Business
NCC Puts Nigeria’s Broadband Penetration At 10%
The Executive Vice Chair
man, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah says the current broadband penetration in the country stood at 10 per cent.
Juwah made this known at the Digital Sense Forum Series 2015, with the title: ‘IPv6 and Broadband Penetration’, organised by Digital Sense Africa (DSA) Media in Lagos on Friday.
Juwah, who spoke through Mr Tony Ojobo, the NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, said the country’s target was to achieve about 30 per cent penetration by 2018.
According to him, the nation’s ability to meet this target depends on infrastructure deployment being encouraged by the commission, via various initiatives.
He said there was a strong correlation between broadband penetration and the economy, which made every effort towards broadband a compelling case.
“Nigeria is one of the nations with the fastest in telecommunications. Our growth in the sector is regarded as a revolution, given the speed with which we grew from 2001 from about 400,000 telephone lines to now 145.5 million, as at April 2015.
“On the Internet, more than 83 million Nigerian subscribers have access to the Internet. So, the nation is as connected to the internet as most other parts of the world.
“Nigeria has great prospects and potentials for broadband, hence, the availability of a new internet addressing system in Internet Protocol version six (IPv6), means that these potentials can be harnessed, as the nation continues to grow its broadband penetration,” Juwah said.
He explained that IPv6 was an aspect of one of the solutions which evolved out the many efforts to propagate internet penetration and adoption.
Juwah said telephone lines across the world had been designed in such a way that when one made a call, it was received by another phone line.
He said in the same way, internet connectivity was achieved through internet protocol address system, which ensured that one computer connected to the internet saw the other.
The NCC’s boss said at the early development of the internet, IPv4 address space was developed with the capacity to accommodate 4.3 billion addresses.
Juwah said at the period, the number was seen as a very huge capacity that was probably not envisaged to be exhausted in several years, however, the phenomenal growth of the internet was already seeing off IPv4.
According to him, it was now known that sooner or later, there would be no IP address left on the IPv4 space.
“This is why the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), whose mission is to make the internet work better, came up with a more efficient IPv6 address.
“IPv6 space is developed to accommodate over 340 trillion addresses. The idea behind this huge capacity is to ensure that even if the demand for IP addresses doubled every year, IPv6 will not be exhausted in 96 years.
“As a regulator that is committed to keeping pace with all technological developments, the commission is open to attracting all the benefits of these technologies and services.
“It is part of our regulatory concept of technology neutrality in our regulatory processes,” he said.
Reports say that the two-day Digital Sense Forum Series 2015, which is being attended by more than 200 participants, ends on Friday.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter