Nigeria Claims Top Internet Spot In Africa

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lollollololololololollololololololol your just got loled

Kudus to you guys for resolving your differences thats maturity which is appreciated and encouraged. I wish our leaders can do the same.
But shouldn't we think before we write a comment ? because some one blamed Abiola saying
'' The only opportunity Nigeria had to develop the needed infrastructure for telephone and VOI services was thwarted by Abiola who embezzled the ITT money ''
Haba Mr Man Alhaji Pastor oluwo ... ere le , i stand to be corrected; i think VOI(P) means Voice over internet (Protocol). Was there a vision of not to talk of internet in the 70's when the ITT contract was awarded ?

Today the internet is used for a variety of things. Students and teachers use the internet for information regarding school work. Parents use the internet for home and play. Many businessmen use the internet for work purposes. The internet has so many possibilities. Furthermore, many people use the internet for social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. The internet has become a major learning tool for people of all ages. Learn more about advantages of internet at jr80.com.

Please, Ibeku go and read your FIRST comment again. Your point there is clear and I think I agree with you except the basic criteria your conclusion was based on gave me some grave concern.

You said Zimbabwe has 9 million subscribers out of a population of 15 million,, and that South Africa has 30 million subscribers out a population of 40 million. Based on this information, there is nothing to celebrate about if out of 180 million people we have only about 44 million based on the proportion of the respective population of these countries using the internet. I later found out that this may not be true from two websites. The sites are http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_Internet_users .

South Africa and Zimbabwe has just about 5 million and 1 million users, respectively.

You see, I am a student in Texas and we usually have discussions like this about the corruption and sorry state Nigeria is both with Nigerians and foreigners. But, when we go further to use data that is not true just to make the point about Nigeria to me is like taking it to a different level. Not everyone, especially the foreigners, will have the time to crosscheck such data and I don't think it is constructive. That is my point.

Also, read the post by Martin Abadani titled 'Internet Access in Nigeria'. Abadani gives me the impression of a genuinely concerned Nigerian because of his constructive criticism that was based on facts. He points at the problems and identifying these problem of quality of service and how it can be resolved to me is most preferable.

I also agree with you that we should channel our energy on contributing towards the development of Nigeria but, don't get me wrong. My criticism doesn't cover corruption or bad governance. If we see any evidence of such we shouldn't hesitate to expose it. That is why methinks Saharareporters are doing an excellent job inholding public officers in Nigeria accountable.

And then, of course, I agree with the imperative of procedural development. I am only worried that the standard of what to celebrate is too low...

I still dont know what is your intention of attacking me. Granted, yes, the official population of zimbabwe is 11 million! according to who? according to BBC. I also know it. These are not issues, I dont think it is any more necessary to engage you in any further debate. Just ask yourself, how many people in South Africa have access to GSM 3G? This is not officially listed. I dont know if you are part of the system or not. "Ibeku and his malicious lies?" Still dont understand which lies? Certainly, it will be wrong of me to assume that you are a just a paid advocate of mediocrity. You dont have to insult me. Trust me, it is not worth it. Really it is not worth it. It is a waste of time.. I did not come up with my statistics from nowhere. I love this country and willing to die for it. And I know too that you love it. We dont have to fight. Let us channel our energy to these bandits in power. These idiots in power that have fleeced us for 50 years. There are much more that we do not know. There are much more classified powers that are interested in ruining this country and this are our collective enemies not me. These are idiots who sees politics as an investment. I am, certainly on your side. That is if you think Nigeria can rise again. To do that, we have to set the highest possible standards. we dont have to stoop so low. Our house is on fire and we are busy fighting of grasshoppers. That is all.

Real gentlemen ... Frank O and Ibeku! It is so nice to see that you have brushed aside your bruises and offered each other a warm handshake. Very nice indeed! If only the guys in National assembly will learn that not all divergent views have to end in exchange of blows. Well done guys!

Ibeku,

Although, I enjoy reading comments on Saharareporters I rarely comment on it. But, your statistics on the number of internet users in South Africa and Zimbabwe as being better than Nigeria with respect to users as a percentage of the population is a big lie that you maliciously fabricated straight from your heart.

