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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
BUSINESSWORLD
NEWS
IXPN: ECONOMIC RECESSION PUSHING UP DATA TRAFFIC IN NIGERIA
Nigeria’s Domain Name Registration Hits 74,293 in September
exchange at IXPN. Although Etisalat is also registered with IXPN, it released about 280,978 kbit/second volume of data, while Glo1 released only about 16kbit/second volume of data. Operators like Airtel, MainOne, and Google, had the highest volume of data traffic that pass through IXPN, with Google topping the list with about 3,753,744 kbit/second. Rhudman however clarified that not all operators are connected to IXPN, and that it was never compulsory for operators to register with IXPN, even though some countries made it mandatory for operators to connect to the country’s local exchange point. He however said that organisations that connect their networks to an IXP benefits from reduced reliance on expensive international transit for exchanging local traffic between themselves, and improved efficiency of their operations and communications. “Not only will this reduce transport costs and network latency, but will also ensure faster access to local content because local traffic is exchanged locally, rather than through one or more 3rd party networks including international links.
Emma Okonji
‘DIGITAL CHANNELS ACCOUNT FOR 70% OF BANKS DEPOSITS’ According to him, “EmailMoni allows people and businesses to pay and receive electronic payments securely in a number of easily accessible and convenient ways. Users can send and request money instantly using Microsoft Outlook email, or any web mail. Money can also be securely requested and sent using Facebook, SMS text and other methods.” Available on iOS on the Apple App Store and for Android on Google Play, the EmailMoni mobile app for smartphones will over time, interact with a card-less ATM network using Quick Response (“QR”) Code enabling cash to be deposited and withdrawn from the system at thousands of ATM locations in Nigeria and across Africa.
Group Business Editor
Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor
Crusoe Osagie
Comms/e-Business Editor
Emma Okonji
Capital Market Editor
Goddy Egene
Senior Correspondent
Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents
Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters
Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritme)
The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body managing the country’s domain name registration, is still struggling, through its registrars, to register Nigerians with the country’s online identity, the .ng domain name. This is just as the country’s domain name registration moved up slightly by 3,236 in September this year, bringing the total number of registered domain names in the country to 74, 293 as at September 2016, according to the statistics released recently by NiRA. President of NiRA, Mr. Sunday Folayan, in his monthly release, gave details of domain name registration for the months of August and September 2016. According to him, “Domain Name registrations and renewals at the registry have steadily increased on a monthly basis and year per year basis. The increase can of course be attributed to the hard work of the NiRA accredited registrars.” The domain names registered and renewed in September 2016 was 4,915, which is more than twice the registration in September 2014, that was 2,370 and far more than the registration in September 2015, that was 3,322, Folayan said. A breakdown of the figures, show that in August 2016, Nigeria recorded 3,007 domain name registrations with 1,567 renewals and 118 transfers, while in September 2016, Nigeria recorded 3,236 domain name registrations with 1,679 renewals and 43 transfers. As at July 2016, the total number of .ng domain names registered in the country in the last 10 years, was 68,050, but with the additional registrations by the registrars in the months of August and September, which were 3,007 and 3,236 respectively, the total number
of registered domain names in the county, currently stood at 74,293. THISDAY, however, gathered that the reduction in the cost of registering domain name in the country like .name.ng to N500 for end users, triggered the steady increase in domain name registration in the country. NiRA expects all Nigerians to register their names, using .ng domain name, instead of the yahoo, gmail and hotmail that most Nigerians registered with. According to Folayan, the initiative to reduce the cost of domain name, was to populate the .ng domain name in Nigeria. In technical parlance, domain name which could be country code Top Level Domain name (ccTLD) or generic top level
domain (gTLD), is the identity of individuals and organisations in cyberspace. For anyone to have access to internet activities privately, the individual must register with a domain name that represents a country. For instance, Nigeria’s domain name in cyberspace must have the suffix .ng, Canada is .ca, South Africa is .za, United Kingdom is .co.uk, among others. The federal government had in the past, reiterated the need for Nigerians to identify with the country’s domain name, which is .ng, which NiRA is promoting in the country. In order to further boost domain registration in the country, Folayan said: “NiRA has accredited 57 registrars, as of 11th October 2016. These
registrars may have resellers, who use the platform of the NiRA accredited registrars for the registration of the .ng domain names.” He however stressed that NiRA is not in the business of building websites or website hosting, using the country’s domain name, but that it is the duty of registrars to do so. In a related development, Folayan also revealed in his monthly release that the contract between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the United States Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to perform the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
functions, officially ended on the 1st of October 2016. According to him, the historic moment marks the transition of the coordination and management of the Internet’s unique identifiers to the private-sector, a process that has been committed to and underway since 1998. ICANN Board Chair Stephen Crocker, said: “This transition was envisioned 18 years ago, yet it was the tireless work of the global Internet community, which drafted the final proposal, that made this a reality.” He assured the global internet users that there would be no change or difference in the experience of Internet users as a result of the steward transition.
