#NGTF2015: Softwareization of Things to drive business expansion in Nigeria, Uwaje says

[su_heading size=”14″ align=”left”]Softwareization of Things to drive business expansion in Nigeria says Mr Chris Uwaje, CEO, Connect Technologies, in this article for the Nigeria Technology Forecast 2015 (#NGTF2015) the technology thought leadership annual by Technology Times, offering insights into Top 10 Key Trends that will shape and define the Nigerian technology landscape in 2015 and beyond.[/su_heading]

Introduction

Analysis of the current National ICT Landscape informs that our ICT strategy is heavily dependent on external/foreign idea, innovation and creativity – making us Technology clueless and conspicuous consumer Nation!

Therefore, currently, our IT strategy and mission are:

1. Heavily Consumer oriented and critically foreign/import dependent (capital flight)

2. Does not inspire and support indigenous large-scale innovation and creativity.

3. Currently not concerned about the poor state of ICT in Education with respect to IT Infrastructure, Curriculum, Teachers’ Intensive Training and Capacity Building

4. Does not promote competitive knowledge clusters and reward merit

5. Strategy does not challenge innovators and is not stakeholders inclusive – It may therefore be assumed and rightly summarised that large pool of creative minds are outside the national ICT decision making process.

6. Nigeria’s ICT Landscape is grossly under-funded and Telecommunications Centric!

7. Finally, it advocates the notion of making ICT resident in Industry rather than in the Education Domain.

 [blockquote right=”pull-right” cite=”Mr Chris Uwaje, CEO of Connect Technologies”]“One thing is definite: In 21st Century, we are going to witness and experience a National Cyber-hijack within nations – The real Cyber War: Electronically shutting-down of Nuclear Plants, Central Bank, Central Aviation, the Internet Gateway, Financial Hubs, etc.!”[/blockquote]

Global IT Trends in 2015

1. The Internet and in particular, the Internet on Mobile Devices will be the greatest battlefield of the global ICT Ecosystem in 2015. With these emerging massive opportunities, Africa can earn immense benefits if she gets it right by promoting and protecting (yes protecting: by not leaving everything (to chance) indeed, to the so-called ‘Market Forces’) her Local Content Development and Intellectual Property Rights.

2. The Social Media space and activities will expand and stakeholders capacity will increase beyond our imagination amidst global population surge.

3. Consequently, with more than 700 million mobile phone users in Africa and over 200 million connected to the Internet.

4. Africa’s brain-drain statistics will increase exponentially as young Africans seek ways to migrate overseas at all cost.

5. Unless we retool, power-up our ICT Ecosystem and intensity the establishment of massive Knowledge Innovation Hubs for Outsourcing, BPO and Offshoring with capability to create critical mass of world-class skilled employment for both the high skilled and low skilled support workforce.

4. Softwareization of Things (SoT) (my origination) will intensify, as the development of Embedded Systems Improve.  @2015, IPv6 diffusion will improve as more organisations push to migrate from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to IPv6 – leading to more innovations and creative business expansion.

5. Massive (Big) Data and Information Storage issues will increase the demand for secured Data Centres across Africa – especially for e-Government and Banking data and critical Information. On this issue: I seriously advise African Governments for now, to first of all master small data organisation and control and beware of covert hypes around the cloudy “Big Data”!

5. Cybersecurity: Consequently, due to the massive deployment of trillions of cheap transistors to enable IPv6-based Internet of Things (IoT), the cyberspace will be crowed with Cybersharks – positioning to make a super-kill in Cyberspace – at e-Government, e-Education, e- Health, e-Payments and Transaction, e-Business and at many Social Media levels.

6. One thing is definite: In 21st Century, we are going to witness and experience a National Cyber-hijack within nations – The real Cyber War: Electronically shutting-down of Nuclear Plants, Central Bank, Central Aviation, the Internet Gateway, Financial Hubs, etc.!

7. [blockquote right=”pull-right” cite=”Mr Chris Uwaje, CEO of Connect Technologies”]“The most sought-after workforce in 2015 (all through 2017) will be Cybersecurity Team Protectors and Analysts.”[/blockquote]

8. 2015 is perhaps the long-awaited year for Software-Nigeria to finally emerge at both National and World Stages. e-Education: e-Learning and Distant Learning Solutions will increase as the world Population balloons further. Demand for Software Solutions – especially Mobile Software Solutions will increase – and Africa should take advantage of this opportunity to secure her innovative future.

Way Forward For Nigeria:

1. Reconstruct the National IT Policy by establishing a “National  ICT Framework Bill, as the core foundation and super-layers for Nigeria’s ICT Roadmap and strategic focus for national development and global competitiveness. This framework will create the required Acts that can fortify and fuel investment, creativity, Innovation, employment and constructive Regulation

2. Institutional Framework: Informed by the current scenario in Cyberspace, there is need to establish the Office of The Information Technology General of the Federation (ITGF).

3. Encourage and promote ICT Regulations that reduce excessive foreign consumption and consciously prioritize Local IT Content and Intellectual Property Rights.

4. Transform NYSC into a National ICT Emergency Training Camp

5. Retool the National ICT Curriculum and massive re-training for IT Lecturers and ICT Teachers at all levels (From Kindergarten to University)

6. Make Software Engineering and Development as national IT Strategy

7. Establish at least 10 Information Technology Knowledge Parks in 2015.

8. Ensure that IT professionals, practitioners and experts are represented at all Board levels in Government.

9. Create a Special IT Knowledge Bank for Innovation and Promote National IT Research Development and Mobile Innovation Competition

10. 10. Fund a standing International ICT Exhibition Framework for West Africa in Nigeria – to be sustained for the next 10 years.