General News
Cost of Production Must Make Business Sense-Ekuwem
Cost of Production Must Make Business Sense-Ekuwem
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem is a thorough bred engineer with an undiluted passion for ICT. Ekuwem was once assistant director (Technical Services) in the Aviation Ministry, a fellow of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/ Tril Programme.He is presently UNESCO’s ICTP (Trieste,) regional coordinator of the Nigerian Universities Network (NuNeT). Ekuwem spoke to
Local Content and Assessment of ICT
You will remember that we held recently a whole stakeholders forum on that topic. If it were not a serious topic, if it were not relevant to the growth of our country, we would not have organized a stakeholder’s forum on the topic.
If we want to own the industry; if we want to grip the industry firmly, if we want to contribute to the emergence of Nigeria as one of the first or top twenty countries by the year 2020; then we have to use ICT as one of the catalysts to lift Nigeria up to that position. The question is, what do we do in the industry? What are the tools of the industry? How many of the tools are made, designed or assembled in Nigeria? When you emphasize on Nigerian content development within the ICT sector, you are aiming at creating jobs and wealth; you are aiming at ensuring the sustenance of the industry. That means you have no control over, cannot be said to be yours. We are not talking about 100per cent control, it is about what I call, a symbiotic control in the sense that our foreign partners work in tandem with us so as to ensure the growth and sustainability of the industry. We use pieces of software in places such as banks, universities, corporate bodies like Teledom and so on. How many of these pieces of software that we use on a regular basis are developed in Nigeria? Are Nigerians competent enough to develop pieces of software that can be used in those establishments? All I can tell you for sure is that there is no software that we use today that cannot be developed by Nigerians. I hope we are not suffering from what Fela Anikulapo Kuti used to call ‘kolo mentality’ in the sense that we perceive imported goods as more superior to locally made ones. Are you telling me that good mobile phone casings cannot be produced in Nigeria? Are you telling me that even casings of the computer and TV antennae cannot be made here? They sure can. You must know that those companies abroad may not produce the totality of their products in their factories; they outsource them to their partners who are being paid for the services.
Who is Responsible?
First, the cost of production must make business sense. When you look at the cost of production in Asia and that in Nigeria, if it is cheaper in Nigeria, entrepreneurs will come to produce in Nigeria. Our duty then is to ensure that cost of production of goods in our country low. Electric power is to the national economy what food is to the human body. The national economy is as epileptic as it is today because its source of energy is epileptic. The day we get our bearings right, the day the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) wakes up and the day we make good availability of electric energy for use in the national economy; you will see an avalanche of creativity, you will see an outburst of development; you will see Nigerians design and manufacture things that meet international standards. So, infrastructure like electricity is contributing to the increase in the cost of production. Nigerians are not the smartest people in the world but we have individuals who have potentials and can be trained to be highly skilled in certain areas. I would say that the right policies must be formulated; there must be public awareness, support from government and an institutional or legal framework that would compel operators or entrepreneurs or companies within the industry to introduce a certain percentage of Nigerian content in their operations. So, policy, institutional and legal frameworks are all the things that need to be addressed to ensure that we can have Nigerian content sufficiently large within the ICT industry. If you have only skilled manpower, how are you going to come to terms with the technical complexities of the material that will be used? I can tell you that dearth of manpower is not peculiar to Nigeria; there are many countries in the world that share similar experiences with Nigeria. Am convinced that the moment government, the Nigerian public, the telecom companies, the operators, the regulatory bodies like NCC; show some commitment to the cause of Nigerian content development within the ICT sector, be rest assured that we will go a long way. In that case, it is the will for us to move forward.
SIM Registration and National Security
We can capture data. But we have to start from somewhere. We cannot because of the fact that we are having difficulties in authentication turn a blind eye on SIM pack abuse; anyone can walk into a shop and buy one then use it to commit fraud, make threat calls and so on. A phone with GPRS, with voice call, with web browsing facilities, is an access point into any nation’s information super highway.
