How ICTs helped contain Ebola virus in Nigeria- Johnson

A combination of the use of an Android app, Facebook and twitter were instrumental in Nigeria’s fight to contain the dreaded Ebola virus, Omobola Johnson, minister of communications technology, has disclosed.

Johnson said this in a policy statement delivered today at the at the ongoing International Telecommunications Union ITU 2014 Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-14) in Busan, Republic of Korea. Johnson who informed delegates made up of Ministers and senior officials from across the globe, that with Ebola time is very important added that- the phone app helped in reducing reporting times of infections by seventy-five percent: test results were scanned to tablets and uploaded to emergency databases and field teams got text message alerts on their phones informing them of the results.

Johnson reiterated that the combination of the internet and mobile cellular phones has opened up tremendous opportunities for countries like Nigeria.

The steep increase in mobile use, according to Johnson is driven by a number of factors, particularly, the additional ways in which mobile phones are being used in Nigeria. She added that beyond conducting voice conversations, mobile phones are often the preferred channel for receiving data and for conducting

transactions in Nigeria – making phones an indispensable tool used as-cameras, wallets, shops, music players, movie screens, and information or service centres of Nigerians.

Nigeria’s policy focus Johnson noted, is in step with the reality of the mobile internet revolution spreading across the globe- thus, the Ministry of Communication Technology is looking to create a viable environment for the proliferation of lower priced devices, increased investment in network infrastructure, and increased availability of spectrum for mobile broadband, in the knowledge that these will further drive growth in the nation’s ICT sector.

Johnson also disclosed that through the implementation of the National ICT Policy, National Broadband Roadmap, and Guidelines for Nigerian Content in ICT, the Ministry is bringing greater clarity and predictability to the Nigerian ICT sector. She stated that in the past four years, Nigeria has seen mobile subscription increase from 87 million active Sim cards to over 131 million and mobile internet subscription stood at 67 million as at June 2014.

The Ministry’s policy framework, Johnson added is in line with the ITU’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2019, particularly its identified goals and targets of Growth, Inclusiveness, Sustainability, and Innovation and Partnership.

The ICT sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP is growing and was about ten and a half percent (10.44 percent) in 2013. The sector also indirectly impacts GDP through its influence on other key sectors; for example, in the 2013, ICTs were responsible for twelve percent (12.05 percent) of the value added by the Finance and Insurance sector to GDP. In terms of social growth, ICTs are helping Government to meet health objectives, and are amplifying benefits in the education and agriculture sectors.

The ITU’s growth priority of enabling and fostering access to and increased use of telecommunications/ICTs according to Johnson, therefore, resonates with Nigeria, both economically and socially. Nigeria is also using telecommunications and ICTs to build a more inclusive society. The Broadband initiative which Nigeria is currently implementing across technologies and at various levels of governance, are in line with the Union’s priority of bridging the digital divide and providing broadband for all. Furthermore, these initiatives, Johnson reiterated are cognisant of the needs of women and girls, as well as other marginalised groups of the Nigerian society. Johnson ended the Policy statement by calling on all delegates to support Nigeria’s quest to serve as the Deputy Secretary General of the ITU.

Ben Uzor