Ict/Telecom
200,000 Nigerians To Benefit From DSO Pilot Scheme – Minister

L-R: President,Computer Professionals Registration Council, Prof. Vincent Asor, Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and Representative of the Vice President, Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, at the 2016 Cyber Security Threats and Countermeasures in Abuja on Wednesday.
No fewer than 200,000
average Nigerians will have access to at least 15 free-to-air television channels from April 30 launch of the pilot scheme of Digital Switch On (DSO) in Jos.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this recently in Jos when he paid a visit to Plateau Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonni Tyoden.
The Tide source reports that the minister was accompanied on the visit by members of the Ministerial Task Force for attainment of the pilot scheme and the June 2017 deadline for switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting.
Mohammed, who assured that his team was prepared for the pilot scheme, said that from the take off date in Jos, those who could not afford digital cable like DSTV and Startimes would have access to at least 15 free channels.
The 15 free channels according to the minister, included, African Movie Net, CNBC Africa, NTA, Channels Television and AIT.
He said that the government was also prepared to give free set -top boxes (STB) to the beneficiaries of the pilot scheme.
“`By April 30, the 200,000 targeted viewers in Jos alone will be able to get their set-top boxes which will be fixed to their television sets.
“When they switch on the television from that date they will be able to view, free of charge, 15 channels as opposed to the four that they see today.
“I am not talking about those who have and can afford cables, but about the average Jos man who relies on the terrestrial television,” he said.
The minister solicited the support of the state government towards equitable distribution of the free boxes stressing that it should not be based on partisanship.
According to him, the programme is for every Nigerian and not members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alone.
“We want to ensure seamless distribution of the set up boxes.
“Because it is a pilot scheme, we have a limited number of the boxes, at least 200,000, which we are going to give free to viewers in Jos.
“We want the boxes to reach those who actually deserve them, that is, the common man who has a television set and who in exchange for the box will give us data in planning for the eventual mapping and digitisation of the state.
“In the distribution, we are not dealing with APC alone, we are dealing with everybody in Jos irrespective of political affiliation,” he said.
The minister said that the switch on would provide job opportunities for talented young men, particularly those who would be providing content applications.
He said it would also make it easier and more comfortable for artists to relate their compositions straight to digital platform.
Mohammed reiterated that the issue of going digital was not a matter of choice because the ITU, a UN specialised body for ICT, had given deadline of June 2017 for the country.
He said failure to meet with the deadline would mean a violation of international treaty while the nation’s broadcast system would also be at the mercy of interference.
The deputy governor thanked the federal government for choosing the state for the pilot scheme and. assured their co-operations.
He said the digital switch on was a monumental development in the broadcast industry that would reduce class gap and ensure equal access to information.
Tyoden said the state would set up a task force, to be headed by the Commissioner for Information, on the equitable distribution of the boxes and other developments.
Ict/Telecom
NCC Assures Safe, Accessible Digital Space
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured Nigerians of accessible, resilient and safe digital space in the nation’s digital economy.
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, NCC, Rimini Makama, gave the assurance at the NCC’s Digital Economy Sensitisation Forum, with the theme, “Leaving No One Behind: Digital Access, Equity and Empowerment” in Abuja.
Makama said that the commission remained committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s national telecommunications infrastructure remained resilient, accessible and secure.
“Digital empoScientists Advocate Shared Responsibility To Boost Food Securitywerment must be inclusive. Without inclusion and equity, the benefits of the digital economy will remain unevenly distributed.
“The commission, through its Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and other initiatives, is actively extending digital opportunities to the unserved, underserved, physically challenged and vulnerable groups through several impactful programmes,” he said.
The Publicity Expert for the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr Nihinlola Fefa, said that the association had been an advocate of cyber security awareness and sensitisation over the years.
“ATCON has been a very key stakeholder in the ICT and telecom industry. We have always advocated for cybersecurity awareness and sensitisation.
“We have been giving our own input over the years. We interface with all the telecom companies. We do a lot of studies, and we also give our contributions in so many ways,” she said.
She commended the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, for deploying technology into rural communities.
According to her, though Nigeria is doing well in the area of cybersecurity, there is room for improvement.
