Draft ICT policy: DSA boss applauds CommTech, seeks extension of deadline

The Executive Director, Operations at the DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke has commended the Minister of Communications Technology (CommTech) for living up to her promise to seek stakeholders comments on the draft national policy on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

Speaking at the weekend, she said that this approach is the first of its kind by the Ministry since its creation and should be commended, urging the Minister to extend the comment period by one week due to the period lost to the fuel subsidy removal protest in the country.

As said by her, already several stakeholders’ organizations are warming up to ensure inputs from their various end to ensure their comments are included, but with the extension of the deadline, would really boost the quality of inputs.

“Fulfilling this promise by the minister means there is hope for the sector and Nigerians generally,” she said.

Mrs. Nweke also urged stakeholders to concentrate on topics capable of moving the ICT sector forward rather than individualism, noting that every input made at this time would aid the ministry led by Mrs. Johnson to reposition, especially as the stakeholders work towards actualizing the converged ICT regulation for the sector at large.

She also said that with the calling off the strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, that lots of issues are waiting professionals in the industry, whose holidays period have been extended immediately after the Christmas and New Year with the strike declared by Labour in response to the Federal Government’s hike of pump prices from N65 to N140.

The DSA boss explained that with the suspension of strike, stakeholders definitely would need an extended little time to contribute meaningfully to the draft national ICT policy, which current deadline is next week Monday.

She noted that CommTech Minister may be working on schedule, but maintained on the need to at least extend the comment period by one week, especially given that people’s access to the document could be limited during the strike that last for one week.

She recalled that Ministry of Communications Technology, has last week Monday unveiled the draft National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy document on its website for comments by stakeholders in the country.

The draft policy was uploaded Monday morning in fulfillment of pledge by CommTech Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson on the Ministry’s website at http://commtech.gov.ng and the Ministry’s Blog at http://blog.commtech.gov.ng. 

Noteworthy is that the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister, Mrs. Efem Nkanga had said that the 55-page policy document is the harmonization of the disparate policies governing the ICT industry.

(Excerpts from ITRealmsOnline)

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DSA forum on IG4D gets March date

The 2012 edition of the Nigerian DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Forum series on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) has been slated to hold in March between 8 and 9 at its usual venue, Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos.

The Executive Director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa, the organizers of the forum, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said that the March date was taken after adequate consideration on other industry events billed for this year.

She also said at the weekend that already, stakeholders have started taking space of participation in the two-day forum, which prepares Nigerians and stakeholders alike on the importance of participating on the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

According to her, the previous three years have seen the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series recording resounding success each year and serving as a roundtable for discussion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) issues with particular reference to Internet Governance (IG).

She said that this year’s forum theme would be on ‘Internet Governance and Mobile Economy in Nigeria.’ 

Highlighting the importance of the theme, Mrs. Nweke said that with the licensing of some companies by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate mobile money, it has become crucial to explore this in line with laws of the land and relevant regulations in comparison with the global best practices.

She further said that the fact that these licensees tend to drive their services to Nigerians based on mobile networks already existing makes it imperative to create more awareness on the subject and how it would affect Nigerians and Internet community in the country.

Mrs. Nweke confirmed that the two-day event would hold at the prestigious Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos with several speakers already filing in for the event both offshore and within the country.\

She, therefore, enjoined notable Internet Service Providers (ISP), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, network vendors, telecom operators and mobile money operatives and consumer groups to take active part in the forum.

(Excerpts from ITRealmsOnline)

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Ajayi to preside over NDSF forum on Internet governance

The recently elected council member of the Generic Name Supporting Organisation (GNSO) at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Mr. Lanre Ajayi is to preside over the 2012 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) slated to hold in Lagos, next month.  

The Executive Director, Operations at the DigitalSENSE Africa, the organizers of the annual internet stakeholders meet, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said that its gladdening to note that Mr. Lanre Ajayi would be  chairing this year’s event, scheduled to hold at the Golden Gate Paradise, Ikoyi-Lagos between March, Thursday 8 and Friday 9, 2012, with the theme: Internet Governance and Mobile Economy in Nigeria.

