The Multinational Communication Company MTN has pledged to spend USD1.583 billion in growing its infrastructure in Nigeria this year, promising that more base transmission stations (BTS) will be built to change customer experience on the network.

According to Akinwale Goodluck, corporate services executive, MTN Nigeria, the R28 billion earmarked for capital expenditure (capex) for the Group’s 22 countries of operations this year, a slightly less than 50% (R13 billion) of that amount will come to Nigeria.
Following the MTN Group financial report, after a challenging year, Nigeria reported a decline in EBITDA of 6,2%.The Telco’s results for the year ended 31 December 2012 shows that, total revenue grew by 7,1% to R41,4 billion (about N716 billion) from R38,6 billion (about N668.1 billion) in the previous year.

Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization or EBITDA is an approximate measure of a company’s operating cash flow based on data from the company’s income statement and is always calculated by looking at earnings before the deduction of interest expenses, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

Goodluck blamed the fall in financial contribution from Nigeria to the MTN Group to about 30% decrease in tariffs in the country, occasioned by the display of exuberance by the operators.According to him, the many freebies that were extended to the subscribers on the network led to the decline of value from the industry.

The regulator of the industry, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) played a big role to stop promotion and lotteries on the network, adding that MTN, as a business organisation, takes the interests of its customers seriously. Goodluck said that “As a business, we have taken steps to ensure that the interest of our subscribers are protected by not sacrificing quality service on the altar of customer acquisition.”

The Group’s allocation to its Nigerian operation for 2013 is the highest in all its over 20 countries of operations.

Goodluck, who recalled that USD1.3 billion was used as Capex for MTN Nigeria in 2012, pointed out that Nigeria is still privileged in the current year by taking the lion share of the Group’s total capital expenditure.

He reported that, the current USD1.5 billion is directed at network expansion such as the building more base stations and fibre transmissions across the country.

He commented that the fresh investment will enable the over 45 million subscribers on its network to enjoy improved access voice and data services with better coverage.

GoodLuck expressed that, MTN Nigeria did not only fully capitalise its USD1.3 billion Capex for 2012 but also used the USD300 million carry-over Capex for 2011 to embark on its soon-to-be-completed network modernisation and swapping exercise which began early last year.

He reported that the telecom firm, which currently has about 9, 000 sites across the country, will build and upgrade addition 5, 000 base stations on its 2G network and about 4, 000 sites on 3G network.

“Looking at MTN Nigeria, we continue to grow our voice network and also grow our data business at 100% rate annually. The data business is going to be a lot more significant than voice.

“We’re seeing an increase in demand for data services and that informs the investment that we are putting in on 3G data networks. Voice is king. Data is a very ambitious prince but still a boy,” he said.

MTN Group results for the year ended 31 December 2012 showed solid progress in growing subscribers, revenue and Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA).

Highlights of the results depict that Group subscribers increased by 15.1% to R189.3 million∙ Revenue increased 10.9% to R135,112 million and data revenues increased 58.5% to R14,574 million∙

EBITDA increased 7.0% to R58,564 million.EBITDA margin was stable at 42.9% and Capex of R30 101 million positions the Group for continued growth.

In a bid to improve government efficiencies Rwandan Government has launched an automated workflow management system to improve government efficiencies.

Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, has officially launched a new Document Tracking and Workflow Management System (DTWMS) named E-Mboni, intended at promoting government organizational efficiency.

The project is co-funded by the Government of Rwanda and the World Bank and was launched at the local government level in Kigali City council, an institution that has championed implementation of the system.

E-Mboni seeks to improve overall efficiency, accountability and transparency in government through the use of electronic documents and records lifecycle management.

Nsengimana said: “This system is meant to improve inter and intra governmental efficiencies ultimately geared to serving Rwandans in an efficient and effective manner. The advantage of this system is that it is flexible and mobile; one can work wherever he or she is in order to serve clients without delay.”

According to RDB Head of Department for ICT, Patrick Nyirishema, “The System is solution oriented – it is meant to drastically reduce the use of paper based processing and also automate, accelerate and simplify administrative processes.”He portrayed the project as an enabler for administrative reform in government operations and will boost Rwanda’s economic transformation.

The Document Tracking and Workflow Management System (e-Mboni) has a centralized structure that can be used in any Ministry or Public Service Organization to track the progress of documents throughout their life cycle. The system allows secure and consistent storage of documents as well as increased information retrieval efficiency through powerful and fast search option.

The Mayor of Kigali City, Fidele Ndayisaba, praised the system, saying that “E-Mboni has come at a time when we actually need it. We are already using it to speed up processes within. Services like offering Construction Permits, Modern and Smart City (MIS) are now being offered more efficiently due to this system. We are using less time and less paper which saves on cost and is environmentally friendly. Files are more secure and are directed to the right person and in good time. There will be better service delivery with this system.”

E-Mboni is developed for all ministries and district offices and ready to be used. Already five ministries are using the system ,for instance Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Youth and ICT, Ministry of Infrastructure, and Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs; three district offices; and one government organization .

Document Tracking and Workflow Management System (DTWMS) will be used in daily work for all incoming and outgoing documents; this will reduce the use of papers in different institutions.

