The Way Forward for Nigeria”

We, the participants at a one-day Nigeria Digital Sense forum held at the Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos on “Five Years of Internet Governance Forum: The Way Forward for Nigeria” on Friday, April 16, 2010, organized by Digital Sense Africa (DSA), an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

We reiterated the need to coordinate the position of the Nigerian Internet community through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in recognition of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) push for the involvement of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for development.

Participants received the report of the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on WSIS outcome in review of the nation’s efforts since 2005.

We recognized the effective participation of governments and all stakeholders in developing an Information-based society requiring cooperation and partnership among all of them.

The Internet was also recognized as the centre of modern business in the country and the sub-region and African continent as a whole, anchored on the belief that the future lies on the Internet.

Besides, the forum commended the present collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector being champion by Digital Sense Africa, in empowering the Nigerian populace on the values embedded on the Internet, more so in alerting the Nigeria government and officials on the need to have a common front prior to the engagement of the world at the fifth annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) scheduled to hold in Vilnius, Lithuania on September 14-17, 2010.

The 2010 edition of the Nigeria Digital Sense forum acknowledged security as a major issue of concern for the Nigerian Internet community, but noted that while its being discussed at all levels, stakeholders should not despair, as the platform offered the Nigerian Internet community the opportunity once again to assemble and deliberate on how to take advantage of the available Internet Access, its Openness to address issues on Security, Diversity and its Governance.

Apart from reaffirming support on the release of ‘Affirmation of Commitment’ to the global internet community via the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), by the US government through its Department of Commerce (DoC); the forum welcomed the recent court judgment over the controversial 2.3GHz spectrum in Nigeria, saying its reassuring on independence of NCC and the need to move forward through this spectrum allocation intended to boost ICT in the country.

And in living up to the call by the West African Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) at Accra in 2009 as part of efforts at advancing Internet Governance related issues more seriously among stakeholders. The forum identified as follows:

1. That members of the Nigeria Internet community must be encouraged to participate at the fifth Internet Governance Forum, either individually, group or remotely.

2. Make it abundantly known to the global Internet community that Nigeria and Nigerians are very interested in the fight against cyber-related crimes purportedly emanating from Nigeria-based Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

3. Urged international internet community to help Nigeria by making sure that only those engaging in fraudulent practices should have their Internet Protocol addresses barred from Internet transactions.

4. There are several online startups that Nigerians and the youths precisely can involve themselves without being fraudulent.

5. Internet access should be seen as fundamental to human development and capacity building of Nigerians.

6. Parental care was identified as crucial if the fight against ‘yahoo, yahoo boys’ is to be won, by way of their setting up guidelines on either mobile phones or computers of their wards. In fact, they should show interest in what their wards are doing online.

7. While both the government of Nigeria and Internet community in the country should continue on the enlightenment of the citizenry, participants called for regular organisation of such a laudable forum.

8. Both individual and corporate organisations were charged to localize their online presence by patronizing the nation’s Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), .ng, being managed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).

9. .ng was recognized as a goldmine only if Nigeria Internet community can take it up and fly it on the Internet, so as for it to develop alongside other similar ccTLDs o the continent, of course not without challenges like the lack of adequate public power supply, among others.

10. The importance of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was also stressed and the danger of being left behind, even as the forum lamented that about 10 per cent of IPv4 is still unused on the continent and called for the set up of Nigeria Internet Registry to harmonize what is available and monitor the improvement and implementation of IPv6 as the new Internet.

11. The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecom operators were encouraged to ensure that their equipments comply with IPv6 specifications to boost deployment of the IP in the country.

12. The urgency for members of the ISP Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), to connect with the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) was stressed, in order to keep local Internet local and save foreign exchange for the country.

Stakeholders were charged to:

(a) See to the participation of more Nigerians as Internet continues to be readily available for the populace, especially on mobile.

(b) The National Assembly was urged to speed up actions on the Cyber crime bill, but first of all ensuring harmonization of various bills relating to the same subject to hasten the acceptance of electronic evidence in the country and court trials.

(c) Reiterating the partnership of the forum through collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, mostly at the Federal level, including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Plc, and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) among other public private partnerships.

The Nigeria Digital Sense forum 2010 was proudly supported by MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, Omatek Plc, Teledom Group, HiiT, New Horizons Ltd, NIXP, iWayAfrica Nigeria, Telecom Answers Associates (TAA), Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, StartUps and endorsed by NiRA, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) among others.

Digital Sense Africa (DSA), April 16, 2010, was presided over by the President, Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Chief Sam Adeleke. The forum was attended by over 500 participants, cutting across decision makers, regulators, govt reps, NGOs, technocrats, ISPs, major GSM/mobile operators, online entrepreneurs, students, market women/men and religious organisation and community based organisation.

For further information please contact:

Executive Director, DSA, Nkemdilim Nweke (Mrs), 234-8023725607;
www.digitalsenseafrica.blogspot.com, www.digitalsenseafrica.com.ng, www.igf.org.ng
Inquiries: remnekkv@gmail.com, info@digitalsenseafrica.com.ng

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Nigeria needs Internet Registry – Rudman

2010-06-02T14:49:00.002-07:00

Managing Director, Internet eXchange Point Nigeria Limited (IXNP), Mr. Muhammed Rudman, has advocated for the establishment of a National Internet Registry (NIR) to oversee the management of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in the country.

Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to devices participating in a computer network that use the Internet to communicate with each other. Also referred to as ‘IP number’ or just ‘IP,’ this code usually consists of numbers separated by three dots that identifies a particular computer on the Internet. IP started with IP version 4 (IPv4) with 32 bit address worth 4.3 billion hosts and now there is version 6, (IPv6).

He also said that registry when established should be tasked first and foremost to develop a National IPv6 Roadmap to strategize the IPv6 transition, nationwide.

Speaking on ‘IPv6 and Challenges in Nigeria’ at the recently held one-day forum organized by Digital Sense Africa (DSA) with the support of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Lagos, in preparation of the country for the global Internet Governance Forum 2010 scheduled to hold in Lithuania, in September this year, Mr. Rudman also said there is need to set up an IPv6 awareness and capacity building through seminars and trainings and incorporate IPv6 into the university curriculum.

The Federal Government through the regulator, NCC, should as matter of urgency provide some incentives to Internet industry to encourage them to adopt IPv6-based Infrastructure.

“These incentives can include reduction in regulatory fee and tax rebates,” he declared, noting that currently, Nigeria has about 300 lnternet Service Providers (ISPs), but only an estimated 20 per cent, which is 60 of the licensees are operational.

Noting there are only two ISPs in the country with IPv6, namely, 2001:4270:: 32 was allocated to Netcom Africa on June 15, 2006 and 2001:43b0: 32 was allocated to Cyberspace on March 10, 2009.

He also advised that upstream Internet connectivity providers should be asked to enable IPv6 readiness in their networks.

Mr. Rudman told participants at the forum presided over by the chairman, Internet Service Providers Associations of Nigeria (ISPAN), Chief Samuel Adeleke that the world cannot wait for Nigeria to migrate, therefore the nation needs every step forward to ensure any leap makes a milestone.

Pointing out that when the internet began it was in a university and they have no problems giving out IP addresses and over time, the initial IP addresses available was the IPv4 with about 4bn, which is now depleting.

