ICTworks by Inveneo

The the University at Nsukka, Enugu, Ituku Ozalla, and Aba is partnering with pretty much every major IT company operating in Nigeria to bring Internet connectivity of 1-4mbps per 1000 students and staff, and create 10-400 Terabytes of local data storage for students and faculty.

As reported by Daily Sun:

Other features, according to Dr. Christian Bolu, project coordinator and Director of the Innovation Centre, UNN, include a packet based voice service (VoIP), use of open source software for teaching and learning in several key subjects, provision of laptop charging bays as well as hardware repair centre and use of dedicated power supply.

Google Inc is lead sponsor of the UNN Wireless Network Infrastructure project and has committed to provide a minimum 25megabytes per second (mbps) of international Internet bandwidth to the university over an initial three-year period. Google would also contribute US$40 000 for the last mile/local loop costs, another US$15 000 for consultancy and training to ensure optimal utilisation of the IT services as well as email and collaboration tools and guidance.

MTN Nigeria Communications would lay the fibre optic cables...Other contributors to the UNN Wireless Infrastructure Network project are Hewlett Packard and Cisco Systems. Project contractors are Business Connexion of South Africa, while network infrastructure would be provided by Xirrus Inc of USA and Wavion Technologies of Israel.

Hewlett Packard Inc is providing switches, servers and storage equipment at highly discounted education rates while also providing manpower support for training. Cisco Systems Inc would also assist the University of Nigeria with training in Cisco certification as well as developing the capacity of students and staff for entrepreneurship through the establishment of a model incubator company.

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I wonder if this huge investment will have the $4 million dollar annual impact of ICT at Kenyatta University?

Evans J. Nyagah of Safaricom Business gave this presentation "The ICT ecosystem in Kenya" on March 31, 2010, and I thought it worth of review:

A key slide talks about ICT Medium Term Plan (2008-2012)

Vision Statement
Kenya Becomes an Information and Knowledge-Based Society

Mission Statement
To Provide information and communication based solutions and
ensure the availability of efficient reliable and affordable ICT
services countrywide

Activities

1. Expand infrastructure with the aim of making Kenya the ICT hub of Africa;
2. Develop Rural ICT Centers to promote awareness of technology throughout the country;
3. Revamp and extend e-government throughput the country to ensure exemplary service delivery to citizens;
4. Encourage ICT entrepreneurship while discouraging a culture of dependency and unsustainable projects and programs
5. Market Kenya as the preferred destination for BPO

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I am often asked about cyber security on WiFi networks for international development projects in rural Africa. My response is usually a laugh, as I find it hard to believe that anyone would have both the cunning and the desire to go wardriving through northern Uganda.

Locking down computer data

But then I was told about smart Nigerian hackers who were breaking encryption at Lagos HIV clinics in hopes to find out anyone important who has AIDS. This has me thinking, is data security now an issue in ICT4D?

I still maintain that for the vast majority of technology deployments, especially in schools and community centers and rural locations, basic security measures are enough.

Require user accounts for each person, use WPA2 on WiFi links of importance, and if you want to have unsecured WiFi for the community, use a separate Internet router.

Its only in high-risk settings, where the data could be a serious privacy issue that you need to worry about data security, encryption, and the like. Health and banking implementations like eHealth and microfinance, or urban settings where ICT skills and knowledge exist in enough abundance to be an issue.

Yet what do I know? What's your opinion on the cyber security needs in rural Africa? Do we really need to be concerned about black hat hackers outside of capital cities?

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