“We are in a good position right now and we can do better from the government side,” she said.
Also speaking, the Head, IT and Cybersecurity, National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Olorunisomo Isola, said that the commission had rolled out the necessary framework.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Tasks Nigerians On AI
An economist, Dr Chinedu Amadi, has urged Nigerians to leverage the opportunities inherent in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to become competitive in the global business and social spaces.
Amadi, who is also the President, Organisation of Youth in International Trade and Commerce (OY-ITC), gave the urge during an interview with newsmen , in Abuja, Monday.
Amadi noted that humanity has always advanced by expanding its intelligence and capabilities through technology across different eras pointing out that AI now drives economic systems, social interactions and competitive advantage among nations globally.
“The world is entering a phase where humans and intelligent machines will share cognitive functions, so Nigeria should innovate or risk being sidelined in the emerging global digital order.
“The next frontier extends beyond AI tools to a deeper relationship between human consciousness and machine intelligence. This phase has the dawn of shared human machine cognition shaping future innovation and development worldwide,” he said.
Amadi noted that countries like the U.S., Japan and China already integrated AI into national planning, logistics and defence operations.
He warned that a deeper wave of collaboration between humans and intelligent systems is rapidly emerging
urging Nigeria and other African nations not to remain passive observers in this technological transition.
“Nigeria must innovate urgently or risk missing another major industrial revolution. Future global leadership will favour nations that create, regulate and ethically manage advanced technologies,” he added.
He said that the youthful population is viewed as a potential cognitive economy capable of driving digital creativity.
He advised policymakers and institutions to develop indigenous technologies, reflecting national priorities and moral values.
The president, however, noted that energy and agricultural sector can gain efficiency through predictive AI and advanced computation, adding that governance can also benefit from digital systems that strengthen transparency and curb corruption.
While noting that neural interfaces and quantum processing would soon merge human thought with computationAmadi said that the evolution demands ethical guidance, empathy and deeper human conscience in education system.
According to him, nations worldwide are racing to regulate AI and Nigeria also needs to define its strategic position.
“The future beyond AI will favour societies that balance innovation with wisdom and uphold human dignity,” he said.
Ict/Telecom
NIGCOMSAT Expands Nigeria’s Digital Broadcast Subsector By 35%
The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited says the country’s digital broadcast subsector has expanded by 35 per cent to 75 per cent utilisation in two years.
This, it said, represented a milestone in the country’s digital transformation drive.
The Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT, Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, made the remark at a retreat with the theme: ‘Aligning for the Future: Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainable Growth”, in Abuja, Monday.
According to her the theme reflects NIGCOMSAT’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and positioning itself as a global satellite industry leader.
She said one of the notable achievements in its broadcast segment was the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project, describing it as not just a technical milestone but also a national service.
“This growth is a testament to the organization’s improved service delivery and stronger engagement with partners and clients.
“The DSO project, a collaborative effort with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), is a key milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“NIGCOMSAT’s contribution to the project is enabling digital broadcasting penetration across the federation, cementing the organisation’s position at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation,” she said.
Egerton-Idehen said the achievements were expected to drive revenue growth, with target of three billion naira in annual revenue and eight billion naira in revenue within three years adding that the organisation’s expansion of broadband services and private sector partnership was key to achieving the goals.
“We cannot move boldly into the future without addressing the weight of the past. Our debt profile — both financial and operational — is a reality we must confront with strategy, discipline, and creativity.
“These are our headwinds. We acknowledge them openly because honesty is the first step toward transformation.,” Egerton-Idehen said.
She said in spite of challenges such as economic barriers and competition, the organisation remained optimistic about the future.
“We must out-innovate the market, deepen partnerships, and build a culture of solution-focused, profit-driven, and people-centered excellence.”
“The key initiatives include transitioning to software-defined satellites, expanding broadband services, and the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator for the Space Ecosystem.
“The organisation is prioritising public-private partnerships, branding, and communication, as well as investing in its people,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Data Science Nigeria, Olubayo Adekanbi, said satellite-based economy could revolutionise key sectors such as agriculture, health, and education, creating new job opportunities and increasing productivity.
“By providing internet access to remote areas, satellite technology can bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is left behind.
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