Ict/Telecom
NITDA Forms BOT For Outsourcing Firms
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has tasked the new board of Nigeria Association of Information Enabled Outsourcing Companies to work hard on developing the sector.
The acting Director- General of NITDA, Dr Ahiru Daura, gave the advice yesterday in Abuja, while inaugurating the board of the association.
He said that the inauguration of the board was a milestone toward developing Nigeria’s outsourcing sector.
He told the members that the journey actually started in 2011, when an outsourcing conference was held in the country.
Daura said that the resolution of the conference was to have a board to oversee and guide outsourcing activities in Nigeria as obtained in other countries.
“Your board is the highest body to give directions, policies and all that is needed is to drive the association forward.
“I will therefore urge that we work hard so as to move the association forward and make Nigeria a very important outsourcing hub not only in Africa but beyond also.’’
Daura said that a lot of jobs and other benefits could be derived from outsourcing, but added that “Nigeria is not getting that in spite of its capabilities.’’
He said that there was the need to push forward and work hard to get the industry booming and flourishing.
“India and Ghana and some other countries are really getting it and we have all the mechanisms to succeed.
“In fact, we have more capabilities than India for outsourcing to flourish in Nigeria, what we need to do is to be organised, and with the present board it is achievable.’’
Daura pleaded that the agency would give all the necessary support to members in carrying out their assignment toward ensuring developing outsourcing industry in Nigeria.
Dr Chris Uwaje, one of the trustees, said that outsourcing was the only sector that could employ over a million people.
Uwaje, who is the President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), described outsourcing as the backbone of economic development.
He said that outsourcing was the only dynamic sector that could create between 5,000 and 10, 000 jobs in the country.
He added that Nigeria could export outsourcing knowledge more than Ghana to the whole world.
“We were told that from the remittance fees of Nigerians in the Diaspora, they have been able to bring about 21 billion dollars annually into the Nigerian economy; that is a brain drain that we want to address.
“ Now we want to ensure that we can multiply that by outsourcing so that they can remit about 100 billion dollars back to Nigeria annually.
“Outsourcing is the core backbone of an industrial economy,’’ he said.
Uwaje pledged that the board would work with the management and staff members of the agency for the development of the industry.
Members of the board include Mr David Onu, CEO Interra Networks Ltd., Mr Ikenna Odike, Managing Director, Customer Contact Solution Nigera Ltd, Mrs Florence Seriki, Group Managing Director, OMATEK Venture Plc, and Jacqueline Yemi.
Ict/Telecom
Nigeria Set To Host International Conference On Biotechnology
The Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, has disclosed that Nigeria will be hosting International Conference on Biotechnology in June.
Mustapha, who made the disclosure recently in an interview with The Tide’s source in Abuja, said the conference would take place in June, adding that the agency was determined to introduce new things for the benefit of Nigerians.
“That is why we are organising this international conference where people across the globe will showcase what they are doing in their various countries in biotechnology. NABDA will also showcase what we are doing and had been doing to engage all our people in the country”, he said.
According to him, the conference would offer a platform where industries, private organisations, universities and others would have the opportunity to showcase their works.
The Director-General said the conference would be tailored around environment, industry, agriculture, genomics and bioinformatics as well as health.
Mustapha disclosed that he had inaugurated a committee toward organising the conference, adding that it had started work.
“The Nigerian policy on biotechnology was prepared in 2000, and I have seen that its about time to effect a change.
“This is imperative because the world is moving fast from what was regarded as the norm to a certain level of precision and accuracy in terms of investigations and deliverables”, he added.
He continued that Nigeria could meet up with advanced countries’ biotechnology as it could boast of scientists and experts.
“Whatever document we are going to produce is going to look at Nigeria and its projects in the next five to 20 years. This policy is what will drive Nigeria’s biotechnology to success”, he said.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Tasks Female Journalists On Content Creation
A digital media expert, Mr. Chimodo Paul, has charged female journalists in Rivers State to generate good contents in order to carve a niche for themselves in journalism.
He gave the charge at a one-day capacity building workshop held last Thursday, at the NUJ Press Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
The workshop, tagged, “Maximizing New Media Platforms: Upscaling Digital, Entrepreneur Skills of Journalists”, was organised by the Step-up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), with support from Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Rivers State Council.
Paul urged the women to upscale their digital skills in order to enable them improve their career prospects and earning potentials.
He expressed dismay that ego had prevented some veteran journalists from upscaling their digital skills, which, he said, had deprived them from reaching their full potentials and becoming visible in the present new media era.
He also urged those stucked in old fashion media to start maximizing the social media tools.
The women was further challenged to invest in themselves by acquiring good digital gadgets, subscribe to online trainings, sponsor their good contents on social media platforms.
“Most journalists do not know how to maximize the new media platforms yet. Ego and pride is not allowing them to learn digital tools. This is the major reason they are where they are and it’s not helping to build and improve professional competence in this new media era”, he said.
He insisted that journalists must identify the social media tools that aligns with their line of job and build presence on it to gain from opportunities that abound from such tools.
“Social media has made it easier for journalists to collaborate on stories with other journalists, photographers, and videographers. Collaborations can help journalists reach a wider audience, tell more complex stories”, he stated.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Wants Telcos To Prioritise Improved QoS
A Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor, Mr. Jide Awe, has urged telecommunication operators to give priority to improving Quality of Services (QoS).
Awe, who is also the Founder of Jidaw.com, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos State, recently.
He said it was necessary to improve the current poor QoS using strategic investment in infrastructure to support current and future needs.
Awe said the future needs included increased number of users and increased traffic volumes of transactions among others.
“Customer journey has evolved significantly over the years, largely influenced by the advancements in telecommunications technology.
“Customers now expect seamless and uninterrupted connectivity across multiple touchpoints, be it through their smartphones, laptops, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices”, he said.
Awe also noted that the telecoms industry was plagued with right-of-way charges, multiple taxation, and insecurity of telecoms infrastructure.
According to him, addressing these challenges is essential for consumer protection to ensure QoS standards are met, and that consumers receive the promised level of service quality.
The policy advisor added that solving the issues would also help in promoting affordable broadband services.
On the role of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) as a regulator, he said the NCC needed to adopt an innovative, supportive, and visionary regulation approach that appreciated the importance of innovation and expansion.
“As new technologies continue to emerge, regulation cannot afford to be static. NCC should inculcate a spirit of innovation and growth in the sector.
“Innovative regulation helps to cultivate an environment that attracts investment to propel sectoral growth. Investor-friendly initiatives, simplification of regulations, strategic and disruptive thinking/approaches are crucial”, he said.
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