I was just wondering what you intend to achieve with such
lie. The news article only tell us that Nigeria is now the top internet user in Africa and you came out with those fabricated data that has nothing to do with the article. That is my concerned, why did you lied, so maliciously, about Nigeria? What did you intend to achieve?

Ibeku, if you can fabricate such lies on data that is public knowledge (and you assume Nigerian will be so dumb as not to go an ascertain your misinformation) how will I believe you about your confidential UNDP data. Remember it was international organizations like UNDP that made companies like AT&T, Tmobile, Vodafone etc. not to participate in Naija GSM. In fact, one of those analyst provided malicious information about Nigeria like you just did that Nigerians are so poor that it will take about 10 years to obtain 5 million subscribers. Now, we know how wrong they were.

I beg to disagree with your insinuation that we shouldn't celebrate any achievement we made because you consider them as inconsequential when conpared to the advanced countries. You see, a Strategy is a plan to obtain long term goals and it consists of combinations of other plans (tactics) to obtain short-term goals. When you achieved these short-term goals there is nothing wrong in celebrating them while you focus on the ultimate strategic goals. Its like your child passing through primary, secondary and then university. That he is yet to marry, start a new family, become successful and take care of you are not enough reasons for you not to celebrate his achievement that far. Even though we are yet to get to the stage of the EU and US doesn't imply that we should not celebrate and have hope of improving especially if we consider where we were 10 years ago.

Anyway, the last paragraph is a distraction from the issuem I have with your first post. In that post you were dishonest as you use falsified data to buttress your argument.

@ibeku am really sorry for first attacking you negatively, i just could't stand the fact that most people whom have not been to nigeria since the last 5yrs will sit and be condemning what's happening in nigeria. me and my friends argue about this almost everytime, they dont believe that any good thing can come out of nigeria. when i first moved back to nigeria in 2008 internet wasn't the way it is now. it has really improved, it is not enough to be celebrated but we can acknowledge it. even when you travel to some of the rich gulf countries their internet network cannot be compared to european network.

@ Mandilad, I agree, I agree.
@Ota Fox. And thanks for this new perspective too... it is really much ado about nothing. I'd rather spend my energy here unveiling the systematic plunder of Nigeria by these idiots in house of rep and senate.
@ Duane ... keep standing for the truth.
@ Frank O. Need I say more? I wish we could have a healthy debate and just learn from each other and see how we can form a quorum to stand together as one. Too sad it is not going to be the case since all you can do is to attack me ala ad hominem

@Ibeku and fellow combatants, all you have said are true, but they are not news, believe me. The one thing that is so evident is Nigeria's many problems. The subject matter here, least we forget, is that Nigeria has improved in Internet usage. While I agree that the devil is in the detail but there is no denying that there has been some progress. In two 2000 you could hardly find a student with a laptop with Internet access. Internet access was mainly through dial-up connection or exhobitant VSAT for corperate users. Today, even my primary school daughter does most of her home work on her laptop using a wifi enabled wireless router from a CDMA Internet service netwrok. It does not have to be braodband before it can be true Internet service. Today I can use Skype to call Europe from my village using my GSM 3G mobile Internet modem. If that is not progress, I wondeer what is. You have to crawl to walk and the West surely started with dial-up access before graduating to broadband. Nigeria is a third world country and you need investment to make broadband really affordable when it eventaully comes. And we do not have to wait for ITU to sell us propaganda to know that there has been some progress in Internet access in Nigeria, how ever they arrive at that statistics. And please don't say it is because I can afford it and poorer people or those in the rural areas cannot. That maybe true, but the fact is that 10 or 6 years back, I could not have afforded it anyway, because it was not available. There has been some changes believe me and it is worth acknowledging. You know, you actually need to LIVE in Nigeria, to see things for yourself and do not depend too much on the Internet and a few visits per year to give you a true picture of things. I do not subscribe to mediocrity, but in Nigeria, it might be the only choice you have between surviving and perishing. Unfortunately for those of us that live here the choice is obvious. Lets have this same discussion again in 10 years time and I bet the story will be different!

Thank you for bring this new fresh perspective.

