Critical purviews where information and communication technology (ICT) can promote sustainable development in nigeria by adamkolo m.i., 2013

Global Media Journal ndash Malaysian Edition Volume 4 Issue 1 2013 ISSN 2231-9948

111

Critical Purviews Where Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

can Promote Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Adamkolo Mohammed Ibrahim

Fakulti Bahasa Moden dan Komunikasi

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Malaysia

thegdmprince79gmailcom

Md Salleh Hj Hassan PhD

Fakulti Bahasa Moden dan Komunikasi

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Malaysia

md sallehupmedumy

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become the buzz word in academia

government business economy and many other social purviews of human society especially in

the areas of sustainable development From a mere acronym ICT has over the last decade

metamorphosed into the driving force behind many monumental changes and innovative

development in the world The author reviewed e-journal articles chapters from e-books and

other relevant literature that critically examined ICT and its wider applications in the realms of

making life better for the majority of the people particularly the indigent and information have-

nots The paper critically discusses and analyses some of the key areas where a successful

application of ICT can effectively engender the much needed sustainable development in society

focusing on Nigeria Moreover the paper outlines inter-alia agriculture culture economy

education governance and tourism as paramount realms in which the proper application of ICT

can help in the management of natural human and capital resources for effective utilisation by

the present generation without jeopardising the ability of future generations to benefit from them

The paper concludes that for ICT to serve as a catalyst for sustainable development the

following facts should be taken into consideration and adjustments made to accommodate them

ICT is a long-range investment (outcomes may be delayed) and for natural resources to be

sustainably harnessed human resources ought to be adequately mobilised to appropriately

manipulate the capital resources for better results


112

Keywords ICT sustainable development critical purviews management of natural human and

capital resources Nigeria Malaysia

Introduction

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is changing the world dramatically ICT has

made political cultural and socio-economic integration much easier and faster than before

Consequently ICT has ushered us into the much-talked about information age something

Marshal McLuhan had foreseen since the 1960s which he called the global village and now

widely referred to as globalization ICT has made access to knowledge and education

(awareness) much easier and relatively cheaper Awareness increases peoplersquos chances to be

carried along in the ICT-driven global dynamism Information poverty or digital divide

however impedes peoplersquos access to knowledge and education which unfortunately reinforces

their vulnerability constraints and challenges Such constraints and challenges usually thwart the

socio-economic well-being of the people by pushing them into the abyss of exclusion

powerlessness and penury

Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent according to the United Nations

(UN) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nigeria The country is the sixth most

populous nation in the world after China India US Indonesia and Brazil according to the UNFP

Report cited on the Nigerian National Population Commission (NPC) website with an estimated

population of over 167 million (NPC 2014) The estimated population growth rate (average

annual percentage) of the country from 2010 to 2015 is 25 its urban growth rate from 2010 to

2015 is estimated at 38 its rural population growth rate (annual average percentage) from


113

2010 to 2015 is 13 its urban population in 2012 was 503 its primary-secondary school

gross enrolment ratios for both male and female per 100 persons in 2012 were 620 and 689

respectively its telephone subscribers per 100 inhabitants in 2011 was 590 while in 2010 it

was 558 and its Internet users per 100 inhabitants in 2011 was 284 while in 2010 it was

558 (UN 2014 UNDP Nigeria 2012) The country is approximately 923768 square

kilometres which is equivalent to 356669 square miles

(about the size of California United

States- US) and the literacy rate is 39ndash51 (US Department of State Nigeria 2012 UNDP

Nigeria 2012) Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones viz North-east North-central

North-west South-east South-south and South-west See appendix for the geopolitical zones

ICT in Nigeria

Just like in other parts of the developing world in Nigeria there has been an upsurge in Internet

penetration and the use of ICT particularly in the areas of health education business agriculture

governmentadministration tourism and transportation in the last 15 years (Jimoh Pate Lin and

Schulman 2012) In spite of that ICT infrastructures in the country may still be regarded as

underdeveloped when compared with other developing countries like South Africa Malaysia

Brazil and South Korea Nigeriarsquos Internet penetration for instance was less than 16 in 2012

according to an online news blog portal 234nextcom (2012) while its Internet broadband

penetration per 100 household was between 4 and 6 (Nigeriarsquos National Broadband Plan

2013-2018) which can be regarded as extremely lower compared with Malaysiarsquos 109 in 2006

(UNDPMDGs Malaysia 2010 Report) 556 in 2010 and 672 in the third quarter of 2013

(Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission-MCMC 2013 Department of


114

Statistics Malaysia 2013 National Broadband Initiative Malaysia- NBI 2014) According to

