To help address the challenges of increasing data volumes by rapidly turning data into actionable business insights, the software giant, Microsoft has unveiled the latest version of the world’s most widely deployed data platform, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 in Nigeria.

LAST week, the Presidential Panel on Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, headed by former head of the Cuvil Service of the Federation, Mr Steve Oronsaye submitted its report to the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. The report, an 800-page compendium recommended scrapping of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and conversion of 14 to departments in ministries. In all, it recommended that statutory agencies be reduced from 263 to 161 in order to reduce cost of governance.

Following the sucsuccessful passage into law, of a bill on the Local Content in the down stream sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, key stakeholders have continued to call on the concerned authorities to replicate same in the telecoms sector.

Ahead of 2012 Imagine Cup software students competition slated for Sydney, Australia this July, Microsoft Nigeria has disclosed that it has started discussions with foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers , (OEMs) including Nokia, Dell among others on how best to equip Nigerian software incubators that will fly the country’s flag at the world stage.

Recently, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) in separate proclamations declared that the offline laws and rule apply to situations and circumstances in the online world. For example the crime of credit/debit card theft, identity theft, fraud, misuse of bank accounts, obscene posting etc in the offline world have similarities in the online world.

In the current multimedia digital era, social media can enable journalists do much more than connect with old friends. Given the fact that the world is gradually shifting from traditional to online journalism, here are shortcuts for journalists who want to get interviews, sources and stories using Facebook, Twitter and more.

THE National Information technology Development Agency (NITDA) is a government institution whose mandate, as the name suggests, is to grow capacity for the nation in terms of information technology. This it has been doing, mostly quietly in the last few years. In this interview, Director-General of NITDA since 2005, Professor Cleopas Angaye speaks of accomplishments by NITDA under his watch. He disclosed that his organization, among other things is certifying local original equipment manufacturers, OEMS, so that they can get government patronage. Excerpts:

EVen with N70 billion budget appropriation for ICT in the current financial year, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has said that Nigerian ICT companies will only be more attractive for listing in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, (NSE) if certain bottlenecks including double taxation, right of way, site approval for base stations, among others were resolved with immediate effect.

THat the Internet has become the imposing phenomenon of the modern era is no longer news. What appears to be news is how it is defining the way we live, work, learn, share and govern. Talking about governance, I will be focusing on the rule of law on the Internet.

The Federal Government has declared its commitment to infuse information and communication technology, ICT, into the educational curriculum of primary and secondary schools in order to empower the next generation for national development.