Nigerian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have rejected a move by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to sell the remaining spectrum in the 2.3 gigahertz (GHz) band, claiming that such a move will further intensify the misery of operators licensed and currently operating within the band.These operators are Mobitel, Spectranet and Direct on Personal Computer (DoPC).

According to Atel Ajha, chief operating officer (COO) of Spectranet, who spoke on behalf the operators at a forum organised by the NCC on the ‘Best Option for Licensing the Remaining Slots in the 2.3Ghz Band’, argued that instead of selling the remaining slots to fresh operators, they should be given the opprotunity to buy it.
He said that the standard practice all over the world is that operators in the band range get 30 MHz, suggesting that guardband of between 2.3Ghz and 2.4Ghz should also be provided to take care of interference and spurious emission.

He added that their request is based on the need to extend service delivery to other states of the federation with superior technology and new customers’ experience.
implying that planning must provide for future technology requirement,” he warned that the proposal of the NCC to open bid for the 30 MHz would unleash an era of “unfair competition” on the industry.
Ajha lamented that there are no significant wireless operators in the country when in fact, globally, they are the ones that provide the primary network operations.

He said ,international bandwidth rate in the country is one of the highest in the world, adding that when the country is compared globally, its national long distance and metro network is too exorbitant so is the rental cost too.
He fears that if another operator is licensed and that operator has infrastructure like international carrier licence as well as metro and national long distance fibre ownership it may lead to cross-subsidy on ISPs, creating an “unfair competition” in the industry.

The Executive Vice Chairman and chief CEO of the NCC, Eugene Juwah, said convening the forum in line with the NCC’s participatory regulatory approach. “The objective of this forum, in line with the Commission’s policy of participatory regulation amongst other things is to provide an avenue for stakeholders and users of the 2.3 GHz band to discuss, technically criticise, exchange ideas and proffer options that will help the Commission in arriving at a decision on the further licensing of the remaining 40 MHz bandwidth in the band for the benefit of all Nigerians.

He added that the forum is remarkable as due to the presence of highly respected presenters with decades of practical experience at their disposal to deliberate on options and challenges as it relates to further licensing of the band.

Cisco seeks to light up Africa with computing connectivity. While speaking at the Cisco Expo 2013 that took place at Sun City, South Africa, Cisco senior VP Howard Charney portrayed a picture of a future where everything is fully connected – people to people, people to machines and machine to machine, and global collaboration enables revolutionary new solutions.

Cisco points out that the data in circulation will grow exponentially, with up to 50 billion connected devices by 2020. “But it is not the data itself that will change the world, it’s the correlations, mining that data for value, and sharing of this data that will make the difference,” he said.

Charney reported that Cisco’s Internet of Everything is a significant initiative in which the company is positioning itself to catalyse this future. “Only 0.05% of the world’s available data is being mined for value currently. The next big step is connecting all the devices and mining all of the resulting data for value.

“The Internet of Everything is about the connection of everything to the global infrastructure, and critically – turning information into action. Things become apparent once they are connected. He also highlighted the potential to change people’s lives when all available data can be collated and shared.

The Internet of Everything really will be worth a little above USD14 trillion over the next ten years,” said Charney
According to Cisco South Africa MD Alpheus Mangale,Cisco has a vision to change the way people live, work and learn – particularly in Africa. “Africa may look like a dark continent in terms of connections at the moment, but it is a continent rich with potential and added that Cisco believes that together with their partners, they can light up Africa.”

Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) a State Corporation mandated to implement, operationalise and manage the Kenya Electronic Single Window System is working on a procedure to automate cross-border trade procedures at ports of entry by October 2013. The Electronic Single Window System will provide a platform for exchange of trade-related documentation and help reduce the clearance time from eight days on average to a maximum of three days.

According to Alex Kabuga, C.E.O KenTrade, he expressed the fact that the system could save the economy as last year 2 billion was lost due to inefficiencies in cargo clearance. “The single window platform will transform the way business is done in the country by simplifying and streamlining processes and integrating the systems of the multiple numbers of stakeholders that traders have to deal with.

KenTrade says it will cost Sh1.9 billion to roll out the single window project that is expected to increase Kenya’s trade competitiveness and cut the cost of doing business in East Africa’s largest economy. Previous efforts to embrace technology in the clearing system have not been quite successful as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and KPA rolled out the Simba and KWATOS applications respectively which work independent of each other and cannot be integrated. “Attempts by KRA and the port’s authority to integrate Simba and KWATOS have not succeeded mainly due to system limitations and down time,” said KenTrade

“The first phase of the single window will go live in October 2013 while the second phase will be ready in April 2014.” A single window is defined as a portal where all customs documents are lodged and payments submitted online, cutting the red tape associated with clearing goods at sea ports and border points. The system will reduce cargo dwell time at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from the current average of five days to a maximum of a day and streamline clearance at land border posts to take two hours.

Kenya will become the second country in the region after Rwanda to migrate to digital cargo clearance platform. Rwanda, which holds pole position as EAC’s favourite business destination, implemented its Sh278 million online clearing system in August last year and businesses are expected to save around Sh758 million annually on customs costs.

The first phase will automate all the cargo documentation processes by integrating the systems of all the key stakeholders involved in cargo clearance such as KRA, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (Kephis).

The Government of Zimbabwe is working on legislation that will allow the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority(POTRAZ) to issue converging licenses to telecommunications operators to diversify operations and also force them to share infrastructure under new licenses to be issued mid-year.

An official from the Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development ministry said the remodeling of the Postal and Telecommunications Act would be completed by June this year to allow POTRAZ to issue the new licenses.

Current licenses from Econet and Telecel will expire in June this year therefore the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe will issue converging licenses to allow them to diversify their services.

The amended act would include the compulsory sharing of infrastructure between operators to reduce operating costs and also tariffs.

According to James Madya, a deputy director in the ministry, Licenses are about to expire and because of technological changes that are happening in the industry we cannot continue to issue operators with the old license which only allowed an operator to work within the stipulations of that license. The new license would allow operators to diversify their products.

He said that when Econet and Telecel renew their licenses, they would get the new converging licenses and offer diverse products that are not covered in their current licenses.

He added that in order to make POTRAZ a good regulator, we need to come up with policies that would enable them to level the playing field,” said Madya.

Davis and Shirtliff, the leading energy equipment supplier inthe East African Region is offering a electricity backup system that provides a completely seamless transition between grid supply, battery backup and generator operation: as a complete protection against endemic power interruptions.
Electricity being the fourth biggest business constraint after tax rates, access to finance, and informal sector practices, according to the World Bank, with up to 12 per cent of Kenyan businesses blaming frequent electricity interruptions for low productivity.
According to a report by sabahionline ,they observed that on average, businesses experience 7 blackouts every month, some lasting up to 12 hours. They quote an incident last year, a number of companies ten kilometres outside Nairobi incurred some Sh20 million in losses due to power outages, which lasted for three consecutive days, forcing them to use stand-by generators that are prohibitively expensive to run.
Orata International Ltd., an animal-feed manufacturing company based in Nairobi’s industrial area, said it lost more than Sh3million($36,000) in just March and April last year due to blackouts.
“Even where there’s a generator, for some businesses, the data loss due to computers going off during certain tasks can take a team back by months,” said Mr. David Gatende, Deputy CEO at Davis and Shirtliff Group.
Davis and Shirtliff power back up supply system therefore promises to provide a lasting solution that will end such damages.
The sytem is flexible and gives priority to either generator or inverter system, depending on clients’ needs,” said Mr. Gatende.
The system ensures that when power goes off there is no interruption to ongoing work and computers remain on, as the inverter takes over supply for up to 7 hours, after which the generator comes on, powering the premises as it also recharges the inverter.
On fone Media is one such company operating sensitive businesses that require a continuous flow of power and is now using the power system with impressive results. The company specializes in SMS solutions and computer system design, licensed by CCK, and serves banks, radio stations and government institutions across East Africa.
Mr Francis Mulunda from On Fone Media company said“Our systems are supposed to run 24hrs a day. Whenever there is a blackout, it is not only our business that is affected, but those of our clients, making it imperative to have a reliable back up system,”
Due to insuffient power supply, many companies use generators as their sole power back up, most generators however are significantly louder producing sounds of around 85 decibels unlike the Cooper Eco-pack generators that run at an average 70 decibels, producing sound equivalent to an average conversation.
Davis and Shirtlif therefore offer a wide range of generators for various needs, the Cooper generator for instance is incorporated for clients who prioritize silence in their backup system, and they are also very fuel efficient ” saysMr. Gatende.

The company is the sole distributor of Cooper Ecopack generators in Kenya. Cooper Ecopack generators are available in 3 sizes: 15, 20 and 30 kVA. The sets also feature electronic operational diagnosis where they are connected to a computer to analyse defects and optimise operation thus improving reliability and minimising operation costs. Support can be provided in the form part of a yearly service contract which offers a maximum response time of 24 hours.
The multinational is a major player in the market for power products, offering inverter/battery backup solutions from 350 W to 11,000W and generators from portable 0.5 kVA units to large stationary generators with outputs up to 375 kVA.

Ian Kahara and Kimiti Wanjaria practitioners in the real estate sector are among the top 30 African entrepreneurs under the age of 30 to be selected for the prestigious Forbes annual listing of the 30 under 30 innovators and entrepreneurs.

The duo both at 29, were listed among six other Kenyans cut across Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Tech, Green tech, Healthcare, Agriculture and Fashion who are proving a solution to common problems like unemployment, health care, electricity shortages, poor housing and poor waste management.

Forbes an American financial standards magazine published weekly and is owned by Forbes Inc reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, and law and is well known for its lists, including richest Americans dubbed the Forbes 400, 40 Wealthiest Africans, African top 30 and under 30, highest-paid stars under 30 and its list of billionaires.

According to Mr. Mfonobong Nsehe a writer at www.forbes.com “The young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list are impatient to change Africa and together represent the entrepreneurial, innovative and intellectual best of their generation.

A panel of 12 judges from across Africa was picked to identify the group of outstanding entrepreneurs and innovators under the age of 30. In each of 15 categories, ranging from technology, real estate to social entrepreneurs, Forbes editors and reporters together with judges choose the field’s brightest stars who are individually most surprising, engaging, and hard working.

