Akunyili, Ndukwe lead speakers @ Digital Sense forum

The chairperson of the Bureau of African Ministers of Communications and Information Technologies (ICT) and Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili would on Thursday this week in Lagos, declare open the annual Nigeria Digital Sense forum.

The event which has been slated to hold at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi-Lagos, would also have the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe as a keynote speaker focusing on the theme of
the forum, Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians.

Disclosing this, the Executive Director, Operations, Digital Sense Africa (DSA), Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke said it is heartwarming that the honourable minister, Prof. Akunyili, would be at the event by accepting to honour the forum, which is the first of its kind in the country.

According to her, the forum aims at galvanizing ICT stakeholders and the Nigerian Internet community particularly to harmonize relevant voices towards having a national position at the forthcoming global conference on Internet, tagged the Internet Governance Forum, holding in Egypt later in November.

She recalled that Nigeria emerged the chairperson of the Bureau of African Ministers of Communications and Information Technologies (ICT) under the auspices of the African Union (AU) Commission at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-Telecom Africa 2008 at the Cairo International Conference and Exhibition Centre (CICC).

The election of Nigeria into this position, industry observers had said was in recognition of nation’s influence and current standing in ICT performance in the sub-region, even as the sector liberalization in Nigeria, has triggered an enabling environment provided by federal government based on the bid to enshrine fair and transparent regulatory framework within the telecommunication industry.

Confirming Akunyili’s participation at the event, she said a letter to DSA from the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications, endorsed by the Special Assistant to the honourable minister, Mrs. Mary Ikoku, stated that Prof. Akunyili has graciously accepted to be present at the occasion.

In addition, Mrs. Nweke said that the EVC, NCC, Dr. Ndukwe would present the keynote address, on the theme: Internet Governance: Creating Opportunities for All Nigerians, while the Vice President of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma would dwell on ‘The Role of NiRA’ in creating internet opportunities for Nigerians, just as the Regional Manager, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Ms Anne Inne Rachel would take participants on Internet Governance, Africa and ICANN’s position.

Equally the Managing Partner of Technology Advisors, Mr. Basil Udotai, she said would speak on the impact of law in Internet governance, while the chairperson, Inter-ministerial Committee on the Outcome of World Summit on Information Society, Mrs. Ibukun Odosote, would give account of the journey so far, just as the President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Lanre Ajayi would unveil the functions of the group in getting thus far.

Lots of chief executives of Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies and internet enthusiasts have signed up for the forum, even as MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and iWayAfrica have concluded arrangements to showcase their various internet-based products to the participants.

Digital Sense Africa is an initiative of Remnek Kommunications Ventures; Information and Communication Technology (ICT) analysts, public relations consultants, with continental media affiliates as part of its enlightenment strategies to engage Nigerians for sustainable deployment and utilization of technologies in order to make sense out of the revolution.

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D