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Tag: ICT

  • NCC supports CITAD with digital tools, reiterates commitment to promotion of ICT usage

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has emphasised its commitment to the promotion of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) usage for efficient services delivery across private and public organisations in Nigeria.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, on Wednesday stated this during the presentation of ICT equipment to the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a non-govermental organisation (NGO), in Abuja.

    Represented by Abraham Oshadami, Head, Information Technology at NCC, Danbatta underscored the importance of application of ICT tools to daily operations of both private and public institutions in Nigeria and stated that as the national telecom regulator, the Commission is promoting ICT usage in this regard.

    According to Danbatta, the Commission has the tradition of supporting ICT usage across Nigerian institutions, as this helps to empower the youths and women, in particular, in various public and private institutions. Danbatta stated that this commitment of the NCC has become even more imperative in the light of Federal Government’s digital economy agenda.

    “Therefore, we want to use this medium to encourage government at all levels and non-governmental organisations to be committed to the use of ICT in their respective statutory obligations to Nigerians. This is one of the veritable means to deliver good governance and human capacity building to Nigerians. It has been our tradition in NCC to support institutions nationwide with focus on the use of ICT,” Danbatta said.

    Danbatta further called on government at all levels to support and be more committed to the development and use of ICT in the current digital era in order to deliver sustainable development, promote good governance, build capacity and a knowledge-driven society.

    Yunusa Ya’u, the Executive Director of CITAD, who led the CITAD delegation to the Commission to receive the ICT equipment, thanked the NCC for supporting the NGO and other institutions, stating that the ICT equipment will be distributed to winners of the 2019 ICT Quiz Competition organised by CITAD in Kano State.

  • Microsoft donates $22,500 ICT items to organisation for projects

    Microsoft Nigeria on Tuesday donated Information Technology (IT) items valued at 22,500 U.S. Dollars to The Zariah Elizabeth Foundation (TZE), an indigenous Non-Profit Organisation to sustain its projects.

    Mr Akindayo Akindolani, the Executive Director, TZE foundation, acknowledged the donation via a press statement on Tuesday.

    TZE is an Abuja based NGO that is into building capacity and skills development of the younger generation through digital literacy for personal development

    The donation of the items which took place in Lagos was in recognition of the foundation’s impactful IT activities majorly targeted at young people.

    The donated ICT gift items included hardware and software items.

    The hardware items were 11 computer notebooks valued at 3,650 dollars, five computer tablets valued at 1,750 dollars, 16 copies of office professional applications and 16 copies of Windows 10 Pro Full Operating System valued at 17,152 dollars.

    Mr John Edokpolo, Lead Commercial Attorney, Middle East and Africa of Microsoft, while making the donation said it was part of the organisation’s mandate towards empowering institutions to deliver IT skills to the grassroots.

    According to Edokpolo, Microsoft believes that technology is a powerful force for good in a rapidly changing world.

    “We are working to ensure that everyone has access to the opportunities it provides.

    “Microsoft is pleased to donate 22,552 Dollars in-kind to TZE in support of device donation and we are not seeking promises or favouritism for Microsoft.

    “We partner thousands of like organisations around the world to help each one achieve one’s mission.

    “We are committed to delivering accessible and affordable technology solutions to enable your organisation to digitally transform, accelerate its mission and drive greater impact,” he said.

    Akindolani lauded Microsoft saying that the items would enable it to reach more students, young people and consolidate on the digital skills programme running through the year.

    Akindolani said, “We believe that digital skills are shaping the future of works and it is better we engage, prepare the young ones with relevant skills earlier in life.”

  • How ‘cursed’ Big Brother Naija show contributes to Nigeria’s economy

    How ‘cursed’ Big Brother Naija show contributes to Nigeria’s economy

    The just-concluded fourth edition of the Big Brother Naija tagged “Pepper Dem” will be the second time the popular reality show was held in Nigeria after the 2006 edition that featured Katung, Francisca, Ify, Sandy, Frank, Joseph and Helen.

    Before now, the show had been held outside the shores of the country, and it had generated a buzz, with Nigerians, including even the government calling for the show to be held in the country, citing among other reasons, economic reasons.

