COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE INTERNATIONAL INTERNET CONFERENCE IN NIGERIA ISOC (NIGERIA) "99 HELD AT THE HOTEL PRESIDENTIAL,
PORT HARCOURT BETWEEN JANUARY 20 - 22, 1999.

 

 A. INTRODUCTION

The International Internet Conference in Nigeria ISOC (Nigeria) '99 was held in Port Harcourt at the Presidential Hotel between January 20 - 22, 1999.

Present at the Opening Ceremony were the Honorable Minister of Science and Technology, Major General Sam Momah FNSE, who delivered an address and declared the Conference open; the President of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter; Professor T. C. Nwodo, FNSE, and several Internet experts and scientists from Europe, North America and Africa.
The Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Professor Steven Odi-Owei, FNSE chaired the opening ceremony and the first plenary session of the conference. A special feature of the Conference was a commemoration speech and plaque presentation in honour of Late Jon Postel, the Internet Pioneer, who passed on on October 16, 1998. The keynote address of Vinton G. Cerf, Chairman, Board Of Trustees, Internet Society was read by Lynn St.Amour, Executive Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at the Internet Society, Geneva.

There were four plenary (technical) sessions. In all 14 technical papers, embracing policy frame work and implementation strategies, Human Resource Development and capacity building, Infrastructure development and upgrade, International/Regional Collaborations and assistance, rural Community Connectivity were presented and discussed. There were also case studies based on the Ghana and Uganda experience. Over 60 participants from varying backgrounds attended the sessions. These included Internet Networking Experts from Switzerland, Belgium, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Cameroon and Italy, members of the academia, business executives, policy makers, service providers and the press. 

The major highlights of the presentations and discussions are summarized in the following paragraphs.
  1. OBSERVATIONS
  1. Policy Guidelines And Implementation Framework

    2. The conference noted the extremely great potentials of the Internet especially its critical relevance to the Vision 2010 programme. Whereas many African countries such as Ghana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa have all embraced the Internet and are already reaping the enormous inherent benefits, the continued delay of Nigeria in embracing Internet was viewed by the conference as a serious omission.

  2. Human Resource Development And Capacity Building

    3. Education and mass literacy are crucial to the Implementation of the Internet Programme in order to reap the full benefit of the global information systems.

  3. Infrastructure Development And Upgrade

Adequate and reliable power supply and telephone system are major imperatives to a successful harnessing of the potentials of an information network.

   C. RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the foregoing and discussions, the conference arrived at the following recommendations.The Federal Government of Nigeria should:

  1. Enact without further delay, a National Blueprint on Internet in Nigeria.
  2. Implement with greater vigour, the on-going deregulation and privatization of NITEL and NEPA to make them more competitive and efficient.
  3. Encourage and promote, as a matter of urgency, rapid development in telecommunications infrastructure to ensure their suitability and adaptability for internal and external transmission of data and thus support Internet activities in the country.
  4. Provide adequate funding for sustainable development of Internet activities and infrastructure in Universities, Research Institutes and other related agencies involved in generation, utilization and dissemination of Internetactivities.
  5. Embark on extensive Internet awareness Programme through mass media, Train-the Trainer Programmes,and installation of community telecentres in Local Government Headquarters in the country.

Demonstrate Visible and Committed support for Internet Society (ISOC) Nigeria Chapter which is the leading vanguard for Internet awareness in Nigeria.

    6. Nigeria should encourage support and participate actively in the
        formation of Regional Internet Commission to foster the development of
        Internet in the West African sub-region as well as in Africa.

In conclusion, Nigeria, like India, possesses the main resources required by the Information Technology Industry including Internet. What is required is to develop, sustain adequate Technical and Managerial capabilities, which if properly harnessed, can be an alternative source of revenue generation in addition to Oil and Gas.

CONTACT:

General Secretary,
Internet Society Nigeria Chapter Headquarter,
Plot 278 Trans Amadi Ind. Layout,
P.O. Box 4308,
Port Harcourt,
Nigeria.
Tel:++234-84-233285,239282.
E-Mail: danelec@linkserve.com.ng
isocinfo@isocnig.org.ng
URL: www.isocnig.org.ng

 

 

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