2012 ,the two made headlines as young vanguard entrepreneurs who made it to the top in the real estate sector, creating a 350 million development, Sigona Valley, an exclusive gated community in West Nairobi.

Ian Kahara who is the director, Serene Valley Properties Limited and also the developer of Sigona Valley said “The listing came as a complete surprise to us, when we started we had a dream of getting into real estate we never realized the impact it would have on young people also interested in getting into the industry in Kenya,”

Kimiti Wanjaria also expressed that Being listed in the 30 under 30 innovators and entrepreneurs is a humbling experience that reinforces the need for perseverance, dedication, a clear goal, divine intervention and is a challenge to do more.

Other Kenyan entrepreneurs who have featured in the Forbes list include Kenya’s business magnate Chris Kirubi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Sameer Group proprietor Naushad Merali in the top 40 wealthiest Africans list.

Kimiti and Ian both ICT graduates together with 28-year-old quantity surveyor Thomas Koigi, and 37-year-old biochemist Johnson Waweru, proprietors of Serene Valley Properties Limited launched Sigona Valley in March 2012, having raised secure non-bank, development finance from Shelter Afrique to fund their project.

kamiti explained that they have put together 90 per cent of the project infrastructure, the show house is nearly done and are halfway in constructing the homes.

Sigona Valley is designed to provide modest living in a premier location, with easy access to Nairobi’s growing infrastructure network. With a variety of three house designs, Sigona Valley homes cater for a multitude of family types and boast a sense of space and style at an affordable rate.

The homes at Sigona Villa range from 1,400 sq.ft for a three-bed villa to a grand four-bed villa of 2,000 sq.ft. These homes sit on approximately 1/10th of an acre with access to community facilities such as borehole water supply, solar hot water heating, waste water recycling and secured boundary walling. walling.

The young developers are also set to launch a new development in the third quarter of 2013.

The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) continues with Sim registration after the high court declined to block the process.

Justice Eldard Mwangusya while responding on the case said that the application for an injunction by the Human Rights Network for Journalists was not formally filed in court and could not be upheld.

The journalists, through Web Advocates and Associates, had claimed that the March 1st deadline and the directives or notices threatened to violate the citizen’s right to communication, freedom from deprivation of property, and other related rights of consumers of telecommunication services.

They expressed that the court would declare that the UCC, Attorney General and their agents had not carried out structured and sufficient public consultations and sensitization. They therefore sought a court order restraining the Uganda Communication Commission, the Attorney General and their agents from switching off or directing telecommunication service providers to switch off the users of unregistered SIM cards on 1 March or any other deadline set by the Commission before rectifying the anomalies as per the suit.

UCC on the other hand argued that the registration of SIM cards in Uganda is in line with The Regulation of Interception of Communications Act, 2010. “The registration exercise intends to, among others, help law enforcement agencies to identify the mobile phone SIM card owners, track criminals who use phones for illegal activities, curb other negative incidents, and also help service providers know their customers better” UCC Executive Director Godfrey Mutabazi said.

The court pointed out that the main suit will be heard on May 2, 2013,just after UCC registration deadline.

At the moment many subscribers are rushing to register before deadline on March 1st, as a result most telecom companies have hired extra manpower to cope up with the large numbers of subscribers and have pitched mobile tents in almost every shopping centre in order not to lose out on their subscribers.

According to UCC’s executive director, he noted that the exercise is entirely free and the cost is supposed to be covered by the telecommunications companies. He said this to clarify allegations that some subscribers are being asked to pay between UGX 2000-4000 in order to be registered.

The integrated information communication technology company for federal government, Galaxy Backbone has pledged its determination to support Nigerian government in bridging the gap between it and the citizens.

Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe made the pledge at the opening of the Social Media Week which took place at the Lagos e-Learning Centre recently.
He told the audience that the 1-Gov.net platform facilitated the improved engagement between the federal government, its agencies and the people of the country.

Amara Nakwa ,Head of Marketing at Galaxy Backbone said that the role of the Federal Government in the digital age is to provide connectivity to over 350 government ministries, departments and agencies . 1-Gov.net had about 4,000 nodes that would quicken their activities.

According to Nakwa ,1-Gov.net’s key objective is to facilitate efficient and effective service delivery to the citizens of the country. For instance prompt processing of travelers at the Immigrations’ desk or issuance of drivers’ licenses, to prompt payment of workers’ salaries, to efficient conduct of the Federal Executive Council deliberations, Galaxy Backbone is enhancing e-government and good governance in Nigeria.

He futher said that their team would support the Petroleum Equalisation Fund to track the movement of petroleum products from the various depots in the country, facilitating accountability in ensuring the uniform pricing of these products across the nation”

He pointed out that the current initiatives on the 1-Gov.net platform most relevant to the social media discussions were the Government Contact Centre (GCC) and the National Single Window Portal (SWP), which will provide electronic channels for citizens and other stakeholders to access information and services being provided by the various ministries, departments and agencies.
He also said that Galaxy Backbone is managing the execution of these soon-to-be launched initiatives on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology.

He explained that Galaxy Backbone’s services also help improve government’s internal efficiency by making it more effective and responsive. He added that other initiatives carried out include the Electronic Documents Management System/Council Chambers Automation System (EDMS/CCAS) that is transforming the mode of preparing council memos from manual to digital; and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) that has changed the payroll system to reduce incidence of fraud and time spent on computation of workers’ salaries.