234nextcom Nigeria had an average broadband download speed of 138 Mbps (Megabits per

second) which is very much lower compared to the 101 Mbps of the United States (Google

Public Data 2012) and according to Internet World Stats- IWS (2014) Nigeriarsquos broadband

download speed rose to 522 Mbps in November 2013 In June 2012 there were about 484

million internet users in Nigeria which was about 284 of the countryrsquos population In

December 2012 there were over 663 million Facebook users and the countryrsquos Internet

penetration rate was 39 (IWS 2014) In Malaysia for instance like in many other ldquoemergingrdquo

developing countries ICT is rapidly growing The Malaysian Government is currently

vigorously pursuing its famous national development plan Malaysia 2020 in which it targets at

least 25 of the countryrsquos population to be ICT-literate by the year 2020

In Nigeria the Federal Executive Council approved the National Information Technology Policy

in March 2001 and the implementation started in April with the establishment of the National

Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in charge of the mission to make

Nigeria an ICT-capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information Society while

using ICT as a catalyst for sustainable development and global competitiveness (ICT4D Nigeria

Annual Report 2007) In the new policy draft document 2012 the vision and mission statements

of the ICT policy are as follows

Vision [To make] Nigeria as a knowledge-based and globally competitive society


115

Mission To fully integrate Information and Communication Technologies into the socio-

economic development of Nigeria in order to transform the country into a knowledge-based

economy (Federal Ministry of Communication Technology-FMCT 2012 10)

The famous long-term strategic development plan of Nigeria ldquoVision 20-2020rdquo contains

elaborate goals for the ICT sector The increasing globalization driven by ICT makes it

imperative for Nigeria as an emerging market to irreversibly consider the application and

promotion of ICT strategy to facilitate its rapid growth and development This will involve the

development of a vibrant ICT sector to drive and expand the national production frontiers in

agriculture manufacturing and service sectors It would also require the application of the new

knowledge to drive other soft sectors governance entertainments public services media sector

tourism etcetera (FMCT 2012 10)

Malaysiarsquos Networked Readiness Indicator (NRI) 2012 indicates that the country ranked 29th

out

of 142 economies 8th out of 22 Asia-Pacific economies and 2

nd in the Association of South-East

Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc Furthermore based on the 2012 networked readiness index

rankings by the Global Information Technology Report (GITR) with an index score of 480 out

of maximum score of 700 Malaysia was placed among the top quartile of the worldrsquos most

networked ready economies However in 2013 Malaysiarsquos GITR rank dropped to 30th placing

but with a little higher score of 482 out of 144 countries in the world In the area of governance

for example Malaysiarsquos use of ICT is rated 6th in the world (GITR 2012 xxi) Although

Malaysia is obviously far ahead of Nigeria in ICT development Nigeriarsquos ICT status is

undergoing a rapid transformation especially in the area of mobile telecommunication Nigeriarsquos


116

networked readiness index ranking is number 113th with a score of 327 out of 144 countries in

2013 and number 112th with a score of 322 out of 142 countries in 2012 (GITR 2013 xxiii)

Hence it can be said that Nigeria is no longer a laggard as far as ICT is concerned The

liberalisation of the countryrsquos telecommunication sector in the year 2001 has led to the

emergence of a Nigerian indigenous mobile telecommunication network ldquoGlobacomrdquo The

company currently provides mobile telecommunication services in the country and therefore it is

one of the global GSM operators From 2001 when the mobile telecommunication services began

a considerable penetration into the country the progress has been monumental The 2013

Ministerial Report of Nigeriarsquos Federal Ministry of Communication Technology (FMCT)

indicates that about 83 of the countryrsquos 1666 million people are active mobile phone

subscribers In 2011 and 2012 it was 68 and 71 respectively Similarly the Nigerian

Communications Commission (NCC) indicates that out of the 114172 million active subscribers

on the global system for mobile telecommunication (GSM) networks in the country only 345

million which is approximately 394 of them use Internet data and it is expected to rise to

98 by the year 2015 On Internet accessibility and usage the statistics are 29 in 2011 34 in

2012 and 36 in 2013 and it is expected to rise to 42 in 2015 (BBC 2013 FMCT 2013

NCC 2013)

Since the last two decades a lot of dynamic changes have taken place in the areas of socio-

economic cultural political and by extension diplomatic and international relations

development ICT is being envisaged as possessing the potential to transform society and impact

positively on the lives of people particularly the have-nots There is quite a lot of literature on

the possibilities of using ICT to alleviate poverty and improve the social and economic status of


117

people Some of these studies include those conducted by the Organisation for Economic

Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2005 Gnaniah Yeo Songan Zen and Ab- Hamid

(2004) etc Although many of such studies are case studies and therefore their findings might

not be generalised there are quite a number of success stories from countries like China case

study on Wursquoan telecentres by Soriano (2007) India case study on Bellandur Gram Panchayat

Karnataka telecentres by Dossani Misra and Jhaveri (2005) Iran case study on Gharnabad and

East Livan telecenters by Jalali Okhovvat and Okhovvat (2011) and Malaysia case study on e-

Bario and e-Bedian ICT projects by Gnaniah Yeo Songan Zen and Ab-Hamid (2004)

People get empowered with information but when they lack it they often become isolated and

ignorant about their rights and choices That is to say they could be lack of the basic knowledge

about the political and developmental processes that shape their lives in society Singh (2006)

noted that ICT is a powerful tool when used in the right way as part of overall development

strategy In the same vein Boating (2007) opined that ICT may not be a panacea to the worldrsquos

problems but it can be a powerful tool to facilitate and enable affordable solutions to basic

human developmental problems It is widely accepted by intellectuals that ICT has become an

integral part of the social economic and political paraphernalia of social interactions hence

countries all over the world are taking to ICT for various developmental initiatives (Moghaddam

and Khatoon-Abadi 2013 Gnaniah Yeo Songan Zen and Ab-Hamid 2004) As such it can be

argued that in the 21st century the role of ICT in transforming the world into a better place for all

(or at least for many) cannot be overemphasised Nowadays many people especially the poor and

the uneducated more than ever before can have access to basic ICT services like mobile


118

communication mobile banking online transactions and sending emails to donor agencies and

receiving instant feedback (Ebeling 2003)

What is ICT

Scholars and intellectuals have given rainbow definitions for ICT It is an acronym that stands

for Information and Communication Technology ldquoHowever apart from explaining an acronym

there is not a universally accepted definition of ICTs because the concepts methods and

applications involved in ICTs are constantly evolving on an almost daily basis It is difficult to

keep up with the changes - they happen so fastrdquo (Riley 2012 Np) To understand the concepts

holistically let us fragment it into its component constructs of

(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies

As Riley (2012 Np) puts it

A good way to think about ICT is to consider all the uses of digital

technology that already exists to help individuals businesses and

organisations use information ICT covers any product that will store

retrieve manipulate transmit or receive information electronically in a

digital form for example personal computers digital television

email[and] robots

Therefore it can be said that ICT primarily involves not only the technology per se but also the

processes of storing retrieving manipulating and transmitting or receiving of digital data


119

Importantly it is also concerned with the way these different uses can work with each other

Furthermore ICT also includes a variety of computing hardware (PCs servers mainframes

networked storage) the rapidly developing personal hardware market comprising mobile phones

personal devices MP3 players the collection of application software from the simple home-

developed spreadsheet to the complex enterprise packages and online software services In

addition it includes the hardware and software needed to operate networks for transmission of

information as well as the internet which stands out as the major driver of most of the ICT These

information and Communication Technologies are used for various purposes including

sustainable development

The application of ICT to sustainable development efforts is very crucial especially in the realms

of renewable energy water and environmental conservation and indeed agriculture What makes

the application of ICT to sustainable development so crucial is that as populations all over the

world are rapidly growing resources are conversely depleting hence the need for the global

community to redouble effort toward evolving sturdy means of not only judiciously utilising

resources to meet the present needs but also ensuring that the ability of future generations to

meet their needs is not compromised either Sustainability however is not without its challenges

as ldquothe notion of sustainability has led to new insight into the challenges of development where

the process of building alliances and seeking common agendas among stakeholders with

different interests becomes as important as the output itselfrdquo (Prabhakar and Basu 2007 284)

The World Commission on Environment and Development (The Bruntland Commission) as

cited in Gladwin Kennelly and Krause (1995 876) defines sustainable development as the

ldquodevelopment which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future


120

generations to meet their own needsrdquo The question now is how could we facilitate sustainable

development using ICT

Information may not be a panacea to hunger poverty diseases illiteracy etc But the right

information at the right time however can bring about sustainable development when used

appropriately with the maximum participation of stakeholders The intrinsic values of ICT lie not

in easing communication and information but rather in stimulating growth and development

(Gladwin et al 1995) through the facilitation of virile and smooth socio-economic activities as

well as serving as a catalyst to sustainable development efforts In a country like Nigeria where a

vast section of the population lives below the poverty line (UNDP 2012) ICT offers a chance to

empower these people through innovative social development and participatory application of