    The Nigerian government weighed in with the Minister of Information and Culture directing the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to determine whether Multi-Choice, by shooting the show in South Africa, had breached the Nigerian Broadcasting Code in any way.

    This year, Nigerians were appeased when Multichoice announced that BBNaija was coming back to Nigeria.

    However, the show did not end without criticisms from different quarters, including from the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) that ‘cursed’ the show, describing it as “immoral, dangerous and Bohemian”.

    The federal government as well, while the show was on, lodged a complaint with the NBC on the live sex being exhibited during the reality show, to the extent that Mr Segun Runsewe, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, disclosed moves to evolve an alternate Big Brother Naija show.

    However the curses the Big Brother Naija show had received, it has bearing on the Nigerian economy, and significant impact on the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

    According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), non-oil sector contributed 91.18 per cent to the nation’s GDP in the second quarter of 2019 as opposed to the 8.82 per cent contributed to total real GDP by the oil sector.

    The just-concluded BBNaija “Pepper Dem” show won by Mercy Eke aka Mercy de Lamborghini, may have made billions from viewers, relying mainly on votes powered by telecoms operators.

     

    The host of the show, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu revealed that over 240 million votes were cast in the course of the season, with 50 million of the votes coming in the final week.

    Although commentators on social media are suggesting the show may have raked in as much as N7.2 billion, that claim could not be independently verified.

    Based on how the BBNaija game works, viewers were asked to cast votes for their favourite housemates to keep them in the house as the housemate with the highest votes would win. The cost of voting was N30.

    The calculation being made is that going by the 240 million votes at N30 per SMS, the revenue from the show would be N7.2 billion.

    But that computation might be faulty as a lot of votes were cast online, and were free, and also owing to the fact that telecoms operators through which the votings were done will hold back a substantial percentage of the SMS fee.

    Organizers of the show did not break down the votes to reveal the numbers of votes received through SMS. However, the votes will positively affect the contribution of the ICT sector to the nation’s GDP, and the show will wash off on the broader entertainment sector.

    NBS said that the ICT sector contributed 13.85 per cent to total nominal GDP of the nation in the second quarter of 2019, surpassing the 8.82 per cent contribution of the oil sector.

    With the fact that the major focus of the show is primarily entertainment, and with its multiplier effect that resonates across industries and value chains, the gains accrued are far-flung.

    A show like Big Brother Naija requires an army of cameramen, and technicians of various stripes to get made. These crew members are quartered and catered too. Add to that the number of DJs, artists and the media who are flown in to perform and cover the event especially eviction weekend. They are lodged in hotels. The show runs for 3 months, so each week, hotels see an influx of artists and their company, media and their crew, and DJs who jam at the parties.

    This season’s BBNaija must have brought jobs to Nigerians. Starting with the building of the set – in the past, the organisers of the reality show cited the impracticality of duplicating sets as one of the reasons for hosting the show in South Africa. But with hosting the show in Nigeria, it means Nigerians must have earned some cool cash from the set building for the show.

    MultiChoice has always maintained that the production crew of the BBNaija show is 90% Nigerian. Hopefully, with the return of the show to the country, the number will peak at 100%.

    Production crews are vital to the realisation of the show. Someone has to set the camera and hidden microphones that put the housemates under constant surveillance. There is the content producer that scripts the direction of the show for each season.

    Makeup artists and costume designers will also experience a boost in business as they will be contracted to clothe the host and the housemates.

    More apparent is how BBNaija empowers its housemates through the fame they get from being on the show, giving them a springboard to launch careers in the Nigerian showbiz industry. Easy examples are Ebuka who has parlayed his Big Brother stint into a lucrative career as a television host, and Gideon Okeke who is a household name even though he is not a Nollywood staple.

    Mercy de Lamborghini, winner of the just-concluded BBNaija “Pepper Dem” show will take home N25 million in cash, a new SUV from Innoson motors, a trip to Dubai for two (possibly with Ike), Scanfrost electronic makeover, one year supply Pepsi, one year supply Munch It and Indomie, VVIPP tickets for European final. The prizes worth a total of N60 million.