Globally, he said, IPv4 remains 10 per cent, hence the introduction of version 6 became crucial, noting though that in Africa her quota is still remaining about 60 per cent at the African Network Information Center (AfriNIC) based in Kenya and 40 per cent has been distributed, while Tunisia has 2 per cent, Morocco 4 per cent, Algeria 5 per cent, Egypt 16 per cent, South Africa 59 per cent with others including Nigeria having 14 per cent.

“Most of the Internet security we have been talking about has to do with IP addresses. And because of billions of new users in China and India and new devices like mobile phones, Personal Data Assistant (PDA), cars, with IP addresses so that you can browse, IPv6 was introduced,” he said, citing an instance within an Indian refinery that runs on IP addresses using 51,000 devices and each one must have an IP addresses.

On the IPv6 challenges in Nigeria, Rudman said ISPs need business cases, but presently lack technical knowhow, core equipment compatibility issues, maintaining that lack of IPv6 upstream service providers and non request of IPv6 from end users have contributed to slow in adaptation of IPv6 in the country.

“All new IT equipment supplied to government should be IPv6 compliant and government to set target date for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to have IPv6 compliant networks.

IPv6, he said, is scalability and has security, real time application, auto-configuration, mobility, addressing and routing, as well as extensibility, just as he assured that the transition and co-existence techniques showed that IPv6 has been designed for ease application with dual stack, which allows for simultaneous support for both IPv4 and IPv6 stacks, while the tunnels for IPv6 packet have been encapsulated in IPv4 models in addition to dual mechanism for translation.

According to him, based on the Darwinian imperative, it is either one modernizes, reorganize or die if not ready to adhere to IPv6.

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ICANN releases interim report on regional review

2010-06-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

THE Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) ahead of the international meeting in Brussels, Belgium this month, has released the draft of the community-wide Geographic Regions Review Working Group (WGGR).

Policy analyst at ICANN, Mr. Robert Hoggarth said that the draft document could be found on the Socialtext Wiki page of the working group.

ITRealms Online recalls that the working group was formed by the ICANN board, to study and review the issues related to the definition of the ICANN geographic regions, by way of consulting with community stakeholders to develop and submit proposals to the board so as to resolve any problematic issues relating to the current definition of its geographic regions.

According to him, the first phase of the work tagged “Initial Report” in July of 2009 identified various applications and functions to which “ICANN Geographic Regions” are currently applied by existing ICANN structures via its geographic diversity among volunteer leaders.

He also said that it briefly documented other regional structures used within ICANN but not defined in the Bylaws and documented a number of potential “matters” that working group members from the ALAC, ASO, ccNSO, GAC and GNSO; thought should be covered during the Working Group’s subsequent investigations.

On the second phase, he said that WGGR effort has been to produce an Interim Report that builds on the foundation of the Initial Report and begins to focus on General Principles, Specific Considerations and some of the critical issues (“Matters”) that it will address in its Final Report document. In its present form, the draft document addresses two particular areas: (1) a review of the underlying objectives and general principles of geographic regions; and (2) identification of specific matters to be addressed in the Final Report.

He pointed out that members of WGGR were determined that additional community input would substantially enhance preparation the Interim Report.

So, draft Version 5 of the Interim Report, he said, is still a work-in-progress and is being formally provided to the community solely for discussion purposes and in order that WGGR members would have the option to discuss its contents with their respective communities - as well as the general ICANN community - during the Brussels meeting next month. Previous drafts of the Interim Report have been made regularly available on the Working Documents page of the WGGR wiki site.

“That wiki page is set up to accept community comments and such comments about the Interim Report and the WGGR’s work in general are welcomed and will be shared with and viewed by WGGR members. Of course, a full Public Comment Forum will be opened for community comments on the Interim Report document when it is published,” he explained.

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Nigerian, 7 others eye AfriNIC board

2010-05-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

A Nigerian expert in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, Mr. Obinna Nweje and seven others from various African countries have been nominated into the league of candidates to battle for the board of directors in the African Network Information Center (AfriNIC) is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa for this year.

The nomination for AfriNIC Board of Directors seats closed on May 14, this year.
Confirming this, the office of the chairperson, AfriNIC Nomination Committee (NomCom) 2010, in a press statement stated they have received a number of nominations for the board election to be held in Kigali on June 5th, 2010.

According to the list made available to ITRealms Online, North Africa region has two candidates namely Nezar Sami, and Khaled Koubaa; while the West Africa region has the highest candidates of six, viz, Mouhamet Diop, Katim S. Touray, Yen Choi, Alioune Badara Traore, Obinna Nweje and Ndeye Maimouna Diop Diagne.

AfriNIC is a non-governmental and not-for-profit membership based organisation, with main role being to serve African region as Regional Internet Registry, by spearheading Internet technology and policy development on the continent.

AfriNIC’s core values are to operate with transparency, professionalism and efficiency; committed to integrity in all that we do, always and everywhere; recognize and value individual contribution and teamwork; cultural and language diversity in our region; technology driven organization that encourages continuous learning and innovation; value collaboration and cooperation with related organizations.

The AfriNIC organizational structure is set to encourage a bottom-up self governance management model where policies and other organisational functions are determined by the community in general and members who elect representatives that seat on the Board of Directors.

The discussions are conducted via both public meetings and e-mail discussion lists, whereas there are no requirements or pre-requisites for any person or entity to participate.

AfriNIC has a general assembly which meets once a year even as Public Policy Meetings are organised twice a year one back-to-back with the General Assembly.

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Teledom, Omatek others for DSA forum ‘10

2010-04-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

The Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Omatek Plc and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) warehouse subsidiary of Teledom Group, TDC, are leading enterprises this year to the Nigeria Digital Sense forum 2010.

This is coming as all is now set for the annual forum to kick-off this Friday with focus on Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at the Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos, just as Nigeria’s software house, SystemSpecs Limited would take its award-winning Remita to the one-day roundtable on Internet development and governance.

According to the Executive Director, Operations, Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, all is now set for the 2010 edition of the roundtable which prepares Nigerian Internet community for the global Internet Governance Forum.

She also said that MTN Nigeria is expected to showcase its 3.5G mobile broadband data roaming services at the event with the theme ‘Five Years of IGF: Way Forward for Nigeria’ as internet access and penetration continue to grow in the country.

Equally, Teledom Group through its subsidiary, TDC would be displaying avalanche of ICT tools to make life very comfortable at this era, while Omatek Plc has concluded plans to entertain participants and visitors to its stand during the event with lots of branded products and take away gifts.

In addition, Linkserve Group, the pioneer Internet Service Providers in the country would be handy to launch its latest in shelf, Blast Broadband to the Nigerian Internet community, whereas Telecom Answers Associates would also be exhibiting among others.

This year, Mrs. Nweke said that the national president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), and chairman of Steineng Group, Chief Samuel Adeleke, would preside the event.

Speakers listed for this year, she said, includes the Regional Manager for Africa at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Ms Anne-Rachel Inne, who is billed to present an update and projections of the internet coordinating agency at the forum.

The acting Executive Vice Chairman at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Stephen Bello, she said, is expected to deliver the keynote address, while the nation’s hitherto only Point of Contact for the country code Top Level Domain, .ng, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office at the Presidency, would be presenting a report on the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Inter-Ministerial Committee in the last five years.

The Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Mr. Gbenga Sesan and lead strategist at StartUp Nigeria, Mr. Loy Okezie would be delivering papers during the Youth session to be chaired by the chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo with a lead presentation by the chief executive, New Horizons Systems Limited, Mr. Tim Akano, even as the former president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Chris Nwannenna would coordinate the interactive session.