TECHNOLOGY IN BANKING
L-R: Head, Consumer and Digital Banking, UBA, Dr. Yinka Adedeji; Head, Virtual Banking, Akeem Salam and Head, Cards, Obinna Uma, at a media briefing on UBA’s technology drive for the banking sector, held in Lagos...recently
13 States Partner Wood Exporters to Regenerate Customs Nets N11 Billion in Nation’s Forestry Nine Months Eromosele Abiodun Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria (TWEAN) is partnering 13 state governments to regenerate the depleted nation’s forests. TWEAN Secretary General, Mr. Joseph Odiase, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said that the group in collaboration with some state governments has embarked on massive forestation programme with a view to arresting the menace of deforestation. He said the exporters have gone ahead of the federal government policy of cut one and plant two trees by planting seven trees for every tree cut down. Odiase said that between Ogun and Ekiti states, the group has acquired over 1,000 hectares of land for tree planting. He hinted that Osun, Kogi, Kwara, Taraba, Benue, Edo, Akwa-Ibom Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Oyo and Ondo states are in discussions with exporters to create tree farms in the states.
According to him, wood exporters are ready and willing to partner with the federal government to ensure that the effect of climate change in Nigeria was reduced to barest minimum. Besides, he said that wood exporters, the Processed Wood Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (PWPMAN) was also neck deep in the collaboration of forest regeneration drive. He explained that issue of deforestation was the concern of every Nigerian, adding that wood exporters will support government in the move to regenerate the nation’s forest. According to him, “We must protect and preserve the forest for this and future generations because these forests also help in the sustenance and preservation of the environment. We are working with the Ministry of Environment as they have promised to provide technical support when it is needed. “In as much as our businesses are important to us, we cannot jeopardise the environment for economic
gains because we are not the only ones operating in the nation’s economy. We will not only abide with cut one plant two trees policy of government, we are also embarking on a massive forest cultivation programme. The project is a fulfillment of our commitment to the honourable Minister of Environment at the national stakeholders’ meeting on forestation,”he added Likewise, the president of the association, Mr. Ibitayo Omotoye said the replanting exercise in some the states has since commenced. Omotayo said the group had written to other states for collaboration adding that the responses were being awaited. He said: “We are ready to support government through the tree re-planting exercise just as we hope to do the official flag off before the end of the month.” On his part, the president of PWPMAN, Mr. Ademola Oyeleke said whatever will grow the wood export industry without jeopardising the economy and the environment will be wholly supported.
Ademola Babalola in Ibadan With just two months to the end of the fiscal year 2016, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Command said that it has generated the sum of N11,147,238,490.32 between January and September this year. The Customs Area Controller, Mr. Temitope Ogunkua made this known while briefing journalists on the achievements recorded by the command in the past few months. Ogunkua also said that one hundred and eighty-eight assorted seizures were made with a duty paid value of N368,637,788.03 within the period under review. The Area Controller used the medium to warn that his leadership would continue to deal decisively with the economic saboteurs and work for the security wellbeing of the nation. He said: “In the face of the challenging economic situation in the nation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has stepped up its operation by blocking all revenue leakages in order to collect maximum duty accurate to the Federal Government. “This has led to the arrest of
various assorted, luxury vehicles smuggled into the country through unapproved border routes.” Ogunkua noted that despite the various campaigns against smuggling, some elements are still smuggling various assorted items into the country. “It is disheartening to note that despite the arrest and seizure of about ten thousand bags of rice between the months of January to September 2016, the smugglers have continued their nefarious activities daring the federal government ban on the importation of the rice through the border areas”, he asserted. He announced that the Command recently seized, one fairly used Honda Crosstour, one fairly used Lexus Rx 300 and Rx 450, one fairly used Honda CRV, one fairly used Mazda 626 and one used Volkwagon Bus. Others included fairly used Mitsubishi Outlander, one fairly used Toyota Carina E, one fairly used Toyota Prius, one fairly used Toyota Avalon, two fairly used Toyota Previa, five fairly used Toyota Buses with bags of Rice, and one fairly used Toyota Picnic also loaded with Rice.