ICT in agriculture education tourism marketing health faith or religion home management

governance and transform them into productive human capital In Figure 1 I have graphically

illustrated some of the critical areas where ICT can help engender sustainable development in

Nigeria The lines linking the various boxes are for illustration purposes only


121

Source Author

Figure 1 Some critical purviews where ICT can promote sustainable development in Nigeria

ICT and Agriculture

ICT can be utilised to enhance agriculture in order to maximise food production and food

security ICT can also be used to enhance industrial raw materials by determining suitable

climatic condition soil type and the production of improved varieties of cash crops and

livestock for example rubber oil palm sugar cane cattle sheep (for their hide skin wool etc)

and poultry ICT can be applied for the improvement and preservation of agricultural produce at

both the input and output levels ICT can be used as a tool to ensure that the relevant information

about enhanced farming methods and latest commodity prices reached the farmer on time This


122

can be achieved through the introduction of innovative agricultural extension services and the

empowerment of agricultural extension staff with the relevant ICT skills and provision of the

necessary ICT devices and facilities like mobile phones laptops and even telecenters where

necessary in order to boost their performance in their jobs Using this technique the farmers

stand the chance to get better yields and lucrative proceeds from the sales of their produce

directly to buyers without the involvement of middle men This can be a direct poverty

alleviation strategy Other areas where online agriculture or e-agriculture may be involved

include digital mapping land use soil types meteorology ecology and agricultural records

(Munyua 2000) Thus the e-agricultural extension staff will be poised to provide prompt and

relevant e-agricultural extension services to his or her clients effectively

An agricultural database can be developed to provide support for planning production storage

and distribution of agricultural produce and other natural resources This will ensure that farmers

of all types and categories are trained in relevant ICT skills in order to facilitate effective

dissemination of agriculture-related information and ultimately to ensure the effective utilisation

of the information to boost agriculture in say using genetic modification technology in

horticulture animal husbandry fishery poultry crop rotation mixed cropping and forestry to

ensure food security (Munyua 2000) and a balanced ecosystem It can also provide ready access

to comprehensive up-to-date and detailed knowledge and information particularly to rural

farmers even though as Prabhakar and Basu (2007 30) put it ldquothe food in-secure may not place

high priority on the development of ICT in their communities access to such technology could

prove to be vital to their economic developmentrdquo The Federal Government of Nigeria while

issuing statistics about the agricultural sector of the country posted on its official web site that


123

Agriculture has suffered from years of mismanagement inconsistent and poorly conceived

government policies and the lack of basic infrastructure Still the sector accounts for about 40

of GDP and two-thirds of employment Agriculture provides a significant fraction

(approximately 10) of non-oil growth Poultry and cocoa are just two areas where production is

not keeping pace with domestic or international demand Fisheries also have great potential but

are poorly managed Most critical for the countrys future Nigerias land tenure system does not

encourage long-term investment in technology or modern production methods and does not

inspire the availability of rural credit (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2014)

Certainly the Nigerian agricultural sector has suffered years of neglect Some of the challenges

bedevilling the sector in relation to the use of ICT include less than 19 of individuals in sub-

Saharan Africa (including Nigeria) could read a newspaper at least once per week with a much

smaller percentage in rural areas Landline or fixed telecommunication coverage is limited with

less than one landline subscriber per 1000 people in 2008 according to International

Telecommunications Union - ITU (2009) and Egbule Ague and Uzokwe (2013 24) Access to

other communication facilities such as fax machines computers for e-mail and Internet is

similarly low primarily due to their dependence upon landline infrastructure (Egbule et al

2013) Another key challenge is having to travel personally in order to get information about

say modern farming techniques improved seedlings or make inquiries about current market

prices of commodities and it not only involves transport costs but also the opportunity costs of

an individualrsquos time stressed In other words the time taken to accomplish a simple task is often

unnecessarily extended resulting in loss of opportunities that otherwise could have been

averted According to Egbule et al (2003) ldquoThis can be substantial in the context of unpaved


124

roads and vast distancesrdquo [which characterise most developing countries especially Nigeria]

(Egbule et al 2013 24)

ICT and Culture

A social phenomenon through which a society can excel in a unique way is culture The United

Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) say that ldquoIn todayrsquos

interconnected world culturersquos power to transform societies is clear Its diverse manifestations-

from our cherished historic monuments and museums to traditional practices and contemporary

art forms ndash enrich our everyday lives in countless waysrdquo (UNESCO 2014) A societyrsquos ability to

preserve and promote its culture is another facet of development The global scenario today is

such that the information-rich or ICT superpowers use the technologies to promote their culture

beyond the borders of their nations indeed globally That means future generations will be able

to appreciate their cultural heritage ICT-backed facilities can be used to document cultural

practices such as folklores dance music and other facets of everyday human life through the

media Broadcast genres like soap operas situation comedies or sitcoms musical shows and

documentaries provide ample opportunities for people to appreciate the aesthetics of culture The

media (which are of course components of ICT) can even serve as an avenue for marginalised

groups or minorities to unfold and reach out to the wider society through the promotion of their

traditional practices beliefs artefacts norms and values

Nigeria is a multi-cultural society with over 250 ethnic groups The major tribes are Hausa-

Fulani 29 Yoruba 21 Igbo 18 Ijaw 10 Kanuri 4 Ibibio 35 and Tiv 25 living as

a nation (The World Factbook 2013) In a diversified society like Nigeria cultural events are a


125

very good means of re-strengthening the bond of unity in diversity among its peoples In all the

nooks and crannies of the country culture stands out prominently In the North for example

there is a traditional horse-riding pageantry popularly known as Durbar Festival It is usually

organised periodically by traditional emirate councils during annual religious festivities like Eid-

el-Kabir Eid-el-Adha and other important anniversary celebrations The most famous of all the

Durbar Festivals is probably the one organised by the Kano Emirate Council in the ancient city

of Kano showcasing the rich and flamboyant regal and cultural pomp and prowess of the Emir

of Kano In addition there is the famous annual Argungu Fishing Festival celebrated annually in

Zamfara State These cultural events are of international fame and therefore could be a very

strong and sustainable means of revenue generation not only for the individual states within

which the celebrations take place but also the country as a whole Furthermore other annual

cultural events of international reputation include the Eyo Festival in Lagos South-western

Nigeria the Calabar Carnival in the South-south the Abuja Carnival in the Federal Capital City

of Nigeria and the Atilogwu Dance in Enugu South-eastern Nigeria to mention but a few

Now the question to ask here is in addition to the promotion and preservation of culture what

more significant roles could ICT play in culture As stated earlier ICT can play the roles of

projecting (creating an identity for) promoting (showcasing) preserving and globalising culture

Significantly however the mass media which are envisaged as part and parcel of ICT can

through status conferral elevate the status of a culture (or a particular aspect of a culture) over

time to global level and consequently render it a global culture Lazarsfeld and Merton 2007)

believe that as part of their functions the mass media (ICT inclusive) do raise the status of an


126

individual organisation or group (culture is inherently part and parcel of them) to certain levels

through status conferral

Common experience as well as research testifies that the social standing of persons or social

policies is raised when these command favourable attention in the mass media In many quarters

for example the support of a political candidate or a public policy by the Times is taken as

significant and this support is regarded as a distinct asset for the candidate or the policyhellip

WhyhellipFor some the editorial views of the Times represent the considered judgment of a group

of experts thus calling for the respect of laymen But this is only one element in the status-

conferral function of the mass media for enhanced status accrues to those who merely receive

attention in the media quite apart from any editorial supporthellip The mass media bestow prestige

and enhance the authority of individuals and groups by legitimising their status Recognition by

the press or radio or magazines or newsreels testifies that one has arrived that one is important

enough to have been singled out from the large anonymous masses that ones behaviour and

opinions are significant enough to require public notice (Lazarsfeld and Merton 2007 235)

For example Western (or American) popular culture can arguably be said to have been

globalised by the Hollywood movie industry In recent decades ICT can be said to have enabled

Hollywood to globalise American culture even farther Although lately ICT has also given many

(previously information-poor) societies the opportunity to produce and market their own local

popular culture and consume less of American cultural products Decades ago however Harold

Laswell (1948) provided an answer to this question One of the three famous functions of the

mass media he mentioned is spreading cultural heritage from one generation to another This


127

refers to the capacity of the mass media in this case ICT (which is certainly part and parcel of

the mass media) of transmitting values norms lifestyles and customs through different periods

of time and among different groups ICT can therefore play enormous roles in culture

especially in the realms of promotion - through advertisements and other forms of publicity via

the broadcast or print media as well as other electronic and digital multimedia channels devices

museums and even libraries

Also ICT can help preserve and propagate cultural heritages by archiving and disseminating

information about important historical and cultural events (Ekwelem Okafor and Ukwoma

2011) Williams (2001) observed that preservation of cultural heritage resources is essential to

sustainable development Therefore arguably ICT possesses the capacity to do that to the letter