Digital Sense Africa is an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; a group of ICT analysts and public relations consultants, with continental media affiliates as part of its enlightenment strategies to engage Nigerians for sustainable deployment and utilization of technologies in order to make sense out of the burgeoning revolution.

This year’s forum is organized in collaboration with NCC and endorsed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), ICANN, Nigeria Internet Exchange Point Ltd, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), to name a few.

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Okezie to speak @ Digital Sense Forum'10

2010-03-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

The founder of Startups Nigeria, Mr. Loy Okezie would take participants at this year’s Nigeria Digital Sense forum, which focuses on Internet usage, development and governance in the country on “Viable Online Startups in Nigeria and challenges” at the event scheduled for Friday, April 16, at Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos.

Startups Nigeria is an online-based business and technology community for web start-ups, entrepreneurs and innovations in mobile applications and web technologies from Nigeria.

Confirming this development, Mr. Okezie said he would be glad to share his experiences with fellow Nigerians, and especially the youths, whose attention have been drastically shifted to the Internet and world wide web.

This, he said, would spur many more young Nigerians like himself to find worthy paths to follow in online entrepreneurship.

Okezie also assured that he would use the platform to x-ray the challenges before Nigerian enterprising youths in online business and proffer solutions based on experiences garnered over the years, especially since he founded Startups in 2008.

Startups Nigeria, he said, was founded in April 2008, to track technology trends within the continent, with particular concentration on the Nigerian web 2.0 and social media space.

“The aim is to build a Nigerian online community of tech, web and mobile enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, developers and social media players,” he said, stressing that since September 2009, Startups Nigeria launched a new platform, which could be found at www.startupsnigeria.org in order to bring entrepreneurs, developers, students and investors to collaborate and participate in building a knowledge-based economy in Nigeria.

A Lagosian by birth, Okezie, promises to bring about his web marketing strategies for start-ups to impact on his proposed paper come April 16. He commended the organizers for the opportunity to be one of the facilitators for the 2010 edition of the forum.

A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Abuja, Okezie is widely-travelled and has hitherto spent over five years working with management and recruitment consulting firms in Nigeria, France and the UK, even as he presently consults for several small and mid-size companies and start-ups.

Reacting to this development, the Executive Director, Operations, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), the organizers of the forum, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said that Okezie would speak alongside other notable young motivating chief executive officers as a building block for the youthful Nigerian internet enthusiasts.

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DSA explains choice of April for Nigeria IGF-10

2010-01-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

Organizers of the Nigeria Digital Sense forum, the Digital Sense Africa (DSA), have said the 2010 edition of the forum will hold in second quarter of this year.

Executive Director, Operations at Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said the timing of the forum follows the need to sell Nigeria’s position to the West African countries.

This, she said, cannot be well articulated after the regional Internet Governance Forum (IGF) must have been held.

Other West African countries, she said, must be carried along in the nation’s bid to ensure that her own interest is well represented in the global session of the Internet Governance Forum.

According to her, the global IGF for this year, is coming much earlier than that of last year, hence the choice to hold the Nigeria Digital Sense forum in April.

She recalled that the decision to announce the date for the 2010 edition of its annual gathering of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders in the country with focus on Internet Governance, would take place on Friday, April 16, this year.

In addition, Mrs. Nweke said that this year’s theme of the forum planned for Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos, would centre on ‘Five Years of IGF, the Way Forward for Nigeria.’

Stressing that following the success of 2009 edition, it befitting to make certain the 2010 edition takes place in good time in order to ensure that those stakeholders planning to be at this year’s Internet Governance Forum, would have most of the subject that needed trashing at heart.

Further, she said that strategies are at the final stages to make sure that this edition improves on the intentions of stakeholders ahead of last year’s records.

Nigeria Digital Sense forum, she said, avails stakeholders the needed platform to articulate a stand on Internet Governance and accurately align the nation’s position into the global Internet Governance Forum holding in Vilnius, Lithuania between September 14 and 17, 2010.

The forum, she said, was initiated as part of efforts at always stimulating outlook and enlightenment on Nigeria’s position on the global annual Internet Governance Forum, which is in its fifth year.

She called to mind the fact that 2009 edition was presided over by chairman of the pioneer Internet Service Provider, Linkserve Group, Chief Chima Apugo Onyekwere with the participation of the Federal Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Mrs. Dora Akunyili and Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who were both adequately represented at the forum.

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Digital Sense forum’10 gets April date

2010-01-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Nigeria Digital Sense Africa forum has announced that the 2010 edition of its annual gathering of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders in the country with focus on Internet Governance, would take place on Friday, April 16, this year.

Disclosing this in Lagos, at the weekend, the Executive Director of Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said that this year’s theme of the forum planned for Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos, would centre on ‘Five Years of IGF, the Way Forward for Nigeria.’

She said that following the feat of the 2009 edition of the forum, it has become necessary to ensure that this year’s edition is held in good time so as to make certain that those stakeholders planning to be at this year’s Internet Governance Forum, would represent the interest of the nation’s internet community.

Mrs. Nweke also said that plans have advanced to ensure that this edition advances the objective further beyond what was achieved last year.

According to her, Nigeria Digital Sense forum offers stakeholders the needed platform to articulate a stand on Internet Governance and accurately align the nation’s position into the global Internet Governance Forum holding in Vilnius,
Lithuania between September 14 and 17, 2010.

She maintained that the forum was initiated as part of efforts at consistently galvanizing opinion and enlightenment on Nigeria’s position on the global annual Internet Governance Forum, which is in its fifth year.

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ISOC St. Amour says 2009 was extraordinary

2010-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Members, Friends, and Colleagues,

The end of 2009 is here - and what a year it has been. The Internet Society continued to prosper in 2009, the results of our work reaching wider and deeper than ever before. So it is a pleasure to extend my sincere gratitude to all of you whose combined efforts, energy, and dedication have made this such a great year.

We often use the term "Internet community" and, looking back at the achievements of this year, it is clear that these are truly the result of a strong, committed community pulling together around shared values and principles.

It is impossible to list here all of the Internet Society's achievements from such a busy and productive year, but I would like to single out a few highlights.

Within the Enabling Access Initiative, we worked closely with Chapters and other local and regional partners to significantly extend our technical and policy capacity building programmes, especially in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These efforts were aided through a revitalized INET programme with specialized content developed in partnership with local communities, and which reached out successfully to hundreds of participants in each location. This work advanced our profile and strengthened our message in many high-level forums, such as the OECD, the World Bank, and the ITU. Access continues to be one of the major themes in many of the Chapter and other member projects supported by our grants programmes.

In our InterNetWorks Initiative, a number of new efforts contributed to helping to advance the health of the Internet. ISOC continues to project a strong voice for IPv6 deployment, so it has been pleasing to see in 2009 that IPv6 is gathering momentum around the world. In an exciting new development this year, ISOC launched a series of topical, lively panel discussions during IETF meetings. The first on IPv6 deployment attracted much international attention. Together with the subsequent panels on DNS security and bandwidth management issues, these events have set the scene for what will be an important ongoing activity, helping to advance the health of the Internet and promoting the role of the IETF.

ISOC's Trust and Identity Initiative benefited from two important new staff additions in 2009, increasing our involvement in many important new initiatives and partnerships in both the Trust and Identity spaces. One of the most significant is the Kantara Initiative (formerly the Liberty Alliance), in which ISOC has developed a strong voice and leadership role.

