Telecom
Nigeria Plans Big for ITU Telecom World 2016
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) innovators, industry players and stakeholders are among the large number of delegates to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Telecom World 2016.
The event which is due to hold in Bangkok, Thailand from November 14 – 17, 2016 will provide participants the opportunity to network, showcase their innovations and tap new business models in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Terrain.
Participants will explore importance of collaboration in the digital economy through best approaches, business models and technologies to forge flourishing inclusive ecosystem.
Nigeria has adopted a theme: “Smart Communities: the key to a digital Nigeria”.
This theme according to Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs, of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), underscores the importance Nigeria attaches to the ITU Telecom World 2016.
The general theme for ITU Telecom World 2016 is “ Collaboration in the Digital Economy” and this will signpost collaborative regulation, the connected car, smart sustainable cities, fostering SME innovation, new roles for the satellite industry and digital financial services.
This year’s theme will feature compelling formats ranging from top-level CEO/Ministerial round tables to frank, open dialogues between governments and small and medium business leaders and interactive panel debates.
Ojobo explained that Nigerian industry players, regulator, NCC, satellite player, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), e-government service provider, Galaxy Backbone, the postal sector led by NIPOST and Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will have the opportunity to participate in sessions that will bring together expert Speakers and an influential global audience drawn from governments, key ICT players, International organisations, high growth SMEs, Consultants, Academia, the media among others.
A leadership summit of global leaders from public and private sectors will open the forum with an exploration of why working together is critical for growth in the digital economy and how it can best be achieved.
Some topics lined up for discussions include:
New approaches to connectivity: re-imagining the satellite industry: how demand for always-on connectivity is leading to innovative connectivity solutions, new players and new markets for the satellite industry
The connected car: freeway to the future or highway to hell?: exploring the status and future of vehicle communications and automated driving from the perspectives of business, technology, and regulation
Creating inclusive ICT innovation ecosystems: targeted business-to-government dialogue exploring concrete measures to foster innovation in SMEs for job creation and socio-economic growth
Smart approaches to smart sustainable cities: the economic and political challenges of delivering the promise of smart homes, streets, cities and regions
Making money from meeting the SDGs: a business approach to sustainable development: how the ICT sector can develop feasible business models to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
B2B and B2G dialogues: exploring how corporations and governments can strengthen collaboration with SMEs to improve the outcomes of research and development, accelerate innovation and improve public services
Spotlight on Thailand: focusing on regional and local challenges, including dedicated sessions on Thailand’s ICT priorities and entrepreneurs, featuring Thai industry experts. These sessions will be highly beneficial to local and regional audiences
ITU-wide agenda: providing perspectives from across ITU and its membership and partners, co-located events include the ITU Kaleidoscope academic conference 2016; the World Standards Cooperation Academic Roundtable; a global CTO meeting; the 7th Private Sector Chief Regulatory Officers (CRO) meeting and ITU Academia Consultations.
Telecom
FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions
Nigeria will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.
Federal ministry of works, which supervises federal road constructors, is finalizing the regulation that will be signed as an executive order by President Bola Tinubu, said the people, asking not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to comment.
While there are presently laws against vandalism, the authorities are aiming to regulate construction firms more closely.
The order will enforce stiff penalties on offenders, said the people, declining to provide more details or say when it will be signed.
“Telecom assets are critical backbone that supports the economy across sectors,” said Temitope Ajayi, a senior presidential aide, who noted that the Association of Telecommunications Companies (ATCON) has been demanding the classification for years.
New rules will provide “further assurance that the Nigerian government will protect their investments against vandals and criminal elements.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5% in the third quarter of last year.
The move will help alleviate pressure on the telecoms sector, which is facing increased operating costs and sales pressures from a sharp depreciation in the currency and a threefold increase in energy prices.
Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables is estimated to have cost the sector almost 27 billion naira ($23 million) last year alone, documents seen by Bloomberg show.
MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.
MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show. On Feb. 28, a cut on its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.
The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than 11 billion naira – enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines to areas without coverage.
A presidential order on the matter would be welcomed, said Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.
“When it comes to communication infrastructure, they are destroyed at will, so we are eagerly awaiting the president’s order,” he said. “It would be a great boost to the industry, and it will also encourage investment.”
Telecom
Telegram Eyes 1Bn Users amidst Political Pressures
Telegram, the messaging giant founded by Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, anticipates hitting a remarkable milestone of one billion active monthly users within the next year.
Durov’s departure from Russia in 2014, prompted by governmental pressures to stifle opposition communities on his VK social media platform, underscores Telegram’s commitment to neutrality despite geopolitical challenges.
With 900 million active users currently, Telegram stands as a beacon of free speech in the digital realm, particularly influential in former Soviet Union republics and pivotal during conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
Durov’s staunch advocacy for freedom of expression and opposition to censorship by tech giants like Apple and Google reinforces Telegram’s status as a neutral platform.
Opting for the UAE as its base, Durov cites its neutrality and openness as conducive to Telegram’s ethos, serving both opposition groups and governments alike while maintaining impartiality.
In Durov’s vision, the pursuit of freedom eclipses material gain, shaping Telegram’s trajectory as a bastion of digital liberation.
Telecom
NITDA, NIMC Announce Collaboration To Strengthen Digital Economy
To further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance and create synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystem, and secure & seemless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
During the meeting between the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, with some management staff of both organisations, they discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up. This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives. It is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks
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