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Search | What's New?| Site Map | Discussion Lists Case Study Effectiveness of Informatics Policy Instruments in Africa: Nigeriaby G.A. Alabi, April 1994Contents1. Introduction 2. Global Developments in Informatics 3. Information/Informatics Policies in Nigeria 4. General Trends in Informatics Activities in Nigeria 5. Technological Developments in Nigeria 6. Application of Information Technology (IT) in Nigeria 7. Strategies for the implementation of Science and Technology Policy in Nigeria 8. Databank Activities in Nigeria 9. Computer Literacy and Computer Utilization in Nigeria 10. Installation of Computers in Schools 11. Informatics Programme at the Tertiary level 12. Establishment of MIS in Nigerian Universities 13. Recent Developments in Informatics in Nigeria 14. Regional Informatics Activities in Nigeria: RINAF and CGNET15. Infomatics in Organisations and Industries 16. Professional Ethics in Informatics 17. Informatics Activities in Ministries 18. Development Plans in Informatics in Government Ministries 19. Telematics Activities in Nigeria 20. Recommendations for Formulation of an Effective National Policy on Informatics Informatics Policy Instruments in Nigeria. Objectives 1. To carry out a survey of the instruments of National Informatics Policies which have been implemented in Nigeria. 2. To obtain empirical data on the objectives of these national informatics policy instruments and on the extent to which they have achieved their objectives and reasons for success or failure to do so. 3. Survey of Informatics Resources and Constraints 4. Procedures for Informatics Training,Education and Employment 5. Fiscal incentives and investment Policies Activities 1. Collection and Analysis of Documentation on Informatics Policies in Nigeria. 2. Analysing level of technological development in Nigeria (identifying level of technological development) 3. Development of Research Plan 4. Determining data elements to be covered in documenting policies/policy instruments. Literature Sources Consulted 1. National Policy on Science and Technology Lagos, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, 1986. 36p. 2. The National Health Policy and Strategy to achieve health for all Nigerians. Lagos Federal Ministry of Health, October 1988. 54p. 3. Agricultural Policy for Nigeria. Lagos, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development, 1986. 65p. 4. Policy guidelines on energy for Nigeria. Lagos, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, 1987. 29p. 5. National Policy on Computer Education. Lagos, Federal Ministry of Education, 1988. 79p. 6. Industrial Policy of Nigeria: Policies, incentives, guidelines and industrial framework. Lagos, Federal Ministry of Industries, [1989] 56p. 7. Revised guidelines on acquisition of foreign technology under decreee 70 of 1979. Lagos, The National Office of Industrial Property, 1989. 41p. Executive Summary 1. The arrival of computer systems and technology in Nigeria preceded the availability of computer skill and knowledge in our educational system. 2. The need for computer education came as a response to the demands of the public and private sectors of the economy. 3. Due to the strong job market for degree holders in Computer Science, fewer graduates continue with postgraduate studies in Computer Science. 4. To fill in the gaps requires continuing education which now abounds in every part of the country. 5. Because Nigeria operates a free market economy, there is practically no control on the inflow of computer hardware and software into our market. 6. No unified system of data collection, processing and utilization until very recently in Agriculture, Medicine and Banking operations. The government, through the Federal Ministry of Education has already adopted a plan to introduce computing curriculum at the secondary school level. Microcomputing is now being introduced in all the Federal Government colleges as a first step. A central agency is also being established to co- ordinate activities of government in planning, acquisition development and application of IT. 7. All the National Development Plans produced up to 1985 as well as the National Rolling Plans, 1989-1991, 1990-92 and 1992-1994 failed to accord due recognition to the value of real information as opposed to information dissemination for propaganda and public enlightenment purposes derivable from newspapers, radio and television. 8. There are in Nigeria today more than 500 Registered Computer companies 200 of which are under the umbrella of the Microcomputer Association of Nigeria (MIVAN) and their activities centre mainly on:
9. Communication plays a very vital role in informatics activities, hence a National Informatics Policy when eventually established must be viewed and implemented as complementary to the existing National Communication Policy. With the establishment of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) in December 1992, the telecommunications industries in Nigeria have now been completely privatised. As of April 1994, 40 private companies have been officially licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission to operate telecommunications services in the country. 10. There is presently no National Computer Committee to work out modalities for informatics development in different sectors of the economy. Many of the informatics efforts in the country have been at individual or institutional levels. There has been no proper co-ordinated informatics development at national level. The proposal for this National Information Policy is still in the pipeline and judging by trends over the past two decades, it requires a lot of mounting pressures to effect its promulgation. 11. There are presently 18.7 million students enrolled in over 39.7 thousand institutions at various levels and types. Of the 18.7 million students in schools, less than 2 million have access to formal computer activities except in a very few private primary and secondary schools (about 1% of total number of schools) which are elitist in their set-ups and charge fees ranging from N20,000 to N50,000 compared with an average of N500 per annum charged in public schools. 12. The application of IT in Nigeria is much more extensive and noticeable in the private sector. The areas of application covers nearly all the activities of the private sector. The major users include the banks, oil industry, insurance houses, consultants and manufacturers. This trend is still growing. A number of instituions in the country especially some of the Federal Universities of Technology now offer courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mathematics and Computer Science; Computer and digital systems leading to the awards of B.Tech., M.Tech. and Ph.D. degrees. 13. The local sourcing of industrial raw materials in Nigeria has increased since the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). But this fact has not significantly contributed to the technonogical development of the country mainly because of increased local cost of importing those inputs that cannot yet be produced locally. 14. Now that the Nigerian Government has a workable national science and technology policy which embraces the objectives of industrial development, the only critical challenge facing the country is to evolve a Science and Technology Information System policy. 15. Installing computers in Nigeria today as
well as servicing it, obtaining spare parts, and buying supplies are substantial problems
almost everywhere. Securing the appropriate customs formalities is also a problem. It can
take months to clear equipment from customs after its arrival in the country. 17. In the area of telematics, Nigeria presently has a telephone penetration of 0.4 (i.e. 4 telephone lines to 100 inhabitants). Prior to May 1992, Nigeria's telephone services were restricted to conventional telephone and telex/telegram. With the NITEL now a fully commercialized autonomous company, there is now a tremendous restructuring of the telecommunications industry and management rationalization for accelerated telecommunications. 