Throughout all of our work in 2009, we strived to promote better understanding of the nature and importance of the Internet Model of development and the relationships of the many organizations and functions making up the Internet Ecosystem. These efforts have clearly paid off and we were very pleased to see many of our messages reflected in the words and actions of many others in regional, national, and global discussions. In 2009, ISOC's key messages were more frequently cited in media reports and reflected in statements by policy makers around the world than ever before.

Additions to ISOC's staff in 2009 helped us make big strides in producing better publications and communications resources, delivering important information and services in more languages, and providing much greater support for events where Chapters, Individual and Organization Members, and others come together in support of our common mission. The successful Sphere project continues to be an excellent process for enabling the full potential of the Chapter network. And we were very pleased to recently launch the first phase of our new Association Management System as a much improved tool for Chapter and member interaction.

This year was one of ISOC's most significant ever in terms of global engagement. With highly visible roles in the EU, ITU, OECD, IGF, and many other major policy and technical forums, it is clear that ISOC's reputation as a trusted and authoritative voice on critical Internet issues continues to grow stronger. We again were honoured to coordinate the participation of other organizations, especially in the Internet Technical Advisory Committee to the OECD and the Internet Pavilion at the ITU's Telecom World 2009. At the latter event, ISOC announced the Next Generation Leaders programme, a new activity starting in 2010 to build on our past successes such as the Network Training Workshops (NTW's), as well as our current work in Fellowships to the IETF, and Ambassadorships to the IGF and other forums, adding coursework and mentoring to help accelerate the careers of the young practitioners who will lead the Internet into its next generation.

Finally, the Internet Society is finishing the year on a high note, having just announced our support for the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), to help it evolve as a more agile, inclusive, and flexible organization, as it creates and promotes open standards.

There is so much more I could mention here - it really has been an extraordinary year. As 2009 draws to a close, it is important to recognize and thank all those who contributed to such a successful year. So, thank you to all the Individual and Organization Members, the Chapters, and all our other supporters and partners for their efforts and support as we worked together in pursuit of our common goals. Thank you to our friends in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) without whose values and work, the Internet, as we know it, would not exist. And, of course, thank you to the ISOC staff, the ISOC Board of Trustees, the Organization Member Advisory Council and the Public Interest Registry (PIR), for their efforts and support. To all of you, your support is vital to helping the Internet improve the lives of people everywhere.

Finally, I'd like to extend my very best wishes to you and your families during the holiday season, as we couldn't do what we do without their support. I look forward to working together with all of you for a prosperous and successful 2010.

Warmest regards,

Lynn

Lynn St.Amour
President & CEO, Internet Society

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

Colitti, Kline receive initial Itojun awards at IETF

2009-12-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

The first in the series of Itojun Service Award have been presented to the duo of Lorenzo Colitti and Erik Kline of Google at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting in Hiroshima, Japan for their outstanding contributions to the development and deployment of IPv6, the next generation Internet protocol.

A press statement made available to Daily Champion by the Internet Society (ISOC), noted that the award ceremony was in honour and memory of Dr. Jun-ichiro "itojun" Hagino, who passed away in 2007, aged just 37.

The award, established by the friends of itojun and administered by the Internet Society (ISOC), recognises and commemorates the extraordinary dedication exercised by itojun over the course of IPv6 development.

"The sustained efforts of Lorenzo and Erik have tangibly increased the availability of Web-based services that use IPv6, reflecting the Itojun Service Award's focus on pragmatic contributions in the spirit of serving the global Internet's continued evolution," said Jun Murai of the Itojun Service Award committee and Director of the WIDE Project.

"The Itojun Service award aims to recognize how important both the development of IPv6 and related protocols and efforts to advance their deployment are to ensuring the Internet continues to serve as a platform for innovation around the world."

The Itojun Service Award is focused on pragmatic contributions to developing and deploying IPv6 in the spirit of serving the Internet. The award, expected to be presented annually, includes a presentation crystal, a US$3,000 honorarium and a travel grant.

Lorenzo Colitti, Network Engineer at Google said, "This is a great honour. Itojun is a legend in the IPv6 community, and the Internet is indebted to him. Without his foundational work, none of what we achieved with IPv6 would be possible - we stand on the shoulders of giants. Itojun has been a source of inspiration, and I regret never being able to meet him, to show him our work, and show him that we too shared his vision of bringing IPv6 to the users of the Internet."

Erik Kline, IPv6 Software Engineer at Google said, "It's humbling to be sharing the Itojun Service Award, having achieved by comparison only a small fraction of the impact of his widely influential body of work. For me personally, Google's IPv6 efforts are not just for the Internet and its future but also a way to honor his vision, dedication, and passion."

IPv6 was developed within the IETF, the Internet's premier standards-making body responsible for the development of protocols used in IP-based networks.

IETF participants represent an international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers involved in the technical operation of the Internet and the continuing evolution of Internet architecture.

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

IGF 2009: Concluding summary @ Sharm El-Shelkh

2009-11-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

Sharm el-Sheikh, 18 November 2009 - The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) concluded today its fourth meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where it met from 15 to 18 November 2009 with calls from participants to extend the Internet Governance Forum beyond its current mandate. With more than 1800 participants from 112 countries, the 2009 Forum saw the largest attendance record since its inception in 2006. The participants reflected the diversity of internet users and came from governments, international organizations, the Internet community, the private sector, civil society and the media.

Discussions in Sharm el-Sheikh, chaired by Tarek Kamel, the Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, examined ways to improve Internet access by all and promote local content and cultural diversity; ensure the safety of the Internet and fight cybercrime; manage key Internet resources such as the root server system, technical standards, interconnection and telecommunications, the domain name system and Internet protocol addresses. The meeting also discussed new issues related to the continued growth of social networks, and the ensuing governance issues that are emerging, in particular, the need for new approaches regarding privacy and data protection, rules applicable to user-generated content and copyrighted material, and issues of freedom of expression and illegal content. Parallel to the main sessions on these issues, more than 100 workshops, best practice forums, dynamic coalition meetings and open forums were held around the broad themes of the main sessions and the overall mandate of the IGF.

The Forum, which was set up with an initial mandate of five years that expire next year, extensively discussed the issue of the future of the Forum beyond 2010, the end of its current mandate of 5 years. Sha Zukang, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, who led formal consultations with Forum participants on the "desirability of the continuation of the Forum", stressed the centrality of the principle of inclusiveness and the need for continued discussions on public policy issues related to the Internet in some form. A report on these consultations will be presented to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who will then communicate his recommendation to the General-Assembly.

High ranking government officials who took the floor at the opening of the meeting agreed that the IGF should continue to meet beyond 2010, stressing that IGF had proven its usefulness. Support for the continuation of the Forum was expressed all through the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting and reiterated in closing statements by representatives from all stakeholder groups, including state officials, many of whom said they were already looking forward to the meeting which Kenya hoped to organize in 2011.

In his closing statement, the Chairman of the 2009 IGF meeting saw wide consensus on "the need for the continuation of the IGF process with the legitimacy provided by the U.N. umbrella as well as the dynamic nature of the event", which was very clear in Sharm el-Sheikh and needed to continue.

