Telecom
Digital Encode, NeuRaL AI, NiRA Back NITRA ICT Growth Conference 4.0
Leading Cyber security and Governance Risk Compliance (GRC) company, Digital Encode and Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm, NeuRaL AI, have indicated interest in collaborating with ICT industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), on its forthcoming annual multi-stakeholder conference.
Also partnering with NITRA for this year’s event will be the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA). NiRA is the domain registry that manages Nigeria’s .NG Domain System, overseeing Nigeria’s country code top-level domain, .ng.
The event, NITRA ICT GROWTH CONFERENCE, which is in its fourth edition, is scheduled to hold at the Citiheight Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday August 28, 2024 has its theme as “Impact of AI On National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria”.
Speaking on support by Digital Encode and NeuRaL AI, NITRA Chairman, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that they are in line with current realities of security in the cyberspace, and their contributions will go a long way in exposing the needed precautionary measures needed as Nigeria looks towards utilizing AI in both government and private sector processes.
The event targets to bring stakeholders in the ICT industry to discuss and find ways of accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) growth in the industry as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies, including those recorded in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the NCC and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Under its “NITRA ICT Growth Conference”, which seeks to bring a multi-sectorial development agenda, NITRA is organising a multi-panel interactive conference that will look at the themes that include:
- “Driving Sub-Sectoral Digital Growth With Artificial Intelligence”.
- “Navigating the Dangers of AI In A Developing Economy: Role of Public, Private Stakeholders”.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, industry associations will also make their inputs. They include ALTON, ATCON, NiRA, among others.
He further noted that with the latest support of Digital Encode and NeuRaL AI, participants are sure to have an illuminating discuss on the security needs for AI and how it relates to other web-security needs.
Digital Encode is a leading Cyber security and Governance Risk Compliance (GRC) company founded in 2003 that specializes in the design, management, and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environments and other Information Technology (IT) infrastructures.
NeuRaL AI, led by Oluseyi Akindeinde, is a Lagos-based provider of essential support to organisations intending to build and deploy Large Language Models (LLMs). The company has been focused on helping Nigerian businesses adapt to the emerging world of artificial intelligence and also helping them adopt the same in their operations.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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