Telecom
Nigeria Dubbed as Africa’s Next Silicon Valley @IoT West Africa
Shitij Taneja, Managing Director of Vertex Next, a subsidiary of Vertex Group and organisers of IoT West Africa Conference and Exhibition has tipped Nigeria as the new African Silicon Valley because of its burgeoning startup ecosystem.
He made this assertion during a media chat with Journalists at the ongoing IoT West Africa Conference and Exhibition holding at the Balmoral Center, Federal Palace, Lagos, Nigeria.
According to him, Nigerian startup ecosystem is blossoming with a vibrant young tech enthusiast.
Taneja averred that this enthusiasm informed why they chose Nigeria as the host of this year’s conference.
He said, “Nigeria’s vast youth population and the vibrant startup ecosystem makes it a powerhouse for technology development in Africa.
“The reason we are hosting the IoT West Africa, which is co-located with Africa data center and cloud Expo Africa is because we see a lot of potential in the market and the growing number of youths that are working towards the development of technology.
“Also, IoT is something that is required in our daily lives, to which West Africa and Nigeria is adapting to.
“IoT is required as we are adopting to technologies. It’s something that is required in our daily lives and Nigeria is adapting to, whether it’s our coffee machine, our cities, or even with our daily shopping, so this is some of the things we are trying to bring over here with this conference.”
He further stated that startup ecosystem in Africa has attracted over $70 billion in investment with Nigeria having a huge chunk of that money.
According to him, “We see a lot of investments coming in from the data centers on the telecom side towards the sector.
“We also see a lot of investors, pouring in money for the startups. There are a lot of startups in Africa alone, till now there has been an investment of around $70 billion that has been invested in the startups and we are just acting as an aggregator to fuel this fire to enhance more investments towards the West African economy”.
Speaking at the event, Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said that Government intends to set up research centres for emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain across all six geo-political zones of the country.
Inuwa made this announcement this during his keynote address on Tuesday at the opening of the 2024 IoT West Africa Conference in Lagos, Nigeria.
Represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, NITDA’s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Inuwa stated that the initiative aligns with NITDA’s focus on fostering a strong technology research ecosystem.
In his keynote address titled “Regulatory Framework Challenges to Support IT Developments in West Africa,” Inuwa highlighted that the conference theme resonates with NITDA’s vision, and pointed out that the agency’s research priorities encompass IoT, AI, Blockchain Technology, UAVs, Additive Manufacturing, and Robotics.
Highlighting the accelerated service deliveries, the NITDA DG emphasized that emerging technologies are enhancing rural life by addressing waste disposal challenges, and smart agriculture is transforming food production through various automated agricultural processes.
“We are establishing a special-purpose vehicle that is going to look into these key areas and also establish research centres across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria that will be targeting these six key areas of emerging technologies,” Inuwa said.
A Nigerian, Mrs. Eyitayo Iyortim, has been appointed as the new chairperson/president, Africa Top Level Domains [AfTLD].
Eyitayo Iyortim, AfTLD
According to a report by Techeconomy, AfTLD confirmed the appointment, by the Organisation Executive Committee, of Mrs Iyortim from Nigeria (.NG) as the Chairperson of the Executive Committee and President of the Organization.
She will be deputized by Prof Idrissa Sarr, vice president and the manager of the.SN ccTLD.
Mr Joel Karubiu from Kenya (.KE) continues as the Treasurer.
The newly elected Executive Committee members are Mr. Molehe Wesi, Chief Executive Officer .ZA Domain Name Authority (.ZA) and Deo Gratias Tonouhewa Manager JenySAS operator (.BJ).
Other members of the Executive Committee include Ms. Grace Ingabire, Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Information and Communications Technology Alliance (.RW), and Mr. Molupe Molupe, Manager of Lesotho Network Information Centre (.LS)
Who is Eyitayo Iyortim?
Eyitayo Iyortim is the immediate past chief operating officer of the qA).
She has a Masters in Organisational Psychology from the University of Manchester, UK.
Eyitayo has over 20 years’ experience in Project Management, Training solutions, Talent Management Solutions, Organisational Transformation, Culture re-enginerring, IT Sales and Services.