In a chairman's summary distributed at the end of the meeting, it was noted that many speakers emphasized the usefulness of the IGF as a platform for dialogue, free from the pressures of negotiations. Most of the speakers who supported improvements would like the IGF to refocus its attention on certain points such as international public policy issues; capacity-building; participation by developing countries; improved transparency; improved communications; improved remote participation; creating a data base for best practices; more visibility for outcomes, and possibly the ability to make recommendations. Many speakers supported a continuation of the Forum as it is, that is to continue the IGF as a multistakeholder platform that brings people together to discuss issues, exchange information and share best practices, but not to make decisions, nor to have highly visible outputs. Other speakers, while supporting a continuation of the IGF along similar lines to its current form, they called for some changes. The proposed changes ranged from small improvements to major changes in its functioning, such as adding provisions that would allow it to produce outputs and decisions on a multistakeholder consensus basis. Most of those who supported the continuation of the forum would like to do so for at least another five year term.

Next year's IGF meeting will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 14 to 17 September.

Issued by the UN Department of Public Information

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

Nigeria Digital Sense forum 2009 - Communique

2009-11-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

Nigeria Digital Sense Forum communiqué,

Thursday, November 5, 2009,

Ikoyi-Lagos, Nigeria.

Theme: “Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians”

We, the participants of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum held at the Golden Gate Ikoyi-Lagos on “Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians” on Thursday, November 5, 2009, organized by Digital Sense Africa (DSA) an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures (RKV) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

We call to mind that a harmonized voice within the Nigerian Internet community is critical to the development of Internet in the country and the sub-region and the continent in entirety.

Also, we call to mind that harmonized voice among Nigerian Internet community will provide Nigeria the opportunity to have a united front before confronting the world at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) scheduled to hold in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt between November 15 and 18, 2009.

The forum identified security as a major issue of concern for the Nigerian Internet community.

Additionally, we call to mind that the global Internet Governance Forum afforded the Nigerian Internet community to come together alongside other communities from around the world to ensure optimization of Access, Openness, Security, Diversity and Internet Governance.

Equally, we call to mind that the release recently by the United States’ Affirmation of Commitment to the global internet community via the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN); is a welcome development that could endear the trust of those hitherto not comfortable with the arrangement which began with the US Department of Commerce (DoC).

Hence, in alignment with the outcome of the West African Internet Governance forum, held in Accra-Ghana, especially in the areas of encouraging African countries to take the issues of Internet Governance more seriously by ensuring engagement of stakeholders at IGF level.

Therefore:

1. It was agreed that members of the Nigeria Internet community must be encouraged to participate at the forthcoming Internet Governance Forum and actively too.

2. Make pronouncement with respect to the security of the Internet and discrimination thereof, especially meted out on honest and God fearing Nigerians who are more interested in engaging positively with the world on the Internet.

3. The discrimination against Nigeria’s based Internet Protocol (IP) address should stop because it is negatively affecting the majority of Nigerians who are confidently engaged on the Internet.

4. Both the government of Nigeria and Internet community in the country should strive in enlightening the populace and the world over on the keenness of the majority of Nigerians in deploying Internet for ICT for Development (ICT4D) growth.

5. Nigeria’s Internet Service Providers (ISPs), especially members of the ISP Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), should connect without further delay with the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), so as to encourage local internet to remain local, which has multiplier effect, including saving money for both the ISPs and customers – the end-users.

6. Nigeria should canvass for a root server to be located in the country to further push and retain local traffic locally.

7. Also, members of the ISP Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), should ensure compliance by ensuring registration of their domains in the country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD), .ng.

8. This will make the .ng commercially viable and eventually give the ccTLD the need popularity it needed to be feasible among equals.

9. Nigerian participants at the IGF 2009 must ensure that alienation of Nigeria’s IP address (IP blocking) is stopped and that Nigeria has the population to push its desire and voice to be heard in Egypt and at all conferences in relation to Internet and its governance even beyond IGF.

10. There is need to refocus Nigerian youths engaged in online fraud (cybercrime) otherwise known as ‘Yahoo, Yahoo’ by way of granting them amnesty followed with skilled training and adoption into the mainstream, in order to positively utilize their talents.

Enjoining Nigerian stakeholders to:

1. Ensure maximum participation at all times, at Internet Governance related forum.

2. Strengthening the partnership of the forum through collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agency of government, mostly at the federal level including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Plc, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) among other public private partnership.

The Nigeria Digital Sense forum was proudly supported by Galaxy Backbone Plc, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, iWayAfrica Nigeria, New Horizons Ltd, Omatek Plc, Teledom Group, Telecom Answers Associates (TAA) and endorsed by Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) among others.

Digital Sense Africa, November 10, 2009

For full story: ITRealms Online

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

Internet Governance 2009: IP blocking unacceptable to Nigeria – Stakeholders

2009-11-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

Nigeria Internet community would canvass for the appropriate security regulation and application, mostly on Internet Protocol (IP) blocking at the on-going Internet Governance Forum (IGF) holding in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Participants at the recently concluded one-day Nigeria Digital Sense forum in a communiqué made available to ITRealms Online by the organizers, Digital Sense Africa (DSA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the theme: “Internet Governance:
Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians” agreed that issues of Internet Protocol (IP) blocking on Nigeria IP addresses is not acceptable.

Thus, there is need to revisit the issue so as to avoid blocking of every IP address with link to Nigeria.
For full story: ITRealms Online

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

IGF; Experts strategise for Nigeria's position

2009-11-11T14:04:00.000-08:00

A one-day forum on Internet Governance: Creating opportunities for all Nigerians was held in Lagos, last week. CHARLES OKOH , who was there reports that Nigerian experts used the platform to strategise for the 2009 global Internet Governance Forum.

THE need to articulate a common position for the Nigerian delegation to the next Internet Governance Forum (IGF), taking place in Egypt in a fortnight, took the front burner, as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders gathered in Lagos to brainstorm on the way forward.

The forum tagged Internet Governance: Creating opportunities for all Nigerians, the forum saw every speaker offering solutions on how best to table the nation’s interests at the IGF given the fact that the internet world is virtually at intersection on the way forward after the United States let go the control of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently.

Lobbying, the route to growth:
Speaking on the relevance of the forum the chairman at the occasion, Chief Chima Onyekwere, said the event could not have come at a better time, noting that the presence of students is an indication that in 20 years, many of them would be equipped enough to take charge in the ICT sector.

He called on associations within the sector to pursue advocacy and act as pressure groups and catalyst to bring about the needed change in the sector. Lobbying, he said, is important at this stage of ICT development in the country and only through that could the dreams of the sector be fulfilled.

IGF is multi-stakeholders:
On his part, the President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said that the IGF is a multi-stakeholders’ forum and that an agency of government should have taken charge of this pre-IGF forum, but said the organizers, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), should be commended for taking up the initiative.

Mr. Ajayi who spoke on NIG and Internet governance, said the IGF came as a result of pressure all over the world for autonomy of ICANN, which gave birth to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia 2005, after the first phase was held in Geneva in 2003, metamorphosing into a yearly forum for solution on the governance of the internet.

He identified security, access, diversity, openness and internet governance as the areas on which discussions will be based at the forthcoming IGF slated to hold in Egypt and a failure by any nation including Nigeria to align itself with the aforementioned and adequately represented in these discussions will mean that other nations will decide for such a nation.

On diversity, he said, the issue will be that of language, wondering that the world over, there are about 3 billion people, and China accounts for over one billion, yet only English language has dominated Internet content. He also noted that on access, that every Nigerian must be connected as a right rather than a privilege.

