Ministry of Innovation and Technology Ethiopia to host 17th annual IAD Summit, June 2019

The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MiNT) Ethiopia have partnered with Extensia ltd. to host this year’s Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) Summit at the Sheraton Addis, Ethiopia. As Official Summit partner, MInT have committed the highest level of support and participation at the summit, contributing to the agenda by ensuring the participation of high-level speakers from the government of Ethiopia, inviting top representatives from the United Nations, African Union, Smart Africa and other African Governments.

Quote from Minister of Ethiopian Innovation and Technology, His Excellency, Dr. Ing. Getahun Mekuria:
It is my honor to welcome you all to the African’s diplomatic capital—and a rising conference tourism destination city of Addis Ababa. The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MiNT) in collaboration with its esteemed partners organize Ethiopia’s 3rd International ICT Expo week with the intention of bringing together established technology service vendors, private and public sector decision makers, integrators, and users of ICT technology for business or public good, as well as startups and academia with unique solutions, to create important networks and valuable partnerships. The one week event combines, rewarding and recognition of Ethiopian innovators, unrivaled conference content and panels with a major exhibition and a well-crafted networking opportunity. The Expo will take place at the Millennium Hall from June 6 to 10, 2019 and in parallel the Innovation Africa Digital summit (IADs) at Sheraton Addis hotel from June 10 to 11, 2019.

The city of Addis Ababa provides the appropriate setting for business travelers, and those curious to explore the opportunities of the wider Ethiopian market. ICT Expo Ethiopia will also support growth within the private sector and expect to welcome more than 200,000 visitors, and in the IAD summit more than 500 participants expected to participate from the world.

Quote from Extensia CEO:

Extensia is proud to host our flagship IAD summit at the prestigious Sheraton Addis for the 4th time and with continued support from the government of Ethiopia. This year’s IAD summit is great timing for Ethiopia considering the recently announced market liberalisation plans in the country. His Excellency, Dr Getahun Mekuria has embraced the theme of the summit and the opportunity to support African Countries in improving their national ICT agendas.

The 17th annual IAD Summit addresses the need for African Countries to accelerate their ICT maturity. With only 3 sub Saharan African countries in the top 100 of the ITU’s Global ICT maturity index there is much work to do and tremendous opportunities ahead. Each country is looking towards 2030 sustainable development goals and the foundations for the achievement of many of these goals can be supported by a healthy ICT ecosystem. Each country has it’s own distinct identity and own objectives driving their ICT agenda and the IAD summit provides an opportunity to identify best practices and innovative strategies for accelerating these agendas. Global ICT leaders will share thoughts, ideas and best practices with an audience of Ministers, Regulators, Service Providers and Major End Users from across Africa.
Ministry of Innovation and Technology Ethiopia to host 17th annual IAD Summit, June 2019

The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MiNT) Ethiopia have partnered with Extensia ltd. to host this year’s Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) Summit at the Sheraton Addis, Ethiopia. As Official Summit partner, MInT have committed the highest level of support and participation at the summit, contributing to the agenda by ensuring the participation of high-level speakers from the government of Ethiopia, inviting top representatives from the United Nations, African Union, Smart Africa and other African Governments.

Quote from Minister of Ethiopian Innovation and Technology, His Excellency, Dr. Ing. Getahun Mekuria:
It is my honor to welcome you all to the African’s diplomatic capital—and a rising conference tourism destination city of Addis Ababa. The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MiNT) in collaboration with its esteemed partners organize Ethiopia’s 3rd International ICT Expo week with the intention of bringing together established technology service vendors, private and public sector decision makers, integrators, and users of ICT technology for business or public good, as well as startups and academia with unique solutions, to create important networks and valuable partnerships. The one week event combines, rewarding and recognition of Ethiopian innovators, unrivaled conference content and panels with a major exhibition and a well-crafted networking opportunity. The Expo will take place at the Millennium Hall from June 6 to 10, 2019 and in parallel the Innovation Africa Digital summit (IADs) at Sheraton Addis hotel from June 10 to 11, 2019.

The city of Addis Ababa provides the appropriate setting for business travelers, and those curious to explore the opportunities of the wider Ethiopian market. ICT Expo Ethiopia will also support growth within the private sector and expect to welcome more than 200,000 visitors, and in the IAD summit more than 500 participants expected to participate from the world.