How many internet connections in Nigeria can allow you to run a Youtube video without waiting for "buffering" of the video? This is a simple test of quality of a connection. We also have the largest users of electricity in Africa but we all know how much electricity we get. In any case, giving gross number of internet users is misleading, rather the PER CAPITA internet access is more relevant in developmental terms. Do we have the highest per capita internet access? This article is misleading, to say the least.

Yes, more users in Nigeria but these users get poor quality, slow internet acesss. In Egypt and Morroco, most users get fast broadband access. Nigeria, because of its population is bound to have the largest number of users of everything, from university education to cinema attendance but we always start late and we recieve a poorer quality of service. We are the largest mobile phone market but Lagos got GSM four years after ACCRA and SIX MONTHS after MOGADISHU, SOMALIA !!! Our NTA claims to be the largest TV network in Africa but we all know the SHIT it dishes out. I'll rather watch Cameroon or Sudan TV anyday. Lets stop boasting about our population and do some quality things for once.

See how Frank O and the rest are spewing venom at others simply because they disagree on this debate.

If you don't know, healthy debates help us to learn from each other and build on our democratic principles.

Facts remain - the proportion of Nigerian population with access to internet connection is depressingly low and we can't become one of the top best economies like this.

The youth suffer from misplaced priority (not all though) and this trend is dangerous.

Internet access must be high speed (broadband) to be meaningful to users at this 21st century.

Learn to tolerate opposing views as you can imagine how critical views/comments pile pressure on our politicians to step up their game.

Bye bye oooo......

This comment show's that you've not been to nigeria lately, most people in nigeria now have internet in at home even people who live in a room and a palour. either with laptop or mobile phone, so my guy try come home and see the progress in nigeria. probably you dont even have documents to travel, that why you are so bitter about the progress of nigeria. i know people like you, when you where in nigeria you were nobody, now in europe you think you're all that.

I looked at the statistics you presented and I thought hard if I should attach a link from the UNDP where I work but it is a private document. Just to show you how much you have swallowed propaganda theory. You still dont get the point? Why should we celebrate just because someone threw a crumb of humanity at us? Something that belongs to us. It makes me so sad to read some of these comments because it shows that we are all just happy in this mess that we have been subjected! I was in Sokoto and Kano a couple of weeks ago and trying go get internet connectivity was a mayhem. But that is not even the case, the statistics they used, (as you published) was a propaganda. I give you a tip, how many people have got access to GSM in Nigeria? And if that is the statistics, then, you might have an insight where I am coming from. We have got to be critical, this is our country. I will be the happiest person to celebrate when we have achieved real progress. We have to look beyond the mere trivialities, change our mindset and take our leaders to task for responsible leadership. There is nothing that is a cause for celebration, nothing indeed. If you said, Nigeria tops Africa for number of qualitative universities, or for number of indigenous companies, or number of car industries, or that Nigeria is the largest exporter of domestic products... trust me, we would have something to celebrate.
we dont have to be characters in Plato's allegory of the cave. Ignorance is bliss! We dont have to be malignant at each other. We just have to change our mindset in order to raise the standard. We have to take over this sinking ship and not let these big corporations fleece us and give us armchair theories to justify their presence in Nigeria. Then they will present this data (just like the one you pubilshed) to the government and say, "hey look, you see we have made huge progress in Nigeria". And what does our government do, they give them a pat on the back and tell them to stay. Meanwhile, they are bribing our senators and other government ministers to overlook their inflated index. I dont even know where to begin. First, they hire Nigerians today and fire them tomorrow and bring their own people in. Secondly, they will not even pay their taxes because they have convinced our stupid leaders that without them Nigeria will collapse. Meanwhile these are all false doctrines to perpetuate a myth of being "non-expendable". And guess what, they are targeting people like you to feel good about yourself and feel you have "developed". Please, John Ojeah, there is no need to attack each other. WE are on the same boat. This is simply propaganda of the politics of globalization. It is beyond what you see...

@ Frank O, you dont have to attack John Iteshi (may be you can learn something from Mr. Iteshi). Besides, I apologize if my earlier comment hurt you, but it was because you threw the first insult at me by attacking my person instead of raising issues with the point I raised. I rest my case. And this is my last submission to this debate. We just have to wake up and see beyond the trivialities... Or before we wake up, China will be owning everything in Nigeria and we will still be dancing on the street because they sent us a packet of toothpicks... As an Hausa proverb goes, "Na dinka riga babu wuya, wanda ya yanka wuyan shi sa ma kan sa"

If you have got something to say, poke hole in the argument and dont attack the person.

internet access is not s luxury in Nigeria if you care to know.