Nigerians must take interest in .ng
For the Vice President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma, the issue of the nation’s position on IGF is beyond the government or any single association, but a collective national issue. She highlighted the importance of the Internet, saying that the era of voice only in telecommunication diffusion is over and that the world is now focusing on ‘data.’

“Internet governance is not restricted to the activities of governments. Many different types of stakeholders have a role in defining and carrying out Internet governance activities and Internet Society (ISOC) for instance, has always been an active leader in such discussions. When governance is mentioned, there must be some conjecture of politics. Politics, we all are aware is a game of numbers. The purpose of this forum is possibly to articulate ways and means for Nigeria to wield overwhelming influence in Internet governance,” she pointed out.

Mrs. Uduma who spoke on Internet Governance: The role of NiRA noted that though it may sound scandalous but statistics as at March, 2009, indicated that Africa still lags behind with less than 1 million domain names under Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) in the region.

She warned that the United States (US) and the West will continue to wield the greatest influence in Internet Governance if the appetite for generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) is not curbed. Noting that ISOC positions, for instance, supports an open and globally accessible Internet.

IGF, is multi-stakeholder driven:

By the Tunis agenda, she said, the IGF should be multilateral, multi-stakeholder, democratic, and transparent, with all stakeholders playing their appropriate roles. And most importantly, IGF is a negotiating forum but not a decision-making body. Instead, the idea is for IGF to be constituted as a neutral, non-duplicative, and non-binding process.

“It would have no involvement in day-to-day or technical operations of the Internet. It is to be a place where issues could be explored in an open environment,” she said, stressing that in practice, IGF has proven to be a place where issues are ‘conditioned’ through a developmental process.

On the activities of NIRA, she said it was set up to play a very critical role in the Domain Name System (DNS) and as managers of the Nigerian country code top level domain (ccTLD), .ng. This stakeholder-led association, Mrs. Uduma said, has the oversight function of what portends to be the largest registry in Africa going by the nation’s population index in the continent.

“But it is foregone that in the final analysis, a successful registry would not be attained as a result of the share magnitude of the country’s population. It would take diligent planning, finance and execution,” Mrs. Uduma stressed.

She further said NIRA is ready to position .ng as the leading ccTLD in Africa and ultimately, one of the foremost domains in the world, because the cost of registering domains under this platform is very cheap. “We are poised to build a pace-setting environment where the usage of the domain name service will be harmonious, and inherently become a model system in the industry,” she said.

NiRA, she said, is committed to become the administrators of and the non-governmental self-regulatory body for the .ng ccTLD and its associated sub-level domain as well as promoting the operational stability and utility of the .ng ccTLD by ensuring cost effective administration, development and establishment of policy frameworks for the advancement of .ng.

IXPN enthrones cheap access:
The Chief executive officer, Internet eXchange Point Nigeria (IXPN) Limited, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, dwelling on ‘IXPN: Creating Opportunities for all Nigerians,’ said the concept of an Internet exchange point is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers (ISPs) exchange Internet traffic between their networks locally.

“An IXP interconnects Internet service providers (ISPs) in a region or country, allowing them to exchange domestic Internet traffic locally without having to send those messages across multiple international hubs to reach their destination,” he said.

Before now, he said, a message would travel from one part of the country to Europe and America before reaching its destination which is in another part of the country.
“Imagine travelling to Lagos, London, New York, finally to arrive at Ibadan at a high cost, low speed, small capacity and low reliability,” he asserted.

… Saves money:
On the benefit of Internet eXchange points to the nation, Rudman said, it saves money, traffic going overseas, which entails transit charges paid to the upstream ISP; reduces foreign exchange and capital flight as the money stays in local economy and provides better local infrastructure and services for customers

Others, he outlined to include customers pay less for Internet access, therefore, more customers sign up, better business and enhance local connectivity and improve internet experience of end users and creates new revenue opportunity as customers use the Internet for more products, services, and activities.

On the way forward, Rudman said his office is collaborating with NgNOG to connect all higher educational institutions in Lagos, to connect to the exchange point towards the establishment of National Research & Education Network (NREN); Private Public Partnership (PPP) in the establishment of other IXPs across the country and inter-IXP backbone link; localization of Google, Microsoft to name a few as well as deployment of Content Distribution Network (CDN), for instance, Akamai ; Massive campaign for local content development and interconnection of all West African IXPs.

7-point agenda for IGF:
Equally speaking, the Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) Mr. Gbenga ‘Sesan advocated, what he called the 7-Point Agenda for IGF. These, he listed to include “Access, diversity, openness, security, critical Internet resources, development and capacity building.”
He said, building opportunity for young people would involve new generation skills, such as web 2.0; facebook, twitter to name a few.

“Who says there are no jobs? There are jobs, there are just no skilled people to take them,” he declared, stressing that capacity building is not just in technology skills but business skills and attitude.

Mr. Sesan who spoke on ‘Internet Governance and Nigerian youths’ recommended that every misdirected young cybercriminal is a potential human resource, who could be engaged in order to redirect such energies.

Why pre-IGF is vital:

Speaking earlier, the organizer of the event and executive director, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said the purpose of the forum is to act as a rallying point for the nation’s internet stakeholders in raising and addressing salient issues concerning the ICT sector with particular reference to the internet governance-related issues.

She said apart from providing a platform for stakeholders to articulate a stand on IGF, the relevance of fighting poverty across the continent with the instrumentality of ICT was also a motivating factor.

“Poverty in Africa is wide spread and without the ability to communicate, the continent would remain poor and isolated, thus lacking the means to participate in the global society especially for women and youths,” she said.

She also identified poor power supply, lack of economic power, lack of enabling laws and the inability to understand the enormous potentials inherent in technology with reference to the internet, as some of the obstacles on the way to greater internet access in the country.

Just as she commended the likes of Galaxy Backbone plc, iWayAfrica Nigeria, MTN Nigeria, Teledom Group and New Horizons for finding it worthy to partner her DSA on this laudable programme to move the nation forward.

Above all, the Nigeria Internet community has taken the bull by the horn at the Digital Sense forum, but the next step is to ensure that Nigeria is well represented at the IGF 2009, especially from the government.

.... Making sense out of digital revolution!

Akunyili, Ndukwe lead speakers @ Digital Sense forum

2009-11-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

The chairperson of the Bureau of African Ministers of Communications and Information Technologies (ICT) and Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili would on Thursday this week in Lagos, declare open the annual Nigeria Digital Sense forum.

The event which has been slated to hold at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi-Lagos, would also have the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe as a keynote speaker focusing on the theme of the forum, Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians.

Disclosing this, the Executive Director, Operations, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said it is heartwarming that the honourable minister, Prof. Akunyili, would be at the event by accepting to honour the forum, which is the first of its kind in the country.

According to her, the forum aims at galvanizing ICT stakeholders and the Nigerian Internet community particularly to harmonize relevant voices towards having a national position at the forthcoming global conference on Internet, tagged the Internet Governance Forum, holding in Egypt later in November.

She recalled that Nigeria emerged the chairperson of the Bureau of African Ministers of Communications and Information Technologies (ICT) under the auspices of the African Union (AU) Commission at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-Telecom Africa 2008 at the Cairo International Conference and Exhibition Centre (CICC).

The election of Nigeria into this position, industry observers had said was in recognition of nation’s influence and current standing in ICT performance in the sub-region, even as the sector liberalization in Nigeria, has triggered an enabling environment provided by federal government based on the bid to enshrine fair and transparent regulatory framework within the telecommunication industry.

Confirming Akunyili’s participation at the event, she said a letter to DSA from the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications, endorsed by the Special Assistant to the honourable minister, Mrs. Mary Ikoku, stated that Prof. Akunyili has graciously accepted to be present at the occasion.

In addition, Mrs. Nweke said that the EVC, NCC, Dr. Ndukwe would present the keynote address, on the theme: Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians, while the Vice President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma would dwell on ‘The Role of NiRA’ in creating internet opportunities for Nigerians, just as the Regional Manager, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Ms Anne Inne Rachel would take participants on Internet Governance, Africa and ICANN’s position.

Equally the Managing Partner of Technology Advisors, Mr. Basil Udotai, she said would speak on the impact of law in Internet governance, while the chairperson, Inter-ministerial Committee on the Outcome of World Summit on Information Society, Mrs. Ibukun Odosote, would give account of the journey so far, just as the President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi would unveil the functions of the group in getting thus far.

Lots of chief executives of Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies and internet enthusiasts have signed up for the forum, even as MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and iWayAfrica have concluded arrangements to showcase their various internet-based products to the participants.

Digital Sense Africa is an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; Information and Communication Technology (ICT) analysts, public relations consultants, with continental media affiliates as part of its enlightenment strategies to engage Nigerians for sustainable deployment and utilization of technologies in order to make sense out of the revolution.

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

Onyekwere to preside @ Digital Sense forum

2009-10-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

Executive chairman of the pioneer Internet Service Provider in the country, Linkserve Limited, Chief Chima Onyekwere, would preside over the affairs at the forthcoming Nigeria Digital Sense forum slated to hold in Lagos, on Thursday, November 5 at Golden Gate, Ikoyi-Lagos.

Affirming this position, Onyekwere applauded the leadership of Digital Sense Africa (DSA), the organizers under the watchful eyes of its Executive Director, Operations, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke. Expressing excitement over the proposed forum, Onyekwere said its timely and charged stakeholders to be alert to the issues that could facilitate development of Internet in Nigeria and globe.

He pointed out that there is need for Nigeria’s voice to be adequately heard at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), scheduled to hold in Egypt, later in November and urged stakeholders and industry analysts to come up at the forum with propositions that would best mainstream Nigeria’s internet penetration.

Reacting to this development, DSA boss, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, said at the weekend that the choice of Onyekwere represents the quality of participants expected at the forum with the theme, Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians. She equally said that the choice apart from giving honour to whom it is due, would elucidate Onyekwere’s position as chieftain of the Nigerian Internet community, which is not in doubt.

Also, she said that Onyekwere who currently oversees a conglomerate under Linkserve would add value to the forum and share his personal experience with participants with regards to the theme to boost internet access and penetration in the country.

Reiterating that with the likes of Onyekwere in attendance, Nigeria’s position would be well articulated at the Nigeria Digital Sense forum for onward project at the IGF meeting in Egypt, while offering a position for the government to take its role more fervently.

She recalled that the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) had equally drummed support for the Nigeria Digital Sense forum; a one-day roundtable in Lagos. Confirming this, the Acting Executive Secretary, ATCON, Mr. Ajibola Olude, said in the letter entitled ‘Endorsement for Nigeria Digital Sense forum’ that the ATCON was not biased in its rooting support for the event scheduled for Thursday, November 5 at Golden Gate, Ikoyi-Lagos.

According to him, ATCON’s National Executive Council has decided to collaborate with Digital Sense Africa on the project in three key areas. These, he listed to include by way of endorsement of the initiative, provision of relevant data and information so as to make the project a success as well as creating a sustained awareness among its teeming membership of telecom companies either through the internet or short message service (SMS).

... Making sense out of digital revolution!

ATCON drums support for Digital Sense forum

2009-10-07T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has given its backing for the Nigeria Digital Sense forum, a one-day roundtable on Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians, slated to hold next month in Lagos.

Acting Executive Secretary of ATCON, Mr. Ajibola Olude, affirmed this in a letter to the organizers, Digital Sense Africa (DSA).

He said in the letter entitled ‘Endorsement for Nigeria Digital Sense forum’ that the ATCON was not biased in rooting support for the event scheduled for Thursday, November 5 at Golden Gate, Ikoyi-Lagos.

According to him, ATCON’s National Executive Council has decided to collaborate with Digital Sense Africa on the project in three key areas.

These, he listed to include by way of endorsement of the initiative, provision of relevant data and information so as to make the project a success as well as creating a sustained awareness campaign among its teeming membership of telecom companies either through the internet or short message service (SMS).

“Accept our congratulations,” he declared.

Elated Executive Director, Digital Sense Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, described the endorsement as a motivating step by ATCON for the initiative.

She applauded the leadership of ATCON led by Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem for his foresight and commitment to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development in the country.

Mrs. Nweke expressed optimism that ATCON’s support has gone a long way in encouraging its members, especially those offering Internet services to take advantage of the platform to take active part by way of exhibiting their internet-related based products, capable of aiding the penetration of Internet access in the country.

She recalled that Ekuwem’s role while he was the president of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) a few year’s back is not in question, in that he would always seek and support every step at promoting and boosting Internet access to Nigerians.

According to the DSA boss, her team has since taken its enlightenment to Facebook as part of the public engagement strategies to reach out to Nigerians.

While soliciting for more endorsement from industry groups in the country to support DSA in its objective of creating a rallying platform for Nigerian Internet community, she recalled that the Internet Exchange Point Nigeria Limited (IXPN) has equally given its support to the Nigeria Digital Sense forum holding on November 5, 2009.

ATCON is a professional, non-profit umbrella organisation of all telecommunication companies in Nigeria, inaugurated on December 10, 1993 as a national trade organisation, and has its membership drawn from Nigerian and multi-national companies, who provide telecommunications and information technology products and services nationwide.

Internet eXchange supports DigitalSense forum

2009-10-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Internet Exchange Point Nigeria Limited (IXPN) has given its support to the Nigeria Digital Sense forum slated to hold in November 2009.

Disclosing this, the Managing director and chief executive officer of IXPN, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, said that they understand the purpose of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum , which is centred on rallying point for Nigerian internet stakeholders in raising and addressing salient issues concerning the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, with particular reference to the Internet Governance-related issues and development in Nigeria.

The letter of endorsement made available to newsmen in Lagos and addressed to the Executive Director, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Umah-Nweke commended the organization for coming up with such initiative, which he sees as an avenue to boost internet penetration in the country.

He recalled the theme of the forthcoming forum; Internet Governance-Creating Opportunities for all Nigerians, saying it is timely, just as he emphasized that IXPN is pleased to endorse the forum.

“Therefore, Internet Exchange Point Nigeria Limited (IXPN) will appreciate the support of all Internet stakeholders to take active participation,” he said.

Speaking further, he noted with interest that IXPN has connected to over 14 notable companies since it concluded installations of infrastructure in Lagos office.

These companies, he said, have confirmed their interest in joining the IXPN and will soon be exchanging traffic, keeping local traffic local, just as it should be.

He listed some of these companies are Amsco Telecoms, Tara Systems, Skannet, GS Telecoms, Netcom Africa, Megatech, Steineng, Medallion Communications, Inet Global, Linkserve, Nitel, Swift Talk, Microaccess and Starcomms.

