Jonathan re-appoints Ilukwe CEO of Galaxy Backbone

President Goodluck Jonathan has re-appointed the current Managing Director and chief executive officer of Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mr. Gerald Chukwuka Ilukwe, for a second term in office of four year.

ITRealms Online recalled that Mr. Ilukwe was initially appointed in August 2006 and resumed in September of same year, after a six-year mid-wifing of Microsoft West Africa with sub-regional head office in Lagos.

The re-appointment became effective from September 4, 2010.

Galaxy Backbone is a Federal Government owned company established in 2006 and whose
primary mandate is the provision of ICT infrastructure and services to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Government as well as the digital inclusion of underserved communities and locations in Nigeria.

Confirming this development, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, said the re-appointment in a letter with reference: SGF.6/S.19/C.8/T/39 dated August 5, 2010, stated “your re-appointment is in recognition of your diligence and the confidence reposed in you by Mr. President.”

Congratulating Ilukwe on the second term, Yayale enjoined him to take the company to greater heights.

Mr. Ilukwe is the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company established for the purpose of driving the transformation of the public sector through the deployment and utilization of ICT resources. Nigeria thus aligns with global trend which has countries such as South Africa, Mauritius, Iran, India, Britain, the USA, etc, establishing organizations for the centralized provision of ICT infrastructure and services.

Galaxy Backbone in the last three year has strategized and deployed a nationwide network, delivering greatly enhanced data, internet, voice and video services to over 250 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on its extensive integrated fibre, radio and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) domestic networks.

Currently Galaxy has over VSAT 2,500 remote sites across the country and presently rolling out a metro-wide fibre optic network within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Ilukwe is an Electronic Engineering graduate from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and holds an Executive MBA from ESUT Business School, Lagos.

Over the past 20 years, Ilukwe has acquired extensive experience working for a string of well-known IT companies including Microsoft Nigeria and MTS.

Ilukwe as the pioneer General Manager of Microsoft Nigeria, the Nigerian subsidiary of US-based software giant, just as he made significant contributions to the Nigerian and African ICT industry. A widely traveled man, Ilukwe has established and maintained first-rate relationships with key influencers and ICT stakeholders across Africa.

ITRealms Online gathered that Ilukwe plans that with the support of the management team and staff of Galaxy, will focus his energies in ensuring the achievement of its corporate objectives and goals thereby make a significant positive impact on the attainment of the ICT sectoral objectives and by extension the overarching goals of the Nigerian vision 20: 2020 strategy.

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