Quote from Extensia CEO:
Extensia is proud to host our flagship IAD summit at the prestigious Sheraton Addis for the 4th time and with continued support from the government of Ethiopia. This year’s IAD summit is great timing for Ethiopia considering the recently announced market liberalisation plans in the country. His Excellency, Dr Getahun Mekuria has embraced the theme of the summit and the opportunity to support African Countries in improving their national ICT agendas.

The 17th annual IAD Summit addresses the need for African Countries to accelerate their ICT maturity. With only 3 sub Saharan African countries in the top 100 of the ITU’s Global ICT maturity index there is much work to do and tremendous opportunities ahead. Each country is looking towards 2030 sustainable development goals and the foundations for the achievement of many of these goals can be supported by a healthy ICT ecosystem. Each country has it’s own distinct identity and own objectives driving their ICT agenda and the IAD summit provides an opportunity to identify best practices and innovative strategies for accelerating these agendas. Global ICT leaders will share thoughts, ideas and best practices with an audience of Ministers, Regulators, Service Providers and Major End Users from across Africa.

African ICT Foundation Rebrands, Seeks Nomination for New Board of Trustee

As part of its rebranding and re-engineering process, which began few months ago, the African ICT Foundation has begun the search for a new Board of Trustee to position the Foundation to meet its key objective beginning for 2019.

African ICT Foundation is an independent not-for-profit, and non-partisan empowerment and educational organisation whose mission is to formulate, evaluate, and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovations and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity and progress in the ICT ecosystem Africa.

According to statement issued in Lagos, South West Nigeria, by the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, the African ICT Foundation was established in 2009 to discover new opportunities in ICT that will have positive impact on the African economy, tackle attended challenges, and avoid potential pitfalls.

He disclosed that a key aspect of the rebranding is the inauguration of a new Board of Trustee to drive the affairs of the Foundation in the coming years, saying that the Foundation is rebranding for effective delivering of its objective hence the need for a new board.”

He said: “At inception it had as its board member: Dr. Samuel I. Ikiddeh – NNPC as Chairman, Engr. Emmanuel E. Ekuwem-Phd –Teledom group,(now SSG to the Akwa Ibom State government) . Engr. Lanre Ajayi – Former ATCON President and Pinet Informatics Ltd. CEO, Mr. Aliyu D. Ibrahim – (NCC), Dr. Olufunsho Olusanya, Rector,D S Adegbenro Ict Polytechnic Polytechnic, Itori Ogun state(Former ICT gateway Polytechnic, tori Ogun State) and Rev. Oke Omezi, Legal Practitioner and Pastor of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

Mr. Usman A. Rufai, Faculty of Science, Computer science Department ,University of Lagos, and Prof. Effiong Johnson- University of Uyo.

Bassey explained that the Foundation is poised towards providing policymakers in the continent with high-quality information, analysis, and recommendations they can trust.

While expressing confidence of the new Board of Trustee to meet the objectives of the Foundation, he promised that in all ramifications, it will adhere to a high standard of research integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, and independence from external direction or bias.

He stated that Africans can nominate respected ICT personalities who have made their mark and creating impact in Africa’s ICT ecosystem by visiting the Foundation’s website:africanictfoundation.org.

The Foundation, according to him, “will be led by a board of experts in the ICT industry in Africa and African descent that are internationally recognized in policy issues and have recognised footprint in the industry.”

He said the board will be a team of policy analysts and fellows includes authors and recognised experts in the fields of telecommunications, public policy advocacy, economics, tax policy, trade, privacy, cyber-security, and life sciences, among many others.

The board will run the Foundation through a secretariat based in Nigeria with other offices in Africa.

Upon inauguration of the board, which shall consist of the Chairman of the Board/President, Vice Chair/Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and representatives of other African countries, the board shall elect its officials.

Source: NigeriaCommunicationsWeek

ZIMBABWE: MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS COMPLY WITH POTRAZ DIRECTIVE

Zimbabwe’s leading mobile network operators (MNOs) yesterday complied with a Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) directive to slash mobile Internet data tariffs by 60%.

Potraz announced last month that it has revised data tariffs through a new Long Rung Incremental Costing model which outlines a new structure on pricing of telecommunication services which includes mobile Internet data charges USSD charges and interconnection fees.

The regulator made the announcement on the 20th of June last month during a press conference which was graced by Minister of Information Communication Technology & Cybersecurity, Supa Mandiwanzira. The minister said government has already notified operators to comply to the new tariffs model by the 1st of July.

Econet, which is the leading mobile network operator by subscribers and infrastructure yesterday notified the public that it has slashed its mobile Internet data charges down to $0.05 per megabyte. Econet which also offer USSD services for various mobile financial solutions also slashed the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data down to $0.05 from the usual $0.12.

