Digital Rights: CITAD Condemns Unlawful Detention of Citizens

Digital Rights: CITAD Condemns Unlawful Detention of Citizens

https://techmirrormag.com.ng/index.php/news/citad-condemns-unlawful-detention

CITAD Demands Citizens’ Digital Right Be Respected, Calls For An End To ‘Continued Unlawful Detention’Of Citizens https://arewaagenda.com/citad-demands-citizens/

CITAD demands release of detained journalist by Sen. Elisha Ishiaku Abbo 

https://primetimenews.ng/citad-demands-release-of-detained-journalist-by-sen-elisha-ishiaku-abbo/

NGO Demands Respect Of Digital Right For Nigerians https://nigeriantracker.com/2023/01/06/ngo-demands-respect-of-digital-right-for-nigeri

CITAD Wants Nigerian Police to End Unlawful Detention of Citizens 

Digital Rights: CITAD Condemns Unlawful Detention of Citizens

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on Security Agencies to respect the right of the citizens and unlawful detentions.

This was made known in a press release which was signed by Ali Sabo, Program Officer, obtained by TechMirror. The statement reads parts; “Our attention is been drawn to the Nigerian security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police force for its continued arbitrary arrest and detention of the citizens for exercising their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

It is important to state here clearly that section (IV) sub section (c) of the Nigerian constitutions has prohibits any security agency from unlawful arrest, incarceration or detention of the citizens without following due process” “What we are witnessing today in Nigeria is clearly contrary to what the Nigerian constitution has provided and these acts by the Nigerian security agencies if not checked and addressed will flung the country into anarchy and will negate the principles of democracy which is being practiced in Nigeria enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended” “We will remember that in the months of November and December we did organize similar press conferences during which we drew the attention of the Nigerian authority about the negative implications of these arbitrary arrests and detentions of the citizens to the country’s image in the comity of nations and to our young democracy.

It is a well-known fact that criticism is part and parcel of any democracy and it is one of the cardinal pillars through which democracy is being build, but this government in many occasions has displayed arrogance, impunity and lack of tolerance where at any slight instances has ordered the arrest of the citizens for excising their fundamental human rights” “It should be recalled that in the month of November, 2022, the Nigeria Police on the orders of the wife of the president arrested and detained a 500 level student of Federal University, Dutse, Aminu Adamu for merely excising his rights online.

He was held for days without being allowed access to his family or his lawyers. Also on the 11th of December, 2022, a minor named Umar Garba was arrested in Nguru Local Government Area, Yobe State over an alleged defamation of character of the Yobe State Governor, Maimala Buni.

The boy was held captive by the Nigeria Police for more than two weeks without a court order or any arrest warrant. Similarly, the boy was not taken to court” “These impunity being excised by the Nigerian politicians has transformed to another level to the extent that citizens are being deprived their fundamental human rights to speak about things that concern them and their country and interrogate their representatives without being harassed by the security agencies.

These cases have continued to grow spontaneously as many cases are being reported every day and in every corner of the country which is worrisome and threat to our democracy” “Another and more recent case we have received is the arrest and detention of Yau Saeed, a Freelance Journalist and founder of Y2S Online Television based in Yola that was arrested by the Nigeria Police, FCT Command by the order of Senator Elisha Ishiaku Abbo, Senator representing Adamawa North for excising his rights as citizen and journalist since 27th of December, 2022. The most unfortunate thing is that the Nigeria Police has refused the detained journalist access to his wife, lawyers and family” These arbitrary arrests of the citizens are against the Nigerian constitution and international covenant of human and people’s rights. Section IV of the Nigerian Constitution has clearly stated that: i.

Any person who is arrested or detained in accordance with section (1) (C) of this section shall be brought before a court of law within reasonable time.

The expression of reasonable time under this section means:

a. In case of an arrest or detention in any place where there is court of competent jurisdiction within a radius of 40 kilometres, a period of one day; and

b. In any other case, a period of two days or such longer period as in the circumstances may be considered by the court to be reasonable It is significant to know that allowing citizens to express themselves and constructively criticize leaders are cardinal to democracy and no democracy can grow where those at the helm of the affairs of the country are using the country’s security agencies to clamp down on dissents and activists.

“The collusion between security agencies and politicians to harass and intimidate citizens against freely expressing their opinions is a serious attack to our democracy. Democracy strives by the maintenance of a free market of opinions and availability of information that allow citizens to make informed choices in exercising their civic responsibility. When journalists are seized, detained, and tortured because they have exposed their dirty underbelly of some politicians, we are trampling on the foundation on which our democratic experiment is sitting”

We must also not forget that it was the brazen police brutality that led to the EndSars protest with all its attendance consequences to the nation. We cannot afford to continue to repeat this sad experience. Such illegal and unconstitutional acts and conduct by police and security agencies bread the ground and context for anarchy to set in which is of not good to anybody. It is based on these that we are calling on the:

1. Nigeria Police and its sisters’ security agencies to be neural in conducting their duties and should not allow themselves to be used as rent-organizations by politicians to shield their despicable acts and conduct.

2. The security agencies should respect the Digital Right of the citizens as they are the logical and legitimate extension of our fundamental human rights which are protected in our constitution and all the international instruments on human to which Nigeria is a signatory and the country is duty bound to accord the same respect to rights online as rights offline.