With that phone and connection, you can have access into companies’ database and even wreak havoc. We should be able to match these phones which are the access points into Nigeria’s information super highway with particular individuals within Nigeria, otherwise there is danger. This point of access must be accounted for; its origin and ownership must be known. There is a high rate of threat calls according to police reports. Hired assassins and even kidnappers in the Niger-delta use their phones to carry out operations but those calls cannot be traced to anyone. In most countries in the world, SIM packs are being registered because they have realized it is necessary for national security.
Registering 30 million Subscribers
We will not say goodbye to the Nigerian national security because operators are uncooperative. ATCON is not a regulator but we work in close partnership with the regulatory body. We are not the National Assembly, we do not make laws; we only do professional advocacy and ensuring that with our expertise, the Nigerian public is well informed. Operators may not be willing to register SIM packs because it will lead to a decrease in the number they release. But we cannot for that reason joke with national security. They need not do these registrations themselves; they can outsource that to a small firm. As we said in ATCON press statement, a period of six months to one year will be given during which every subscriber would be documented. You can walk into the nearest service center and register his SIM; so there will be no hurrying.
Teledom Group
Teledom Group will soon be 10 years. We are a broadband informational telecommunication infrastructure company. We started with wireless and we discovered that Nigeria being a developing country had a problem of good quality ICT infrastructure. During the time of NITEL you know how difficult it was to get a line. We then said ‘let us look for a technology that will be broadband, that will be scaleable, that will be easy to install and easy to dismantle’. So, Teledom International Limited’s core competence is broadband wireless, we are experts in that area. We have a software development company and we have IT mart that is a one stop infotech super store. We have had a lot of encouragement from Nigerians; we have been patronized by some very good corporate bodies in this country and we are quite gratified that we have grown the way we have grown. The next phase we are entering is that of local content via manufacturing.
Kuwait’s Criminal Security Sector has dismantled an international cybercrime ring composed of Nigerians responsible for coordinated attacks on telecommunications towers and banks, the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday.
According to Arabic-language daily Al Qabas, the case was initiated after the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority reported cyber intrusions targeting local telecom networks.
Specialised security teams quickly launched an investigation, discovering that the suspects used advanced electronic devices to breach networks and distribute mass phishing messages impersonating banks, aiming to steal account information and siphon funds.
Signal-tracking technology led investigators to a vehicle in the Salmiya area.
When authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver tried to flee, colliding with several cars before being apprehended following a fierce struggle.
A search of the vehicle uncovered sophisticated electronic equipment and various technical tools.
Upon investigation, the suspect confessed to collaborating with an accomplice to hack telecom networks and send fraudulent messages posing as banks and telecommunications companies.
Police subsequently located and arrested the second suspect, and a search of their residence uncovered additional devices used to analyse the stolen data.
Both suspects, along with the seized equipment, have been handed over to the relevant authorities for prosecution.
The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the nation’s cybersecurity and intensifying efforts to combat electronic fraud targeting both citizens and residents.
Space in Africa, the Lagos-based firm Oniosun founded, is expecting its Egusi melon seeds to splash down in the Pacific Ocean Saturday—fresh from a trip to the International Space Station.
Once Earthside, experiments will begin on what is being hailed as the first food native to West Africa to be sent to space.
As Oniosun told AFP on Friday, it could herald an era where space exploration reflects the planet’s diversity.
“When we talk about humans colonizing other planets, this is not just an American mission or a European mission—this is a global mission,” he told AFP.
And future African space explorers might enjoy a taste of home.
Experiments on extraterrestrial food, which is to say tested in space, have been going on for years.
Growing food in space is seen as a crucial part of long-distance space flight and long-term missions, where frequent resupply won’t be feasible.
Scientists at the University of Florida in the United States, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan, will examine the seeds “to see the effects of exposure to space” and zero gravity, including on the seeds’ DNA.
Once planted, researchers will monitor their post-space performance and germination.
The seeds went up to the ISS on a SpaceX flight last week, as part of NASA’s partnership with private firms.
