There are now 57 million connected subscribers to the Nigeria’s five mobile networks

WITH a monthly growth figure of 1.1 million new subscribers to various mobile networks, Nigeria is now the eighth fastest growing telecommunications environment in the world.

There are now 57 million connected subscribers to the Nigeria’s five mobile networks of MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Zain, Etisalat and M-tel.

In a similar development, European telecommunications ministers have endorsed a plan to cap retail prices for sending SMS (Short Message Service) text messages and browsing the Internet using mobile phones while abroad.

In September, the European Union’s (EU’s) executive body, the European Commission (EC), proposed slashing both the retail and wholesale prices for text messaging by introducing caps of 0.11 and 0.04 respectively. Average retail prices are currently estimated at around 0.29 Euros, the commission said.

It also proposed a cap on the wholesale price for downloading data of one per megabyte, and called for further reductions in the cost of voice calls when roaming.

Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, reeled out statistics yesterday from the books of GSM Association, the global trade group of over 700 mobile operators in 218 countries and territories.

Citing Quarter one of 2007 as a reference point, Nigeria added 3.3 million new subscribers in three months thus joining the top 10 on the global mobile networks.

China’s 18 million, India (13.7m), Pakistan (7.6 m), Indonesia (5.3m, Iran (5.1m), Brazil (3.8m), Argentina (3.8m) are ahead of Nigeria.

Thailand (3.2) million and Russia (3. 2) million complete the chart.

Ndukwe spoke in Lagos yesterday at the 9th Distinguished Electrical and Electronics Engineer Yearly Lecture (DEEEAL 2008) hosted by the Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

In his 32-paged lecture entitled “From Telecommunications Back waters to a Regional Hub: Tracking the Role of the Regulator in Nigeria’s Telecom Revolution”, Ndukwe said the growth recorded in the sector has been fuelled by adequate, responsive and transparent regulation.

Specifically, he told his audience including Zenith Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jim Ovia, who chaired the occasion that besides the significant growth rate recorded, the sector has raked in additional investment in the excess of $12 billion between January 2001 and October 2008, and government alone has realised over $2.5 billion from spectrum auction.

This is besides import duties and taxes from telecoms companies, which have contributed substantially to the government revenue profile.

He said the beauty of the Nigerian telecoms environment was that it is open to competition through effective and transparent regulation.

The opening up of the market to competition in all segments of the industry has resulted in major drop in prices for telecommunications services.

read full story here

If the above figure puts Nigeria among the top-10 telecom nations in the whole world, I think we better ask ourselves another question to get a correct picture:

How many of Nigeria’s 57million connected subscribers are subscribing to more than 1-mobile network?

My own estimate puts the answer at a minimum of 50%, meaning we have at least 28.5million subscribers with two-phone numbers on two-mobile networks. I myself have three(3): GLO, MTN and Etisalat.

You might want to ask what I do with the three lines? My answer is:

1) Backup: everything in Nigeria needs having a backup. Each of my mobile lines can serve as a back-up to the other two, just in case the worst happens and two of them go down at the same time (this has happened several times). Besides, in case of emergency, its better to have more than 1(one).

In my area: Etisalat does not work after 11pm(night), while Glo ’sometimes’ goes off after 1am. Both networks usually return around 4am. MTN is always online, however the reception is poor at night.

2) Poor reception: even here in Lagos state, there are some places/areas, where the reception of one network is better than the other. To keep myself always mobile and available, I manage to carry my three lines all over.

Another issue is inter-connectivity. A lot of times, it is hard to make an inter-network call, however a local(between same network) goes through without difficulty.

3) Cost: Reason number three: I have always wondered is why much discrepancy in the tariff structures of our mobile networks. I would rather call a Glo number with my Glo-line because it is cheaper than from the MTN/another network. Also, an MTN to MTN call is cheaper than a Glo to MTN. The vice-versa analysis of our 5-mobile networks are all true. In an ideal setting, the difference in tariffs between mobile networks should not be as wide as it is presently.

There could be many other valid reasons why the greater part of subscribers to Nigeria’s mobile networks have at least 1-other phone number on another network. Therefore, we cant really say we have 57-million mobile subscribers, can we?

 

Question: how many networks are you subscribed to?

 

Technorati Tags: MTN Nigeria,Globacom,Zain,Etisalat,M-tel

Handbook of Research on Information Communication Technology Policy: Trends, Issues and Advancements

CALL FOR CHAPTERS
Proposals Submission Deadline: 1/15/2009
Full Articles Due: 3/27/2009
Handbook of Research on Information Communication Technology Policy: Trends, Issues and Advancements

A book edited by Dr. Esharenana E. Adomi
Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
To be published by IGI Global: http://www.igi-global.com/requests/details.asp?ID=550

 

Introduction
ICTs are always evolving and have been contributing immensely to economic, political, social, scientific and educational development in every society where they are deployed. It is the existence and utilization of appropriate policy that would enable individuals, institutions, organizations, nations, or regions to benefit from the developments propelled by the application of ICTs. ICT policy is capable of bridging or reducing the gap between those who do and do not have access to ICT. An ICT policy statement is an essential step towards creating an enabling environment for the deployment of ICT for the development of the society. Absence of ICT policy can impede the development of information infrastructure in affected organizations and societies. The availability of ICT policy has the potential of building capability and capacities in the community, thereby enabling individuals to participate in an economy and society that increasingly relies on ICT.Though ICT policies are very important, not all institutions, countries, regions, etc., have been able to formulate, adopt and implement policies. Some that have put ICT policies in place may even have defective ones which would not enable them to derive desirable developmental benefits. Review of literature has not been able to reveal any book that has addressed different ICT policies. This book will therefore bridge this literature gap.