The second largest mobile network operation, NetOne also responded to the call and slashed its mobile Internet data tariffs from $0.12 down to $0.05 before tax and then $0.06 after tax. The state owned mobile network operator also cut USSD charges down to $0.05 before tax and also reduced interconnection fees per minute down to $0.02.

(POTRAZ) in collaboration with its parent ministry, the Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security made a bold move last month to slash mobile data and USSD charges by 60 percent, a strategy set to address the high transaction costs of e-payments while boosting financial inclusion.

POTRAZ also announced the scrapping of bank USSD charges which have had a heavy impact on both the banking sector and telecommunications service industry.

According to the telecomms regulator, the Out of Bundle mobile data charges threshold have been reduced from the current average rate of 12.5 cents per Megabyte to 5 cents per Megabyte exclusive of all taxes.

This applies to internet/data that is used outside the WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter bundles among others. This concludes to an exact 60% reduction in data tariffs.

The USSD charges threshold has been reduced from the current 12.5 cents per session to 5 cents per session exclusive of all taxes.

Potraz said this was designed to address the high transaction cost of e-payments and increase financial inclusion. To ensure that this reduction benefits the transacting public, POTRAZ also engaged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) who will engage Financial Service Providers so that the reduction is passed on to the transacting public.

The National interconnection rate has been reduced from the current 4 cents per minute to 2 cents per minute exclusive of all taxes. This applies across all interconnecting operators.

NIGERIA: NCC ENFORCES NEW REGULATIONS ON VAS PROVIDERS

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has confirmed that new regulations to improve customer experience when dealing with providers of Value Added Services (VAS) are now in place.

Alhaji Adedigba, Deputy Director in the Consumer Affairs Bureau at the NCC told the 84th Edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP) (organised by the NCC in Lagos yesterday) that VAS providers are expected to comply with the new rules this week.

“I am happy to inform you that key resolutions reached at the 83rd Edition of the TCP held in Lagos in April 2018 have been documented and forwarded to all relevant stakeholders for immediate implementation. Some of the resolutions are to stop Value Added Services’ automatic renewal and forceful subscription and (for them to) implement a two-step authorisation of opt-in process for VAS subscription. On the strength of the above resolutions, the Commission has issued two directions and one of the directions became effective on June 26th, 2018.”

The NCC said it has instructed operators to start rolling over unused data from 26 June 2018.

Telcos are now expected to add a subscriber’s unused data to their next data subscription or face a penalty of up to N5 000 000 fine on the 1st failure per SIM card and up to N500,000 for every day defaulted following the initial transgression.

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC said the delivery of telecommunications services should prioritise the interests of consumers.

“Let me state that the Commission is committed to protecting the interests of telecoms consumers at all times, while also finding ways of addressing challenges facing the service providers.”

He also told the TCP the authority’s ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ (DND) facility, which requires consumers to send a text message reading ‘STOP’ to 2442 in order to halt all unsolicited messages or to call the NCC on through its toll-free line, remain available for use – despite the implementation of the new rules for VAS providers in Nigeria.

Source: IT Web Africa

 

AFRICA: YAHSAT EXPECTS GROWTH IN SATELLITE BROADBAND BUT PLANS TO ENTER MOBILITY AND IOT

Yahsat anticipates higher growth from its satellite broadband business as it looks to enter the mobility and Internet of Things segments (IoT), as well as possibly compete with telecoms service providers, The National reported. CEO Masood Sharif Mahmood said the operator is anticipating greater demand for satellite broadband services on the back of higher uptake in IoT-serviced industries such as oil and gas and on the growth of sustainable cities in the region.

According to US-based International Data Corporation, the IoT market in the Middle East and Africa is set to grow 15 percent in 2018 to USD 6.99 billion, and reach USD 12.62 billion by 2021. The company’s acquisition of a majority stake in Thuraya was also considered as part of it efforts to expand its mobility segment, added Mahmood. He declined to specify Yahsat’s stake in the operator or the value of the transaction.

Yahsat’s new Al Yah 3 satellite completed orbital testing at the end of May and is expected to increase the operator’s footprint in another nineteen countries, including newer markets in Latin America and Brazil. Its Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 satellites provide government services, satellite TV and satellite broadband in the Middle East, Africa, central and south-west Asia, penetrating remote areas.