3. The Nigeria Police should desist from arbitrary arrest of the citizens and ensure they are following due process in the arrest and detention of the citizens

4. The Nigeria Police should avoid the unlawful detention of the citizens and ensure every arrest made is with an order of a competent court

5. Anybody arrested for any offence shall be taken to court within specified period of time as in the Nigeria constitution

6. Civil Society Organizations should join hands to call on the Nigeria security agencies to stop the arbitrary arrest of the citizens without due process


7. CSOs should collaboratively work together for a sustained advocacy to ensure the bill is to be passed and assented by the president “However we demand that the Nigeria Police should allow the detained journalist access to his family and lawyers and also his release together with all those arrested unlawfully” the statement states

CITAD launch Web Page and Android application to monitor gender base violence

 

As parts the effort to fight gender base violence among girls and women in Kano State, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), in conjunction with the Ford Foundation has lunched a unique Web Page and Android Application to monitor and report cases of gender-based violence.

The Web Page and Android Application aim to create a comprehensive database on gender-based violence hotspots across Kano state, particularly in public schools, so that Kano women/girls can plan safer education for themselves and their loved ones.

The data will also give government authorities, civil society movements, media houses and women organisation a deeper understanding of gender-based violence across Kano, identifying unmet needs, raising public awareness and helping to shape policy on safety in public spaces.

The technical officer of the Centre Suhail Sani Abdullahi, stressed that the new web page and Android Application will receive and stored data from different monitors who is our volunteers ambassadors at Kano state higher institutions.

Suhail Sani stressed that the centre are committed to working together for a safer society for women and girls.

He therefore, said that the new application will not expose name or address of the victim and the person who reported the case. And the application will be available in next few days on internet platform.

On his part, the executive director of the Centre for Information Technology and Development CITAD, Engr. Yunusa Ya’u expressed his worry over the rising cases of gender base violence in Kano State among girls/women and also his concerns on the need to have synergy among all key actors in fighting it.

“Gender based violence is a major problem in our society, and it takes many forms such as sexual harassment in our campuses, rape, spousal abuse, sexual gratification for job or marks, etc. It can be physically or online and traumatized its victims”

He added that the centre will use the data generated from new application in advocacy, public enlightenment, equipping women and girls with relevant information and knowledge to protect themselves against gender based violence, and finally to work with some partners to push for the prosecution of perpetrators of gender based violence.

While giving out the overview of the programme, the gender officer of the project, Zainab Aminu applauded the participants for attending the workshop which according to her will enrich their knowledge on the concept of GBV and how to report the incidence easily.

She added that, “it is compulsory on everyone to report and act on any case of gender based violence to end this menace in our society”.

Journalists and students from universities and other state higher institutions attended the launching of the application.

Incidents of gender-based violence have continued to top the chart of discourse among stakeholders, despite efforts by the government to check the threat. Also experts and advocates against Gender-Based Violence say the consequences of lack of justice for survivors of GBV have been fatal in many instances.

CITAD Backs NCC Decision to Review Licensing Process

By Yakubu Salisu, Kano

Centre for Information Technology, (CITAD) has expressed support for decision of the national telecommunication regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its licensing processes and conditions after nearly 20 years ago.

The Executive Director of the Centre, Y. Z. Yaú, in a press statement said the Telecommunication sector is highly dynamic such that its regulatory framework has to be equally dynamic, to respond to changes in technological development.

” It is in this connection that the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) welcomes the decision of the national telecommunication regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its licensing processes and conditions. The last such review is nearly 20 years ago”.

According to him, since that review, a lot of major technological developments have occurred, making some of the provision obsolete and thrusting new issues that they hitherto not anticipate.

” Among the technological progress for instance, we have moved from 2G through 3G and now heading for the deployment of 5G. We are witnessing the update of artificial intelligence and internet of all things (IoT) both of which are major users of bandwidth.

Within the period, internet has moved from a fringe luxury of the rich to an indispensable tool for all. One of the lessons that the COVID-19 lockdown has taught the world is that the future is increasingly dependent on online interactions. This is why the United Nations has declared access to the internet a right that no one should be left behind”.

Ya’u noted that, although Nigeria has made tremendous progress over the years, there are still many millions of people who are unconnected and are not using the internet.

At the beginning of this year, only about 43% of Nigerians were using the internet. This means more than half of Nigerians are still unconnected, creating an unwanted digital divide in the country.

Cost and infrastructure of access rollout limitations are among the key factors for the persistence of the digital divide in the country. Of course, there are other peculiarities such as the relatively poorer access to the internet by women and people living with disabilities. Infrastructure of access rollout is conditioned by regulations and policy provisions as well as licensing conditions.

To accelerate that and lower the cost of access and use and expand affordability for the many, the NCC is called upon to embrace innovative licensing frameworks that could catalyse speedy roll out with cost crushing down.

One of the innovative approach is the inclusion of community networks as a special category of licenses, available to communities and non-profits to rollout community level networks that could provide access to internet for communities and provide sites for technical experimentation and promotion of digital literacy. This is being used successfully in many countries globally, including in Africa in such countries as Kenya, South Africa Malawi, etc.

We therefore call on the NCC to use the occasion of the review to mainstream community networks licenses within its licensing framework. We would also like to call on the regulator to review the Framework for the deployment of TV white space (TVWS) to enable its utilization for community networks.

We will however caution that this review should not engage with the issues of licensing and regulating of over the top (OTT) platforms which is being clamored for by some within government as part of the fallout of the misunderstanding between the Government and Twitter. We urge that it should be left out of the healthy growth of the telecommunication sector which is necessary for bringing the digital divide and for the nurturing the digital economy in Nigeria.

Boko Haram: CITAD presents book to address corruption in counter-insurgency operations in Northeast

 

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has presented a book to the stakeholder in the counter insurgency fight and general public to enlighten them on the effects of corruption on the insecurity in the Northeast, in its efforts to contrinute to ending the over decade-long insurgency.

Presenting the book titled:  “The Compromised State, How corruption Sustains insecurity in Nigeria and Context and Content in Hate Speech Discourse in Nigeria”, at the Ummah Center, University of Maiduguri, on Monday, Dr. Hassana Waziri said:  “The book is to enlighten stakeholders including the Borno government, Northeast Governors , Federal Government and also intimate the International Non- Governmental Organisations (INGOs), among others, that other challenges apart from attacks  are responsible for the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency”.