Objective of the Book
This book aims to provide the most complete and reliable source of information on current developments in the field. Specifically, the book will be a source book on ICT policies; be a guidebook to those who are involved in ICT policy formulation, implementation, adoption, monitoring, evaluation and application; provide background information to scholars and researcher who are interested in carrying out research on ICT policies; furnish teachers of information technology with necessary knowledge which they can impart to their students/trainees; provide ICT users with information that can enable them to understand the policies which guide technology and how they can make use of ICT components for their enhancement.

Target Audience
The book will be essential reading for professionals, governmental and non governmental officials involved in ICT matters; teachers/academics in the field of information science, technology and management; students, scholars and researchers in the field of information science, technology and management; ICT users; library and information service users, etc. This book will attract professionals, scholars, researchers, etc., from different parts of the world. The publication will provide the audience access to information that will advance research in ICT policies. It will enable individuals to become acquainted with ICT policy process, which will then assist those concerned to formulate and implement appropriate policies. This book will provide teachers, students, scholars and researchers in the field of information science, education, technology and management with useful material on curricular offering. It will enable different ICT users to apply ICTs for the advancement of different areas of their lives. Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Evolution of ICT policies

· Types of ICT policies

· Objectives of ICT policies

· ICT policy instruments

· ICT policy stages/processes

· ICT policy formulation

· ICT policy implementation

· Features of ICT policies

· ICT policy application

· Internet access policies

· Laws of the web

· Internet regulation

· Software use policies

· Copyright policies in electronic settings

· Telecommunication policies

· Telecommunication act

· Broadcast policies

· Computer access/use policies

· National ICT policies

· Organizational ICT policies

· Electronic Medium of Information Act

· E-Legislating

· Automation standards

· Ergonomic standards

· ICT security policies

· Computer security policy

· Internet security policy

· Cyber crime regulation

· Cyber crime acts

· Regulation of internet gambling

· Regulation of internet pornography

· Library ICT policies

· Photocopy policies

· Network security policies

· Simulation and gaming policy applications

· Network deployment policies

· Organizational ICT policies

· Organizational ICT security policies

· Library ICT security policy

· ICT policy education

· Satellite communication policy

· Factors affecting ICT policy

· Problems of ICT policies

· Emerging technologies policies

· Review of ICT policies

· Issues in ICT policies

· Wireless communication policies/acts

· ICT standards

· Internet privacy issues

· E-commerce regulation

· ICT and educational policies

· Cybercafe regulation

· Telecentre regulation

· Internet standards

· Information security policies

· Ethics of new/emerging technologies

· ICT legal issues

· Regulation enforcement

· ICT regulation

· Censorship in the digital age

· ICT policy instruments

· Network business models

· E-government policies

· E-business policies

· ICT policy evaluation

· Issues and challenges in ICT policy

· ICT Standards

· Web technology standards

· Research in ICT policy

· ICT policy literature

· E-banking policy

· E-health policy

· Internet governance

· Internet policy

· E-mail policy

· Internet privacy policy

· Internet policy agency

· Computer policy

· Corporate internet policy

· Internet standards

· Internet policy statement

· Employee internet use policy

· Information technology policy

· IT security policy

· ICT policy management/administration

· Regulatory framework

· ICT laws

· Telecommunications policy

· Media policy

· Media legislation

· Telecom legislation

· ICT policy research

· Internet law

· Communication policy

· Electronic signature law

· IFLA Internet manifesto

· Information policy

· UNESCO information policy

· ITU and ICT policies

· Professional ethics

· Mobile phone use ethics

· Educational concerns in ICT policies

· Economic concerns in ICT policies

· Political concerns in ICT policies

· Social concerns in ICT policies

· Scientific and/or technological concerns in ICT policies

· Information infrastructure in ICT policies

· Satellite communications policies

· Gender issues in ICT policies

· Evaluation of ICT policies

· Future of ICT policy

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before January 15, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by January 30, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by March 27, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Important Dates
January 15, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline
January 30, 2009: Notification of Acceptance
March 27, 2009: Full Chapter Submission
April 15, 2009: Review Result Returned
June 15, 2009: Final Chapter

Submission Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) or by mail to:
Dr. Esharenana E. Adomi
Department of Library and Information Science
Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Tel.: +234 802 842 9087
E-mail: esharenana.adomi@gmail.com

Experience ICT Africa 2008

I’m just getting wind of this information right now, from a friend on chat, but I think its worthy of note – at least to keep in view……for next year.

Experience ICT Africa
February 13-15, 2008, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ICT Africa is a NEPAD council continental Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) event addressing a wide range of ICT issues in Africa. Attendees come from all parts of Africa and abroad to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move business forward for one week every year. Hundreds of new ideas on ICT development in Africa are shared every year, lessons learnt from other regions of the world a shared and attendees have an opportunity to interact with the industry’s top minds.

full conference infos:

• http://ictafrica.nepadcouncil.org/
• Novatech2008