Yahsat specialises in coverage of unserved, digitally remote areas but will eventually target providing connectivity to segments in cities that already have service, too. The challenge, said Mahmood, is to make such services affordable to consumers as well as encourage their take-up in the region, where on board Wi-Fi is still viewed as a luxury and faces competition from legacy infrastructure such as in-flight entertainment.

YahSat sees opportunities in the developing world to provide affordable basic internet connectivity to bridge the digital divide, especially through partnerships with governments. Citing Free Basics, the affordable internet service launched by Facebook in less developed economies, Mahmood said should his company enter this segment, it would look at doing things differently. He said YahClick, as the operator’s satellite broadband service is known, has grown to cover around 50,000 devices.

While this satellite broadband connectivity is available through retailers in the markets covered by Yahsat, often remote localities, it is also the third licensed operator for internet services in the UAE. While YahClick provides connectivity to the oil and gas industry as well as services requiring remote connectivity in the Emirates, Mahmood said it would be a while before it becomes competitive with telecoms service providers.

Source: Telecompaper.com

 

MTN Introduces 17-Digit Recharge PIN 

Management of MTN Nigeria has announced the introduction of a new 17-digit recharge card Personal Identification Number (PIN).

In 2016, the nation’s largest telecommunications company increased the number of its recharge voucher digits from 12 to 16.

Two years later, the firm is increasing the digits to 17.

According to MTN Nigeria, the value on the 17-digit recharge cards and the 16-digit recharge vouchers remain the same.

However, in its adverts to sensitise its subscribers on the new development, the company did not give reasons for the change.

MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa’s leading cellular telecommunications company. On May 16, 2001, MTN became the first GSM network to make a call following the globally lauded Nigerian GSM auction conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission earlier in the year. Thereafter the company launched full commercial operations beginning with Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

MTN paid $285m for one of four GSM licenses in Nigeria in January 2001. To date, in excess of $1.8 billion has been invested building mobile telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria.

Since launch in August 2001, MTN has steadily deployed its services across Nigeria. It now provides services in 223 cities and towns, more than 10,000 villages and communities and a growing number of highways across the country, spanning the 36 states of the Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Many of these villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever.

Source: NigerianCommunicationWeek

ORANGE SHUFFLES MANAGEMENT TO DRIVE TRANSFORMATION

Orange lined up sweeping changes to its management team and business structure, a move CEO Stephane Richard called a decisive step as it moves into new sectors including connected home, finance and cybersecurity.

One of the key changes involves making its business in Spain a standalone unit rather than one of several markets which comprise Orange’s Rest of Europe reporting segment.

After France, Spain was Orange’s second-largest market in Europe in 2017, generating 49 per cent of the Rest of Europe unit’s revenue. The separation comes as Orange promotes it’s Spain division’s CEO Laurent Paillassot to the role of deputy group CEO, albeit with continued responsibility for Spain.

Gervais Pellissier, formerly delegate CEO and head of European operations, moves to a group transformation role. He will be charged with “simplifying the group’s processes and reinforcing the company’s collective agility” in addition to being appointed chairman of Orange Business Services.

Finance and strategy delegate CEO Ramon Fernandez takes charge of Europe excluding France and Spain, and will also become finance and performance executive director.

Diversification
As part of its focus on new business lines, Orange will form a Technology and Global Innovation division led by former innovation SVP Mari-Noelle Jego-Laveissiere. She will also take on the roles of deputy group CEO and CTIO.

To lead its cybersecurity business and oversee its own security, Hugues Foulon will become executive director for group. Chief executive director of Orange France Fabienne Dulac will become deputy group CEO with continued responsibility for its home market.

Alioune Ndiaye replaces Bruno Mettling as CEO of its Africa and Middle East unit: Mettling becomes non-executive chairman of the business.

Discussing the changes, group CEO Stephane Richard said: “This is a decisive step in Orange’s transformation that has been in preparation for a number of years. Together, we have already restored confidence within the Group and returned the business to revenue and EBITDA margin growth in a fiercely competitive environment.”

“Today, we are pushing back the boundaries of digital services by confirming our goals of diversification into financial services, cybersecurity and the connected home. This transformation has been made possible by the continuous drive for excellence in our role as a network operator.”

Source: Mobileworldlive

 

TTLC COMMITTED $ 17 MILLION HOME OPTICAL FIBER SUPPLY PROJECT

The incumbent, Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation Limited, (TTCL), has begun a project to provide fiber optic data to homes. Currently in pilot phase, the service is already available in Mikocheni, Mbezi Beach in the Dar es Salaam region and at the Medeli Estate estate in the Dodoma region. On 27 February 2018, TTCL General Manager Waziri Kindamba, explained that “after the 90 days pilot phase started during this month of February, Phase 1 will be implemented this year in all regional centers of the country.