According to her, Mr. Ajayi who was the immediate past president of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) has proved his love for Internet penetration and positive adaptation in the country since inception of NIG and particularly the forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) being organized by DSA.

She said that Mr. Ajayi in his capacity as the chairman of the 2012 NDSA forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), would be sharing some insights based on his experiences as an active player in the development of Internet and its penetration in the country.

Additionally, Mrs. Nweke pointed out that the former vice president of Internet Service Providers Association (ISPAN), would further elucidate discussions on what should be expected of his current office as a council member of the Generic Name Supporting Organisation (GNSO) at ICANN.

As said by her, Mr. Ajayi has over time proven he is an encyclopedia of Internet evolution in the country, of which most Nigerians and the Internet community in the country have lot to learn from, especially the youths.

She, therefore urged Nigerians to keep a date with this Internet guru as the nation charts a new course for the Nigeria’s internet development in line with the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) objectives, which this year, she noted will be in Azerbaijan, South Caucasus in September 2012.

She emphasised that the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) remains the only annual event which acts as a rallying point for Nigerian internet stakeholders in raising and addressing salient issues concerning the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector with particular reference to the Internet Governance-related issues and development in Nigeria.

The forum, she said, offers stakeholders the needed platform to take a stand and speak out on Internet Governance and accurately align Nigeria’s position into the global Internet Governance Forum and enjoined players in the mobile sector of the economy to take advantage of this year’s theme.

Further, Mrs. Nweke recalled that Mr. Ajayi, has been a director at ISPAN and holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos.

In his acceptance to preside over the 2012 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D).

Ajayi, she said, had worked for the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NiTEL) for 11 years before delving into private practice by the establishment of PiNet Informatics, reputed as one of the nation’s first Internet Service Providers (ISP).

A co-founder of the Nigeria Internet Group, a non-profit organization committed to the promotion of the Internet in the country, Mr. Ajayi has served as the Vice president of ISPAN and vice chairman of African ISP Association (AfrISPA).

Equally, he has served on the council of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), while presiding over the Research and Statistics committee, even as he was ISPAN committee chairman on the implementation of the Nigeria Internet Exchange Point (IXPN) as well as chairman of the Technical Committee on the Nigeria’s Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) name, .ng, to name a few.

(Excerpts from ITRealmsOnline)

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ATCON endorses DigitalSENSE forum on Internet Governance

The umbrella organization of telecommunications firms in the country, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has once again drummed support for the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) for 2012 with its endorsement.

This was affirmed by the Executive Secretary, ATCON, Mr. Ajibola Olude at the weekend.

Olude in a letter dated February 2, 2012 stated that he was pleased to convey the approval of the National Executive Council (NEC).

He also outlined some of the support to be given by ATCON to include that DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) has the backing of ATCON on all documents and publications for the conference.

Olude promised that the Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) for 2012 would be broadcast among ATCON members.

While assuring the organizers that the ATCON president, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, has advanced plans to give a goodwill message at the event, he noted that the association would send its mementos to the event as show of its endorsement.

Reacting to the endorsement, the Executive Director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke applauded the leadership of ATCON for its prompt endorsement of the event within a short-time of its proclamation and advised other stakeholders to join forced with DSA as the issue of positive use of the Internet, especially for the sake of Nigerian youth, whom she said are the ones to make or mar cashless economy.

For her, the Nigerian youths could make the cashless economy recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or mar the system, mostly when they refused to be guided properly.

She recalled that youthful online entrepreneur, Mr. Japheth Omojuwa, has advanced plans to speak at the 2012 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D).

She also disclosed that Omojuwa, a public analyst of economic issues on television, radio and new media, would be discussing Internet and Social Media as a tool for development, at this year’s annual DSA forum on Internet Governance for Development, to be held in Lagos, between March 8 and 9, 2012 at Golden Gate, Ikoyi-Lagos.

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