Oniosun said the inclusion of Egusi seeds marked an important step forward, both for those on Earth as well as future astronauts.
High in protein, they are typically used to prepare soups and stews across West and Central Africa.
Africa’s most populous country has a small space industry, but the launch of the seeds seemed to generate more excitement on social media and in newspapers than previous launches of Nigerian satellites, he said.
“The moment that we’re sending food that they love, a food that holds significant cultural contexts to Nigeria… everybody starts getting interested in the subject,” Oniosun told AFP.
“The launch of Egusi melon seeds into space is more than a symbolic gesture,” he added.
“The future of humanity among the stars must reflect the diversity and richness of life on Earth.”
Whether pounded yam—the key dish served alongside Egusi soup—will make its way to the final frontier remains to be seen.
In a powerful demonstration of its commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the second cohort of the IgniteHer Bootcamp for Women Entrepreneurs, a strategic initiative aimed at accelerating gender inclusion and economic empowerment through digital innovation.
The bootcamp, themed “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for Growth and Innovation”, was launched in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and brought together selected women entrepreneurs from across Nigeria, both physically and virtually, for rigorous training in digital skills, innovation management, business development, and investor readiness.
The NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, who declared the bootcamp open, reaffirmed the Agency’s role in aligning Nigeria’s digital development with the national priorities of reforming the economy for sustained inclusive growth and accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation.
“Through IgniteHer, we are actualising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding women’s access to technology and economic opportunity,” he stated.
The DG, who was represented by the agency’s Acting Director of the Digital Literacy and Capacity Building department, Dr. Ahmed Tambuwal, noted that inclusive innovation is a cornerstone of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0: 2024–2027), which supports national aspirations for inclusive growth, poverty eradication, and youth empowerment.
“We are not merely imparting skills; we are creating self-reliant entrepreneurs, change-makers, and leaders,” he added.
Inuwa disclosed that the IgniteHer Bootcamp is also a key component of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS), through which NITDA is working to empower 12.7 million Nigerian women with digital literacy skills by 2027. He averred that the programme complements broader government efforts to bridge gender gaps, enhance productivity, and reduce unemployment, especially among young women.
Citing a report by the World Wide Web Foundation, the DG emphasised that closing the digital gender gap in Nigeria could unlock an estimated $13 billion in GDP growth over the next decade.
“This training is a step towards harnessing this economic potential and ensuring that women play an integral role in shaping the digital landscape of Nigeria,” he noted.
He therefore called on participants selected from over 12,000 applicants to seize the moment and shape the future of Nigerian entrepreneurship.
While highlighting NITDA’s leadership in strategic partnerships, the DG commended JICA and the Government of Japan for their ongoing collaboration in supporting digital empowerment through programmes like IgniteHer and the iHatch Incubation Programme, which provides startup support, mentorship, and innovation development to early-stage entrepreneurs.
“At NITDA, we believe that inclusive innovation is not just an ideal but a critical strategy that ensures the growth of a stronger economy, the development of smarter solutions, and the existence of more resilient communities. Through IgniteHer, we are dismantling barriers and replacing them with pathways to opportunity,” he concluded.
In his remarks, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, reaffirmed Japan’s long-standing commitment to innovation and gender inclusion in Nigeria. He announced that Japan, through JICA, is currently supporting two grant projects worth $30.9 million, focused on improving Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, strengthening the investment climate, and building an inclusive innovation hub.
The Ambassador also referenced the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”, as further testament to Japan’s dedication to deepening Africa-Japan cooperation on digital transformation and entrepreneurship.
Lead Facilitator of IgniteHer, Hajiya Hafsat Salabi-Dange, described the programme as a catalyst for social and economic transformation. While praising NITDA’s visionary approach to development, she stated that the programme is a movement that is bridging the digital gender divide and fostering economic independence.
Encouraging the participants to remain curious, intentional, and bold, she said, “What you will gain here goes beyond business; it is a tool for community upliftment, national growth, and generational impact.”
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