Onyekwere to preside @ Digital Sense forum

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).

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ATCON drums support for Digital Sense forum

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

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.