     

    The Big Brother Naija “Pepper Dem” show came to a close on Sunday, with Mercy as the first lady to win in the show with 41.77 votes.

  • DG NITDA urges Nigerians to embrace modern agriculture with ICT

    Dr Isa Pantami, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged Nigerians to embrace modern agriculture with the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to boost production.
    The DG gave the advice in a statement issued by Dr Amina Sambo-Magaji, the National Coordinator, Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), on Tuesday in Abuja at the third edition of NITDA FutureHack event.
    The programme was held in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State with a focus on e-agriculture to address challenges in the sector.
    According to him, there is need for ‘Innovative Technology’ for addressing local challenges in the agriculture sector in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development.
    “FutureHack is a national technology hackathon event, in which computer programmers collaborate intensively on software projects usually held in academic environments to to inculcate innovation and entrepreneurship culture in students to drive Nigeria’s digital economy.
    “Modern agriculture is expanding globally with digitally enabled agriculture, precision farming, hydroponics, robotics and artificial intelligence.
    “However, technology is an enabler and should be harnessed to revolutionise the agricultural sector in the country.
    “Technology can be used to monitor yield, pest control, best time to add pesticides, plant illness prediction, multi-platform collecting data on crops, soil, nutrients and water to help the farmer in his decision making and more.
    “This revolution has already begun. We have irrigation systems that are controlled by mobile phone and reducing labour cost,’’ Pantami said.
    The DG also explained that agriculture is critical to the economy of country saying “it contributes to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product and employs a large number of the population.”
    According to him, transforming agriculture through technology is a key to reviving the economy and technology can be used for agricultural products market linkages, food safety, to monitor food shipments throughout the whole supply chain.
    “ICT can be used to control the challenges of poor disease, livestock theft, inferior storage facilities and preservation mechanisms for crops, access to market and access to financial support,’’ Pantami said.
    He recalled the establishment of Growth and Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) that used e-wallet system to enable registered users to receive vouchers on their mobile phones.
    Pantami said the scheme granted farmers access to subsidised seeds and fertiliser, thereby cutting out the middle man, hence benefiting many farmers within the period of establishment.
    He reiterated that the agency was committed to regulating and developing sectors of government by enabling ICT.
    “We have Nigerian ICT startups that are already disrupting the Agri-tech space and NITDA is complementing President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic diversification initiative.
    “We use this platform to stimulate creativity among the teaming and able Nigerian youth both in country and diaspora,” Pantami said.
    A hackathon is usually a day long coding competition where software programmers, developers, designers, etc, come together to build and design innovative things.
    This year, the FutureHack challenge is on leveraging technology to find innovative ideas that will change the narrative of health, agriculture and education in Nigeria.
    The three editions had the North Central which held in Nile University, Abuja recently, North West in ABU Zaria and South West edition expected to hold in OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun state.

  • NCC advocates public-private partnership to protect communication infrastructure