The Internet for instance could be a veritable platform for the promotion dissemination and

preservation of peoplersquos cultural heritages Properly ICT-managed cultural heritages arguably

stand a better chance of boosting the countryrsquos tourism industry thus providing additional

income sources for the Government The two local home movie industries in Nigeria

Kannywood and Nollywood located in the Northern and Southern parts of the country

respectively are another significant cultural purview where ICT has been playing a very crucial

role in cultural and socio-economic development of the people particularly the youth The works

of arts by actors and actresses in the industries are promoted and marketed online ndash via You

Tube Facebook Twitter etc So people can easily purchase an art product online watch a home

video movie and listen to or watch popular music on their mobile devices (Moudio 2013)


128

ICT and Economic Empowerment

Poverty and high rate of unemployment are obviously some of the problems bedevilling Nigeria

and most other developing countries (UNDP 2013) Arguably the economy is the backbone of

every nationrsquos existence With more mouths to feed and meagre resources to cater for the needs

of the teeming population ICT can provide nations with ample opportunities for poverty

alleviation Such small and medium-scale entrepreneurships like running internet cafes selling

mobile phones and their accessories selling and servicing digital satellite equipment selling and

servicing computers and their accessories and working as computer network technicians are

some of the areas where the judicious application of ICT can help bring about positive changes

in the lives of people ICT also provides a platform for Governments international organisations

and the private sector to promote the benefits of international trade online via e-business e-

commerce e-banking e-transactions and e-shopping for household utilities

Considering Nigeriarsquos huge human and natural resources it can be said to possess the capability

to tap the huge opportunities offered by ICT for development especially with the high rate of

poverty among its people According to the World Bank (2011) UNDP Nigeria (2012) and BBC

News Africa (2013) the poverty rate in the country is 626 per capita income is US $1280

human development index (HDI) is 047 and life expectancy is 52 years for men and 53 years for

women ICT can not only help farmers sell and get better prices for their produce but also

provide opportunities for youths to do online trade and business It can also serve as a platform

for artists craftsmen and craftswomen fashion designers artistes teachers and students to

improve their respective entrepreneurship


129

Tourism is another socially attractive and economically lucrative area that can get the best out of

ICT initiatives Many tourist destination nations have been able to showcase and promote their

tourism attractions to the global community online in extremely appealing ways more than ever

before Countries like Egypt Kenya and Tanzania derive a large share of their national income

from tourism which in this era is substantially promoted through the Internet and provides

ample employment opportunities for the populace In addition to boosting international business

ICT creates ample room for local entrepreneurs to promote their businesses by utilising available

relevant information to solve their problems This can be achieved when the atmosphere is

conducive for ICT the Government is largely responsible for that and an e-government could be

in a better position to facilitate such an atmosphere more effectively Access to relevant

information has been identified as one of the main challenges facing local entrepreneurs and that

they lack information in three key areas which are

(i) Demand information on new and existing customers

(ii) Finance information on how to get more capital for the business

(iii) Skills information on how to get morebetter technical know-how for the

business

These are problems that can be solved using ICT by making the relevant information available

timely to entrepreneurs (Heeks 2002 Singh 2006)

ICT and Education

The role of ICT in education cannot be underestimated The application of ICT in education

commonly referred to as e-education may be in areas like distance learning teacher training


130

adult education technical and vocational education teacher and student networking and

primary secondary tertiary and even kindergarten education For instance audio-visual aided

teaching and learning can go a long way in imparting comprehensive or ldquo3-Drdquo knowledge to

learners In Malaysia the application of ICT to teaching and learning has been firmly rooted

That arguably could have been one of the major reasons Malaysian universities and other

institutions of higher learning are becoming the cynosure of learning and researching not only to

people from many developing countries but also to students candidates and intellectuals from

developed countries In Nigeria for example the Federal Ministry of Education has made a giant

stride in this direction with the following ICT-driven (mostly tertiary educational) programmes

the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) programme the Distance Learning programme

(unfortunately the distance learning programme is merely distance by name in many of the

institutions that run it because students have to attend classes and nothing ICT-related is involved

in the teaching and learning processes) Computer in Schools Initiative Nigerian Universities

Network the National Teachersrsquo Institute programme (teacher training programme through

distance learning) and the National Virtual Library Project The primary objective of these

programmes is to use the ICT-driven approach to improve the efficiency quality and delivery of

education at all levels of the educational system

In its efforts to develop the ICT sector of the country the Nigerian ICT Centre in 2010 provided

internet access to higher institutions which paved the way for the institutions to launch their web

sites and portals According to IT and Telecom Digest (2012) each of the 36 states of the

country benefited from an ICT centre well equipped with computers a Very Small Aperture

