Author: ITPulse

World’s leading messaging application, Whatsapp is set to roll out its new service tagged ‘WhatsApp Business’ across the world in the coming weeks.  Whatsapp said the service will be free at the moment and is targeted at small businesses that have been using account meant for individuals. “While the focus, at present, is to get a small business on the platform for free, the firm plans to charge them in the future,” WhatsApp chief operating officer Matt Idema told ET Telecom in a phone interview. The service is presently available via Google Play Store in Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, the…

  The management of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced the restructuring process for the registration of Indigenous Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The government IT Clearing House therefore called on all Information Technology (IT) Indigenous Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), other government establishments, the organised private sector and the general public to take note the restructured process of registering and certifying indigenous IT OEMs. According to a statement signed by Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director General/CEO of NITDA, the restructuring became necessary considering the incessant complaints received from consumers of indigenous IT…

  Tech startups in in Africa received investment funding of a whopping US$195 million in 2017, making it the highest in three years, with three African countries of South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya getting the highest. According to Disrupt Africa, the startups totaling 159 across the three countries received the funding, which is 51 percent growth compared to 2016. The report noted that 2017 marks the first year Nigeria overtook South Africa in terms of the total amount of funding raised, with over 60 percent of the funding going to Andela, a tech startup that helps companies quickly and confidently…

  By Kester Omu A recent report by the Business Insider Intelligence has noted that, despite the sharp gains in e-commerce, which will nearly double between now and 2021, the online shopping environment is yet to compensate for the reasons customers like brick-and-mortar shopping. The report, believes that the lion’s share of purchasing continues to take place in-store, a situation Business Insider said is unlikely to change anytime soon, describing the notion that brick-and-mortar commerce is falling as overblown. It also urged POS terminal providers to up their game in an increasingly competitive environment, as a result of the continued…

  By Kester Omu The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said there is a need for Nigeria to develop a proper pricing structure, saying such structure would ensure the affordability and availability of Broadband in the country. Danbatta stated this today in Lagos at the Digital Bridge Institute, during a stakeholders’ forum on the study of the determination of cost based pricing for retail broadband and data services in Nigeria. According to Danbatta, not only would a broadband pricing structure ensures affordability, it will also ensure fair competition by checking price discrimination,…

  By Martin Ekpeke A Data System Analyst cum Programmer, Mr. Michael Olajide has posited that Enterprise Mobility would take the front seat in the workplace this year. Meaning, a great number of employees would be working outside the office and using mobile devices and cloud services to perform business tasks. Olajide, who is the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited and the Executive Chairman, WaveTek Nigeria Limited, posited this while speaking with some Journalists in Lagos on 2018 tech trends. According to him, the waves of technology in Nigeria are gradually moving to where Enterprise Mobility and business…

  The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom has appointed Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem as the new Secretary to the State Government. Ekuwem, a telecom czar and a former President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), replaces Mr Etekamba Umoren, who was relieved of his duties by the Governor. In a statement to announce the appointment, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Charles Udoh, said Ekuwem would be sworn in on Jan. 16 at the Government House, Uyo, adding that the appointment is part of continuous effort to re-jig the governance structure of the state. The new…

  AFRINIC is the internet number registry in Africa. It plays an important role in the internet community, not just in Africa, but across the world. As a result of this, AFRINIC plays an important role in ICANN and other global internet bodies. Some of the issues that AFRINIC is addressing includes, IPv6 deployment, cross border connectivity and promotion of Internet Exchange Points. I was recently with Alan Barrett, CEO, AFRINIC and the center of the discussion was on the impact and relevance of AFRINIC. In explaining the work that AFRINIC does, Alan stated that, AFRINIC is an organisation that manages…

  The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will be tomorrow, January 16, 2018 consult stakeholders in the telecommunications industry and the general public on a cost based pricing for Retail Broadband and Data Services in Nigeria. The consultative forum, which is scheduled to hold at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Cappa, Oshodi, is consistent with the Commission’s consultative approach and stakeholders’ engagement for effective regulatory oversight of the telecommunications sector. The Commission, in a statement said the essence of the forum is to engage with industry players and stakeholders with a view to getting their inputs before arriving at any major…

By kester Omu Concerned Nigerians have called on the federal government to pay attention to the country’s gaming market, especially Sportbetting, saying the market, which industry watchers estimated to be a N2bn+ a day business has the capacity to contribute greatly to the country’s economy, when properly harnessed. Some Nigerians, who spoke to ITPulse on the street of Lagos, noted that, apart from the huge financial resources that go into betting among the youths, the industry has also proven to have created direct and indirect jobs for millions of Nigerian youths, placing bets on football games weekly. They believe…