Human Capacity Development, the key to unlocking AFRICA’s potentials

I am writing this message from Gaborone, Botswana, where we are rounding up two weeks of activities around the 2016 African Internet Summit (AIS’16) with the theme “Beyond connectivity: internetworking for African Development”. From the attendance and robust interactions, It is evident that Africans are now ready to tackle the challenges that have kept us back and are now looking up to the opportunities ahead. The Africa Internet Summit (AIS) is an annual, African, multi-stakeholder ICT conference. It is the pinnacle of educational and business ICT event in Africa where key players in the Internet industry can interact with the global Internet community. More information is available at www.internetsummitafrica.org.

The AFRINIC 24 workshop and meeting is being held alongside AIS’16. The AFRINIC Meeting provides the opportunity for Internet affiliated individuals and companies to gather and discuss policies governing Internet number resource distribution in the African region, to share technical knowledge and to attend workshops and tutorials. 

ICT Community Engagements

Because NIRA is committed to creating awareness of the opportunities available, as well as growing the industry, our members participated at a series of events in the last couple of weeks, aimed at boosting the understanding of the DNS Industry. 

The 2016 edition of the DigitalSENSE Annual IPv6 Forum held between 1st and 2nd June 2016 in Lagos. For this edition, Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) partnered with DigitalSENSE Africa Media on the national cybersecurity awareness campaign tagged Stop, Think, Connect (STC). The aim of the campaign is to help Internet users understand the risks that come with using the Internet and the importance of practicing safe online behavior. The program was a success, and we look forward to future editions.

As a member of the Local Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (LMAG), NiRA participated actively in the just concluded Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) held at the Shehu Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, from 2nd to 3rd June 2016. The event was declared open by the Hon Minister of Communications, Barr Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu on 3rd June 2016. It was a fulfilling and rewarding day for the Nigerian ICT Community.

The 2016 edition of the CPN IT Professionals assembly that started yesterday, 8th June 2016 at Kaduna, will come to an end today. It is organized by the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN). The IT Assembly is an exclusive event for senior Information Technology (IT) decision makers, IT consultants, upcoming IT entrepreneurs, IT practitioners, teachers and IT Systems administrators to Network and share experiences in the IT Industry. 

Come 21st June 2016, which is less than two weeks from now, NIRA will be holding this year’s edition of the Media College. The Annual media college is an event that aims to develop the capacity of Journalists to report events around the DNS Industry in an accurate form, by exposing them to what we do. It will take place at the NIRA Office Complex. Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press are invited to register online via the NIRA website: www.nira.org.ng/mediacollege.

In concluding, I will like to invite members of the community to continue to give us suggestions and advise on how to increase the use of the .ng brand.  The Board is committed to getting as many people as possible to use .ng. We count on your support, and I look forward to reading from you.

Your President,

Rev’d Sunday Folayan

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