Ecobank Ghana, a member of the Ecobank Group, on Wednesday launched the banks first fully integrated advertising campaign in Accra.

The campaign dubbed: ‘The future is pan-African, is intented to be rolled out across the 33 countries in Africa where Ecobank has a retail presence.

The campaign will run on radio, print, digital and outdoor media as well as social media campaigns.

Mr Samuel Ashitey Adjei, Managing Director Ecobank Ghana said, ‘Ecobank is the one bank capable of creating the necessary change in Africa that will empower its people and business enterprises to unlock the full value that Africa holds’.
“The success story of Ecobank is attributed to the kind of vision that was conceived by its promoters from the beginning, together with the structures put in place to ensure the continuous enhancement of stakeholders’ value..

He added that the bank is focused on maximising its potential across sub-Saharan footprint, with customer satisfaction seen as a top priority and the fact the new campaign highlights the advantages that retail and corporate customers can derive from the one bank approach.

With our expanding retail presence and robust technology platform, we are both strongly and uniquely positioned to help secure Africa’s future growth and development,’ Mr Adjei added.

Students from Kenyan universities, with the help of Google, today launched election apps ahead of the March 4th elections in a move seen to use technology to promote a free and fair election process and promote governance.

The apps developed with aid from Google include Tukumbuke (Swahili meaning let us remember), Spotlight, Jijulishe (inform yourself in Swahili), Wenyenchi (the owners of the country), Opinion Yetu, Haki II (justice) and Rasirimali (resources).

The apps were developed under Civic Education; Party and Politicians; Lifestyle; Resource Monitoring; and the Electoral process themes.

Ory Okolloh, Google Africa Manager Policy and Government Relations explained “Google has been very active in promoting access to relevant information; access to information is especially important in the electoral process. Through the Elections hub, the YouTube channel, Shabikika Amani na Kura Yako (Sports4peace campaign) and supporting these students to create tools for engagement with this information, we hope to reach as many Kenyans as possible.”

The Apps were developed at the Elections DevFest themed “Software Solutions for Elections”, an interactive 3- day event by Strathmore University’s iLab and sponsored by Google in partnership with IEBC and various Civil Society organizations.
Mercy Orangi, whose team developed Jijulishe pointed out that their aim is to provide civic education about the electoral process to every Kenyan, especially because most people don’t have the urge to go through the whole constitution;She added that it is pretty much breaking down the constitution,”

MobiSure,  a mobile medical insurance targeting the poor offering medical insurance cover where customers buy daily cover through their mobile phones as airtime is set to partner with small private hospitals, clinics and leading hospitals and hospital chains as its agents to offer the service.
The health service providers will be required to each have a dedicated mobile phone while the users will be given a database link or and API to check the membership status of individuals seeking the MobiSure™ service.
To access this service an individual will be required to be registered and have fulfilled the minimum requirements that may have been set from time to time.

Mobisure will recruite agents countrywide who will be charged with registering hospitals (as service providers) and register individuals.
While seeking the service at the health service provider, an individual will be required to provide their ID number to enable necessary verifications. For instance, the provider will issue a claim form where the user will fill all your details and after treatment, a receipt will be issued.
After treatment, the health service provider will be required to file a claim either online by logging in the customer details or sending the form to MobiSure Customer Care center. MobiSure will process the claim and make payment to the health service provider.
Mobilesure will offer other services to their clients for example, mobile phone insurance and data backup services for Operator subscribers exclusively

Ticket Ghana has launched an electronic ticket which will be used for major concerts, award ceremonies, film premieres, sports events, launches or shows and conferences in a move that revolutionize Ghana’s ticketing industry.

According to Basil Anthony, the CEO TicketGhana, also known as CEO ExtraOrdinaire, the groundbreaking product  will disrupt the ticket distribution industry in the country and provide program organizers with a world-class solution that allows real-time access to sales updates from all remote locations, real-time access to entry statistics from all gates at the event venue and reports on user demographics to aid targeted marketing as well as accounting.

The electronic card tickets will also eliminate the cost of paper ticket printing.

The E Card which had been launched by BSL last year as “Keba ekong” is now rebranded in a collaboration with  TicketGhana and will be known as the e-Ticket Card .

The e-ticket card was used on Valentines day at Raquel’s Valentine Cupid Party. Patrons who attended the event held at +233 jazz bar and grill had the opportunity to experience their ticket being loaded on an electronic card and a receipt for proof of purchase delivered to their mobile phones via SMS.
Fantasy Entertainment, the American based events outfits responsible for staging both the Rick Ross and Mavado Concerts in Ghana have given their approval. The Chief Executive, Leslie,says that electronic ticketing for events is exactly what event organizers need to effectively reduce the risk of people duplicating tickets and causing them to lose money on their events. He however warns that, the system must be properly with awareness creation among consumers to enable the lay man understand the usefulness of the e-tick

MTN Uganda,  a leading mobile telecommunications company recently commissioned its fibre network at Katuna Border in Kabale district in a move that will enhance internet speed to 100 mbps thus enabling improved browsing speeds.

Mr Mazen Mroue, the country’s subsidiary CEO, noted that the system would have a positive impact on the future of Uganda’s ICT and improve connectivity with the neighbouring countries to the East African sub-marine cables at Mombasa and the rest of the world. He added that “In the past, MTN has made backhaul links expansion to the Mombasa submarine cables. This has enabled connectivity with the rest of the world.”
The Minister of ICT, Honourable Ruhakana Rugunda commended MTN Uganda for its commitment to invest and provide support for this crucial sector of Uganda’s economy.MTN Other investments in Uganda includes CAPEX investments exceeded USD 80 million by December.

This investment was mainly towards the expansion of network infrastructure, establishment of ultra-modern Switching and Data Centre, as well The Minister pointed out that MTN Uganda fibre will act as a catalyst for economic development and will support the Ugandan government to further leverage on the existent regional partnerships in the areas of trade and industry and that the government would concentrate on ensuring Internet affordability and security through policies in the pipeline.

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Ghana to introduce biometric identity cards which will be issued instantly at the point of registration to subscribers.

NHIS will start on piloting electronic claims (E-claims) processing and host an extended stakeholder review of the capitation pilot in the Ashanti Region to inform its improvement and the subsequent nationwide roll out of this provider payment method.

Plans to put in place three more claims processing centres in the Northern, Central and Ashanti regions are underway as they will serve as a complement to the centre in Accra. This would complete efficiency measures into claims management nationwide.

The Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester A. Mensah said that subscriber satisfaction was a key performance indicator for the NHIA, therefore, a subscribers’ handbook showing the benefit package, medicines and subscriber rights and obligations would be compiled and made available to all subscribers at the point of registration and membership renewal.
Also, the NHIS medicines list/pricing would be reviewed to reflect market realities.

He further said the authority would begin modernising and transiting from an ICT concept, “which places more emphasis on infrastructure, to a management information system (MIS) which places premium on generating information for management decision-making”.

NHIA will partner with the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) in fulfilling its mandate .The president of GMA asserted that the GMA would continue to be a strong ally of the NHIS and would collaborate with the authority on the rollout of capitation across the country, if all their concerns were addressed.

He further said that GMA would continue to constructively criticise the NHIA to ensure that the scheme stands the test of time.
It would also start work on piloting electronic claims (E-claims) processing and host an extended stakeholder review of the capitation pilot in the Ashanti Region to inform its improvement and the subsequent nationwide rollout of this provider payment method.
NHIA future plans include establishing three more claims processing centres in the Northern, Central and Ashanti regions, to complement the centre in Accra. This, he maintains, would complete efficiency measures into claims management nationwide.

Among other numerous initiatives, Mr Mensah revealed plans to re-brand the scheme consistent with the new law, new vision and mission and operational architecture of the NHIS, adding that the financial manual of the NHIA would also be revised to place greater responsibility on the centre to prevent the abuse and fraud occurring at the regional and scheme levels.

In addition a permanent and joint clinical and claims audit team would be established to undertake forensic claims audit across the country all-year round to track isolated cases of connivance between schemes and providers.

Mr Mensah mentioned that subscriber satisfaction was a key performance indicator for the NHIA, therefore, a subscribers’ handbook detailing the benefit package, medicines and subscriber rights and obligations would be compiled and made available to all subscribers at the point of registration and membership renewal.
Also, the NHIS medicines list/pricing would be reviewed to reflect market realities.

He further said the authority would begin modernising and transiting from an ICT concept, “which places more emphasis on infrastructure, to a management information system (MIS) which places premium on generating information for management decision-making”.
NHIS would work together with GMA to fulfill its mandate. Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr Kwabena Opoku-Adusei while addressing stakeholders, gave an assurance that the GMA would continue to be a strong ally of the NHIS and would collaborate with the authority on the rollout of capitation across the country, if all their concerns were addressed.

The Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team competes in the FIA Formula One World Championship and is based at the team’s Operations Center in Brackley, UK. Home to over 500 employees, the team is headed by multiple World-Championship winning Ross Brawn, and owned by Daimler AG along with shareholders Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff. The engines for the team’s Formula One cars are provided by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire.

As the Official Mobile Computing Partner for the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, BlackBerry will collaborate with the team on technical and marketing opportunities. The new BlackBerry 10 platform will deliver tools and services for Mercedes AMG Petronas and fan engagement will be improved through the joint development of apps. BlackBerry 10 smartphones will also be used by the team so they can ‘keep moving’ throughout the Formula One season.

The new partnership sees the iconic BlackBerry branding featured prominently on the chassis and headrest of the F1 W04 Silver Arrow, the racesuits of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and on the team’s racewear kit. As the Official Mobile Computing Partner, BlackBerry and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS will be working closely to develop the team’s use of the BlackBerry 10 platform at the team’s headquarters and at each Grand Prix.

Ross Brawn, Team Principal at the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team reported that the team was very pleased to announce partnership with BlackBerry and that the team is looking forward to embracing the new BlackBerry 10 platform at both a technical and operational level, as well as collaborating with the team at BlackBerry to bring new mobile innovation to Mercedes AMG Petronas.

According to Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer at BlackBerry, Formula One is all about precision engineering, design and innovation – three values that mirror the approach that’s gone into creating BlackBerry 10.

This partnership is meant to deliver value through technical and marketing collaboration. The team said that BlackBerry 10 is built to keep people moving, and believe the essence of this will be delivered at many levels through our partnership”.

Multichoice Kenya today launched a rewards promo at Nailab which saw Chris Mugambi a doctor by profession win 600,000kshs.
The company has started a weekly draw that will run for 8 weeks and during this period, a DStv subscriber will take home Kshs 600,000 weekly.
During the fair at the Nailab, the MultIchoice team said that the promo is open to any subscribers regardless of their bouquet, though they must be connected and active subscribers.
The first would be winner was passed on as the registration wasn’t done in her name. Chris Mugambi emerged as the winner of the weeekly draw held today. Multichoice restricts the award to individuals who can verify ownership of the registered account.

Besides the weekly promos, Multichoice is offering more opportunities to subscribers. There will be competitions within DStv’s programming in the form of “Spot the reward box” where Subscribers will participate via SMS or online and the most actively tuned stand to win a full year’s paid subscription.
Last year Multichoice launched a loyalty scheme where subscribers get a 10% off their monthly subscription fee when they pay in time, a campaign that is meant to reward its loyal subscribers.

Somali’s Dahabshiil, an international funds transfer is on the forefront of spreading tech and innovations in the country in a move to nurture growth and development.

Speaking at oxford University, Abdirashid Duale the firm’s CEO, pointed out the need to focus on the growing take-up of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among Somalis, and to discuss how innovation in those industries can nurture growth and development.

Duale is drumming up support for interconnectivity in the Somali territories’ burgeoning telecoms sector.
During his talk, titled “ICTs, Innovation and Regulation in the Somali Territories”, MrDuale pointed to the remarkable expansion of the Somali telecoms sector and stressed the need for further interconnection between networks.

Telecoms has been one of the Somali economy’s major growth areas since the collapse of central government in 1991, with many companies emerging to fill the void left by the single state-owned provider that had previously served the market. Thanks to a combination of strong demand and light regulation the new operators thrived. Stiff competition between them has resulted in telecoms services that are among the cheapest and most reliable in the region.
Dahabshiil, the Somali territories’ largest private employer and one of Africa’s leading remittance businesses, entered the telecoms sector with the acquisition of Somtel, a dynamic, fast-growing firm specialising in advanced mobile technology. The move was representative of a broad regional trend of money transfer companies – alert to the synergies between the two industries – becoming increasingly involved in mobile.

As the number of providers grew, so too did the need for an interconnectivity agreement between them. Calls between networks were impossible and it was common for a Somali mobile user to have four or five different SIM cards. In a government-brokered deal, a handful of companies began to open their networks up to competitors’ customers, beginning a process of integration that has made it easier for Somalis to keep in touch.

Commenting on the need to build on this progress, MrDuale said: “While important steps have been taken there is still much to do to tie the sector together for the benefit of consumers.
“The wider rewards are there for the taking. There are more than two million mobile subscriptions in the Somali territories and ordinary people are now enjoying the advantages of being connected with each other and with the outside world.”

“The spread of telecoms has been hugely empowering: enabling businesspeople, investors and aid workers to do more with existing resources. From traders checking market prices to doctors giving remote consultation, the penetration of mobile and internet services has had an extremely positive impact on Somali life.”

The manner of the Somali telecoms boom is in many ways characteristic of the way the territories have lived on their wits for the last 22 years. Innovative, freewheeling commerce has flourished in the absence of regulation – fuelling development and raising living standards. Livestock, money transfer, energy and construction have all seen astonishing growth thanks in part to inflows of financial and human capital from the diaspora. As the political and security situation in Mogadishu continues to improve, tech-savvy entrepreneurs are returning – bringing their skills and knowledge with them.

MrDuale concluded: “It is this entrepreneurial flair that has sustained the Somali people through many challenges.
“Good governance is needed for us to reach the next phase of economic maturity, and the need for agreement on mobile networks is a clear example of where regulation and regulators have a role to play. But in the interests of retaining that innovative, pioneering spirit it is vital that we refrain from overregulation.
He hopes that as the region continues to stabilise, the way will be open for a policy environment that complements rather than stifles business growth, and harnesses it for the benefit of ordinary Somalis.

The Intel Education Service Corps (IESC) is a short-term service and career development opportunity for a select group of Intel employees to support the deployment of Intel classmate PCs in developing countries.
The organization works closely with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developing countries to deploy technology solutions based on Intel® Learning Series purpose-built platforms. The NGOs include CARE, Save the Children, World Vision, and many others.
Namibia is one of the African countries that has embarked on an exciting initiative to equip schools with education technology based on the Intel Learning Series. Intel is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to support two “model schools” in the Oshana and Omusati regions of Namibia.
The primary objectives of the initiative is to inspire educators on the effective use of technology for Namibia’s primary and secondary schools, and to create a blueprint for the technical environment required to deploy and sustain the use of Intel Learning Series solutions in Namibia’s schools.
The team has taught 45 teachers and administrators how to use a variety of educational software, content, and resources such as Khan Academy, internet search, email, YouTube, Facebook, Skype, and Microsoft Office, with a focus on developing and delivering effective lesson plans. They were also introduced to the Intel Learning Series classroom management software that allows teachers to share content with students.
IESC Team Namibia optimized 35 Intel classmate PCs and a teacher laptop at each school and enhanced them by adding a number of education software packages. The team ensured the proper configuration of internet connectivity to the school, the wireless local network and the classroom server to allow for the smooth functioning of all elements of the solution. With the documentingof their work, the team’s efforts will be shared with the other schools in the deployment to maximize the effectiveness of the technology.
According to the team, the teachers showed high interest and particular enthusiasm for instruction on email and social networking tools as well as Microsoft PowerPoint for its capability as a story telling medium. Before IESC Team Namibia left, a number of teachers expressed how technology helps them feel more connected to the rest of the world.
The Intel team that includes both teachers and administrators says it’s honored and humbled to represent Intel and help expand the use of Intel Learning Series solutions in Namibia and they target reaching more than 1,200 learners at the Ondjora and Oshikulufitu Combined schools.
Intel is indeed making impact around the globe, and since 2009 to date, more than 160 Intel volunteers have deployed over 1,200 classmate PCs in 11 countries , including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Haiti, India, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia. Theteams initiative to train teachers and students to effectively use technology cannot thus be over emphasized.

BlackBerry  recently announced an updated  BlackBerry® World™ storefront (formally BlackBerry App World™)  before the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones in a move that will give the smartphone users one of the most robust music and video catalogs in mobile today.

The  BlackBerry® World™ storefront will include an extensive catalog of songs as well as movies and TV shows, with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD.  The competitive offering will feature content from all major studios, music labels and top local broadcast networks. Customers will be able to preview tracks and access the content using multiple payment options.

According to Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer at Research In Motion, music and video content are an integral part of a rich mobile experience and he further explains that people want easy and convenient access to their favorite music, movies and TV shows wherever they are .
The video download and rental section in BlackBerry World will initially be available in the US, UK and Canada. Varying by region and distributor, customers will have access to movies from the following studios and independents: 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One (eOne), Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures (UK), Warner Bros. Customers will also have access to TV shows from the following broadcasters and studios: ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros.

The BlackBerry World storefront’s DRM-free music download section will feature an extensive catalog from all major and independent labels including: 4AD Records, Domino Recording Company, finetunes, Matador Records, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, Rough Trade Records, Sony Music Entertainment, The Orchard, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, XL Recordings and Zebralution. The music section will initially be available in 18 countries: Canada, USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Lagos to host Social Media Week, a worldwide event that is powered by Nokia.The event is truly historic and will be happening here in Africa for the very first time since its launch. The event will take place from 18-22 February 2013, with the unifying global theme: Open & Connected: Principles for a Collaborative World.

Social Media Week is a global platform that connects people, content, and conversation around emerging trends in social and mobile media. It brings together hundreds of thousands of people every year through learning experiences that aim to advance understanding of social media’s role in society. It’s apparent that Africa can no longer be by passed as a hub of innovation.

Nigeria, an epicenter of business, art and technology for the African continent is excited to become part of the global conversation. With over 100 million mobile phone subscribers, it boasts of the highest number of internet users in Africa and ranks 10th globally.  Lagos looks forward to the invaluable opportunity to examine the economic, social, and cultural impact of social media for Africa. Attendees can expect a wealth of insight on topics ranging from mobile app development for agricultural communities to the prevalence and importance of social media in the government sector

Other host cities for the February event include Copenhagen, Doha, Hamburg, Miami, Milan, New York, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington DC. In 2012, over 66 000 people from 26 countries around the world attended the event.

SMW  is partnering with Channel O Africa, a leading Urban music channel.

A recent study reveals that many Kenyans in the lowest socio-economic strata go without food and transport or opt for cheaper alternatives to save money to purchase mobile phone credit.

The interesting study reveals that many people regardless of their socio-economic levels rely on the mobile phone technology for both personal and professional needs.

The study which was carried out by iHub Research and Research Solutions Africa and commissioned by the World Bank, Sought to explore mobile phone usage among prepaid Kenyan mobile subscribers making less than $2.50 per day.
It’s startling that one out of five people interviewed for the report chose to forgo necessities like food or transport to purchase mobile phone credit. Some would eat cheaper food, such as rice and vegetables, instead of meat so they could buy credit. For instance, one respondent explains that she sells mangoes and thus uses her phone to take orders from her customers. Just like her, Susan Wacera who sells jewelry in a nearby market stall often walks to work instead of using public transport.

Findings from the research suggest that mobile phones provide support to small-scale businesses, increasing their income levels as they are cited as a factor for increased business income among the target group.
This findings corroborate with the latest statistics report published by the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK)for the July to September 2012 quarter that the country’s mobile penetration rate grew to 77.2% (from 75% in the previous quarter) on a mobile subscriber base of 30.4 million active SIM cards.
CCK also reveals that 99% of the 30.4 million active sim card users are prepaid subscribers with a 71.2 to 76.7 Minutes of Use (MoU) per subscriber per month representing a growth of 7.7% with SMS messages sent in the period increasing by 10.1 percent to reach 1 billion.
Indeed Mobile telephony is no longer just a mode of communication but a means to life and sustainability.