Author: ITPulse

  By Martin Ekpeke The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)’s website has been declared the best in the government  Ministry, Department and Agency category at the Maiden Edition of Nigerian Online Merit Award, NiOMA, held in Lagos on Friday. Narrating how the NCC’s website was adjudged the best, the organisers of the award, News Express Online noted that NCC won the award, given that its website stands out among other websites in the MDA category. The organizer said apart from its unique and aesthetic design, the website is the most interactive, when compared with those of other MDA’s. “In a survey…

  The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), last week awarded Galaxy Backbone the most Digital Innovative federal Government agency at its annual .ng awards ceremony, which was held in Lagos. According to NIRA, the award is a confirmation of Galaxy Backbone’s status as the Digital Infrastructure & shared services provider to Federal government Agencies, saying in the last 5 years, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) has continued to drive digital innovation and inclusion amongst government agencies through the delivery of digital services that improve the way agencies engage and communicate with other agencies and the citizenry.  Responding, an elated Chief Executive Officer…

  Even though cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin tend to steal the limelight, it is their underlying blockchain technology that is proving to be of practical benefit. This technology, which goes beyond financial application, is expected to disrupt global supply chains by boosting transaction speed across borders and improving transparency. Essentially, the blockchain is a shared virtual public ledger where encrypted transactions are confirmed by outside parties. Confirmed transactions are placed in a “block” and added to the chain, hence the name blockchain. It is this technology that the Fintechs are leveraging to disrupt the traditional banks Here in Nigeria, blockchain…

The Nigerian Interbank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) has released its latest figures showing that Central bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy is gaining traction, especially in the last six months as Nigerians spent N1.01 trillion using the Point of Sales (PoS) terminals. This is a far different from 2012 – 2017, when the number of transactions carried out via PoS was valued at N1.4 trillion. A breakdown of the figure shows that that deals worth N152 billion were executed over the electronic platform in January, while N144 billion was recorded in February. In March and April, N177 billion and N172…

  By Cyril Ilayah An expert has stated that reliance on a single password for Google combined with heavy exposure from “bring your own device” Smartphones and tablets poses special risks for unwary employers. This is largely to the fact that Google Drive is free, relatively easy to use, and available to everyone with a Gmail account. No wonder that the cloud-based server storage service is seen as such a comfortable fit for hundreds of thousands of medium- and small-sized businesses that need a place to put documents and to work on them remotely. But Dr. Barbara Rembiesa, president and…

  By Martin Ekpeke Despite the recession in Nigeria that lead to adverse macroeconomic conditions, the telecom and media industry in Nigeria generated a whopping $7.3 billion revenue in 2017, making Nigeria the second behind South Africa, a report titled ‘Nigeria Telecomm and Media Outlook’, published by Nigeriacom in partnership with Ovum has disclosed. The report, also noted that Nigeria accounted for 11 percent of African revenue in 2017, adding that  Nigeria’s revenue is set to grow at a faster pace than the global average revenue over the next five years despite the current adverse macroeconomic conditions. Other insights from…

  Telecom operators in Nigeria have complained consistently of multiple taxations, saying it has hampered the growth of their businesses, which many industry watchers believe has been essential to the economy over the years. The telecom industry as of today is one of the few industries in Nigeria making huge contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product  (GDP).  Telecom contributes about 10 percent to the GDP with an investment of about $70 billion. But this is being hampered by various forms of tax from state government, who see telecom as a revenue spinner for the state, rather than seeing them…

  By Kester Omu The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has added its voice to a barrage of condemnations that have followed the picketing of MTN Nigeria offices nationwide by the Nigeria Labour Congress. ATCON, an umbrella body of all telecommunication companies in Nigeria, in a statement sent via email by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Ajibola Olude, berated the recent demonstration of the Nigerian Labour Congress in front of MTN’s headquarters and branches nationwide, which led to the destruction of properties. The statement reads in part: “The Association sees these nationwide disruptions of its members’ operations as unnecessary…

WhatsApp today said it is rolling out a new feature that will let its users identify the messages that are forwarded, as the popular messaging app looks to combat fake news and false information in India. WhatsApp earlier today also unleashed a user awareness drive in the country after drawing flak from the Indian government over fake and provocative messages being circulated on its platform. These messages have incited mob-fury, triggering multiple cases of lynching across parts of India and, in turn, prompted the government to issue a stern warning to the company to clamp down on hoax messages…

  By Cyril Ilayah Nigerian Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is presently in the United States of America, where he held talks with global technology firms as part of the US Investment Road Show to drag investment in the areas of technology in Nigeria. Specifically, the Vice President met with Google CEO Sundar Pichai at Googleplex, the corporate headquarters of Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc., located in California. In clear terms, Osinbajo expressed Nigeria’s government support for the Google’s Next Billion users plan intended to ensure greater digital access in Nigeria and around the world, saying it is…