That Nigeria has the highest number of internet access in Africa is a very fake progress because the statistics seems to be based on the number of Nigerians who have signed up to either yahoo account or facebook account.
Such data must be very wrong and misleading because the only thing it actually shows is t he well known fact that Nigerians are far more desperate on individual level than the rest of Africa.
Nigerians are desperately signing up to yahoo and facebook because they are in vogue and sort of status symbols or possible source of making contacts with foreign lands for personal benefits.
As it does not cost any money to open an email or facebook account, virtually every Nigerian in the University is forced to join at least with one account. Some even have several facebook accounts and yahoo accounts of course, which are rarely ever visited as you would have to pay a lot of money to use internet in Nigeria.
Apart from Lagos,Abuja and a few other cities, internet access is real big luxury in Nigeria.

One more thing i did not fail in europe, i am presently in europe to take care of my business and will be going back to nigeria soon. i have a life here and dont need to condemn nigeria because i live in europe. plus not just that i live in europe i have toured most european countries.

Thanks for your comment. people like ibeku and John iteshi are failure's that can't stand the fact that people in nigeria can afford what they cannot afford in the west, when they see hardworking nigerian's who live in nigeria, they always want to label them as criminals out of complex. i have alot of friends like this two idiot that will die as failures.

...lol u really made me laugh. like i wrote earlier, i spent 17yrs in europe and i dont need to announce here that i have a property or am holding a european passport. what am saying is you guys sit back there and talk crap, always there to criticise. what have you done to help this country?. and about me been a rogue, people like you that call people names are most times the idiot and rogue in the western society. you can only talk here, come out write what you are wrote about nigeria here. oloshi. God will continue to make peoeple like you failure because you dont know how to appreciate other people effort. idiot.

Ibeku is spreading a lot of lies here. I don't know his motivation for spreading such unsubstantiated claims. I think Ibeku falls under those Nigerian Diaspora that doesn't hesitate to talk down on Nigeria in the presence of foreigners with myopic view that it will make him different from the rest of Nigerians.

If 9 million ZImbabweans have access to the internet implies 60 percent of the population. I was surprised because I know that the whole of EU, USA, about 3 years ago has less 60 percent users, hence, I went to the website and found out that Ibeku was lying.

In fact, Zimbabwe population is not 15 million but about 11 million and at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) website Zimbabwe has only 1.4 million users (12.2% of population) while South Africa has only about 5 million internet users (10.8%. Nigeria on the other hand is No 10 in the world with about 44 million subscribers which is about 29% of population and about 40% of all internet users in Africa.

So, I don't know what Ibeku wants to achieve by pouring out such fabrications. He must be among those Nigerians that feel that anything Nigerian is bad, and who always want to be worshipped just because they have gone abroad.

@ Frank O - If you could not get the opportunity to live abroad, need to moan about it, for home is always better!
Your comment is simply disgraceful. Ibeku is simply talking about Nigeria making real progress and not celebrating midiocrity. What you want is to feel good probably because you failed to succeed in Europe, but our collective success which Ibeku is rightly concerned about is far more crucial than your individual desperation to prove a point to those that live abroad!
If you live in Nigeria and have not learnt that Nigeria is a failure (not you as a person or any person, but us collectively), you are unfortuantely either an idiot or a rogue!!

Hmmmm Ibeku.. Ori e ma foka sibe oo.. I also live and study abroad on scholarship but I agree with you.. One truth is when u live in a foreign land and u see how things are done(in the right manner or almost), you start to compare with what u have back home and there's nothing wrong in doing that. The elections are here and it is time for us to cast our votes for change cuz we really need a CHANGE, not just a change in Govt but also a change in our thinking and mentality. Internet access and other infrastructure shouldn't be seen as a privilege and shudnt call for celebration afterall we pay tax.