Dr Hassana Waziri from the Department of Political Science, who is also one of the authors of the book, said:  “There are issues exacerbating the lack of ability to contain the insurgency, which corruption is one of them. We looked at how corruption is fuelling the insurgency despite the efforts done by the stakeholders. So, they have to retrace their steps and restrategize in order to do way with some of these corrupt practices”

“In all sectors there are issues of corruption. For example, the Executive Governor of Borno State in most cases, go out himself to distribute food items to the IDPs, which is suspicious. This is on the government side. There is outcry from indigenous people who have the capacity to partner the NGOs that they do not partner with them, as they know their community better. The CSO too sometimes consider their personal or organisation’s interest rather than the interest of the beneficiaries”, Dr Waziri added.

The University don further said “some of the tradtional rulers who were engaged to see that the assistance get to the beneficiaries, give their families and relations , stressing that sometimes  even the common man who is not an IDP, claimed to be an IDP and collect what is neaant for them and  sometimes even traditional rulers are being short changed. So, corruption is in all sectors”.

Dr Waziri, therefore, recommended the book to all stakeholders so that they read, be aware and enlightened so that they can retrace their steps and restrategize to deal with corruption with a view to ending Boko Haram insurgency.

For a better society

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE REVIEW OF TELECOMMUNICATION LICENSING FRAMEWORKS BY NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

The Telecommunication sector is highly dynamic such that its regulatory framework has to be equally dynamic, to respond to changes in technological development.  It is in this connection that the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) welcomes the decision of the national telecommunication regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its licensing processes and conditions.  The last such review is nearly 20 years ago. 

 

Since that review, a lot of major technological developments have occurred, making some of the provision obsolete and thrusting new issues that there hitherto not anticipate. Among the technological progress for instance, we have moved from 2G through 3G and now heading for the deployment of 5G. We are witnessing the update of artificial intelligence and internet of all things (IoT) both of which are major users of bandwidth. 

 

Within the period, internet has moved from a fringe luxury of the rich to an indispensable tool for all.  One of the lessons that the COVID lockdown has taught the world is that the future is increasing dependent on online interactions. This is why the United Nations has declared access to the internet a right that no one should be left behind. 

 

Although Nigeria has made tremendous progress over the years, there are still many millions of people who are unconnected and are not using the internet. At the beginning of this year, only about 43% of Nigerians were using the internet. This means more than have of Nigeria are still unconnected, creating an unwanted digital divide in the country.

Cost and infrastructure of access rollout limitations are among the key factors for the persistence of the digital divide in the country. Of course, there are other peculiarities such as the relatively poorer access to the internet by women and people living with disabilities. Infrastructure of access rollout is conditioned by regulations and policy provisions as well las licensing conditions. To accelerate that and lower the cost of access and use and expand affordability for the many, the NCC is called upon to embrace innovative licensing frameworks that could catalyse speedy roll out with cost crushing down. 

 

One of the innovative approach is the inclusion of community networks as a special category of licenses, available to communities and non-profits to rollout community level networks that could provide access to internet for communities and provide sites for technical experimentation. and promotion of digital literacy. This is being used successfully in many countries globally, including in Africa in such countries as Kenya, South Africa Malawi, etc. 

 

We therefore call on the NCC to use the occasion of the review to mainstream community networks licenses within its licensing framework. We would also like to call on the regulator to review the Framework for the deployment of TV white space (TVWS) to enable its utilization for community networks. 

 

We will however caution that this review should not engage with the issues of licensing and regulating of over the top (OTT) platforms which is being clamored for by some within government as part of the fallout of the misunderstanding between the Government and Twitter. We urge that should be left out of the healthy growth of the telecommunication sector which is necessary for bringing the digital divide and for the nurturing the digital economy in Nigeria 

YZ. Yaú, June 22, 2021

Executive Director 

 

HALF OF TOTAL NIGERIANS UNCONNECTED TO INTERNET – CITAD

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) says more than half of Nigerian people are not unconnected to Internet.

CITAD’s observation is coming as the nation’s telecommunication regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) begins to review its licensing processes and conditions after nearly 20 years.

The Executive Director of the Centre, Mr Y. Z. Yau in a statement made available to ASHENEWS on Tuesday, said the telecommunication sector is highly dynamic such that its regulatory framework has to be equally dynamic, to respond to changes in technological development.

“At the beginning of this year, only about 43% of Nigerians were using the internet. This means more than half of Nigerians are still unconnected, creating an unwanted digital divide in the country.

“Since that review, a lot of major technological developments have occurred, making some of the provision obsolete and thrusting new issues that there hitherto not anticipate.

“Among the technological progress for instance, we have moved from 2G through 3G and now heading for the deployment of 5G. We are witnessing the update of artificial intelligence and internet of all things (IoT) both of which are major users of bandwidth.

“Within the period, internet has moved from a fringe luxury of the rich to an indispensable tool for all.  One of the lessons that the COVID lockdown has taught the world is that the future is increasing dependent on online interactions. This is why the United Nations has declared access to the internet a right that no one should be left behind,” Yau stated.

According to him, “Although Nigeria has made tremendous progress over the years, there are still many millions of people who are unconnected and are not using the internet. At the beginning of this year, only about 43% of Nigerians were using the internet. This means more than half of Nigerians are still unconnected, creating an unwanted digital divide in the country.

“Cost and infrastructure of access rollout limitations are among the key factors for the persistence of the digital divide in the country. Of course, there are other peculiarities such as the relatively poorer access to the internet by women and people living with disabilities. Infrastructure of access rollout is conditioned by regulations and policy provisions as well as licensing conditions. To accelerate that and lower the cost of access and use and expand affordability for the many, the NCC is called upon to embrace innovative licensing frameworks that could catalyse speedy roll out with cost crushing down.

“One of the innovative approach is the inclusion of community networks as a special category of licenses, available to communities and non-profits to rollout community level networks that could provide access to internet for communities and provide sites for technical experimentation and promotion of digital literacy. This is being used successfully in many countries globally, including in Africa in such countries as Kenya, South Africa Malawi, etc,” CITAD further stressed.

The Centre called on the NCC “to use the occasion of the review to mainstream community networks licenses within its licensing framework. We would also like to call on the regulator to review the Framework for the deployment of TV white space (TVWS) to enable its utilization for community networks,” while also cautioning that “this review should not engage with the issues of licensing and regulating of over the top (OTT) platforms, which is being clamored for by some within government as part of the fallout of the misunderstanding between the government and Twitter.

“We urge that it should be left out of the healthy growth of the telecommunication sector which is necessary for bringing the digital divide and for the nurturing the digital economy in Nigeria,” it said.

CITAD Tasks NCC on Special Licensing Consideration For Community Networks

 

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE REVIEW OF TELECOMMUNICATION LICENSING FRAMEWORKS BY NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

The Telecommunication sector is highly dynamic such that its regulatory framework has to be equally dynamic, to respond to changes in technological development. It is in this connection that the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) welcomes the decision of the national telecommunication regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review its licensing processes and conditions. The last such review is nearly 20 years ago.

Since that review, a lot of major technological developments have occurred, making some of the provision obsolete and thrusting new issues that there hitherto not anticipate. Among the technological progress for instance, we have moved from 2G through 3G and now heading for the deployment of 5G. We are witnessing the update of artificial intelligence and internet of all things (IoT) both of which are major users of bandwidth. Within the period, internet has moved from a fringe luxury of the rich to an indispensable tool for all. One of the lessons that the COVID lockdown has taught the world is that the future is increasing dependent on online interactions. This is why the United Nations has declared access to the internet a right that no one should be left behind.

Although Nigeria has made tremendous progress over the years, there are still many millions of people who are unconnected and are not using the internet. At the beginning of this year, only about 43% of Nigerians were using the internet.

This means more than have of Nigeria are still unconnected, creating an unwanted digital divide in the country. Cost and infrastructure of access rollout limitations are among the key factors for the persistence of the digital divide in the country. Of course, there are other peculiarities such as the relatively poorer access to the internet by women and people living with disabilities. Infrastructure of access rollout is conditioned by regulations and policy provisions as well as licensing conditions.

To accelerate that and lower the cost of access and use and expand affordability for the many, the NCC is called upon to embrace innovative licensing frameworks that could catalyse speedy roll out with cost crushing down. One of the innovative approach is the inclusion of community networks as a special category of licenses, available to communities and non-profits to rollout community level networks that could provide access to internet for communities and provide sites for technical experimentation and promotion of digital literacy.

This is being used successfully in many countries globally, including in Africa in such countries as Kenya, South Africa Malawi, etc. We therefore call on the NCC to use the occasion of the review to mainstream community networks licenses within its licensing framework. We would also like to call on the regulator to review the Framework for the deployment of TV white space (TVWS) to enable its utilization for community networks.

We will however caution that this review should not engage with the issues of licensing and regulating of over the top (OTT) platforms which is being clamored for by some within government as part of the fallout of the misunderstanding between the Government and Twitter.

We urge that it should be left out of the healthy growth of the telecommunication sector which is necessary for bringing the digital divide and for the nurturing the digital economy in Nigeria

Y. Z. Yaú,

Executive Director

CITAD TO NCC: PROVIDE POLICY TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY NETWORKS

 

The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, has called on Nigerian government through the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to come up with a robust policy that would encourage the flourishing of community networks that would hasten digital inclusion in Nigeria.

 

The Centre also urged the Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, to support community networks initiatives across the country as part of its intervention to promote faster inclusion progress.

 

According to the Executive Director of the centre, Dr. Y. Z. Yau at a press briefing in Kano on Tuesday, “community network should be given license-free spectrum to use; proof of concept permit in connection with community networks should be license free; institutions of higher learning such as universities should embrace and deploy community networks to both meet their community needs and to serve as experimental sites for learning and domestication technology; both the NCC and USPF should establish a unit with the responsibility of coordinating their affairs with respect to community networks”

 

The centre stated that the USIP 2019 report “identified 114 connectivity gaps in the country as either underserved and unserved. It defines underserved area “as an area where less than 50% of the households or individual users have access to a minimum of 1.5 Mbit/s” while it defines unserved communities as “area where less than 10% of households and individual users have either no access to internet or have the most basic access such as EDGE.”

 

“When poor people cannot afford the cost of connectivity or data, connectivity becomes useless as it would not be utilized. Poverty is a key a factor that makes it impossible for many people to use the internet. Many Nigerians are not able to afford regular use of data.

 

“Aside from inability to afford, there is also the fact that lack of satisfaction makes people to stop using the services. In Nigeria, with an apparent monopoly by the four mobile technology service providers, quality of service is not their priority. They treat customers with no respect or regard because they are not penalized for quality of service falling below acceptable global benchmarks.

 

“Monopoly also controls the way people integrate with technology such that people are not able to learn, modify and remodify technology to suit their purpose. There are therefore many reasons why the USPF model needs to be complimented. Moreover, the USPF model is geared towards supporting the market rather than communities and subsidy regimes often end up being more beneficial to the market players than to communities whose affordability it is supposed to raise,” Yau stated.

 

According him, “bridging the digital divide is not possible by treating communities as passive recipients of support or as market to be developed. Rather, the most effective strategy is to engage the communities to identify how they can, with support of from stakeholders, address their peculiar connectivity needs.

 

“This community-driven strategy is the catalysing of the flourishing of community networks. Community networks are providing platforms or channels for people to communicate. This communication could be between individuals, within the community or outside it. The Internet Society defines community networks as “telecommunications infrastructure deployed and operated by a local group to meet their own communication needs.

 

“Community networks take different forms, with some extending access using commercial networks, others building their own source of connection, etc. But because they usually connect the unconnected, they are considered as extending connectivity to the last file,” CITAD further stated.

 

On the situation in Nigeria, the Centre observed that “there are very few community network operating in the country. The two that have most extensive experience are the one in Kafanchan established in 2006 by Fantsuam Foundation, a civil society organization there and one in Ibadan, Ibadan WUG.

 

“The Nigerian Chapter of the Internet Society in partnership with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is establishing another in Zaria. There is also commercially driven community network coming on board, the best know is Fiam WiFi in rural areas of Lagos state. The reason why community networks are slow to pick up in Nigeria is because we do not have policies to guide them nor does government provides support to encourage such initiatives.

 

“The regulatory framework at the moment does not provide for community networks as distinct providers of connectivity in the country. Indeed, neither the NCC Act nor the USPF Act have made mention of community networks, consequently there is a lacuna as to how community networks are to be treated. For the moment, the few community networks are providing connectivity to underserve and unserved community by acting as point of farther distribution of connectivity provided by the main commercial players.”

 

The centre therefore recommended the following:

 

The NCC should come up with an appropriate policy that will encourage the flourishing of community networks in the country as a means to hasten digital inclusion in Nigeria

The USPF should support community networks initiatives across the country as part of its intervention to promote faster inclusion progress

Community network should be given license-free spectrum to use

Proof of concept permit in connection with community networks should be license free

Institutions of higher learning such as universities should embrace and deploy community networks to both meet their community needs and to serve as experimental sites for learning and domestication technology

Both the NCC and USPF should establish a unit with the responsibility of coordinating their affairs with respect to community networks

Doing away with some component of spectrum fees in exchange for commitment to rollout in specific unserved/underserved areas as provided in the Strategic Plan of the USPF

Digital Inclusion: CITAD Advocates Development Of Community Networks In Nigeria

 

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING ON THE NEED FOR POLICY DIRECTIONS ON COMMUNITY NETWORKS ADDRESSED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CITAD, Y. Z. YA’U ON TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021 IN KANO

 

Introduction The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) is a statutory body established to address gaps in internet accessibility in the country by focusing on supporting initiatives that will drive internet connectivity to underserved and unserved areas in the country. Underserved and unserved areas exist largely because telecommunication market runs to where there is prospects for higher traffic and hence higher profit which poor communities or remote areas are unable to provide.

The logic of the interventions of the USPF which is based on global best practices is that since affordability is relative it is important for government to subsidise the poor to improve both their accessibility and affordability so that they are not left behind and constitute a drag to the use of digital technology to achieve national gaols such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

In its report of 2019, the USIP identified 114 connectivity gaps in the country as either underserved and unserved.

It defines underserved area “as an area where less than 50% of the households or individual users have access to a minimum of 1.5 Mbit/s” while it defines unserved communities as “area where less than 10% of households and individual users have either no access to internet or have the most basic access such as EDGE” But affordability is not limited and constrained by lack of accessibility only. When poor people cannot afford the cost of connectivity or data, connectivity becomes useless as it would not be utilized.

Poverty is a key a factor that makes it impossible for many people to use the internet. Many Nigerians are not able to afford regular use of data. Aside from inability to afford, there is also the fact that lack of satisfaction makes people to stop using the services. In Nigeria, with an apparent monopoly by the four mobile technology service providers, quality of service is not their priority.

 

They treat customers with no respect or regard because they are not penalized for quality of service falling below acceptable global benchmarks. Monopoly also controls the way people integrate with technology such that people are not able to learn, modify and remodify technology to suit their purpose.

 

There are therefore many reasons why the USPF model needs to be complimented. Moreover, the USPF model is geared towards supporting the market rather than communities and subsidy regimes often end up being more beneficial to the market players than to communities whose affordability it is supposed to raise.

 

The Concept of Community Network Increasing, both state and not state actors are realising that bridging the digital divide is not possible by treating communities as passive recipients of support or as market to be developed. Rather, the most effective strategy is to engage the communities to identify how they can, with support of from stakeholders, address their peculiar connectivity needs. This community-driven strategy is the catalysing of the flourishing of community networks. Community networks are providing platforms or channels for people to communicate. This communication could be between individuals, within the community or outside it.

The Internet Society defines community networks as “telecommunications infrastructure deployed and operated by a local group to meet their own communication needs”. This communication needs can be voice, data, etc and can be point of convergence for communities to come together to address their common community problems.

 

Community networks take different forms, with some extending access using commercial networks, others building their own source of connection, etc.

 

But because they usually connect the unconnected, they are considered as extending connectivity to the last file. However, because they are bottom up initiatives, rather than top-down, they are more appropriately described as providing connectivity to the first mile. Community network have become major tools for digital inclusion across the world today.

 

This is because they offer the following advantages: · Benefiting end-users and the community networks themselves with cost-oriented approaches; · Providing service that is tailored to the unique needs of the community; · Empowering local people, and thereby encouraging involvement in other grassroots efforts, community affairs, and political processes; · Encouraging digital literacy; · Providing a “stepping stone” for people to become part of the global economy; · Creating new working opportunities; and · Promoting the virtuous cycle by improving both access to and creation of local content and services. In addition, as community networks provide means to connect the connected, they are tools for promoting digital inclusion.

 

Because they are community planned, implemented and managed, they allow for greater control and autonomy over telecommunication infrastructure. As they involve people at grassroots, they allow for experimentation and for people to innovate and demonstrate their creativity. They make people to learn more about technology and to see technology more as a social tool for problem solving than just mere ante fact.

 

They bring many more digital solutions such as eHealth, eLearning, ecommerce, etc to communities that are excluded. Finally, they are more affordable.

 

Many people and organizations believe that owning the network provides self-determination over the prices and the services offered, and it keeps profits local instead of extracting them to external and even global players.

 

In many countries such India, Mexico, Brazil, etc, community networks have sprung up, providing connectivity in complementarity with market players, allowing individuals and communities to domesticate technology and be experimental and innovative on how they deploy and use it.

 

These are impacting positively in addressing the digital divides in those countries.

 

Here in Africa, countries like Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, DRC, to mansion just a few, have developed policies that have supported the flouring of community networks in the countries, thus helping governments in those countries to move faster to achieve university connectivity and the digital inclusion of all of their citizens. The Situation in Nigeria There are very few community network operating in the country.

 

The two that have most extensive experience are the one in Kafanchan established in 2006 by Fantsuam Foundation, a civil society organization there and one in Ibadan, Ibadan WUG. In addition, the Nigerian Chapter of the Internet Society in partnership with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is establishing another in Zaria. There is also commercially driven community network coming on board, the best know is Fiam WiFi in rural areas of Lagos State.

 

The reason why community networks are slow to pick up in Nigeria is because we do not have policies to guide them nor does government provides support to encourage such initiatives. The regulatory framework at the moment does not provide for community networks as distinct providers of connectivity in the country. Indeed, neither the NCC Act nor the USPF Act have made mention of community networks, consequently there is a lacuna as to how community networks are to be treated.

 

For the moment, the few community networks are providing connectivity to underserve and unserved community by acting as point of farther distribution of connectivity provided by the main commercial players. For example, Fanstuam Foundation used to redistribute connectivity obtained from Airtel to its community.

 

Fiam WIFI is a licensed value addition firm that provides community networks by creating FIFI hotspots[1].

 

About four years ago, CITAD and Fanstuam Foundation approached the NCC with a request to be allowed to pilot the use of TV white space for community networks.

 

Eventually, the reply after several weeks was that the NCC had commissioned a firm to investigate and develop a framework for the use of TVWS to provide internet access in the country, hence it cannot grant the request.

 

Eventfully, a draft framework was developed in 2019 and subjected to a limited stakeholder consultation.

 

Although during the stakeholders consultation, in response to a direct question, the NCC assured that “the TVWS spectrum is intended to be free to use without licence on a first-come-first-served basis, but anyone running communication services must have an operating licence from the NCC (just to help them keep track of who is doing what where)”[2].

 

For now, therefore, community network activists are not sure how to leverage the TVWS to provide community connectivity. Additionally, TVSW in Nigeria comes under two different regulatory regimes. National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is in charge of assigning frequencies to broadcasters for their operations, meaning that anyone who wants to deploy TVWS would have to first approach NBC to assign a frequency to it.

 

On the other hand, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is in charge of licensing and regulating communication services and anyone who obtains a frequency from NBC has to obtain operating license from the NCC.

 

The old National Broadband Plan (2013-2018) notes that “Civil society organisations fill important gaps in society, and support the efforts of government and private sector towards meeting agreed objectives” [3]community networks did not feature in the plan. There is no indication that these roles of civil society would be greatly facilitated by policy context that recognises community networks. Similarly, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) has nothing to say about community networks. It recognises policy as one of the key pillars of the Strategy and listed 15[4] different relevant policies but none of it has anything to say about community networks.

 

The new National Broadband Plan (2013-2018), like the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, enumerated 14 different polices[5] that are needed to drive the Plan but no mention of policy on community networks.

 

Even the role of that was assigned to civil society organizations in the Old the National Broadband Plan seems to be obliterated in the new Plan.

 

Key documents of the USPF, the body set up to promote digital inclusion also do not speak about community networks. Instead, USPF uses the term Community Resource centres which it promises to establish in “partnership with local entrepreneurs and community-based organizations” the aim of which “is to extend voice, internet and ICT training and other e-services to unserved communities on shared basis and bridge the digital divide in the communities”[6] The cyberspace in Nigeria is characterized by different dimensions of the digital divide.

 

It manifests in gender forms, in differential in access and use between makes and female, it manifests as in age between younger generation who are ICT-savvy and older generations who are unable to adapt to digital work around, between better accessibility in urban areas and poor access in rural areas, etc. certain groups such as people living with disabilities, women in general. Older people and poor people in both urban and rural communities are digitally marginalized due to poor access and poverty that limits their ability to afford ICTs.

 

In addition, there are several areas/communities that are classify as either under-serve or unserved communities. Although the telecommunication sector in Nigeria is considered as one of fastest growing, there are still many people who are left behind. Statistics show that as at “September 2020, Nigeria has 205,252,058 active telephone lines, 107% teledensity, 151,512,122 active internet subscription, and 86,714,978 broadband subscription representing 45.43% of the population”[7]. Rapid penetration according to the research by NCC is inhibited by among other factors poor power supply that affects both telecommunication companies and users, Destruction and Vandalism of Equipment, Over-Taxation, Import Obligations and Long Authorization Processes, Inadequate Roads and Social Facilities, Transmission Infrastructure Challenges. etc[8]

 

Recommendations

 

1. The NCC should come up with an appropriate policy that will encourage the flourishing of community networks in the country as a means to hasten digital inclusion in Nigeria

 

2. The USPF should support community networks initiatives across the country as part of its intervention to promote faster inclusion progress

 

3. Community network should be given license-free spectrum to use 4. Proof of concept permit in connection with community networks should be license free

 

5. Institutions of higher learning such as universities should embrace and deploy community networks to both meet their community needs and to serve as experimental sites for learning and domestication technology

 

6. Both the NCC and USPF should establish a unit with the responsibility of coordinating their affairs with respect to community networks

 

7. Doing away with some component of spectrum fees in exchange for commitment to rollout in specific unserved/underserved areas as provided in the Strategic Plan of the USPF Conclusion Community networks are tested across the global are seen as major tool to promote digital inclusion. Both the ITU and the Interne Society have invested in experimentation and development of policy framework to support countries to integrate community networks as a tier in the telecommunication sector that would provide community-control, community-managed networks that are more affordable.

 

[1] https://www.fiam.ng/

 

[2] https://medium.com/@dewoleajao/an-update-on-nigerias-broadband-via-tv-white-spaces-story-7941f1c2cc4d

 

[3] The Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013 – 2018, page 76

 

[4] The National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), page 22-23

 

[5] The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), page 49-52

 

[6] Universal Service Provision Fund Strategic Management Plan 2018 – 2022, page 34

 

[7] Challenges of Technology Penetration in an Infrastructure Deficit Economy (Nigeria Perspective), 2021, page 4

 

[8] Challenges of Technology Penetration in an Infrastructure Deficit Economy (Nigeria Perspective), 2021, page 47-49

CITAD calls for provision of community networks to enhance digital inclusion

 

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has called on the government at all levels to provides for community networks in various localities to enhance digital inclusion for all in the country.

 

The call was made by the Executive Director of the center, Y. Z Ya’u on Tuesday during a press conference tagged ‘The need for policy directions on community networks’, which held at the center’s board room in Kano.

 

He said the centre finds it necessary to made the recommendation for the community networks as a result of the effects of the recent lockdown brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

He added that many communities could not access their schools and healthcare services despite the opportunities online due to poor or absence of networks.

 

He opined that the commercial telecoms companies in the country could not invest in rural areas because there is no market there, urging that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) should provide for free community networks to bridge the gap and enhance inclusion.

 

“In its report of 2019, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) identified 114 connectivity gaps in the country as either underserved or unserved. It defines underserved area “as an area where less than 50% of the households or individual users have access to a minimum of 1.5 Mbit/s” while it defines unserved communities as “area where less than 10% of households and individual users have either no access to internet or have the most basic access such as EDGE,” the director has said.

 

He added that “Although the telecommunication sector in Nigeria is one of the fastest growing, there are still many people who are left behind.

 

“Statistics show that as at “September 2020, Nigeria has 205,252,058 active telephone lines, 107% teledensity, 151,512,122 active internet subscription, and 86,714,978 broadband subscription representing 45.43% of the population,” he added.

 

The centre recommended that the NCC should come up with an appropriate policy that will encourage the flourishing of community networks in the country as means to hasten digital inclusion in Nigeria, adding that it should be license-free.

 

It also called on the USPF to support community networks initiatives across the country as part of its intervention to promote faster inclusion progress.

CITAD Launches CIGIYA Android Application

The centre for information technology and development CITAD has launched Cigiya android application that will easily track lost items using Android phones application in Kano.

Addressing Newsmen the technical officer centre for information technology and development CITAD, Engineer Kamalu Umar CITAD is working towards using ICT for the development of the community in the state and the nation as a whole.

According to Kamalu Umar the new CIGIYA mobile application is available on google play store.

He said the application, which is the first of its kind is a lost and found application that will facilitate the searching of lost items by people and help transport associations, media houses and other relevant organization to generate a database of lost item.

CITAD Tasks FG to Make Nigeria An ICT Producing Country

Engineer Umar said this will enable individuals to use the application to search for possible found items and the location they were submitted.

He pointed out that one of the reasons for launching the application is that most of the transports association having parks have a number of unclaimed lost items as a result of uncertainty of where the items are submitted.

According to the technical officer most of the announcement being made in the media houses does not reach some people who lost their items as the announcement may happened when they are not on the tune and it is normally within short days.

Therefore the new CIGIYA application is a permanent database of lost items will be available online and people can search it any time by item type, date range or car park or stations.

The data base will simply be generated by the representative of agreed park, media house or unions.

The application will contain name of the item, unique ID, date it was lost, park or location where it was submitted and picture (actual picture may be replaced by sample picture or just the name in case of items with bare identification).

It also contains the contact number of the park for further information. ”said Kamalu Umar

Engineer Kamalu Umar further told newsmen that CITAD has already consulted some transport unions which include Tricycle Operators Association of Kano State (TOAKAN) and Tsaya da Kafarka Taxi Association, Kano.

It also has plans to collaborate with the media houses, security outfits and other relevant stakeholders and The application is designed to have simple interface both for data entry and item searching.

The centre for information technology added that the CIGIYA App. will be very effective solution for facilitating and enhancing searching for lost items as well as reducing the occupied space by the lost items in the transport parks, unions offices and media houses.

EFCC MUST INVESTIGATE THE CORRUPTION IN IDP RELIEF DISTRIBUTION NOW!

Press Statement August 26, 2016

Yesterday, Thursday 25th August, thousands of impoverished Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) demonstrated in the streets of Maiduguri, protesting that for days they were not being fed. This was not the first time that these unfortunate Nigerians have to complain about the systematic starvation that they have been subjected to by people who have responsibility to care for them. As a result of this, many people, especially children have died of hunger and malnutrition. This has been widely reported in the papers.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) which has been monitoring and tracking the efforts to rehabilitate and resettle IDPs is horrified by the callous way IDPs are treated and the culpable silence of governments at all levels. Our partners in Maiduguri and in other locations have observed various ways in which food items meant for IDPs have been diverted by officials and taken to either markets for sale or misappropriated by these officials for their personal and private use. There are also many stories of extortion in which officials demand for money from IDPs to register to collect relief materials as well as other abuses such as demanding for sexual gratification from IDPs.