    NCC advocates public-private partnership to protect communication infrastructure

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says there is need for public-private partnership to protect communication infrastructure in the country.
    The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta stated this in Lagos on Tuesday during the 20l9 Cisco African Academy Cyber Security Conference for English West and Central Africa.
    Represented by Aminu Abdullahi, the Principal Manager, New Media and Security Services, NCC, Danbatta said that in Nigeria, majority of the communication infrastructure resided in private hands.
    He said the risks to national and economic security associated with the compromise or failure of these assets meant that their protection required concerted public-private partnership efforts.
    According to him, NCC and key industry stakeholders have been working to foster and implement a robust cybersecurity environment for effective lnformation and Communications Technology infrastructure security management, as well as data protection and privacy.
    “The internet has become an essential part of our daily activities. Statistical indicators show that more than half of the world’s population uses the internet, thereby generating about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data on daily basis.
    “The NCC’s industry statistics show that the number of internet users is about 119.5 million subscribers as at April, 2019.
    “Despite the slow start, internet use is growing exponentially in Nigeria.
    “While a huge amount of data is useful in a number of fields such as banking. medicine, communications, government, education, among others, it also poses unprecedented threats for users’ security and privacy,’’ Danbatta said.
    He said that though NCC was not a security agency, it ensured its support for the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in investigating telecommunications -related security incidents, as required by law.
    He said that the Commission was actively involved in all the collaborative processes that culminated in adapting the ‘National Cyber Security Policy’ by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
    Danbatta said that the regulatory body was involved in processes and adaptation of the National Cyber Security Strategy and the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.
    He said that the Commission also played a key role in its collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) toward the establishment of the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) Coordination Centre.
    According to him, the centre provides support to the coordination of cybersecurity incidents in Nigeria.
    “The Commission also supports initiative of all sectorial Computer Security Incidence Response Teams (CSlRTs), which will collaborate and work with the ngCERT in tackling cyber threats and vulnerabilities; thereby forming an effective and well-coordinated national CERT ecosystem.
    “Hence, in conformance with the National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS), the Commission has commenced the process of establishing a Cyber Security Incidence Response Team (CSlRT) exclusively for the telecommunications sector.
    “The sectorial CSIRT will complement the ngCERT by handling and containing Cybersecurity incidents in the telecommunications sector.
    “The NCC-CSIRT, when established, will facilitate intervention, swift identification of threats/vulnerabilities and sharing of valuable information and resources to assist in fortifying the resilience of the national lCT infrastructure,’’ Danbatta said.

  • Why digital skills training is so important

    Why digital skills training is so important

    In 2018, numbers on Internet usage made headlines announcing that more than half the world is online.

    This is indeed great progress given that 15 years earlier (in 2003) only 12% of the world’s people were using the Internet.

    Despite this enormous growth, however, nearly half of the world’s people are still not using the Internet and so unable to reap many of the benefits of today’s digital economy. Even worse, Internet user growth rates in developing countries are slowing.

    So what can be done to get everyone online and be part of the digital society and economy?

    According to Susan Teltscher, Head of ITU’s Human Capacity Building Division, “providing digital skills training – along with lower costs and more relevant content – are some of the key factors to bridging the digital divide, but first it is important to have a clear idea of the reasons why more people are not using the Internet”.

    Why are people not using the Internet?

    It is often wrongly assumed that people are not online because they don’t have access to Internet services (e.g. no Internet where they live). The facts do not support this argument.

    Today, more than 90% of the world population live within reach of a 3G (if not 4G) mobile broadband network. So in theory, people could buy a data package from a local operator and go online.

    One could argue that global Internet usage could stand at 90% (instead of 50%) if everyone who had access to the service bought it. But we know that this is not the case. We need to look for, and understand, other barriers or reasons for why people choose not to use the Internet so that appropriate action can be taken.

    Affordability is certainly a major reason. Although smart phone prices have dropped across the globe, they are still high – as much as people’s monthly income in a number of countries. Data packages are also costly and the quality of the connection is often low which doesn’t incentivize people to buy the service.

    This, coupled with the lack of attractive applications with relevant content is reason enough not to spend the little money available. The mobile revolution took off since it addressed a basic need of people – to be able to communicate. Even poor households spend a large share of their income on mobile telephony (sometimes more than on food) since they value it highly.

    Unless such basic needs will be met by Internet-enabled services, the Internet revolution will not take off in poor countries.

    Lack of education and skills is a key barrier to Internet uptake

    One of the main barriers to Internet uptake is a lack of capacity and skills of people to use the Internet and take advantage of what it offers.

    Data collected in developing countries through national representative household surveys and compiled by ITU, as well as through the After Access surveys, provide revealing insights in this regard: when asking people why they are not using the Internet, around 65% of the answers are linked to education and skills (e.g. “don’t know what the Internet is”, “don’t know how to use it”).

    Even in more advanced countries, 60% of the population lack standard digital skills. There is a strong correlation between people’s levels of education and Internet usage.

    The gap between people having access to Internet and not using it is largest in the least developed countries (70% 3G service coverage compared with 20% Internet usage in 2018).

    In these countries, the gender Internet user gap is also the largest and it is often girls and women who are also less educated and digitally illiterate.

    What needs to be done?

    Therefore, the policy focus has to shift from a discussion on infrastructure/access-related measures towards digital literacy and human skills development measures in order to effectively close the digital divide and ensure that all citizens will be part of the evolving digital society.

    This will require a concerted effort by all stakeholders involved in the digital skills ecosystem, ranging from policy makers across different sectors to private companies, academic and educational institutions, as well as community-based organizations.

    This is now increasingly being recognized by national governments and the international development community. Programmes and initiatives addressing the digital skills gap are mushrooming.

    Digital skills are needed at all levels: at the basic level, to help people connect and benefit from Internet services and applications; at the intermediate level, to help students and job seekers get the necessary skills required by the digital economy; and at the advanced level to increase the pool of ICT experts and meet the demands of the industry.

  • Huawei profit jumps despite adversity

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, Huawei profits jumped by 25% in 2018 despite efforts by government of the US to curtail its business.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports President Donald Trump last year signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which prohibits the US government and its contractors from buying certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from Huawei.

    The bill also prohibits the US government from buying products from a handful of other Chinese communications companies, including ZTE.

    The ban covers components and services deemed “essential” or “critical” to any government system.

    Also, the US has been lobbying its allies to shun Huawei’s products on national security grounds, saying Chinese law requires the company to provide it with intelligence on its foreign clients whenever requested.

    However, the Chinese tech giant 2018 earnings jumped by 25% to 59.3 billion yuan, about $8.7 billion.

    While the 2018 earnings is powered majorly by Huawei’s booming smartphone business, sales revenue fell short of earlier company forecast, but still rose by 19.5% to 721 billion yuan ($105 billion).

    At a press conference on Friday, rotating chairman Guo Ping said sales of telecom equipment to carriers fell 1.3% in 2018.

    Guo said the decline was mainly due to investment cycles in the global telecom industry.

    Huawei sold more than 200 million smartphones in 2018, boosting revenue in the company’s consumer business to about 349 billion yuan ($52 billion) — an increase of more than 45%.

    Huawei sells more telecommunications equipment than any other company in the world, and its smartphone business is growing faster than that of Samsung or Apple.

  • African ICT Foundation sets agenda for tech innovation

    The newly inaugurated board of the African ICT Foundation (AFICTF) being chaired by Tony Ojobo has set agenda for innovation in technology in Africa.

    Chairman of the board, Ojobo, who is also President of AFICTF, during the inauguration, noted that Africa needs a declaration of emergency in the area of ICT developments and innovation.

    In his keynote address on the occasion of the inauguration of the board of AFICTF, Ojobo said, “At the level of African Union, there has to be a concrete policy direction for ICT development and innovations in the continent”.

    The keynote address reads in part: “Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to note that Africa needs a declaration of emergency in the area of ICT developments and innovation. Her people have been left largely behind in the revolution taking place in the ICT sectors around the world.

    “The advancement in technology in developed countries has translated to major economic gains and enhanced standard of living for her citizens. The innovations being witnessed today in the sector is reverberating world over, thus opening new business opportunities for companies in Europe, Asia and North America.

    “Unfortunately Africa seems to be in deep slumber while other continents are on the march to prosperity for posterity. The sad thing is that most of the innovations find their way to Africa which has remained a major consumer of these innovations. This state of affairs must be addressed by African countries.

    “At the level of African Union, there has to be a concrete policy direction for ICT development and innovations in the continent. This can be done through the various regional Organisations such as West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Association (WATRA), Southern Africa Regulators Association (SATRA) and other regional bodies in East Africa, North and Central Africa.

    “The continent faces serious challenges arising from population explosion and rising unemployment. This portends danger for the continent if not addressed. The rate of rise in criminal activities can be traced to unemployment in Africa. This underscores the need for a concrete African ICT Roadmap to encourage innovation and job creation.

    “The rise in ICT Innovation Hubs in the Continent is therefore a welcome development in this direction. Companies such as CcHub, Andela and a number of ICT Hubs around the Continent gives us hope.