18. It is observed that effective information handling today can no longer be divorced from appropriate technological and telecommunications infrastructures. In particular, informatics will probably dominate the information scene for a long time to come. Informatics Policy Instruments in Nigeria Introduction One of the identified agents through which the world will constantly experience change is 'technology'. In the business of trying to make information available, in the right form, to the right users both at personal and organizational levels, and at the right time, the bid to cope with the great flood of information has led to the need for a more sophisticated way of handling information faster and better. The outcome of these efforts has brought the facilities for total electronic communication. In the developed world, this technology is felt at every home while, most developing nations, including Nigeria, are just at the threshold of imbibing the new order of things. The various computers and peripherals in our midst today are clear evidences of Information Technology explosion. Low-cost, computer-based technologies for communication and information management are available today and have already proven to be effective in international scientific, business, educational, and government institutions. With the use of computers, several trends are now coming together that give the information or communication professional unprecedented opportunities to develop innovative and effective information systems. In Nigeria today, and indeed the world, there is an evolving recognition of the importance of linkages among institutions, researchers and other participants in the information exchange process. In organisational settings and in the educational sector, government response towards this new trend is remarkable. For decision-makers - executives, managers and policy makers, for example, the management of information becomes especially important. Filtering mechanisms must therefore be developed to direct appropriate, timely information to them with a minimum of diversion to irrelevant details. Technology plays a dual role here because of its capacity to increase and diversify information flows, as well as its capabilities for sorting, reducing, storing and targeting information for use on highly individualized basis. Global Developments in Informatics During a recent conference titled "Africa's first Health Informatics conference" held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, under the auspices of the International Medical Informatics Association, Geneva Switzerland, and the OAU Computer Science Department in April 1993, the Director of Informatics and Telematics at the World Health Organization (WHO) Geneva, Dr. Sallah Mandil1; defined the emergence of informatics in the last few years to mean - computing and communications methodology and technology. At the same seminar Dr. Khalil Moidu2 of the Yale University School of Medicine explained that the term informatics is the way by which computers can help in collection, storage and presentation of information. At another forum, Paul E. Mugambi(3) recognised that while information technology is the technology that involves the storage, processing, retrieval and dissemination of information by the use of computers and communications networks, informatics is the science of this technology, which consists of computer science of both hardware and software, and also embraces communication engineering. Semenyuk(4), in his popular book `Informatics: Achievements, Prospects, Possibilities, however cites four main aspects in the present-day interpretation of informatics. According to him: Informatics is the totality of computerised information technology; Informatics is a specific part of the national economic infrastructure including the whole sphere of automated processing and technological utilisation of information; Informatics is a scientific branch studying the processes of information transmission and means for its automatic processing; and Informatics is the theory of scientific information (i.e. information science) and scientific-information activity, focusIn its effort at narrowing the widening gap in the use of information technology between the developed and developing countries, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at its 22nd General Conference decided to launch an Intergovernmental Informatics Programme (IIP) with the main tasks of assisting: 1. in the establishment of national policies to incorporate informatics in national development plans. 2. the informatics specialists, decision makers, users and instructors with a view to introducing and spreading informatics in the education system at all levels. 3. on the establishment and strengthening of informtics infrastructure, maintenance services, local networks and telecommunications and 4. in the promotion of research in informatics and scientific research using facilities offered by informatics4. Other aspects of informatics apart from training include: (i) the development of data bases; (ii) establishment of networks for information exchange (iii) production of software particularly for educational system. In setting out to investigate informatics policies in Africa, vis-a-vis Nigeria, this document takes a critical look at the situation in some other African countries and the objectives of the International Informatics Policy (IIP). One of the recently reported case studies was that of Uganda which set up a National committee charged with the responsibility of promoting informatics for development in Uganda. In Nigeria, no such committee existed until
very recently through ad hoc committees to work out modalities for informatics development
in different sectors of the economy in addition to informatics programmes at the
universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education - both federal and state. Of relevance to the much awaited national policy on information is the National Communication Policy of 1987(6). The policy, according to Aiyepeku(7), is a package for the complete mobilization of all the structures of human interaction, information changes and sharing of life experiences in the society. The major focus is the propagation of national goals but objectives, scope and coverage of its information content is limited to the narrow area of information dissemination. As observed recently, all the National Development Plans produced up to 1985 as well as the National Rolling Plans, 1989-1991, 1990-92 and 1992-1994 failed to accord due recognition to the value of real information as opposed to information dissemination for propaganda and public enlightenment purposes derivable from newspapers, radio and television. With the Computer Association of Nigeria now being accorded a professional status under Decree No. 49 of 1993, the next move is for the government to establish the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria. The Council when established will take over the full control of the regulation of informatics activities in Nigeria. The functions of this council will be similar to those of other Councils. For example, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) established by Decree No. 23 of 1988 with the power to determine the standards of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to become members of medical or dental profession and review those standards from time to time. The Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) has been putting up its papers for the establishment of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria whose sole pre-occupation will also be to regulate the alarming rate of the proliferation of computer training programmes in Nigeria. The council, when fully operational, is expected to draw guidelines that will constitute the National Informatics Policy such as -
Participation in International Informatics programmes and services. While acknowledging the fact that the Nigerian Government has placed more emphasis on mass communication type of information development, it is essential to ensure that the Computer Professionals Registration Council prays the government to appreciate the value of investing equitably in the machinery for propanganda and public enlightenment, as well as in the production, organization and utilization of 'hard' information (which informatics encourages) for development. While still awaiting the formulation of a National Informatics Policy in Nigeria, it will be of assistance when formulating such policy if the opinion of experts in information policies can be taken into consideration. For example, for any development process, it is vital to have horizontal information channels that activate all sectors of the population and facilitate access to decision-making for otherwise excluded sectors. It is important to emphasize that effective information handling today can no longer be divorced from appropriate technological and telecommunications infrastructures. In particular, informatics will probably dominate the information scene for a long time to come. Communication plays a very vital role in informatics activities, hence a National Informatics Policy when eventually established must be viewed and implemented as complementary to the existing National Communication Policy. General Tends in Informatics Activities in Nigeria There are in Nigeria today more than 500 Registered Computer companies 200 of which are under the umbrella of the Microcomputer Association of Nigeria (MIVAN) and their activities centre mainly on: 1. Computer sales and maintenance services 2. Software Development and Information buildings 3. Computer Education and Training 4. Wordprocessing and Bureau Services 5. Marketing and Economic Research, amongst others This association was formed around 1987 to promote informatics in Nigeria especially computer literacy and usage. The body whose operations are closely monitored by the Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN), also functions to recommend prices for the sale of computers and allied products in Nigeria; monitor the advancement and development of computer technology worldwide and create a forum for the exchange of technological/technical information and ideas among members of the association in particular and COAN members in general. Recently, MIVAN hosted the "first ever indigenous computer fair" in the country. According to some members of the association, previous fairs had focussed largely on micro-computer products from the U.S.A. This one which took place between 7th and 9th April, 1994 had 61 booths displaying various microcomputer gadgets and peripherals from all parts of the world including Nigeria. The training activities of most of the companies are usually tailored to a wide number of areas such as: (a) Professional Programme leading to awards of certificates and diplomas comparable to those offered by other professional bodies such as IDPM, City and Guilds of London, etc. (b) In-house training programmes on Software Packages (c) Computer awareness programmes (d) Systems development techniques training programme The training activities in all the computer industries started to attract large clients immediately after most of the companies were formed around 1988. Apart from hundreds of school leavers who enrol in some of the in-house programmes while awaiting admissions to the institutions of higher learning for almost six to nine months, professionals in the Banking, Finance, Insurance, Engineering, Medical, Building, Manufacturing, Advertising, Oil, Educational, Media sectors also benefit a lot from tailor-made training programmes to enhance performances in these sectors. In addition to the training programmes in informatics offered by the above companies, there are also a number of training activities organised by most of the Research Institutes, Government Agencies, Management Institutions, Companies and professional associations to acquaint their staff and the public with latest skills in informatics developments. These training programmes usually range from 3-day to 3 weeks attracting a fee of between N3,000 to N25,000. Such training programmes include:
Furthermore, a number of instituions in the country especially some of the Federal Universities of Technology now offer courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mathematics and Computer Science; Computer and digital systems leading to the awards of B.Tech., M.Tech. and Ph.D. degrees. In discussing information and communications policy, two main aspects of information policy, must be recognised. These are: (i) Constitutional and Statutory policies which affect the availability and accessibility of information (ii) Economic policies which determine how and whether information is distributed to society Technological Development in Nigeria Technological development is the process by which the inhabitants of a given political or geopraphical unit continuously and creatively convert their natural resources into goods and services to satisfy their basic requirements. It has led to increased supply of local raw materials or basic inputs, overall increase in domestic output, capacity utilization, increased flexibility of the economy as evidenced by availability of varying products, size of industry as evidenced in increase in number of branches and the geographical distribution and the impact on the rural areas(8). The local sourcing of industrial raw materials in Nigeria has increased since the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). But this fact has not significantly contributed to the technonogical development of the country mainly because of increased local cost of importing those inputs that cannot yet be produced locally. The weak raw material base of the industrial sector is linked with the neglect, in previous years, of agricultural production and the processing of solid minerals; two sectors which would have provided an adequate raw material base for the manufacturing sector. The problem of shortage of machinery and spare parts is much more seriously felt, since very limited capapcity currently exists in Nigeria for local fabrication of even the simplest machines and equipment with the result that even the machines designed or adapted by research institutes are hardly commercialised. Prior to the early 80s, there was a reduced interest in the use of local technological capability compared with importation. Recently, however, there has been a renewed interest in making use of local technological resources. A number of factors accounted for this which include political interest in self reliance and the need of finding production techniques more appropriate to distribu- tional and employment objectives. Nigeria has by all standards made massive investments in scientific and technical education and research. The number of Universities in Nigeria has increased from thirteen during the 1977/78 academic session to thirty-seven during the 1993/94 academic session. (Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board Brochure, 1994). In the actual production sectors, no local and/or internal Research and Development established within the private organisations has made major breakthroughs, all the requirements being met from the home base of the companies. Limitations on Technological Development of Nigeria It has been established that one of the factors contributing to rapid industrialisation is the dissemination of usable research findings to industrialists in the language and format they understand. It is assumed therefore that inadequate or ineffective dissemination and use of information must have been responsible for the slow pace of industrial development in Nigeria. The inability of government to set goals to assist the publication and utiliza- tion of research findings has also resulted in a considerable proportion of researchers carrying out activities which have very little or no relevance to science, technology and industrial development(9). The science and technology policy structures in developed, as well as developing countries have shown that the political ideologies and the socio-economic background on which they have been created have greatly influenced:- (a) the number and behaviour of the actors (government officers, the scientific community, industrialists, political analysts, etc.); (b) the kind of governmental bodies created; (c) the procedure for the formulation, adoption and the assessment of ssientific and technical information policies. In line with this, the scientists of the UNESCO 1986 study set out to investigate the way the countries of the West African sub-region use scientific and technical information to solve their major development problems. What emerged from the study were:- 1. that countries of West Africa are fully aware of the role that scientific and technical information must play in the socio-economic development of their country; 2. that few West African countries have a clearly defined national science and technology policy aimed at systematically integrating science and technology into the formulation of the objectives of the development plans and execution; 3. that certain countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Ghana which have relatively well-developed science and technology policy-making bodies have made some efforts to integrate science and technology into the major objectives of their development plans. Now that the Nigerian Government has a workable national science and technology policy which embraces the objectives of industrial development, the only critical challenge facing the country is to evolve a Science and Technology Information System policy. Science and Technology has continued to receive appropriate Government attention in full realisation of its role and importance in the promotion of the nation's socio-economic growth and development. The interest of the private sector in Science and Technology has also been on the increase, going by their participation in the various seminars, workshops and exhibitions mounted recently by the various research Institutes, the Universities and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) set up under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has recorded considerable success in many areas since its establishment. These include: (i) Up-grading of Industrial raw materials from their raw stages to the stages they could be used by industry. (ii) documentation of existing technologies for raw materials processing; (iii) documentation of strategic raw materials. The Council also recently embarked on a number of techno-economic surveys to determine the quality and quantity of information on raw materials, process technology, equipment, relevant manpower, research status, market outlets, government policies, etc. This project is being financed by the UNDP and the outputs which include a computerized information sybsystem and an automated library subsystem will enable investors and entrepreneurs obtain required information for developmental purposes. The technology used is based on LAN with workstations and a DataGeneral (DG/UNIX) Server. The Software is an ORACLE Relational Data Base Management Software. The Databank now has eleven modules namely:
The hardware installation is now 100 per cent completed while input of data is about mid-way. The project when completed will become the first active databank produced by a governmental organisation in Nigeria. Application of Information Technology (it) in Nigeria The application of IT in Nigeria is much more extensive and noticeable in the private sector. The areas of application covers nearly all the activities of the private sector. The major users include the banks, oil industry, insurance houses, consultants and manufacturers. This trend is still growing. Presently, a number of private and governmental firms are either busy computerising their services or putting up proposals for doing so. In the late 70s, the level of awareness of IT in the private sector was very low. Today, there is a marked improvement, especially on the awareness of IT and its potential contribution to commerce and industry. The appearance of a few computer consultancy and bureau services firms further go a long way to enhance this level of awareness. It is also noticed that the Nigerian Government has identified the need for a set of policy guidelines and has set machinery in motion to formulate them. So far, this exercise has actively involved two important arms of government, the Federal Ministry of National Planning and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. Also actively involved are the umbrella professional bodies in the country, Computer Association of Nigeria, Computer Users Association and Computer Vendors Association. There is an indication that a workable and viable Informatics computer policy covering possibly all aspects of IT will soon emerge. The government, through the Federal Ministry of Education has already adopted a plan to introduce computing curriculum at the secondary school level. Microcomputing is now being introduced in all the Federal Government colleges as a first step. A central agency is also being established to co-ordinate activities of government in planning, acquisition development and application of IT. In anticipation of the current wave, computer literacy has now been made a pre-requisite qualification for imminent top positions both in government and in academics. Computer literacy has been introduced and made an essential course of study in vairous curricula guiding all levels of education including short courses, workshops and seminars. Equipment Issues Installing computers in Nigeria today as well
as servicing it, obtaining spare parts, and buying supplies are substantial problems
almost everywhere. Securing the appropriate customs formalities is also a problem. It can
take months to clear equipment from customs after its arrival in the country. Despite this dire situation, there is a strong interest among governments and technical assistance agencies to improve informatics activities in the country. Low-cost, computer-based technologies for communication and information management are also available in Nigeria today, and have already proven to be effective in international scientific, business, educational, and government institutions. Informatics concerns itself with cognitive information processing and communication tasks, education and research. For the past ten years, (more than ever before), efforts are being intensified from different quarters for the formulation of an information/informatics policy instrument in Nigeria. Three different organs have been responsible for mounting pressure on the Federal Government. These are the Mass media practioners, Librarians/Information scientists and the Computer Association of Nigeria. The Government has yielded on a number of occasions to the Mass media practioners and only recently to the Computer Association of Nigeria. Unfotunately, the body that has been in the forefront of the crusade for an information policy in Nigeria is the Nigerian Library Association through the National Library of Nigeria, which had organized a number of seminars, workshops, conferences with a view to coming out with a blue-print to enable the Government formulate an information policy. Three of such workshops took place recently among several others that had been taken place since the 70's. At one of such meetings, especially the one on the Draft of the National Policy on Information Resources and Services(10) held at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, Lagos State and was held under the auspices of UNESCO and the National Library of Nigeria, February 18-20, 1991, the following recommendations were arrived at:- 1. All information must be available to all people, in all formats purveyed through all communication channels and delivered at all levels of comprehension. 2. All types of information resources and services produced in Nigeria constitute a vital investment in the national development efforts. Such information should be systematically collected, preserved and effectively managed as basic inputs to national development efforts at all levels. 3. Endogenous information and indigenous knowledge must be regularly integrated with externally generated information on Nigeria's development, as well as with relevant information on the development of other countries. 4. Nigeria's information resources and services must be organized in space and time so that waste is avoided or minimized. In particular, the acquisition, storage and sharing of information resources and services must be rationalized to ensure the optimal utilization of human, material and fiscal resources in national development. 5. Information resources in all forms - oral, book, serial, print, electronic media, etc. must be harnessed and repackaged, using the most cost effective processing, communication and transport technologies available to deliver appropriately targetted information to all categories of Nigerians, and especially the illiterate and rural population who constitute more than 80% of the population. The proposal for this National Information Policy is still in the pipeline and judging by trends over the past two decades, it requires a lot of mounting pressures to effect its promulgation. Strategies for the Implementation of Science and Technology Policy in Nigeria The Federal Government of Nigeria created, in 1979, the Ministry of Science and Technology to give leadership and direction to development of socio-economic well-being. Specifically, the ministry was mandated to coordinate and undertake scientific and technological research and development. These activities involve technological innovation, including integrating foreign technologies into local culture and upgrading indigenous technology, human resource development for the effective use of knowledge to create wealth and improve the quality of life, documentation and dissemination of related information, and promotion of international cooperation in science and technology. In order to perform directional and coordinational roles, the ministry formulated the Science and Technology Policy in 1986, which was revised and launched in 1989 by General Ibrahim Babangida. The Science and Technology policy was aimed at: 1. increasing public awareness in science and technology and vital role in national development and well-being; 2. directing science and technology efforts along identified national goals; 3. promoting the translation of science and technology results into actual goods and services; 4. creating, increasing and maintaining an indigenous science and technology base through research and development; 5. motivating creative output in science and technology; 6. increasing and strengthening theoretical and practical scientific base in the society; and 7. increasing and strenghtening the technological base of the Nation. Towards achieving these policy objectives, the science and technology policy document identified strategies for implementation of the policy. These strategies and institutional arrangements are as follows: (a) Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is to supervise the twenty-six research institutions. (b) National Consultative Committee on Industrial Research (NCCIR) is to encourage exchange of views between the public and private sectors and to facilitate feedbacks from end- users of science and technology research and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. Membership includes representatives of banks and other financial institutions, chambers of commerce, manufacturers' associations, research institutions, universities, professional associations and relevant government agencies. (c) National Office of Industrial Property (NOIP) was established in 1979 to:- 1. encourage more efficient process for the identification and selection of foreign technology: 2. develop skills of Nigerians entering into partnership contract with foreigners for technology transfer; 3. register all existing technology contracts in Nigeria; 4. monitor the execution of contracts registered in Nigeria; 5. survey existing technology; and 6. operate a databank on design and engineering consultancy organisations in Nigeria. (d) State Technology Demonstration Centres (STDEC) were to be established in each state to have direct links with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and its agencies and with industrial organisations. Their functions were to provide extension services to industries in the local areas and establish demonstration units on selected viable technologies in critical areas of concern. (e) Science and Technology Documentation
Centre (STDC) at Abuja was also established and mandated to set up databases on various
aspects of science and technology linked to Research Institutes and Universities. Its
other functions include: 1. maintenance of a national science and technology library; and 2. collection, classification, storage, publication and dissemination of data on science and technology manpower available in Nigeria, Nigerians involved in science and technology internationally, science and technology project reports undertaken in Nigeria, research activities in all sectors of the economy and information on existing technologies in the key areas. (f) Industrial Development Coordinating Committee (IDCC) was established under the Federal Ministry of Industries in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. The operational concepts of self-sustaining industrialisation by the IDCC include:- 1. identifying and establishing core industries; 2. reassessing industrial strategies towards a local resource-based industrialisation; and 3. creating internal engines of growth. The IDCC, in conjunction with UNIDO, evolved the Strategic Management of Industrial Development (SMID). The framework for this SMID is the establishment of the National Committee on Industrial Development (NCID). NCID develops strategies for each sub-system before sanctioning by government and monitors implementation; progress and problems are noted and, where necessary, addressed immediately. Below the NCID are strategic consultative groups - one for each identified priority sub-system. The Strategic Consultative Group (SCG) is made up of representatives of the various actors within the defined network of relations. Their main functions according to NCID (1990) are to:- 1. analyse the specific problems and constraints of their sub-system; 2. analyse the opportunities that exist in domestic and foreign markets; 3. develop a strategic direction for the sub-system; 4. pin-point the type of supportive programmes needed to implement the adopted strategy; 5. work out a programme of action. (g) Co-operative arrangement was established between research institutions, universities and polytechnics. (h) Four existing centres of excellence in technology attached to universities, i.e. Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria; Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile Ife; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto were established to implement R&D activities in various sectors of technological development. Government on its part has continued to foster the growth of Science and Technology by removing some of the constraints that hamper technological development in the country. On July 18th, 1990, the National Committee on Engineering Infrastructure (NACENI) comprising 150 members drawn from State and Federal Ministries, the organised private sector, the professional organizations, higher institutions, research institutes etc. was set up. National Documentation and Information Centre for Sciences and Technology (NADICEST) was also established in 1988. It was located at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and its major objective was to provide easy and timely access to science and technology information to research scientists through effective bibliographical control of sciences and technology information (STI) nationally. It presently has a number of nodal centres charged with information management on: (a) Biomedical sciences (b) Environmental Sciences and Technology including Earth Sciences (c) Industrial literature (d) Engineering and technology (e) Social Sciences Literature etc.etc. In summary, Technological Development in Nigeria has been undergoing a number of problems, namely: 1. Absence of a well conceived and coherent policy on technology 2. Lack of political will and national commitment 3. Lack of co-ordination, both in technological education and actual implementation of technological policies. Databank Activities in Nigeria One other major aspect in informatics is the development of databanks in various sectors. The focus of these databanks is to meet the demands and expectations of users of the vast amount of data for socio-economic development. In recognition of this role, the UNDP, Lagos in 1984 commissioned Phoenix Associates of Maryland, U.S.A. to undertake a background study for the establishment of a computerized data bank - National Data Bank (NDB) at the Federal Ministry of National Planning later the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning and now the National Planning Commission. The report of the study, submitted in 1986 recommended the establishment of a National Data Bank (NDB) at the Federal Ministry of National Planning. The instrument establishing the National Data Bank was formally signed by the UNDP and the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1987. Operations of the Bank commenced in February 1989 under the aegis of the Federal Office of Statistics after some initial delays. The instrument, finally spelling out the functions and objectives of the National Data Bank was the National Data Bank (National Planning Commission) Decree No. 12 of 1992. With this instrument of establishment, the National Data Bank (NDB) is now the apex Data Bank in Nigeria. As the parent Data Bank which does not produce data, it has to rely on the sectoral and ministerial data banks for its data. These sectoral Data Banks therefore have to be integrated with the NDB which at a later stage would be in a position to prescribe some standards and guidelines which have to be followed by these sectoral Data Banks. Five other sectoral Data Banks in Agriculture, Industry, Education, Finance and Science and Technology were approved along with the National Data Bank. The long term development objective of the NDB project is to strengthen the statistical system of Nigeria to produce more relevant, reliable and timely data needed by the three tiers of government (Federal, State and Local) for their macroeconomic policy decisions and long term planning and monitoring of the national economy. In pursuance of this major objective, the NDB's operational guidelines stipulate that it initially would assemble socio-economic statistical data from the various local and international sources, process and disseminate them to end-users. It is also mandated to carry out analytical work and develop output processing routines that would enable it produce macro socio-economic indicators useful for monitoring activities of government at the federal, state and local levels. Since its inception in 1989 the NDB has completed the following tasks.
The NDB has recently been given the status of a parastatal of the National Planning Commission. Consequently the sectoral data banks would now look forward to the NDB for leadership in terms of definitions, classification, methodologies and procedures. Currently at the NDB, work is in progress on three new data sets: Education, Health, Employment, Labour and Productivity. In addition to the above activities and to further strengthen the informatics activities in the country, the Federal Military Government enacted Decree 43 of 1988 which decentralized the Nigerian Statistical System (NSS), and provided for the establishment of a Department of Planning, Research and Statistics (DPRS) in every ministry and extra ministerial department. These informatics activities have been further strenghtened tremendously accross the Country by Decree No.12 of 1992. National Science and Technology Databank As far back as January 1974, delegates from African member states of Unesco assembled in Dakar, Senegal for what was then refered to as the CASTAFRICA Conference. The Conference which was to formulate a regional policy on Information Systems in the African region made recommendations as follows:
The purpose of the project was explicit
Because of the enormous amount of data to be collected,the Agency co-ordinating Science and Technology research activities in the country then, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) decentralised this activity to the research institutes under its supervision. After a number of years of trial and error, the following informatics activities are now emerging: National Health Information System This is a computerised system being designed to be used as a management tool:- (a) to assess the state of the health of the population, to identify major health problems and to set priorities on the local, state and national levels; (b) to monitor the progress towards stated goals and targets of the health services; (c) to provide indicators for evaluating the
performance of the health services and their impact on the health status of the
population; (d) to provide information to those who need to take action, those who supplied the data and the general public. National Agricultural Databank Four zones were established to coordinate the activities of the National Agricultural Databank (NADB) in Nigeria. The main objective of the NADB project is to establish a database of Agricultural statistics, and organise a computerised databank which will make available a comprehensive, reliable, and timely data required for development planning as well as policy formulation processes both in the ministries and in the country as a whole. The NADB is one of the four sectoral databases of the National Data Bank project in Lagos. It operates through committee at both national and state levels namely: 1. National Agro Statistics Co-ordinating Committee (NASCCO) NASCCO is interministerial and serves as a clearing-house for National Agricultural data and statistics before publication. 2. State Agro-statistics Co-ordinating Committee (SASCCO) SASCCO has its membership drawn from all agro-based agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS), in each state and serves as clearing house for all agro-data in each state before forwarding to the zonal headquarters. SASCCO is responsible for co-ordinating all efforts relating to the generation of agricultural statistics at the state level. It is the focal point for agro-data generation activities in the states. The activities of SASCCO are to be reported to NASCCO through the NADB zonal offices. Its other functions include: (a) the co-ordination of the activities relating to agro-data collection in the states. (b) proper sharing of responsibilities in respect of agro-data collection activities among various agencies to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts. (c) assembly of all available secondary agricultural data within the state. (d) identification of formats for data collection activities in the states as may be directed by NASCCO. (e) designing of formats for data collection activities in the state in compliance with NASCCO's directives. (f) training in Agro-data collection, processing and analysis. (g) funding of agro-data collection activities. National Information and Documentation Centre (NIDOC) NIDOC was established by the National Library of Nigeria as a Nigerian bibliographic and numerical databank of information for the social and economic development of the country. As the focal point for the exchange of information, NIDOC intends to co-ordinate a network of participating centres in Nigeria. Its objectives are:
Its expected outputs are:
Computer Literacy and Computer Utilization in Nigeria Despite the fact that there are presently many computer installations in Nigeria, the awareness of the potentials of these computers and their relevance to our national development and well-being is just emerging. The nation's response to the growing data processing needs, as contained in the National Development Policy Plans have continued to witness the importation and sale of many computer hardwares and softwares to clients. As pointed out in a paper presented at the Computer Association's General Meeting(11), it was observed that: 1. The arrival of computer systems and technology in Nigeria preceded the availability of computer skill and knowledge in our educational system. 2. The need for computer education came as a response to the demands of the public and private sectors of the economy. 3. Computer education, coming as it were, after the need for it was manifested in the economy, saw Nigerians dabbling into an area they knew little about. 4. From about 150 students in a typical Computer Science Department in 1975, there are now well over 400 Computer Science majors and 1000 others from faculties like Engineering and Physical Sciences that require offerings in Computer Science up to 200 or 300 levels. In addition, because of the recently implemented National Universities Commission (NUC) minimum standards, every university student must now take computer science courses at the 100 level at least. - (Though nothing has been done to improve facilities in the Computer Centres). Our Computer Science graduates will continue to emerge from the universities with their heads full of theories but absolutely lacking in practical experience. 5. It is estimated that there are about 6000 secondary schools in Nigeria. If each school were to have TWO computer science teachers to cover courses at the senior classes, one would need 12,000 qualified computer science teachers to man the schools. 6. Due to the strong job market for degree holders in Computer Science, fewer graduates continue with postgraduate studies in Computer Science. 7. To fill in the gaps requires continuing education which now abounds in every part of the country. 8. Because Nigeria operates a free market economy, there is practically no control on the in-flow of computer hardware and software into our market. 9. With no regulations or any framework of control or standardization in force, there is now diverse makes of computers most of which have started to end up as heaps of faulty electronic gadgets in the few maintenance workshops available. Computer Education in Secondary Schools As a means of advancing informatics applications in the country, pilot activities embarked upon by a number of State governments towards the introduction of informatics to the school curriculum, have now metamophorsed into full implementation in increased number of schools. Most states started with a pilot project of 4, 6 or 8 selected secondary schools within the state and by early 1994 these state governments have extended the facilities to at least one secondary school in each Local Government Area (LGA). There are presently 589 Local Government Areas in Nigeria and about 6,000 secodary schools. To execute the programme, a number of teachers were trained for a couple of weeks either by a computer company or the Polytechnic, depending on the cost considered reasonable by the government and in the case of the Federal Government Colleges, by the National Teachers Institute (NTI). These teachers have started to return to implement the introduction of informatics to the educational curriculum of schools. Furthermore because of the present educational policies at the Federal, State and Local Government levels, the country operates an extensive network of primary schools, secondary schools and higher educational institutions. There are presently 18.7 million students enrolled in over 39.7 thousand institutions of various levels and types(12). Of the 18.7 million students in schools, less than 2 million have access to formal computer activities except in a very few private primary and secondary schools (about 1% of total number of schools) which are elitist in their set-ups and charge fees ranging from N20,000 to N50,000 per annum compared with an average of N500 per annum charged in public schools. As part of the 39.7 thousand institutions in the country, there are now 37 universities - 25 Federal and 12 state universities. No private university yet but plans are under way to encourage individuals, corporate bodies, religious institutions etc. to establish private universities. For the past 5 years, informatics activities especially those relating to education and training, have been rising significantly amongst youths and other individuals due to a number of factors, namely: 1. Since 1978/79 till the present academic year, the existing universities have been able to admit an average of 15% of qualified applicants into the institutions, leaving about 85% qualified applicants unable to be admitted. This has led to this large number enrolling in private computer schools all over the country for short-time courses ranging from one week to one year. 2. There are more than 120 Commercial and Merchant Banks, 256 Mortgage banks and a number of Finance Houses in the country today which lay emphasis on informatics for their day to day operations. Because of the lucrative payment incentives in these finance houses, most prospective applicants strive to acquire certificates (formal or informal) in computer training with the hope of being attracted by the Finance Houses. 3. Because of the liberalisation of the economy since the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986, many hitherto public companies have now been privatised and in order to maximize production vis-a-vis profits, a number of them have now imbibed computerisation into their operations. Computer literacy has now become a prerequisite for appointment into most cadres of these companies. 5. Before 1988, offerings in computer science were envisaged strictly for the tertiary level of education. Only the universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education/Technology were expected to teach courses in computer science and produce graduates in that discipline. 6. The resultant effects of the above state of affairs as claimed by Uche(13) were: (i) Very few Nigerians had access to tertiary education and only a negligible percentage of this number were admitted into Departments of Computer Science. Thus, only very few Nigerians were trained in computer technology. (ii) Societal demand for computer literate Nigerians far outstripped the level of production of this cadre of manpower. In an attempt to solve all the above mentioned problems, the Federal Government of Nigeria decided to formulate a Computer Policy which will not only address the need for more awareness but also ensure that sound basis for computer education and utilization is laid. As the experience in several countries that had introduced computer literacy programmes shows, the most appropriate place to start computer awareness programmes is at the school level and the most appropriate level within the education system is the secondary school level. Therefore the decision in 1988 of Government to start its pilot programme in the Federal Government Colleges was in keeping with what had proved successful for other countries and in line with the recommendations of the committee on National Policy for Computer Education in Nigeria. The Committee which consisted of eminent scholars and professionals in informatics was mandated, amongst others, to (i) advise Government on the types and levels of education that will contain offerings of Computer Education courses; (ii) determine the curricular contents and procedures best suited to the needs of this country for the various levels of education, including general computer literary at the tertiary levels; (iii) Consider and advise on the ways and means of ensuring a smooth transition of computer courses between and among the various types and levels of education. In carrying out its assignment the Committee noted that the major objective of introducing computer literacy and eduction at the secondary school level is to enable them acquire a level of knowledge about computers which would fit them directly into the employment market or enable them to pursue courses in computer science at higher levels. The Committee outlined the following as the general Informatics Policy Objectives for the nation: (a) to bring about a Computer Literate Society in Nigeria by the middle of the 90's. (b) to enable the present generation of school children at this level appreciate the potentials of the computer and be able to utilise the computer in various aspects of life and later occupation. The first of these general objectives was interpreted by the Committee to imply that the Government would like to see a policy which would not only cater for those involved in the education enterprise, but also for the general populace. The intent of government appears to centre around the need to ensure that everyone appreciates -
The second general objective directly addresses students who for the first time in the history of the country would benefit from the computer education programme and who will therefore be the flag-bearers in the nation's determination to join the current world-wide computer revolution. This general statement has thus been expanded to comprise the following educational objectives:
The above objectives provide a basis for the committees' recommendation of the following main curricular content items for the secondary school level:-
On the need for a smooth transition between types and levels of education, the committee recommended that although primary schools will use lower-end computers and the secondary schools a more sophisticated one, there is not going to be much difference between the general approach to the teaching of computer lessons at these two levels. Similarly, the curriculum will enable secondary school students to cope with the university studies in computer science. According to the committee, the concept of computer education and literacy presents challenges which have not been faced before by the teachers. The Committee noted that for the first time both the teacher and the learner will be at virtually the same level of knowledge (or lack of it!). A training package was therefore recommended by the committee for the teacher. The objectives of such training are to:
The Committee on National Policy for Computer Education in Nigeria was also mandated to define, as clearly as possible, the roles of Federal and State governments and relevant institutions, particularly the universities, polytechnics, research institutes and some of the parastatals in the attainment of the objectives of Computer Education. The major merit of the National Policy on Computer Education, therefore, is that it recommends the introduction/incorporation of computer studies at all levels lower than the universities and Polytechnics. As a matter of fact, the committee recommended a total lifting of restrictions on computer education in a way that computer literacy programmes can begin right from the primary school. According to the Committee, computers should be introduced at any level provided the necessary facilities and resources exist. A good computer education programme should therefore aim not only at teaching Nigerians how to use the computer effectively for national development but also at preparing them to master computer technology with a view to ensuring the maintenance, and eventually the production of computers. Installation of Computers in Schools Following recommendations contained in the National Policy on Computer Education in 1988, Computers have now been installed in most of the forty-five Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) while little or no activity has been undertaken in majority of the state secondary schools which had promised at one time or the other to introduce computer education in their respective schools. While some schools have reported faulty equipment, many others have either not installed the software into the systems or have not put the computer into use because most staff do not know how to instal the computers or are afraid to do so for fear of their being damaged. On the part of the students, computer clubs have been formed and launched in a number of schools. With this trend, it is expected that students will learn more about computers under the umbrella of the clubs. Informatics Programme at the Tertiary Level 1. University Level Since 1962 when the National Univesities Commission (NUC) was set up following the recommendation of Ashby Commission, the NUC has been supervising and co-ordinating the activities of all the universities in Nigeria. The Commission has played a major role in the success of the Computer Literacy Programme in the universities. It has provided guidelines relating to the minimum hardware and software environment for the Universities to enable them effectively pursue the computer literacy programme. Additionally, the Commission has been supporting the development of curricula and programmes in the universities especially the new degree programmes in computer science and engineering covering the Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees. The computer literacy programmes at the university level have over the years been directed at:
2. Polytechnic and Colleges of Education Level Apart from the NUC there is also the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) which has statutory responsibility for ensuring standards of Education in Polytechnics and Technical Colleges, and also in co-ordinating the development, management and funding of Federal Polytechnics and Federal Technical Colleges. Within this general framework, the NBTE has had the following specific roles to play in the introduction of Computer Education in the institutions under its jurisdiction;
Under the guidance of NBTE, the Polytechnics in Nigeria have been performing a number of informatics role in the country. Such roles include:
On the role of the National Library of Nigeria in the development of informatics, the committee observed that as an important parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Library which is the national depository for all books and publications for both within and outside Nigeria should also co-ordinate the procedures for computerising library services in Nigeria and the dissemination of any information with respect to computerisation of all libraries. It should also distribute any printed materials on computer education to schools, colleges and universities so that they are kept up-to-date about most recent developments. Establishment of MIS in Nigerian Universities Management Information System (MIS) was formally introduced into Nigerian Universities Management systems in 1990 under the auspices of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to deal essentially with students, staff and financial records in the universities, and to provide periodic information reports for all Units within the Universities. Training needs were identified as realistic ways of meeting the proposal. The areas identified as priorities include: (i) Creating general awareness for MIS; (ii) Computer appreciation; (iii) Data collection and processing; (iv) Data interpretation; and (v) Computer operations Each university was requested to set up an MIS Committee with membership specified by the NUC. The first training assignment of the MIS committee was to organise training for Principal Officers in order to get them personally identified with the project and provide leadership and support. This was to be followed by training of other users in the Registry, Bursary, Library, Academic Planning etc. For the generality of staff and students, the MIS Committee was mandated to organise sensitisation and popularisation campaigns on MIS, its objectives and benefits. In all the above, in-house training , using the facilities of the computer centres and/or the computer science department was to be encouraged. In addition to the above courses, most of the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education operate short-time courses in Wordprocessing, Database Management, Spreadsheet and Statistical analyses leading to awards of in-house certificates and diplomas. At the international level but with the
country, other Informatics activities include the establishment of: 1. Centre for Micro-Informatics Maintenance Department of Computer Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. This Centre was established by the International Governmental Informatics Programme of UNESCO with the main purpose of:
It organises short-time and advance study internship in information technology and micro-informatics maintenance and training for participants within the West African sub-region. 2. The Centre for Informatics Research and Training was established at the Ogun State University to: (i) facilitate active and meaningful research for development, using computers; (ii) serve as a centre for short training programmes in the Africa Commonwealth region in the area of IT; (iii) assist researchers in universities and research institutes as well as practitioners in R & D units of industry to use available resources in the Centre to solve problems andto meet and exchange ideas with professional colleagues and update their knowledge; and (iv) act as a catalyst for initiating research and training programmes in IT which will eventually benefit the government as well as interested Commonwealth African countries. 3. The Africa Regional Centre for Information Science (ARCIS) started operating in November 1990 at the University of Ibadan. A number of international agencies played important roles in formulating its objectives, organizational structure and programmes. ARCIS addresses itself to African development problems that have demonstrable information services components, with a view to providing both short- and long-term solutions to them. In pursuance of its objective, ARCIS is involved in the following activities: 1. running higher degree programmes in information science (MInfSc, MPhil, PhD); 2. providing short-term training and retraining, through seminars and workshops, at different levels of information services; 3. providing consultancy services in systems analysis, design and evaluation; database construction and management; information policy formulation and implementation; and solutions to operational problems in information technology; and 4. conducting research on the problems and prospects of information science in the rapid socio-economic development of Africa. Recent Developments in Informatics in Nigeria The Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), in 1988, computerised the operations of its medical records and accounting department. The primary objective was to provide health professionals in a Teaching/Specialist Hospital with timely delivery of both current and past relevant information which will aid in medical treatment. The OAUTHC system was developed in 1989 by the Hospital Complex, the Department of Computer Sciences and the University of Kuopia, Finland. It is based on VA Mumps/Fileman Technology - a public domain Admission-Discharge-Transfer application software from USA. The system became operational as the only MUMPS and VA software application in Nigeria. The electronic-mail (E-mail) facility was installed in 1992 making the system a point-to-point linkage between Ife and Finland. At the same Hospital Complex, there is the Healthnet facility also based on VA MUMPS/ Fileman Technology. The Electronic Mail system is a joint activity of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), the OAU Computer Science Department and the University of Kuopia, Finland. The present system covers the basic in-patient functions, areas for software expansion and hardware upgrade, according to Daini, Makanjuola and Ojo(14), are under consideration. However, with the systems at Ile-Ife and Yaba College of Technology, Lagos now functioning, it is difficult for Ile-Ife and Yaba to communicate directly with each other. Each system communicates first with its parent institution before such communications are routed through the parent institution of the other which eventually delivers the messages to either of the local institutions. Ife--------->----<----------->Finland Yaba,------->-----<----------->Italy Lagos Ilorin------>-----<------------>Ontario The RINAF project has not been functioning perfectly as expected largely because of lack of good communication infrastructure in the 15 selected African countries. The quality of the telephone lines is poor and cost of international calls is very high. It is in this regard, RINAF'S assistance is being intensified to facilitate exchange of information within the African region. The communications technology through dial-up telephone lines being provided by FidoNet and UUCP will greatly enhance RINAF's objectives. Another interesting informatics activity in Nigeria is the Electronic Mail link between the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Nigeria and the McMaster University, Ontario, Canada which started as far back as January 1990. The link between Ilorin and Ontario has greatly improved the flow of data communication among faculty members and their colleagues all over the world. The link is enhanced by the use of Cross Talk communication software being used for the data management. The Health Sciences Faculty of Ilorin like its counterpart at Ife, was selected to house the communication system because:
The system operates via a relay method whereby calls were initiated only from Canada. It costs hundreds (if not thousands) of naira for a direct dialling facility to be provided for Ilorin. The working of the system can be summarized thus: 1. A call is made by the systems manager in Canada (same as for Ife and Yaba, Lagos, from Finland and Ontario respectively) to make voice contact and establish that there is power, that the computer is working, that there are messages for pick-up, and whether or not there is a need to arrange transmission outside the regular periods. 2. The system in Ilorin (as in Ife and Lagos) is then connected to the modem to allow for the computer-to- computer inter-change of files. When the files have been successfully exchanged, the connection is broken by the System Manager and files received are processed at both ends. 3. At the local end, messages are printed out for each recipient for distribution. This involves some knowledge of wordprocessing to enable block copying, page breaking and so on. 4. At the parent institution in Canada, and perhaps as in Finland and Italy, messages are processed, requests attended to and are mailed electronically to Nigeria. Regional Informatics Activities in Nigeria: RINAF and CGNET The Regional Informatics Network for Africa (RINAF) which is a joint project of the Intergovernmental Informatics Programme (IIP) of UNESCO and financed by the Italian Government started its activities in 1992. They were designed to have five regional nodes and ten national ones with the ultimate goal of providing services and facilitating communications among the African research and academic institutions. The pilot project commenced in July 1992 with the selection of Algeria, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland and Zambia with Algeria, Kenya, Senegal and Zambia serving as regional nodes while Guinea, Swaziland and Egypt were intended to serve as national nodes. The Nigerian node was to function first as a national node and later upgraded to a regional node. The National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), of the National Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) which co-ordinates scientific and technological activities in Nigeria, based at the campus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, is the focal point for RINAF in Nigeria. Presently, there is no active network activity going on at the centre due to communication and logistic problems. The networking function of the National Centre for Technology Management is being temporarily handled by the Department of Computer Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos because of the easier communication accessibility of Lagos to the international communication facilities. The Lagos facility is now hooked to INTERNET and communications from different parts of the world are routed via Italy to Nigeria and vice-versa. CGNET in Nigeria Following the establishment of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in 1971 by the World Bank, FAO and UNDP, the extent of international cooperation among agricultural scientists and institutions had witnessed a tremendous expansion, especially as the need for members of the networks to communicate over long distances from day to day. CGNET has over 50 mail boxes in 18 African countries, most of which belong to international agricultural research centres and a few to national institutions. Most CGNET connections are to the X.25 network established through dedicated leased lines except for some hard-to-reach areas where satellites are used. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria utilises the latter method. Informatics in Organizations and Industries In an attempt to computerise their operations, many organisations are now going into training of their personnels in the area of computer applications. Some establishments even organise training programmes for different categories of people in order to induce and/or encourage the application of computers in their various areas of specialization. For example, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) course calendar includes Computer Appreciation for Agricultural Management and Finance; and Micro-computer Application for Agriculture and Rural Development. Also, Centre for Management Development (CMD) has Management Information System Programmes being executed yearly. These programmes include computer application for executives, computer application workshop for trainers, computer application workshop for secretaries and PC Hardware and operating systems workshop. Some establishments organise extensive computer training programme which is spread over a whole year. Titles and course contents of such training programme include computer application in Management {Hardware Technology, Disk Operating System, Word Processing}; Database Management; Project Management with Micro computer. Overview of project management. Fundamentals of project management concepts, graphical presentation of projects, Harvard Project Manager; Computerized Accounting System; Advanced Computer Software operations; Project Formulation with Micro-computers {An overview of basic computer operations, the use of computer for project formulation; Introduction to Desktop publishing; Introduction of spreadsheet accounting; Data integrity, Safety and Security {Hardward Technology/Maintenance, Computer virus, Disk Organisation, Utilities}; Advanced Computer Programming in Dbase/Clipper {Overview of language, concept of compiler & interpreter, compiling and linking programmes, using relevant utilities; Computer Aided Design {Hardware overview, MS-DOS Operating System, Autocard Application Software}. From all available documents, 1. Many of these informatics efforts have been at individual or institutional levels. There has been no co-ordinated informatics development at national level. 2. No unified system of data collection, processing and utilization until very recently in Agriculture, Medicine and Banking operations. Professional Ethics in Informatics In discussing the issue of professional ethics, the Committee on National Policy on Computer Education studied organisations like the Medical and Engineering Associations and felt that a similar body in Informatics should exist to control the practice and et |
