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July, 2017 Austin Okere: Africa’s most successful techprenuer VVool.l .6 4 NNoo.. 45 AFRICA Redefining Connectivity in Africa CEO, Van den Driessche speaks to spacewatchafrica Special report on Satellite Industry’s Africa’s Digital Space race: role in the framework Migration journey Is Uhuru Kenyatta of sustainable SpacePorts race Special report on Satellite industry’s Is Uhuru Kenyatta Africa’s Digital and experience ready? development goals role in the framework Dready?eploying IntegraMigrationted I?T sjourneyolution s ofof rs tuhseta pinoarbtles system and experience development goals Page 18 Page 20 Page 24 Page 20 Page 19 Page 24 CONTENTS Vol. 6, No. 4 Nigeria hosts prestigious African Space Generation Workshop 4 Editor in-chief Aliyu Bello Executive Manager Tonia Gerrald Ghana goes paperless 5 SA to the editor in-Chief Ngozi Okey Head, Application Services M. Yakubu NigComSat hands last mile services Editorial/ICT Services John Daniel to channel partners 6 Usman Bello Redefining rural connectivity across Africa 9 Alozie Nwankwo Juliet Nnamdi Africa’s most successful techprenuer 15 Client Relations Sunday Tache Lookman Bello Race to space: Is Uhuru Kenyatta ready? 18 Safiya Thani Marketing Offy Pat Digital Migration: A survey of Africa’s Tunde Nathaniel journey and experience 20 Wasiu Olatunde Satellite Industry’s role in the framework of Media Relations Favour Madu sustainable development goals 24 Khadijat Yakubu Zacheous Felicia Space missions and instruments 27 Finance Folarin Tunde Nigeria’s flourishing video market 28 Space Watch Magazine is a publication of Lake Chad: Sectarian crisis poses food insecurity challenges 31 Communication Science, Inc. All correspondence should be addressed to editor, space Watch Magazine. 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AL AHRAM NEWPAPERS LIMITED Al Galaa Street -11511 Cairo-Egypt Ayo Olu MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION AGENCY Jos, Plateau State. 1 African report Akure Oleyemekun Source: Toyosin Farida Kekere Ekun Nigeria hosts prestigious African Space Generation Workshop The Federal University of Technology, making statements and presentations on cultural barriers facing space science Akure (FUTA) is set to host the African the various work that SGAC's network uptake in the Continent. Space Generation Workshop. The produces throughout the year. At the end of the conference, SGAC event coming up for the first time in hopes that the network between African Africa, will take place in November, at Mr. Temidayo Isaiah serves as one of students and young professionals will be the University campus hosted by the SGAC's regional coordinators for Africa. He strengthened. Mr. Abraham Tobilola is University's Centre for Space says, “Our aim is to bring together about serving as the event manager for the Research and Applications (CESRA). 100 top African delegates between 18 and workshop. 35 years old, focusing on university The event is organized by Space students (BSc, MSc, PhD students) and He says, “We want a new frontier for this Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) young professionals working in the African continent in the space sector, we want to and will draw students and young space sector. The workshop aims to launch our own satellite and put a man in space professionals from all parts of strengthen the regional network of the space from our continent, our young Africa. The Space Generation students and young professionals in the professionals can make that happen if we Advisory Council (SGAC) is a global African region. give them the right support''. non-governmental organization and network, which aims to represent The workshop will also examine and Recently, the Federal University of university students and young space consider key questions in Africa region that Technology, Akure,Nigeria announced professionals to the United Nations, the regional space community is facing and that it has launched a satellite into space space agencies, industry and to provide inputs from the next generation in partnership with other local and academia. of the space professionals. With this, the international organizations and workshop will allow tomorrow's space countries. The Nigerian CubeSat, code SGAC was established as one of the sector leaders in the Africa region to have name NigeriaEduSat-1 was designed, recommendations of the Third United the opportunity to interact with today's built and owned by the Federal University N a t i o n s C o n f e r e n c e o n t h e space leaders and professionals in the of Technology, Akure in collaboration with Exploration and Peaceful Uses of region. the National Space Research and Outer Space (UNISPACE III) held in Development Agency, NASRDA, and Vienna in 1999. SGAC has With the event having high-profile experts Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan. Permanent Observer Status in the on space science and technology, there will United Nations Committee on be 4 working group agenda. Participants The CubeSat was launched at the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (UN will be treated to interesting discussions on International Space Station where the COPUOS) and regularly present at its Africa's quest in becoming a reckoning satellite was deployed into lower orbit. It is annual meeting and its two force in the global space arena. The role of the first ever University satellite to be subcommittee's meetings. SGAC has African young females in space will not be launched in Nigeria, according to the been contributing to the discussion by left behind, as the attendees will discuss University. 2 ICTICT Business Business Ghana goes paperless In West Africa, Ghana has become a shining example of how the introduction the process flow, look at the integration the age long issue of delays and high of modern ICT to customs procedures points, look at the data elements that cost of doing business in the ports. and processes can dramatically improve each party needs and then make sure '' It's about compliance. If from day one a customs regime's capabilities. Even that all the systems come together'' she the importer and the agents put in without a comprehensive reform in both opined. compliant documents, then customs will revenue collection and cargo clearance According her places where there are no ensure that those documents sail simply by introducing a single window existing systems, it will imperative to through because there will be no platform. In 2004, average clearance introduce new systems there so that the anomalies. But you need third party data times at Kotoka International Airport country can realise a true paperless sources like the manifest or the export (KIA) had dropped from three days to regime. Ms. Mintah further noted that this data from the exporting country to check four hours, while most customs will cover the areas of import, export and to see if indeed what is being presented document review, which had taken up to transit trade. is correct. 24 hours before Ghana Community And that is where you can have delays Network, were taking just minutes. Incentivising compliant so it starts with compliance. If we can shippers have a good compliance base, then you In the late 1990s Ghana launched a new know that say 80% or 90% of your export promotion strategy. At its centre Ms. Mintah called for measures to be put in place to incentivise compliant shippers importers or exporters are compliant were operational changes implemented and then you can focus on the 10 or 20% by Ghanaian customs, but it was who play by the rules and ensure that they submit genuine and accurate that are not compliant but push to try and spearheaded by the ministry of trade get them to be compliant as well'' she and industry. Using a platform called documents and information for processing. intimated TrdaeNet, MTI created a community- Madam Mintah also stressed the need to based EDI trader system which, when According to her, there is the need for some amount of predictability in the engage such intransigent traders to find combined with a customs management out whether they truly and genuinely software, became Ghana community system and that compliant shippers must be given some preferential treatment in have challenges or they are shying away network. A public-private partnership from high duties and taxes. was created to implement the change to terms of expediting the clearance of their cargo quickly. a single window system, operating According to her if the challenge has to initially under a service contract. ''According to Valentina, there is need for do with high duties and taxes, then it will predictability in the system. So if I am a be imperative to have a policy decision Recently, the Chief Executive Officer of to look at how to harmonise and improve WestBlue Consulting, technical partners compliant trader, I need to know that when I bring in my goods it can actually the tax or duty rates. She sums it up by of the Customs Division of the Ghana noting that the issues are policy, Revenue Authority, Ms. Valentina be expedited and I don't need to queue up with all the bad guys to go through the technical and human in nature and must Mintah is confident Ghana will meet the be addressed. timelines for going paperless. Vice system'' she noted. president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at She explained that the Authorised the recently held port efficiency Economic Operator of the World conference at the instance of his office Customs Organisation (WCO) indicated the quest of government to see paves way or gives the leeway to a 100 percent migration to paperless traders who are compliant to have transactions in the ports of Ghana by their goods moved directly to their September 2017 homes and follow up inspections, if necessary can be done at the This he believes will ensure the trader or shippers' premises.