    “Recently, CcHub established an innovation hub in Rwanda with the active support of the Rwandan government. Rwanda has become the beacon of hope and the poster boy of ICT innovations and development in Africa. The reports of ICT Innovations coming from Rwanda should be studied by other African countries.

    “I believe that in the near future AFICTF May have to pay a visit to that country to see what can be adopted in formulating ICT policies for African countries.

    “Ladies and Gentlemen, that said, I wish to highlight areas I consider important as we embark on this Journey. Four critical factors are necessary for ICT development in the continent, which I call the 4As of ICT development and deployment, namely; Awareness, Access, Adoption and Application.

    “The need for the nations in the continent to be aware of the capabilities that ICT offers in terms of GDP growth and job creation is imperative. Access is critical to making this happen, especially in terms of availability and affordability. Our leaders need to embrace the use of ICT through its adoption for ease of business and processes required for industrial growth. Technology not applied cannot deliver the desired dividends.

    “In this connection, the Foundation will work to advocate for policy development in the areas of emerging technologies such as; Internet of Things ( IoTs), Artificial Intelligence, Big data, Robotics, etc.

    “Our ability to achieve the desired objectives will require the following: Partnerships/Collaborations, Funding, Advocacies and sensitisation, and Capacity building/Training.

    “True partnerships between governments and non-government actors are essential to addressing a problem as complex as ICT Penetration in Africa. No government, nation or agency can meet this challenge alone, hence the synergy through the African ICT Foundation to make information and communication technology more affordable and reachable for Africans everywhere.

    “Our inexhaustible focus is at the intersection of technological innovations such as telecommunications, information technology and data, life sciences, trade and globalization, agricultural Biotechnology and clean energy.

    “It is poised towards providing high-quality information analysis, policy pragmatism, and recommendations that can be trusted.

    “These projects shall be implemented through grants and are designed to create demand and promote usage of ICTs in unserved and underserved communities and groups.

    “The projects involve the provision of end-user devices to complement the telecommunication infrastructure that are deployed under the Connectivity Programme.

    “For the Next two Years we shall consciously be making efforts towards holistic involvement in the following activities:

    “Engage youths in research and educational activities that involves setting the policy agenda on technological innovations, information and communication technology, trade & globalization and clean energy.

    “Getting private sector support on critical industry issues that affect the growth of Africa’s economy

    “Working with policymakers to develop and promote policies and ideas, capitalising on the tremendous economic and social benefits ICT provides for Africans.

    “Adherence to high standard of research, empowerment and integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, and independence from external direction or bias.

    “Promote skills sustainable for the development of African nationhood

    “Reduce the level of illiteracy and poverty in the society

    “Engage youths on IT exchange programmes of poverty alleviation and economic right

    “We shall encourage and support the emergence of ICT Innovation Hubs in the continent, which will serve as platforms for growth of startups with capacity for development of disruptive innovations.

    “Fellow members of the Board, Ladies and gentlemen, it is clear from the above that we have very serious job on our hands, it is my hope that this board will be able to accomplish the above objectives.

    “I feel honoured to have been nominated to chair this board. I will count on the cooperation of my fellow board members.

    “I commit to giving this assignment my best shot by the grace of God. Thanks for coming for this inauguration. I wish you all a happy inauguration and successful tenure.

  • NITDA D-G tasks stakeholders on contributions of ICT to GDP

    Dr Isa Ali Pantami, Director-General of Nigerian Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is a significant contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Pantami made this known during the NOTAP/NITDA Stakeholders’ Roundtable Discussion on the Use of Nigerian Software in the Financial Banking Services Sector, in Lagos on Monday.

    According to him, the GDP stands at 11. 81 per cent as at the third quarter of 2018.

    Pantami was represented by Mr Chris Okeke, Director, Lagos Zonal office of NITDA.

    He said that notably, local and foreign investors invested about N38 billion into Nigerian start-ups in the second and third quarters of 2018, of which 75 per cent of the funds went into Nigerian FinTech.

    “The growth underscored the upward trajectory of ICT as a significant contributor to Nigeria’s GDP, currently at about 11.81 per cent as at the third quarter of 2018,’’ Pantami said.

