Chairman, Open media Communications Ltd, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe has been named the chairman of the 2013 Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF), scheduled to hold in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

This is coming as the Honourable Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, has been slated to declare the forum officially open as a special guest.

The convener and president of Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Mrs. Mary Uduma, made these disclosures and said that the second of the forum comes up on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Central Business District in the FCT, with the theme: ‘Internet Governance for Empowerment, National Integration & Security through Multi-stakeholders’ Engagement.’

Dr. Ndukwe, she recalled was the former chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and was chosen because of his selfless contributions towards development of broadband in the country. Just as CommTech Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, has been confirmed as a special guest and would officially open the forum for the Nigeria Internet community.

According to her, the objective of NIGF 2013, includes but not limited to taking full advantage of the multi-stakeholder’s nature of the forum to share productive ideas, best practices and experiences that can be harnessed to addressing critical national challenges.

Also, she said, that the forum would provide common platform for local stakeholder’s input towards global Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2013).

In addition, Mrs. Uduma said that forum would facilitate the engagement opportunity for NIGF multi-stakeholder platform for the empowerment of Nigeria youth.

She pointed out that the outcome of NIGF 2013 is expected to facilitate emergence of viable alternative opportunities that best address the nation’s most critical national and Internet issues, while simultaneously promoting the nation’s position at the global IGF taking place from 22 to 25 October 2013 in Bali, Indonesia.

She further said that the Local Multi-stakeholders Advisory Group (LMAG) of the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum, comprising the Ministry of Communication Technology (MCT), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), NCC, and Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) in collaboration with other local stakeholders have advanced processes for the successful hosting of the forthcoming 2nd edition of Nigeria Internet Governance Forum 2013 (NIGF 2013).

Some of the highlights for NIGF 2013, among others, she said, will include Digital Inclusion and Integration, Building Trust, Confidence and Assurance on the Internet, Pand olicy and Regulatory Model for the Internet.