She has worked for local and global brands which includes SAP, focus on the Family, Nigeria Internet Registration Association to mention a few.
She also consults on ERP, Digitalisation and HR projects.
Eyitayo has worked in project teams for many top-tier organisations in Nigeria including NNPC, FIRS, Dangote, UAC, NLNG.
She is a member of the British Psychological Society with CPDs in Employee Management, Relationships at Work and Assessment Centre Management.
She is also certified in Ability and Personality testing, Project Management and Life Coaching.
AFTLD
AfTLD is recognized as the representative of country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) managers from Africa.
It is an active participant in the ICANN ccNSO, and also actively participates in various Internet governance fora with the African continent and beyond, including the IGF, where it has run a number of workshops.
With collaboration in Internet governance and development a cornerstone of the bottom-up policy development processes that make the Internet truly a multi-stakeholder phenomenon, AfTLD works in collaboration and partnership with other Regional Top-Level Domain Organizations (RTLDOs), these being APTLD, CENTR and LACTLD.
In a concerted effort to address widespread complaints about data depletion, Nigeria’s Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have collaboratively launched a consumer sensitization campaign aimed at providing practical guidance for more effective data management. This initiative is designed to enhance consumer satisfaction by helping subscribers optimize their data usage.
In a unified statement, the MNOs highlighted several smart data usage behaviors that can help prevent data depletion. These include disabling automatic app updates, enabling data saver mode, and closing unused apps to prevent background data consumption.
To prevent unauthorized access and strengthen data security, the MNOs advised consumers to use stronger passwords and regularly update their hotspot and Wi-Fi passwords to prevent unauthorized access. For a seamless video streaming experience, users should ensure they have sufficient data and turn off auto-downloads to effectively manage content consumption.
With the advent of advanced network technologies like 4G, LTE, and the latest 5G, which offer ultra-fast data speeds and enhanced browsing and streaming experiences, the speed of data consumption and pattern have increased significantly. Consumers are encouraged to understand these changes and manage their data usage accordingly.
“It is important for consumers to familiarize themselves with the specific terms and conditions of their data plans,” the MNOs emphasized.
“Different plans cater to various needs, including weekend-specific plans, social media-only plans, and regular plans configured for night use only.”
For additional tips on smarter data usage and management, consumers should visit the NCC website at https://consumer.ncc.gov.ng or the official MTN website – https://www.mtn.ng/manage-data/
Ijesha Digital Innovation Hub has announced the graduation ceremony of its first cohort of trainees.
Ijesha Digital Hub
The landmark event will take place on Monday, July 8th, 2024, starting promptly at 2:00 PM at the Royal Park Hotel on the beautiful campus of Olashore International School, Iloko-Ijesa.
In a press statement on Friday, Dr Adewale Alonge, Vice President, IGAD, said that after six months of intensive and globally benchmarked courses of study, “the hub is proud to graduate 48 trainees who have completed rigorous programs leading to certification in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, and UI/UX Design. The graduating class includes 10 trainees in UI/UX Design, 23 in Cybersecurity, and 15 in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning”.
The ceremony will feature a keynote address by Sir Aladekomo, Chairman of SmartCity Resorts Plc and Founder of Chams Plc, a pioneer in the Nigerian tech industry.
“The event will be chaired by Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi, the esteemed Asiwaju of Ijeshaland, who will also deliver remarks celebrating the achievements of the graduates and the impact of the Innovation Hub.
“The media is invited to cover this significant event, which marks a new chapter for the 48 graduates as they embark on their professional journeys equipped with cutting-edge skills and knowledge. This graduation is a testament to the hub’s commitment to providing skills development training today so that participants can build tomorrow”, Dr. Alonge said.
The Ijesha Digital Innovation Hub, an initiative of the Ijesha Global Alliance for Development (IGAD), is dedicated to advancing the social, economic, and industrial development of Ijesaland in Nigeria. IGAD, a Florida, US-registered tax-exempt non-profit organization, mobilizes the resources and talents of Ijesas across the globe to foster the development of their homeland.
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