Terminal (V-SAT) and related ICT equipment aimed at improving teaching and learning for both


131

students and teachers The Government has also planned to establish ICT centres that can offer

24-hour services which could be accessed by more than 20000 students concurrently

Furthermore the Federal government through the ICT Centre also provides scholarships to

successful candidates who are willing to study for Masterrsquos or PhD in ICT-related fields In

2011 it provided scholarships to 37 Masterrsquos (one per each state and the Federal Capital

Territory FCT Abuja) and six PhD candidates one from each geo-political zone in the country

In the previous year however the Government sponsored two candidates per state The National

ICT Centre Abuja also provides e-learning facilities for the training of Nigerians especially the

youth in ICT skills and literacy in fields like Cisco Microsoft Certificated areas D-Link and

other self-tutoring areas Candidates and students use such centres among other things to check

their Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination results download materials

for their studies and assignments and browse the Internet for social media interaction Other e-

services provided at such centres include e-marketing e-business etc (IT and Telecom Digest

2012)

The prospects and benefits of ICT in education are unquantifiable In addition to the numerous

theoretical as well as practical or physical uses and benefits of ICT mentioned in the previous

sections Idewor Imhonopi and Urim (2014) have enumerated some more of ICT benefits

particularly in education According to them the use of ICT in education has become a modus

vivendi for modern teaching and learning in Nigerian schools and higher institutions of learning

Gradually the physical classroom is being replaced or at least supplemented by the virtual

classroom online blackboard is being replaced or supplemented by whiteboard and PowerPoint


132

audio-visual facilities which enrich pedagogy Other benefits and applications of e-education

according to them include

1 Email Many academicians and students now greatly rely on email service to

communicate and exchange vital information without having necessarily to meet face-to-

face

2 Online Peer Review Recently peer review which is an important process or activity that

enhances the quality of research and academic works has been digitalised With the help

of e-peer review service a junior researcher for instance can send draft copies of his or

her works electronically to the email addresses of his or her senior colleagueexperienced

researcher for review This process is cost and time effective Thus by using electronic

peer review process nowadays collaborative research activities between Nigerian

scholars and scholars in other countries from around the world has been made easier

3 Digitisation of academic activities As part of Government policy for a robust e-education

and green environment in the country higher educational institutions in Nigeria have

been charged to adopt the culture of digitising their activities and operations in line with

global trends Consequently higher institutions of learning nowadays process their

admissions online Similarly e-communication channels are gradually replacing face-to-

face communication processes and these make for speed ease and time-saving

advantages Digital papers are replacing physical papers which occupy space and create

an environmental eyesore when improperly disposed of Also physical libraries are

gradually giving way to e-libraries Thus higher education in Nigeria is not left behind in

this regard


133

4 Websites Most if not all higher educational institutions in Nigeria have at least a

website of their own which contains their corporate information and other details

Through their websites higher institutions are able to communicate and interact with

their students and staff and meet the needs of other stakeholders Furthermore websites

have become marketing tools for higher institutions of learning in addition to the

traditional media where they advertise their various programmes and disciplines for

prospective students and other clients (Idewor et al 2014 359-360)

ICT and Environment

The world has always been faced with one environmental challenge or another The most widely

spoken about and one of the most devastating is climatic change due to global warming brought

about by the greenhouse gas effect particularly in the developed societies The fear is that the

unindustrialised countries in Africa Asia and other parts of the developing world seem to suffer

the effects more than the industrialised societies which are the sources of most of the worldrsquos

greenhouse gases Moreover population explosion and diminishing resources seem to be posing

serious threats to such poor nations particularly Nigeria According to the International Fund for

Agricultural Development (IFAD 2014) as cited in Rural Poverty Portal (2014)

hellipas the population swells and puts pressure on diminishing resources escalating environmental

problems further threaten food production Land degradation as a result of extensive agriculture

deforestation and overgrazing are already severe in many parts of the country Drought has

become common in the north and erosion caused by heavy rains floods and oil pollution is a

major problem in the south and south-east (Rural Poverty Portal 2014)


134

Permit me to use the clicheacute that information is power Yes the right information at the right time

can help a great deal in alerting nations to manage their environmental challenges One of the

ICT-driven technologies that are used today to manage for instance occurrences of natural

disasters and other environmental hazards is the early warning system Thus environmental

degradation like desert encroachment (especially in northern Nigeria) flooding and erosion

