NITPA SUMMIT INITIATIVES - FOR YOUR ACTION
By. Manny C Aniebonam, Ph.D
October 7th 2002
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Dear Colleagues;

Rather than overwhelm you with several information at once, I decided to wait till now before releasing further information on specific initiatives from the summit. In my last report, I gave a day-by-day breakdown on the summit, focusing more on contacts, context and sentiments of the meetings. In this presentation, and after speaking to so many of you, I wish to advise that there are several initiatives, within the frame work of our Task Force structure, which need immediate attention, articulation, and execution. I will provide the highlights first, then give you the detailed breakdown in later part of this writing. Through these engagements, We hope to achieve the following goals:

i. Capacity Building through creative engagements
ii. Human Resource Development through education
iii. Sound IT Policy environment
iv. Business to Business engagement,
v. Nigerian Image building through Recognitions and the Press
vi. Global Positioning
vii. IT Application

1. Capacity Building (Champions: Development, Telecom and Consulting Task Forces)
In this area, we agreed to work with NCS and NITDA to build a Global IT Portal. Work has started on the Portal . We will also develop the Nigerian Skillsbank to house a database of all Nigerians in Diaspora and their skills, experience and interest. Also work is progressing on the Skillsbank (Lawrence Joseph). We will use this tool to match NITPA members in the US with NCS members in Nigeria for consulting, collaboration, contracting, and other B2B, B2C and C2C engagements. Thirdly, we will be holding an international IT conference in Nigeria in June 2002, bringing together practitioners from Diaspora, Nigerian business community and the government. A committee will be put in place by December for this purpose. Please contact Lawrence Joseph or me if you are interested in any part of these initiatives (Portal, Skillsbank, conference)

2. Human Resource Development (Champions: Education Task Force/Abi Bada)
We agreed with the university communities in Nigeria, along with participation of the Federal government, that NITPA will work with them on reviewing the IT curriculum of the universities for realignment; We have produced a 20 page paper on this initiative, documenting where we see Nigerian universities' current course offerings, and where whey ought to make changes. Real validation and on-the-ground work remain; This initiative will involve grant proposals and we are embarking on collaborating with several universities to actualize it. Seven academic members of NITPA are already working on this. Other HRD initiatives include B2B collaboration to provide technical training, Training the trainers, university exchange program, Computer for Schools program, and Youth Mentorship program. We agreed with major stakeholders in Nigeria that given the right apparatus, NITPA will work with NCS, NITDA, NCC and the ministries to achieve our human resource development goals. (Please see Prof Bada or Prof Owei if you are interested in these initiatives).
3. Legislative Initiatives (Champions: Edna Udobong/Vesper Owei)
We wish to press on all branches of government in Nigeria to create a sound IT environment through enforceable legislation. In that vein, we have three initiatives about to start, aimed at achieving the following:
i. The Nigerian Indiginization Bill - A legislation to reserve 65% of IT labor and supplies for Nigerian citizens.
ii. Creation of a Nigerian IT Advisory Board, mandated with legislative tools to enforce item #1 when signed into law. May also lead to expansion of NITDA into an IT commission, thereby giving IT a more prominent place in Nigerian development.
iii. Passage of Nigerian Cyber Crime Bill as a tool for prosecuting the 419 perpetrators. Will also show the global community that we are serious about cyber crime in Nigeria. (Ghana is a model on this initiative).

4. Business to Business Initiatives (All Task Forces):
We were approached by over 50 Nigerian IT businesses to help them locate NITPA members who are capable of, and ready to work with them on different projects and opportunities. There are needs for B2B collaborations in Software development, ISP operation, Training, Consulting, Technical support and more. We agreed that best approach is to first launch the IT Portal and have both sides post their interests in a secured NITPA/NCS database allowing interested members to initiate contact, proposal or communication (matching). Meanwhile, those interested in any part of the initiatives above should contact me (Manny).

5. Image Building (Champions: Chuks Eleonu):
At a press conference in Nigeria, I called for all of us to work together and begin the process of promoting WHATEVER is good about Nigeria. I was very impressed by the level of cooperation the Nigerian Press is willing to give in this effort. To test the waters, I sent out a call for nomination for (just) one publication (BusinessDay) last Friday, hoping to develop an honor process for NITPA members who do positive things to be recognized as a way of encouraging folks at home (and the world) about Nigerians. Needless to say that we will try a different method next time as some of us will make simple recognition what it is not; It is not a popularity contest, nor a personal jamboree. We have so many requests in the pipeline and I ask everyone to have patient, and just do your very best for NITPA, our community and our profession. We will all have the ultimate recognition through knowing that we made a difference. I will aks Chuks Eleonu , our PRO, and his Team to take charge of this image making and work with the press to provide positive image building information capable of changing how everyone else sees Nigeria and Nigerians. Please contact Chuks if you wish to contribute to this effort.

6. Global Positioning (Champions: E-Board):
On this initiative, we have several UN, World Bank, and USAID committees, Task Forces, and positions which we wish to push Nigerians into. I am working on this with some of our E-Board members. We would also want to plug our NCS counterparts into these entities. Secondly, We have agreed with NCS (Nigerian Computer Society) to co-sponsor an international conference in Abuja next year. They have agreed to pay NITPA a visit early next year in preparation. If you need more information on this, please contact Vesper or Myself.

7. IT Application (Champions: Application Task Force / Ozokwelu and Aluko)
There are several IT, biotech, and medical discoveries which Nigeria stands to benefit from , if well packaged and applied. The Application Task Force has started looking into the gnome mapping of Maleria-carrying mosquitoes, the solar energy supply as an IT answer to NEPA power interruptions, the IT application to our civic society, commerce, transportation, security, etc. We are confident that this Task Force will soon issue a roadmap for how they wish to carry out these tasks, as their work is very crucial to NITPA's mission.

8. Security (Champions: Security Task Force / Gideon)
There is a need to address the internet, telecom, database and infrastructural security issues in Nigeria. This new Task Force is working on defining best practices in the West that Nigeria can learn from. We agreed with our partners in Nigeria to work together in addressing this. A software solution is being developed by Gideon and his group. Please see him if you wish to participate in this initiative.

Conclusion:
You can see that we have lots of areas we are working on. NITPA works within the framework of our task Forces. To participate in Telecom Development, for instance, you need contact the TF leader to sign up, network with rest of the group, and progress any of the telecom initiatives as contained in this summit document, or as developed by the team. NITPA as an industry vehicle, will assist you to actualize your collective, organizational or personal goals. I have talked to all Task Force Leaders about their charge, advising them of what we achieved at the summit that affect their areas of interests. Next step is to put the above initiatives into an implementation matrix, and progress them in close working relationship with our partners. Notice that all is hinging on the "IT Portal" and the "Skillsbank Database" as effective tools for executing most of our initiatives. I will be in contact with the developer and assure that they show us some results soon. If I miss anything, may I ask that my fellow summit conferees (Vesper, Edna, Giwa, Charles, and Obiesie) would please fill in. Thanks to all for your help.

Fraternally,
Manny Aniebonam, Ph.D.
President, NITPA Inc
Washington DC.