Onyekwere promises to extend Internet usage

NEWLY appointed pioneer chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Chief Chima Apugo Onyekwere, has promised to use his office to ensure extension of Internet deployment and usage in the country.

Speaking on his appointment, Onyekwere who was appreciative of the appointment by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said it is an enormous recognition and honour.

He expressed optimism that his team would assist in nurturing a world-class Internet Exchange for the country.

“We will continue to seek for ways to develop and deepen the Internet usage and penetration in the Nigerian market and beyond” he said.

Champion Infotel recalls that on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, Chief Onyekwere’s team was inaugurated at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, as the chairman, along side board members consisting of Mrs. Zubaida M. Rasheed of Transcorp, Dr. Sylverster A. Ehikioya, NCC, Mr. Sam Adeleke of Digitek Teevee Cunsulting and president, Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN), Prof. K.R. Adebayo of FTU Minna, Mr. Aminu Tijjani of Multilinks, Mr. Yen Choi of Netcom, Mr. Chioke Ogugua of Celtel, Mr. Sunday Afolayan of Scannet, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck of MTN and Managing director of IXPN, Mr. Muhammed Rudman.

In the appointment letter endorsed by the Executive Commissioner, Licensing and Consumer Affairs at NCC, Dr. Bashir Gwandu, Chief Onyekwere was informed that the consequent upon the conclusion of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis in 2005, the need for Nigeria to have her own Internet Exchange Gateways came to the forefront.

“Having made decisions to build Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) with seven branches in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Abuja, Kano, and Maiduguri, it became imperative to immediately constitute a board that can give strategic direction to the exchange,” Dr. Gwandu said.

Onyekwere as the founder and chief executive officer of Linkserve Limited, has been pioneering campaign to spur Internet penetration and usage in the country.

Linkserve pride’s itself as the pioneer and leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) involved in satellite connections, Broadband internet, occasional use of data and video communication, even as it also offers online listing on the web for customers through the Nigeria Internet business directory, domain name registration, web hosting plans and website design solutions.

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