The technical director of TTCL indicated that after the pilot phase, the “Fiber to Home” project will be fully deployed in Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Tanga, Arusha and Zanzibar. Home-based fiber optic will enable customers to achieve Internet speeds of up to 50 Mbps. The service will also allow consumers to access Wi-Fi within 200 meters. The investment made by the incumbent for this project is estimated at 40 billion shillings (17 million US dollars). “This is one of our massive investment projects that aims to ensure the profitability of our entity,”said Waziri Kindamba.

Internet services are currently an important growth driver for many telecom companies. At TTCL, data services account for nearly 90% of the company’s revenues.

Source: Agence Ecofin

 

LIQUID, SUDATEL PEN LANDMARK FTTH DEAL

Sudatel Telecom Group and Liquid Telecom have agreed to partner to build fibre networks across Sudan.

Liquid Telecom and Sudatel Telecom Group are partnering to build fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks across Sudan. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the deal at an event at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

The groups believe the partnership will increase the broadband capacity and speeds available to homes and businesses in Sudan, which are currently reliant on wireless networks to access the Internet.

How much money will be involved is unclear but Liquid Telecom group CEO, Nic Rudnick, told journalists at the signing in Barcelona that it would be a “meaningful and considerable investment” by the two companies.

“Our partnership with Liquid Telecom will enable us to provide a high-quality FTTH network which will help uplift people’s lives through our region’s economic development,” said Tarig Hamza Zain El Abdein, CEO of Sudatel Telecom Group.

Comparable to similar networks deployed in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Rwanda by Liquid Telecom, the new FTTH networks in Sudan will deliver speeds initially up to 100Mbps, which is expected to transform the way Sudanese businesses and consumers experience and use the Internet in the country.

“Liquid Telecom has a proven track record of bringing world-class fibre networks to previously underserved regions of Africa. We are delighted to support Sudatel with its efforts to deliver leading FTTH services to more businesses and consumers in Sudan, which will help grow the country’s digital economy,” added Rudnick.

The groups believe that by investing in Sudan’s telecoms infrastructure, Sudatel and Liquid Telecom will help raise the quality of network services in the country while also increasing competition in the local market.

“Sudan really is a country of enormous promise and enormous opportunity and it is at a point in its development where it is emerging as a prominent player in the region.

“We are very proud and pleased to partner a company like Sudatel in order to provide and accelerate the rollout of broadband services across Sudan and also to utilise the capabilities that Sudatel has to further expand Liquid Telecom’s pan-African network across the region,” Rudnick said.

Econet founder and executive chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, said in a statement that the partnership would pave the way to further expand the penetration of broadband services across Africa.

Established in 1993, Sudatel provides both mobile and fixed (voice and data) services to businesses, residents and ISPs across North and West Africa, in addition to the provision of wholesale services to international carriers. Sudatel is partially owned by the Sudanese government and listed on both the Khartoum and Abu Dhabi Stock Exchanges.

Liquid Telecom, a subsidiary of Econet Global, is a pan-African telecoms group and communications services and solutions provider across 13 countries in eastern, central and southern Africa with an independent fibre network spanning over 50 000km.

Source: IT Web Africa

 

GHANA: EXPRESSO, GLO IN DANGER OF LOSING TELECOMS LICENCES

Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has issued a warning to mobile network operators (MNOs) Expresso and Glo Mobile that they risk losing their licences if they fail to meet a 30-day ultimatum given by the ministry with regards to their poor operational performance. According to Ghana Web, Minister Owusu-Ekuful is convinced that the country’s telecoms watchdog the National Communications Authority (NCA) will revoke the licence held by Expresso, stating in an interview: ‘For Expresso. I think the 30 days will end by next week. The letters have gone out. I have just seen a response that they have sent which doesn’t quite address the issues, so I have no doubt that the NCA will proceed to revoke that licence and clean out that space. If that happens, those frequencies will be available for either interested Ghanaians, or other entrants to also come into the market.’

The minister also expressed her surprise at Glo’s poor performance in Ghana, explaining that the ministry has attempted on several occasions to contact Glo to improve its services or risk losing its licence, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Minister Owusu-Ekuful said that the government will auction the remaining 4G spectrum for telcos in June this year.

Source: Telegeography