As part of its contribution to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country, Digital Jewels last week in Lagos held the 43rd edition of its monthly Information Value Chain (IVC) Breakfast Forum: “Enabling Internet Ubiquity in Nigeria”. The session which had experienced ICT professionals in attendance addressed key enablers and inhibitors for unleashing internet accessibility on a mass scale; and highlighted inherent opportunities and accompanying threats to internet penetration in the country.
Ms. Funke Opeke, Managing Director/CEO of MainOne Cable Company who was the Guest Speaker at the forum stated her presentation titled “Enabling Internet Ubiquity in Nigeria: Our vision, accomplishments and Challenges”, that for internet service to be prevalent, “it must be affordable, accessible, reliable, sustainable and be available in every facet of life including Education, Government, Commerce, Media and Entertainment, Healthcare and Services.”
“While some of the key building blocks to drive ubiquity exist, more work is required to cut through national challenges to deliver widely accessible, always on and affordable Internet services to the people of Nigeria.” She explained that internet availability is achievable but noted that the growth will slowly spread from the cities to the rural areas due to limited infrastructure. She explained that the spread can be fast tracked by direct government interventions to support private sector investments,” said Opeke.
Mrs. Adedoyin Odunfa, MD/CEO, Digital Jewels, in her presentation: “Internet Ubiquity: Enablers, Inhibitors, Opportunities & Threats” identified Internet Ubiquity as a change catalyst that enables Efficiency, Convenience, Innovation, Collaboration, Globalization, Customization, Accountability, Transparency and Business Ubiquity. Other benefits, she highlighted include, Increased Velocity of Money, Instant Gratification, Elimination of Redundancy, Cashless Society, Reduced time to market, Global Sales Channel, Cost Reduction, Wider Choices and E-inclusion among other opportunities.
Mrs. Odunfa said while access to internet in the country has been on the increase, Nigeria is still far from achieving ubiquity as the nation was missing from among the first ten ranked countries in Africa and came a distance fourth behind Cape Verde, Coute d’ Ivoire and Ghana on E-government development in West Africa according to the 2010 United Nation e-government survey.
The Digital Jewels CEO expressed concern on the increasing security threat being faced by government establishments and private business organisations with the hacking of their websites, the attendant embarrassment and loss of investment. She opined that security is critical to internet ubiquity.
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