    He said that to complement these efforts, government had identified the need for concerted actions and policies to promote local contents as the core pillar of economic diversification.

    “You may recall that in 2013, NITDA issued the Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, essentially mandating agencies of government to compulsorily prioritise indigenous ICTs for procurement where available in-country.

    “The regulation mandates a compulsory consideration of indigenous hardware, software, networking service, ICT services and data management first before any non-Nigerian service provider.

    “The policy has resulted in the growth of the purchase of indigenous contents in the public sector.

    “The year 2018 recorded the highest figures of purchase of indigenously-assembled hardware and software with a total of 355,647 units sold, compared to 154,424 in the previous year.

    “Implementation of this policy has also ensured that 95 per cent of the Federal Government’s data is hosted locally,’’ Pantami said.

    He said with the issuance of the Presidential Executive Orders 003 and 005; the Nigerian Content Guidelines of NITDA received a significant boost and had strengthened the arm of the agency in implementing the guidelines.

    According to the director-general, the IT Project Clearance Process of NITDA has saved the country over N13 billion of bogus spending.

    Pantami noted that the clearance process had ensured that over N5 billion worth of software-related projects would be procured from Nigerian companies from 2018 till date.

    He said that all these would have been impossible but with the consistent and unwavering support of President Muhammadu Buhari, who had given the agency and the IT industry relentless support to implement far-reaching policies for the development of the country.

    Pantami also congratulated the financial service industry as led by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in granting spaces to young and keen minds to develop products that had continually redefined the Financial Technology Space (FinTech).

    “The growth of our FinTech market has been in no small measure due to the willingness of financial institutions to become fodder for these adventurists to step up and spin brilliant ideas that have shaped how we pay for services and conduct transactions.

    “We have come a long way and we are proud of these achievements occasioned largely by the ICT and the financial sectors working together.

    He, however, assured that all necessary solution reached at the Roundtable discussion would be relayed to the president with utmost urgency.

    Theme of the two-day roundtable was: “Adoption and Development of Local Content Technology as Growth Drivers for the Nigerian Economy’’.

  • Google trains 180 women in ICT, leadership in FCT

    An ICT expert, Mrs Hassanah Ibrahim, on Tuesday in Abuja, said that Google, through its “Women Will’’ project, trained 180 women in ICT and leadership skills in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Ibrahim, who is the Chief Executive Officer, Durian Technology Ltd and the Coordinator for Google Women Will project for FCT, told news men that the “Women Will’ project, an initiative of Google Business Group, was aimed at bringing more women into technology.

    She said that Durian Technologies, one of the fastest growing companies that provide quality IT consulting services and innovative solutions to customers, had been collaborating with Google to drive its programmes in the country.

    According to her, Google has many community business groups such as the
    Google Development Group and the Women Will, under Google business group.

    She added that the Women Will initiative was to encourage women to make use of technology in their businesses instead of sitting at home doing nothing.

    She explained that “we are supposed to organise workshops and training every three months to enlighten women on leadership skills and technology.

    “The Women Will initiative started last year after a summit in Singapore and so far, we have conducted three workshops to educate women and girls about the advantages
    of using technology to project their businesses..

    “And during those workshops, we trained 60 women in different topics in ICT and leadership skills and ways they can make use of their skills in technology to get better
    in whatever they do.

    “Sometimes, we ask the women to bring up topics on issues that bother them and we discuss it and take feedback to Google to find a way to support them.’’

    The chief executive officer said that the trainings were free as Google aimed to
    encourage more women to embrace ICT to grow their businesses.

    She, however, said that the turnout of women in the trainings was discouraging and called for partnership with the media to
    publicise it.

    She said “we do adverts, posters, put it on Facebook pages and even on Instagram and reach out to so many people and at the end of the day, the turnout is disappointing.

    “We put out forms, where over 300 women filled but only about 100 showed up
    for training, citing different situations and problems.’’

    She, therefore, called for more enlightenment through the media “for women to know the massive advantages they can gain from the trainings.’’