We in the north east are happy that the military has been recording successes in liberating a number of areas formerly controlled by the insurgents but we are now extremely worried and alarmed that our brothers sisters, uncles, grandparents and children are dying of starvation due do callousness of these government officials who government entrusted the welfare and wellbeing of IDPs to.

On several occasions both state and federal governments have been alerted to this, but they have often either dismissed it or simply make some symbolic noises and let the matter to continue unabated. We feel that this is not the way a government elected on the basis of its promise to stem out corruption in our country should respond to these unscrupulous acts of corruption. The lack of action from government to take concrete measures to stop this hemorrhage of resources meant for IDPs is resulting in a situation in which government by its own inaction is aiding the mass murder of people who have earlier on been traumatized by the Boko Haram insurgents and have seen their loved ones killed. It would appear them, that surviving Boko Haram, is only a stop gap for them to be killed by hunger engineered by relied officials. This is a major crime against humanity.

Part of the problem is that our government has yet to wake up to the fact that it has no proper instrument or institution to deal with IDPs. We have no national Policy on IDPs. We have failed as a nation to domesticate the African Convention on the Protection of IDPs, otherwise known as the Kampala Declaration. Without such, government has been relying on adhoc structure and diversion of relief materials and corruption are the results. This therefore is the time that government must put in place a proper IDP Policy. We make for the call for an immediate enactment of such instrument.

We at CITAD also call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately launch a serious investigation into the diversion of relief materials meant for various IDP camps across the region. In the meant time we that demand that both state and federal governments must take immediate steps to ensure that relief materials, especially food items are delivered promptly to these needy and unfortunate Nigerians whose only crime if it, is to have been victim of Boko Haram insurgents.

We like to reiterate a point we have make in several times that corruption cannot be corruption by mere official declaration, it can only be fought when government embrace openness, transparency and demand accountability from its officials and agents: that is the minimum we expect form a government that has made a promise to rid the country of corruption.
Y. Yaú

Executive Director

 

RETRACT YOUR STATEMENT, GOVERNOR RAMALAN YERO

 

 

January 17, 2015

The Governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero has joined the disturbing list of Nigerian politicians that are at more with making dangerous statement. The Governor in an address to his supporters in Zaria during the opening of his campaign on Monday threatened to call out his supporters to inflict damage on the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] if his team is ever attacked while campaigning. Year, arrogating himself powers unknown our constitution boosted that “If I say you should not come to Kaduna, I swear you cannot come. If I say you should not leave your house, I swear you cannot leave,”

 

We at CITAD4Peace condemn statement as relentless, unbecoming of his person.  Nigeria has had enough of violence election in the past and would want all to move the country forward to the reign of peaceful conduct of elections. We call on other well-meaning Nigerians to join us in condemning this unhealthy utterance. Politicians must at all time put the peace the country and safely of Nigerians at the top of their campaign engagements and refrain from acts that can incite ordinal citizens to violence.

 

CITAD4Peace, further in the spirit of the signing of the peace accord between the two top presidential candidates in the coming election, call on Gov Ramalan Yero to retract the statement and embrace the path of peace and base his campaign on issues that will impact of the lives of the citizens of his state. He should emulate the presidential candidates and seek to sign a similar understanding with other Governorship opponents in the state

 

 

  1. Z. Yaú

Executive Director

CITAD DONATES COMPUTERS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT TO SCHOOLS

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has on Tueday, 10th February 2009 handed over computer and other computer teaching aid to two secondary schools in Kano State. The schools are Government Secondary School, Sharada and Government Arabic Girls Senior Secondary School, Tudun Wada. The donations were part of the effort of the organizations to assist schools to teach computer to their students.

Government Secondary School, Sharada was given a set of computer by Alhaji Abdullahi Nashe which Tudun Wada was given six monitors, system units and keyboards. In a brief ceremony that held at the conference hall of CITAD, the two schools were presented by their principals and staff and accompanied by some students. Presenting the computer to GSS Sharada Alhaji Abdullahi Nashe who was represented by Usman Abdullahi of Mediwat School of Computer Sciences said that the donation was in fulfillment of the promise he made during the school at the school of the 2008 Annual IT Quiz.

Receiving the computers on behalf of GSS Sharada, the Vice Principal of the School Mal. Mohammed Surajo Abdullahi thanked both CITAD and Abdullahi Nahe for available the schools with the gift. He said that the schools would make good use of the facilities. The IT Coordinator of the School Malam Nuhu Aminu who spoke at the brief handling over ceremony appealed to CITAD to assist the school train more teachers in the use of the computer.

Earlier the Principal of GAGSS Tundun Wada, Hajiya Khadija Ibrahim Gambo had also expressed her appreciation for the kind gesture CITAD had demonstrated to her schools. She said that the school at the moment has no computers and would use these facilities to start training them on computer appreciation.

In his brief remark at the occasion the Executive Director of CITAD, Y. Z. Ya’u said that the decision to support these schools was based on the efforts their respective principals have been showing. He said that GSS Sharada had never failed to participate in the annual ICT Quiz of CITAD and that in spite of the fact that it lacked computers; its performance in the competition had always been very good. As or GAGSS Tudun Wada, the ED said that the principal was the only principal who graced the CITAD/CAI scheme beneficiaries’ interactive forum and therefore deserved the gift arising from the CITAD/CSI scheme.

CITAD is an ICT-focused non-governmental organization which has offices in Kano and Dutse, and an outreach unit in Bauchi State. For more on CITAD, visit www.citad.org.

Y. Z. Ya’u

Executive Director