Additionally, he noted that Cyberspace, Accelon, 21st Century, Setlins, Bestcom, Disc Communications, Cobranet, Galaxy ITT & MTN are on the network of keeping Nigeria’s internet traffic local.

In a related development, Rudman said IXPN is using technical support from Tara Systems to successfully perform a bench test of its equipment.

These equipments include switches and routers, so as the IXPN locations were simulated in a single room, in effect simulating the Internet exchange itself, stressing that some members of the public were invited to have a look at what the IXPN will eventually look like.

In her reaction, the Executive Director, DSA, Mrs. Nkemdilim Umah-Nweke said that it is heart-warming to get IXPN commendation at this time and enjoined stakeholders and Internet enthusiasts in the country to capitalize on the opportunity offered by the forum to enlighten themselves.

NiRA endorses DigitalSense forum-09

2009-09-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has given its endorsement for the 2009 edition of the Nigeria Digital Sense Forum, which focus is on enthroning globally acceptable internet governance and advancing penetration in the country.

The endorsement came from the vice president of NiRA, Mrs. Mary Uduma, at the weekend, who was quoted as saying that NiRA understands the need to have a common voice at the forthcoming global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Egypt.

“It is important that we harmonize our positions before heading to Egypt,” Mrs. Uduma said, stressing that the endorsement is essential to encourage participation of members both corporate and individuals as well as the entire Internet community in the country at the forum.

She promised that NiRA alongside other industry organization, would make every effort at ensuring that Digital Sense Forum 2009 turned out a success because it would reflect on Nigeria’s agenda at the IGF.

Reacting to the endorsement amidst consolation to NiRA over the death of its pioneer president, late Mr. Ndukwe Kalu on Tuesday, September 8, 2009, in a press statement signed by the Executive Director, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Umah-Nweke, said that the endorsement by NiRA shows the importance of the forum and its theme, which is ‘Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians.’

She expressed optimism that the forum scheduled to hold in Lagos on November at the Golden Gate Ikoyi, would offer stakeholders a platform to join forces in building the nation’s internet community so as to make it stronger.

Further, she said that it is unfortunate that Kalu who have worked so hard for the development of Internet and its penetration in the country did not stay alive to witness the berthing of this forum, which his input gave rise to the eventual concept for enlightenment of the Nigeria Internet community on Internet-related issues.

She recalled that NIRA was born by the Nigeria Internet Community in 2005 which include the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) and Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) to name a few.

Further she said that the formation and incorporation as well as the election of the first Board of Trustees and Board of Directors soon after on May 2007, cannot go without mentioning of the part played by late Kalu.

Reiterating that plans have been concluded to co-locate the event with an industry-focused expo, expected to attract who’s who in the nation’s Internet Service Providers (ISP) community, who would use the platform to showcase their brands and services by engaging end users.

... Postpones AGM over president’s death

2009-09-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Following the death of its pioneer President, late Ndukwe Kalu, the board of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) has shifted indefinitely its proposed Annual General Meeting (AGM) in respect of Kalu, who passed away on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 in Lagos.

According to the Vice President, NIRA, Mrs. Mary N. Uduma, in a press statement made available to Champion Infotel, while confirming that late Kalu would be buried on Saturday, October 31, 2009 in Abriba, his hometown in Abia State, said the postponement has become imperative so as to give his family and entire internet community to commiserate over his death.

She explained that NIRA Executive Board rose from a meeting last week in Lagos, to adopt a unanimous decision to postpone indefinitely the AGM earlier planned to hold at the Airport Hotel, Lagos today, Wednesday, September 2009.

“Following the sudden death of the pioneer President of the association, Mr. Ndukwe Kalu, we hereby notify our board members, trustees, stakeholders and the general public that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) previously scheduled to hold in Lagos on September 24, 2009 has been postponed till further notice,” she said.

Also she said that the postponement would enable NIRA mobilize its members to attend the burial of late Kalu scheduled to hold in Abriba in Abia State, as announced by Kalu’s family.

NIRA she said, would make further announcements to Nigerians and the Internet community regarding programmes leading to the burial of its late president.

Nigerians from all walks of life have continued to express their condolence over the sudden death of the pioneer President of NIRA.

She noted that under late Kalu’s leadership, Nigeria recently recorded the successful full re-delegation and local management of Nigeria’s country code top level domain name, (ccTLD) the .ng.

Before his death, late Kalu specialised in design and installation of various networks for over a decade as well as pioneered IT publications in Nigeria through the publishing of Nigeria’s first IT magazine called IT Watch Africa in 1994.

From there, late Kalu revolutionized newspaper IT reporting by conceptualizing and commencing the first robust IT section in the Nigerian newspaper history, tagged InfoTech ThisDay in 1998.

He was a member of several professional bodies some of which are Nigeria Society of Engineers, Nigeria Computer Society, Nigeria Institute of Management, Chartered Institute of Administration, Institute of Data Processing and Management (IDPM) London, among others.

He also served on various boards some of which are Amsco Telecoms Limited, Amsco Nigeria Limited, Admiral Insurance Company Limited, Pricehouse Communication Limited, Alphastream Solutions Nigeria Limited, among others.

He also recently served as member of a Joint Committee of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) on developing a suitable regulation for the use of ISM frequency band in the country.

In 2004, he was elected the National Vice President of Internet Service Providers of Nigeria (ISPAN) and also served on the NCC Industry Committee set up to advice on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) regulation.

Late Engr. Kalu also served on the National Cyber Crime Working Group, a body set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to fashion out effective legislation and system to fight cyber crime in Nigeria.

He has recently spearheaded several initiatives to improve teledensity and Internet penetration in Nigeria, one of which is Naijawifi, an alliance of Nigerian ISPs set to offer a Wi-Fi Internet Access blanket all over Nigeria. He was also the Chairman of NCC/Presidential Committee set up to actualize a sustainable Internet Exchange for Nigeria.

Digital Sense Africa to host forum in Lagos

2009-09-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Arrangements have been advanced for the hosting of this year’s Digital Sense Forum in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the nation.

The Executive Director, Digital Sense Africa (DSA) Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, disclosed this at the weekend, saying that the inaugural edition of the group’s based industry issues would be hosted in Nigeria in November this year.

She told ITRealms Online in Lagos that plans are up for the event scheduled to hold at the Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos on Thursday, November 5, 2009.

This year’s theme, she disclosed, would focus on ‘Internet Governance – Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians’.

Readmore: Digital Sense Africa to host forum in Lagos

Nigeria Digital Sense Forum coming soon!

2009-08-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

This is to welcome you to this new phase of our engagement with the world as we launch the Nigeria Digital Forum, where issues of Information and Communication Technology with specific interest centred on the Internet, through our Digital Sense Africa (DSA), an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; a group reputed for analytical ICT referral within the Nigeria and West African sphere.

4th Annual Global IGF Meeting

2009-08-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

The fourth annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Meeting will be held from 15-18 November 2009 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Please visit the IGF website and the Host Country website for more information.

2009 EA-IGF: 7-9 September 2009, Nairobi, Kenya

2009-08-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), the Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) in collaboration with other organisations are pleased to invite you to the second East African Internet Governance Forum (EA-IGF 2009) to be held at the Jacaranda hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, from 7th to 9th September 2009.

The forums theme is: Advancing the Internet Governance Debate in East Africa: “Thinking Globally; Acting Locally”