The year 2014 has ended successfully with tremendous improvements in the Nigerian ICT , especially the attainment of active telephone line connectivity of over 134 million and a teledensity of 96 percent.

However, the year as ended, no doubt was an eventful in the Nigerian Information and Communications Technology ecosystem.

Accordingly, it was characterised by lots of events and new developments and innovations. Emmanuel Elebeke in this reports takes a look at the various issues that made the outgoing year unique.

By Emmanuel Elebeke

BROADBAND Council launches awareness campaign

Earlier in the year, specifically in February, the Broadband Council launched an awareness campaign that will communicate the transformational benefits of broadband to all Nigerians to encourage its use and adoption.

The Campaign tagged “Connected Nigeria, Connected Nigerians” was aimed at raising awareness and disseminate information on the benefits of broadband, including what can be gained by adopting broadband access. It was also to share information on how broadband is creating economic and social value for Nigerians.

The Broadband Council which had its third meeting in February, 2014 reviewed work done so far on the implementation of the Broadband Plan. It discussed the progress made with getting states to reduce or remove ROW charges and other related fees to enable operators have unencumbered means of laying fibre optic cables, which is critical for infrastructure development and quality of service. A full progress report is due to follow.

NCC licensed 2.3-GHz

In late February, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the sector’s regulator, announced Bitflux Communications as the winner in an auction for a 10-year licence to provide wholesale wireless access services in the 2.3-GHz band.

Bitflux, a consortium of three firms (VDT Communications, Bitcom Systems and Superflux International), clinched the licence with a bid of $23.25m. This is even as telecoms service provider Globacom, lost out to BitFlux in the financial stage of the contest. Following the completion of a recent spectrum auction in Nigeria, experts noted that the feat represented a big step forward for the mobile broadband networks in the country.

However, given the challenges and costs of maintaining the infrastructure for high-speed access, there was increasing attention from both the public and private sector to reducing overheads and improving infrastructure efficiency.

Cyber Crime Bill Law

The plenary session of the Senate in October witnessed the passage into law of “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Prohibition, Prevention, Detection, Response, Investigation and Prosecution of Cyber Crimes and for Other Related Matters, 2014”.

The passage of the bill was sequel to the presentation of Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters’ Report on the Cyber Crime Bill referred to it for further legislative work by the Chamber a few weeks ago.

The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Umaru Dahiru, presented the report before the Senate for clause by clause consideration and passage.

NIMC complies with Datacard Group requirements

Also in the early part of the year, the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC it successfully carried out User Acceptance Test on the National Identity Smart Card facility, to ensure that it conforms to international standards and best global practices in tune with the defined objective of the NIMS project.

FG introduces online platform, .ng

This was followed by a directive to all its Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDA’s, to take the directive on harmonisation of identity management systems seriously because it forms the bedrock of the country’s plans to accelerate socio-economic development to remain globally competitive.

In a message from the Secretary to the Federation, Sen. Pius Anyim, titled ‘Presidential Directive on the Alignment of Data Capture, Verification and Authentication activities in government ministries, departments and agencies,’ Anyim said there was need for a single version of truth on all personal information in the national Identity database, which all the MDAs can rely upon.

NIGCOMSAT leased out DTH platform to PPTV

Some time in the year under review, the Nigerian Communications Satellite, NIGCOMSAT, Ltd, announced the lease of its Direct To Home, DTH platform to Indegenous investor, Platinum Plus Television, (PPTV) Ltd.

The lease, according the organisation was actually a formalization of a deal struck between the two companies in 2013.

Rebased GDP

In August, Nigeria rebased its GDP after two decades and came up with the fact that the nation’s ICT sector contributes over 10.56 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

According to the government, the sector was left out in the previous rebasing exercise, during which the sector made no or little impact on the economy.

eNigeria 2014

The Nigeria’s premier IT flagship conference, eNigeria was also held in the year under review.

It was used to showcase and promotes the country’s viable ICT sector potential.

The event attracted IT professional, service providers, government agencies from within and outside the country as well as stakeholders to brainstorm on the way forward in the emerging IT market.

JSS1 student designs ‘helicopter’

A 22 year old man, Emmanuel Okekunle, designed a helicopter in his first year in Junior Secondary School, JSSI.

Emmanuel, whose head is bristling with ideas, a senior secondary school graduate, with determination to succeed, invented different items that show promise of an upcoming technologist or engineer.

ICT used to curtail Ebola scouge

The story of year 2014 will not be complete without remembering the ugly episode of the dreaded Ebola Virus, which claimed so many lives, including doctors.

But the Minister of Communication Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, said the ability of Nigeria to contain the scourge was as a result of the availability and accessibility of ICT tools in the hands of Nigerians.

First non bank based credit card debuts in Nigeria

Still in 2014, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN ’s cashless initiative, received greater boost with the introduction of the first non bank based credit card in the country by a Lagos based company, 03 Capital Nigeria Limited.

The launch becomes Nigeria’s commencement of credit card system without attachment to any bank.

NATCOMS acquires NITEL, MTEL

The Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, in December announced fresh acquisition of the national carrier NITEL and the mobile arm, M-TEl, by a group known as NATCOM. NATCOM is a consortium of seven Nigerian companies. It emerged the new owners of NITEL and MTEL by offering to pay $252 million, an amount said to have met the BPE’s bid price.

Nigeria campaigns for broadband investment at ITU 2014

At the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, conference held recently in Qatar, the Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister for Communication technology, campaigned for investment in the area of broadband penetration.

Speaking at the conference, Johnson stated that although much has been done in the sector, there was still a long way to go. She told participants during the four-day event that ICT has now become the next “oil and gas,” and Nigeria is a gold mine, hence the need for them to come and invest in Nigeria.