Okere Urges NiRAN to Target MSME for .NG

Austin Okere, founder and group chief executive officer (CEO) Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) plc, has highlighted the potential of digital explosion in Nigeria, saying that a framework for the Internet governance is urgently needed which must be targeted at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Okere who chaired 2014 Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) held at the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Center, Onikan-Lagos, in his address, said that he was deeply honoured to chair the gathering and believes on the theme: Harnessing Multi-Stakeholders’ Framework for Internet Governance & Economic Growth.

He also reiterated belief in inclusive growth, and canvassed that NIRAN focuses her target on the adoption of .ng by ensuring enrollment of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sub-sector of the economy, which number he put in excess of 17.7m in Nigeria, and who are likely to see more benefit with the adoption.

Okere also noted that the modern wave of Internet has taken Africa by storm and Nigeria is no exception. Hence, he pointed out that recent World Bank study showed that 32.9 per cent of Nigerians depend on technologies of this age such as broadband and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

Nigeria, he said, ranked 8th out of a total of 212 member countries of United Nations in terms of number of Internet users and only occupies 128th spots in terms of Internet penetration.

He quoted the World Economic Forum recently held in Nigeria as indicating that out of every 100 urban Nigerians, 50 accesses the internet monthly, 58 have internet capable mobile phones and 21 have smart phones.

On the other hand, he said, CWG plc leveraged on the abundance of broadband capacity to launch an ambitious programme of empowering MSME’s which she tags CWG 2.0; to work with banks and government agencies such as SMEDAN and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment to provide affordable technology to help MSME’s to build capacity and attract credit to grow their businesses.

The objective, Okere said, will enable the 17.7 MSME’s build sufficient capacity to employ an additional staff each. This will create an additional 17.7m jobs, fuelling inclusive growth.

He, therefore, urged NIGF led by the Local Multistakeholder Advisory Group (LMAG) and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), the managers of .NG country code domain name to tap into this MSME in effort to populate .NG brand.