By Olabisi Olaleye and Steve Agbota
President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof Adesola Aderounmu said that NCS and its members can play a major role in improving the state of security nationwide, combating terrorism, enhancing public service delivery, accountability and boosting job creation.
Aderounmu who disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos to announce the upcoming 26th NCS National Conference with the theme “Information Technology for National Safety and Security”, slated for July 19-21, 2016 in Abuja.
According to him, security is one of the most critical issues in Nigeria in the 21st century and nations should invest in Information Technology as the key enabler for National Security, adding that NCS has always advocated that the usage of IT in security needs to be improved through more widespread adoptiohn of IT professionalism in the private and public sectors.
He said the conference would provide a multi-stakeholder forum to examine pertinent considerations in achieving IT enabled security to advance and achieve sustainable development. Saying that engagement opportunities would be explored during the Conference to present and develop effective strategies, creative approaches and practical solutions.
He added: “NCS is preparing for the best and has assembled an impressive line-up of leading researchers, entrepreneurs, educators, industry experts, thought leaders, international scholars and subject matter experts as speakers and resource persons to share their extensive knowledge and experience on the theme and sub themes. Attendees would benefit greatly from their knowledge and insights.
“A new and most exciting feature and highlight at this year’s conference is the Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform (YIEP), which has been endorsed by the global IFIP International Young ICT Group. NCS is committed to shaping the future of IT in Nigeria and has introduced YIEP to harness the ideas, energies, freshness and strengths of the youth as a dynamic, innovative and future oriented approach to enhance security, job creation, health, education and overall prosperity.”
He explained that the conference would focus on important issues related to the theme and sub themes such as: National Database –Integral to National Security, Information Technology and the National Security Strategy, Universal Broadband Access – the Security Imperative, Information Technology as an Indispensable Security Tool – Terrorism in Focus, Smart Governance and Anti-Corruption through Information Technology, National Security Dimension of Youth Innovation and Software Development, Cybercrime, Cyberwarfare and CyberSecurity, Digital Human Capital Requirements in the 21st Century and Social, Mobile, Analytics (Big Data) and Cloud Computing (SMAC).
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal, is Guest of Honour, while Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu is the Keynote Speaker.
With the technology and innovation expertise, insights and thought leadership that will abound, he said NCS is certain that the outcomes would boost National Safety and Security in Nigeria. It will provide the best and most modern answers to Nigeria’s security challenges.
Kirusa introduces airtime app
Kirusa, a telecoms and social media solutions provider firm has launched myGenie, a revolutionary free airtime App for prepaid android users in Nigeria.
The myGenie app allows users explore and download new and popular android apps and reward its users with free airtime credits for downloading, installing, and using the apps.
However, the user of myGenie can use the free credits to recharge their mobile numbers, or give the airtime credits to their family and friends. Also, myGenie also provides free airtime credits when a user invites their friends to the app, and when their friends start downloading apps via myGenie.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kirusa, Inderpal Singh Mumick said: “Our vision is to grow the mobile ecosystem, and to fuel entrepreneurship in Nigeria, by creating a platform for the local app developers to reach out to their consumers in a seamless manner, by assisting them in their app promotion efforts.”
He hinted that the myGenie app is an intuitive offering with a natural, seamless user interface that imparts a smooth experience to android users. Saying that the app is currently available to android mobile users in Nigeria and would be extended to other African countries soon.
Speaking at the occasion, Head Financial Inclusion of African Development Bank, Robert Masumbuko said: “we are excited about myGenie app being launched in Nigeria. African mobile app developers would now have the opportunity to reach out to a wider audience and get assured usage of their apps. It would also influence app usage market, thereby opening doors for fresh investments in the sector.
Also speaking at the event, App Owner, 474Recharge App, David Kruyt said; “myGenie is an altogether new way of promoting the app developer community. It is a simple way to reach out and get the app campaign organized. The most exciting part is that myGenie helps in usage and retention of the apps by incentivizing customers in Nigeria, making it a win-win for app developers and customers.”
Meanwhile, Head of Content Partnership in Twinpine, Anyanwu Jonnas Obinna said that myGenie is a distruptive innovation in the mobile advising space. Hoping that it would carve out a new market for the app developers and support them in reaching their customers in more efficient ways than before.
Use data for your operations, expert tells insurance firms
MainOne, provider of telecoms services and network solutions for businesses in West Africa has challenged the insurance industry to adopt the use of data and analytic tools to drive sustainable growth in the sector during the one-day BusinessDay Insurance Roundtable. The challenge was issued at a one-day insurance round table aimed at helping the insurance community achieve market leadership through digital distribution channels. The forum held at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Lagos.
Speaking at a panel session, themed: “Data and analytics within the insurance industry”, MainOne’s Product Manager, Data Center, Vremudia Oghene-Ruemu, explained that Nigeria’s insurance industry can achieve distinction through effective distribution channels. According to him, there is an ever increasing amount of data that insurance companies need to collect, analyze and store in order to properly manage risks. MainOne has identified the need for effective data storage and analytics and, being an innovative solutions provider, has developed efficient hosting solutions through its Tier III Data Center–MDXi.
He said; ‘Adding analytics to the claims life cycle can deliver a measurable ROI with cost savings. Our data center, currently the largest in West Africa, provides a platform for insurance companies to embrace efficient and cost effective hosting solutions. The industry can close product distribution gaps, enhance premium collection, reduce agency fraud and also build consumer confidence.” He added that risk analytics helps in changing the insurance industry by making adjustment and custom calculation based on different types of clients. Brokers now focus on their clients data, using the analytical methods to come up with better strategic decisions about the possible risks they will face. The usage of analytical risk is very helpful in making possible risks measured, avoided, and even transferred.
Firm introduces cost effective business solution
Oracle has introduced major new additions to the SPARC platform that for the first time bring the advanced security, efficiency and simplicity of SPARC to the cloud. Built on the new SPARC S7 microprocessor, the latest additions to the SPARC platform include new cloud services, engineered systems and servers.
While the business benefits of the public cloud are increasingly clear, many organizations have yet to move enterprise workloads to the cloud due to performance, security and management concerns. To help eliminate those concerns and enable organizations to confidently move enterprise workloads to the cloud, the new SPARC platform is designed from the ground up to economically improve on cloud computing delivery of the most critical business applications and scale-out application environments.
The latest additions to the SPARC platform are built on the revolutionary new 4.27 GHz, 8-core/64-thread SPARC S7 microprocessor with Software in Silicon features such as Silicon Secured Memory and Data Analytics Accelerators, which delivers the industry’s highest per-core efficiency and enables organizations to run applications of all sizes on the SPARC platform at commodity price points. All existing commercial and custom applications will run on the new SPARC enterprise cloud services and solutions unchanged with significant improvements in security, efficiency and simplicity.
“We are still in the early phases of cloud computing adoption and as the market matures, organizations will increasingly move critical enterprise workloads to the cloud,” said John Fowler, executive vice president, Systems, Oracle. “To enable our customers to take advantage of this next stage of cloud computing to speed innovation, reduce costs and drive business growth, we are focused on delivering proven enterprise-grade services such as the Oracle SPARC platform in the Oracle Cloud.”