Nigeria Telecom has a long way to go. Main One submarine fiber optics cable terminates at Lagos POP and not all Lagos residents would have cheap Internet access.. Nigeria has poor Telecom infrastructure such as Access POPs and proper telecom laws.. what is an Access POP? Point of Presence (POPs) are regional fibre optics rings (SONET) connected to carrier multiplexers (MUX) then connected to fully meshed carrier class switches (OC-192/48) which is then connected to smaller Ether GigE switches then to various clustered UNIX/LINUX/Windows Servers (for Provissioning services to the consumer) at the data centers. So each region (6) would have NITEL data center.. Suburban Telcom or Starrcom do not have the capacity for effective broadband services. Wireless ISPs such as Glo, MTN has limited bandwidth capacity for mobile users.. How much data, videom audio can be transported over the air/radio interface to the Mobile Agent/Black Berry handset? max is 362kb/ps one way, so bidirectional (2-ways) is limited to 724kb/ps est including overhead for transmission errors. Multimedia apps demand huge bandwidth outlays.. How does Nigeria Telecom operators aggregate wireless users traffic from Sokoto/Yola/Ibadan/Abj/Calaba/Warri and transport all video/pictures/audio/business data/SMS etc to Main One cable termination point?
Nigerians need NITEL now. Why is President Jonathan silent on NITEL/BPE privatization strategy? how long? NITEL sale to a private technical equity firm
would shake the telecom industry in Nigeria.. Glo MTN, Eiasti.. provide wireless services for mobile users.. but businesses, Universities/Research Inst, Hospitals, Govt needs Laptops/terminals/PCs to process business transactions.. Wireless is a subset of the Telecom industry..God Bless

Nigeria Telecom has a long way to go. Main One submarine fiber optics cable terminates at Lagos POP and not all Lagos residents would have cheap Internet access.. Nigeria has poor Telecom infrastructure such as Access POPs and proper telecom laws.. what is an Access POP? Point of Presence (POPs) are regional fibre optics rings (SONET) connected to carrier multiplexers (MUX) then connected to fully meshed carrier class switches (OC-192/48) which is then connected to smaller Ether GigE switches then to various clustered UNIX/LINUX/Windows Servers at the data centers. So each region (6) would have NITEL data center.. Suburban Telcom or Starrcom do not have the capacity for effective broadband services. Wireless ISPs such as Glo, MTN has limited bandwidth capacity for mobile users.. How much data, videom audio can be transported over the air/radio interface to the Mobile Agent/Black Berry handset? max is 362kb/ps one way, so bidirectional (2-ways) is limited to 724kb/ps est including overhead for transmission errors. Multimedia apps demand huge bandwidth outlays.. How does Nigeria Telecom operators aggregate wireless users traffic from Sokoto/Yola/Ibadan/Abj/Calaba/Warri and transport all video/pictures/audio/business data/SMS etc to Main One cable termination point?
Nigerians need NITEL now. Why is President Jonathan silent on NITEL/BPE privatization strategy? how long? NITEL sale to a private technical equity firm
would shake the telecom industry in Nigeria.. Glo MTN, Eiasti.. provide wireless services for mobile users.. but businesses, Universities/Research Inst, Hospitals, Govt needs Laptops/terminals/PCs to process business transactions.. Wireless is a subset of the Telecom industry..God Bless

What is the quality of the service?Please check out my blog:http://henryik2009.wordpress.com.

Ibeku is spreading a lot of lies here. I don't know his motivation for spreading such unsubstantiated claims. I think Ibeku falls under those Nigerian Diaspora that doesn't hesitate to talk down on Nigeria in the presence of foreigners with myopic view that it will make him different from the rest of Nigerians.

If 9 million ZImbabweans have access to the internet implies 60 percent of the population. I was surprised because I know that the whole of EU, USA, about 3 years ago has less 60 percent users, hence, I went to the website and found out that Ibeku was lying.

In fact, Zimbabwe population is not 15 million but about 11 million and at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) website Zimbabwe has only 1.4 million users (12.2% of population) while South Africa has only about 5 million internet users (10.8%. Nigeria on the other hand is No 10 in the world with about 44 million subscribers which is about 29% of population and about 40% of all internet users in Africa.

So, I don't know what Ibeku wants to achieve by pouring out such fabrications. He must be among those Nigerians that feel that anything Nigerian is bad, and who always want to be worshipped just because they have gone abroad.