With Lagos population growing in leaps and bounds, International Business Machine, (IBM) has pledged to use its software solutions to build smarter cities for the state.

Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission and chairman of the Industry Working Group on Multiple Taxation in the Telecommunications industry (IWG) Mr. Okechukwu Itanyi, has warned that recent developments in the sector with regards to spurious taxes and levies by the state, local governments and their agents, portend grave dangers for the sector.

By the time 2012 Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) president’s dinner was drawing to a close, ICT experts in the attendance were worried over dearth of skills in software development and digital colonization by foreign nations, warning that if something is not done urgently to reverse the trend, Nigerian may remain a consumer nation in the global competitiveness.

As part of the preparation for the regional finals slated for next month in River States, the software giant, Microsoft in partnership with the Rivers State Government recently held a ceremony at the State House of Assembly auditorium in Port Harcourt to mark the official kick-off of the Imagine Cup student technology competition in Nigeria.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson in this interaction with IT Journalists recently in Lagos spoke on what her ministry is doing to address the poor quality of service quality by the industry players. She also spoke on the draft ICT policy, insecurity, and need for a converged regulator among others. Excerpts: