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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Tech Times Æ s E-susu aims to close gap between community loan groups, traditional banking services Natasha Lomas
Esusu Team
An interesting hack presented recently on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2016 is a platform for non-traditional banking services called e-susu, which is the app designed for people who are involved with informal loan groups to help them
better manage the process of lending money within a family or community group, as well as encouraging the saving process via increased transparency. The platform lets users track how much money is owed within the group, when payments are due and when they have been
paid. Users can also create goals to specify what they are saving for, and a group messaging feature is also included, while the team plans to also integrate the ability to make payments directly into the platform in future. All sorts of cultures have some form of informal group loans for
centuries to provide alternatives to traditional banking services, notes team member Nikki Puckett, 23, who when not attending tech hackathons works in finance. The name for these loan groups vary in different CONTINUED ON PAGE 31
NCC finally bans unsolicited calls, messages Tony Nwakaegho Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has finally barred mobile network operators from sending out unsolicited text messages to subscribers, according to information obtained from the Legal and Regulatory Services Department of regulatory authority. Consequently, network operators in the country have up till June 30, 2016 to stop sending unsolicited Short Message Service or calls to subscribers or face a N5 million fine if they failed to comply with the directive. A further N500, 000 per day also awaits the operators for as long as the contravention persists. The document, which was obtained by Daily Times, showed that a total of 13 MNOs were issued with the directive. They include: MTN, Airtel, Smile, Etisalat, Globacom and Visafone. Others are Starcomms, Megatech Engineering Limited, Gicell Wireless Limited, Danjay Telecoms, Gamjitel, Multilinks and Natcom. They were asked to set up the shortcode of 2442 for subscribers
Danbantta, EVC NCC
to opt-in to the “Do Not Disturb” (DND) database restricting unsolicited marketing messages. According to the commission, it shall be mandatory for mobile operators to create sufficient awareness to its subscribers on the existence of the DND on their
networks; that they shall also comply with the quarterly and reporting template prescribed by the NCC to ensure feedback and compliance. NCC warned operators that generated SMS shall comply with the 8am to 8pm stipulation (12
hour period) for sending SMS to subscribers and that the opt-in process shall be free. It said operated generated SMS is excluded from the DND list in as much as such messages are in conformity with NCC’s directive on timing and regularity and do not constitute a nuisance to subscribers and the subscribers shall have right to partial or full DND implementation. NCC said the ‘New Direction’ issued pursuant to Section 53 of the Nigerian Communications Act follows the inundation of complaints by subscribers to its office about menace of unsolicited text messages and voice calls from mobile operators which have impacted negatively on consumer quality service in the telecom industry. NCC said it was aware through its monitoring activities that some operators have set up DND facility on their network but the awareness by subscribers of the facility is very minimal and unsatisfactory. It will be recalled that the menace of unsolicited texts and calls led NCC a fortnight ago to regulate the Value Added Services (VAS) market with the issuance of draft regulation.
NCS, FIIP to unveil YIEP programme to boost innovative capabilities Tony Nwakaegho Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in partnership with FIIP International Young ICT Group is set to unveil the Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform (YIEP) at the NCS 26th National Conference in order to boost the building of innovative and entrepreneurial capabilities of young people. According to NCS’ statement
on the website, the event is part of activities for the Conference scheduled for Tuesday, July 19 to Thursday, July 21, 2016 at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria. The programme, NCS explained, is geared towards harnessing the ideas, energies, freshness and strengths of the youth to change the world; reducing unemployment, poverty, terrorism, hunger, disease, illiteracy and insecurity through youth empowerment and dynamic,
innovative and future oriented approach to enhance security, job creation, health, education and overall prosperity YIEP’s objectives include, building of innovative and entrepreneurial capabilities of young people; developing and equipping youth innovators and entrepreneurs in IT; diversifying the economy away from oil with youth innovation; champion local content development in IT through youth innovation and
entrepreneurship and informing, inspiring and supporting young people in information technology who create wealth, generate jobs and usher in new types and manner of work and jobs. Others are fostering the culture of tech innovation, entrepreneurship and highlighting opportunities and providing mentoring, engagement and networking, connecting young people in tech to partners, clients, industry experts and mentors.
Taylor, Sec-Gen, CTO
CTO scribe tips digital broadcasting to boost Nigeria’s image Tony Nwakaegho Shola Taylor, secretarygeneral of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), has said that digital broadcasting would boost Nigeria’s global image and presence in broadcasting. Tayor who stated this at the recent pilot launch of Nigeria’s digital terrestrial broadcasting switchover held in Jos, Plateau State, adding that Nigeria stands to benefit even more from a digital terrestrial broadcasting environment once fully deployed. “I have personally witnessed how successful “Nollywood” films and series are in other corners of the world, such as in the Caribbean and in the Pacific islands where I have often travelled and where I can report here that people eagerly watch Nigerian films, and this change should help increase Nigeria’s presence in the global broadcasting market,” Taylor said. The CTO Scribe said that this change “must not be underestimated, because there is now an opportunity to produce and broadcast significantly more educational content and more localised content. Specialist television channels for health or education or tourism that were once too difficult or impossible to finance or set up are now possible today, helping ordinary citizens to access practical information more regularly and more readily.”