E-Business
NEPs Can Become Digital Infrastructure Natives- Gartner
Network equipment providers (NEPs) can remain competitive in a rapidly changing environment, said Martina Kurth, research director at Gartner, while discussing how this can be achieved.
Writing on why NEPs should change their business model, Kurth believes that the network infrastructure market is undergoing a rapid shift.
“Traditional telecom equipment providers, he wrote, “must reinvent themselves to remain relevant in an increasingly digital world. Simply selling routers, towers and boxes will not be enough to survive as margins on hardware become increasingly slim. NEPs have to find new ways to leverage their core assets, while simultaneously acquiring new technology skills to align with the new digital economy technology”.
The Research Director at Gartner continued, “The world’s largest wireless equipment provider, Ericsson, is an example of the need for change. It has been through major turmoil recently, struggling with precisely this shift.
Hans Vestberg stepped down as CEO in July 2016, after the company suffered several consecutive quarters of declining growth. The recent merger of Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent, along with Huawei’s aggressive stance in the market, has put enormous pressure on Ericsson, but this also underlines the big efforts all major companies are making to align themselves with the new realities of this market.
Where can network equipment manufacturers find growth in the new digital marketplace?
“Communication service providers (CSPs) are inclined to use a single strategic technology supplier for a combined software and services offering. Infrastructure technology suppliers will be expected to cover the entire end-to-end stack across virtualized network infrastructures, IT software and cloud data center capabilities. This is a big opportunity for those suppliers that can deliver on this need, and a threat to those who can’t.
“However, NEPs must provide more than new software-driven technology architectures — the big challenge is to operationalize and monetize new cloud-based technologies, like software-defined networks and network function virtualization.
“Capabilities that center on software-driven and cloud-based telecom operations will be critical. Eventually, CSPs will expect their suppliers to provide viable end-to-end solutions to capitalize on the market potential that future technologies such as 5G, machine-to-machine, the Internet of Things, cloud and multimedia hold. New digital standards, such as Narrowband IoT, will need new digital operational and support system orchestration capabilities, such as partner management, onboarding and settlement, charging, policy and analytics.
What will a leading NEP look like in the future?
“NEPs must redesign their business to address larger digital transformations. This will require a total transformation of vertical operations support system (OSS)/business support system (BSS) stacks to fully automated, horizontal execution environments. Vendors also need to assist with the design of new operating models, the introduction of DevOps, and the associated organizational and operational network and IT alignment. Development tools and guidance on operational and organizational processes must be part of the solution to facilitate any changes required to a company’s culture and mindset.
“As telecom operators change the way they create, manage and deliver digital services, big changes will also be required in the DNA of technology providers as they must facilitate the shift toward digital infrastructure. The good news for market-incumbent infrastructure providers is that their legacy network and OSS capabilities will be critical. We will mostly see hybrid CSP architectures for some time, before CSPs transition to fully virtualized infrastructures over the next decade. Established players will need to gain credibility in the emerging digital areas by beefing up capabilities in the cloud, data center and enterprise domains.
“There is a huge market opportunity in enabling CSPs’ architectural integration and ensuring interoperability across an end-to-end digital infrastructure.
“However, NEPs must evolve into facilitators that help overcome the challenges between business strategy, technology and operational planning for CSPs. For most providers, this means making the cultural shift to new digital development and operations paradigms. This will require them getting the attention of prospects well beyond traditional CSP constituents, as CIOs and CMOs take a key role in the new digital service delivery models”.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.
This marks a significant stride toward enhancing electoral integrity, efficiency, and innovation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
This decision was reached at the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, following a series of consultations and engagements on the global and continental impact of AI on elections.
In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC underscored that the growing relevance of AI in electoral matters necessitated a proactive institutional framework to manage both the risks and opportunities it presents.
“Our interactions with electoral bodies across Africa highlighted both the risks of AI—such as fake news and content manipulation—and the vast potential it holds for data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, automated voter services, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics,” Olumekun noted.
According to him, the newly created division will centralise the Commission’s AI efforts, ensuring a harmonized approach to deploying intelligent systems that enhance decision-making, improve voter engagement, and boost the credibility of the electoral process.
“The creation of this division puts the Commission at the forefront of institutionalizing AI capabilities in electoral management.
It is also part of our ongoing reforms in areas where administrative action is sufficient to drive change,” he said.
He added that the AI Division will help INEC better coordinate its existing technological investments while providing safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies.
“We are positioning ourselves to maximise the positive impact of AI while mitigating its negative implications. This step strengthens the credibility and transparency of elections in Nigeria,” Olumekun concluded.
The initiative, INEC emphasised, reflects its commitment to embracing innovation in safeguarding democracy and improving electoral services nationwide.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration system to allow private firms access company data from the Commission’s database.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), registrar general of CAC, who spoke in Abuja at the unveiling said the system would give selected private organizations access to CAC services through technology-based companies, called “super agents.”
“This is a practical step to show that the Commission is committed to meeting the expectations of our customers,” he said.
Magaji explained that the integration allows the agents to retrieve data from the CAC database for use in specific client requests, outside the standard services provided by the Commission.
“Before now, only a few government agencies had this integration, especially those involved in investigations, anti-money laundering, and terrorism financing. Now, private companies that meet the criteria can also access it,” he said.
He said the system complies with the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and information such as residential addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth may be restricted.
“This is a call to law firms and companies with the right technology. We’ve started with NIPS because of their credibility. Embassies and banks can now authenticate company records directly through them.”
“There are prescribed fees. We already collect them on our portal, and now customers can also pay through these agents,” he explained.
He named NIPS, MoneyPoint, and OPE as some of the companies involved.
“OPE and MoneyPoint handle only registrations. But NIPS has moved further into validation and verification,” he said.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, executive director at NIBSS, who represented Premier Oiwoh, managing director, said the service allows secure and efficient data verification.
“This is the result of years of effort to connect our systems with CAC. It will help users verify data within the limits of data protection laws,” she said.
She said the move is a way to lower costs and promote interoperability across the financial sector.
Ministry of Interior has announced the launch of a new Online Citizenship and Business Management Platform in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
A statement signed by Dr Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary, Ministry of Interior’s said the initiative forms a key part of its ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, enhancing operational efficiency, and significantly improving service delivery to the public.
The new digital platform is designed to streamline the application and processing of citizenship and business-related services, ensuring faster turnaround times and improved user experience.
The platform allows users to apply for and manage business permits, ensuring that both local and foreign businesses operate legally in Nigeria.
It includes an Expatriate Quota System to manage work permits for foreign employees, helping companies hire skilled workers while complying with Nigeria’s immigration laws.
The Citizenship Administration and Management System provides a streamlined online process for applying, tracking, and managing Nigerian citizenship applications and related services.
Members of the public, corporate entities, and other stakeholders are expected to access the platform through the ministry’s website: https://interior.gov.ng , Direct Portal Access: https://candb.interior.gov.ng , or contact candb-support@interior.gov.ng for support and inquiries.
“The Ministry of Interior remains committed to establishing a more efficient, transparent, and secure framework for citizenship administration, while continuously enhancing service delivery through digital transformation,” the statement read in part.
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