(especially in southern Nigeria) and disasters like the tsunami earthquakes landslides

rainstorms air pollution etc in many parts of the world can be greatly managed ndash controlled and

or prevented This can be achieved through shrewd and prudent application of ICT using for

example the Internet Global System for Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) among others to

create awareness about approaching dangers and how to minimise environmental abuse and

degradation Even the everyday TV genre of weather forecasts which uses meteorological

technology can help manage environmental pollution That is to say ICT could help reduce a

communityrsquos vulnerability to disasters and increase chances of saving lives and property from

destruction through pre-disaster warnings post-disaster interventions sustainable natural

resource management weather-based crop insurance etc Some of the major environmental

threats which could be said to have contributed toward the impediment of Nigerias development

include land degradation deforestation drought and desertification erosion environmental

pollution an ineffective and inefficient waste management system and climate change

One of the most advanced applications of ICT in environmental management and development

are the Earth-orbiting satellites According to Cawthorne Beard Carrel Richardson and Lawal

(2008 1) between 2002 and 2005 five satellites of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC)

were launched and one of them was NigeriaSat-1 Nigeriarsquos first satellite which was launched on


135

23 September 2003 The successful launching of these satellites has given the assurance of the

social economical political and technological values of Earth- imaging using small cost-

effective satellites The Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency

(NASRDA) have also commissioned its first operational high-performance Earth Observation

system NigeriaSat-2 which was initially billed for launching in 2009 It was however launched

on 17 August 2011 The main aims of launching the satellite include

(i) to support food supply security agricultural and geological applications

(ii) to support mapping and security applications

(iii)to support development of national GIS infrastructure and

(iv) to provide continuity and compatibility with NigeriaSat-1 system

(Andrew et al 2008 1-2)

ICT and Governance

Good governance is a key factor to development as it is to democracy The conception adoption

and implementation of developmental strategies are tied to governance The provision of social

amenities and the creation and management of the atmosphere conducive for societal growth and

development are also tied to governance In fact government is all about management

management of the citizenry management of resources management of population management

of the economy and by and large management of good governance For example a good

standard of living good health good education food security and sustainable food production

do to a large extent determine how viable a government is and how successful it will be in

satisfying the needs yearnings and aspirations of its citizens


136

Good governance entails providing and sustaining the essential needs of citizens through inter

alia effective administration This can be facilitated through proper use of ICT to development

purviews like electoral processes fiscal probityauditing proactive public forums which enable a

higher civil society and citizensrsquo participation in decision-making and policy formulation about

matters that affect them publicising government policies and programmes communication of

citizens and a free press Governance via ICT or e-governance is becoming popular across the

world Governments therefore need to implement e-government strategies focusing on

applications aimed at promoting innovation and transparency in public administration and

democratic processes as well as improving efficiency and strengthening relations with the

citizenry (CODIST 2009) At present the Nigerian Government has adopted e-letters e-

company registration (e-Corporate Affairs Commission- CAC) services) e-national forum e-

passport (e-immigration services) e-driversrsquo licence (e-Federal Road Safety Corps- FRSC)

services) e-drug registration (e-National Food Drugs Administration and Control- NAFDAC)

services (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2014) among others as some of the key administrative

purviews where the application of ICT does improve service delivery and performance thereby

boosting the efficiency of governance for social well-being and revenue generation for the

Government

According to Iyanda Ogundele and Oyedemi (2014 3) ldquoe-governance is the use of information

and communication technologies to support good governancerdquo Arguably therefore the

opportunities that ICT offers through e-governance to spur development are enormous

Explaining some technicalities concerning ICT in e-governance Iyanda et al (2014 3) stressed

that the key characteristics of all e-governance projects are that the number of users of the system


137

could be enormous and eventually the number of applications could also probably increase ldquoin

direct proportionrdquo In e-governance the significance of information management cannot be

overemphasised In addition networking securitypasswording ethicslegal backings as well as

proper integration of all the facilities must be ensured and specifications of modus operandi of

the system strictly adhered to ensure maximum and qualitative output with minimum risks or

losses Worthy of note is that the key benefits of e-government include improved government

efficiency convenience and better accessibility of public services for all (Iyanda 2014)

ICT and Health

Healthy people form a healthy nation Productivity and sustainable development are intertwined

and both cannot be achieved without a healthy population Therefore health is a key

development factor Hence developing an ICT-based health care system can help enhance

qualitative health care delivery to the people ICT is applied in such purviews as telemedicine

teleradiology monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks (eg the use of ICT to combat

serious national health threats such as HIVAIDS and leprosy guinea worm physical disabilities

etc) by communicating useful medication tips about how to control or manage and prevent the

occurrence of the scourge This can be achieved through online conferences social media and

the Internet Also networking health care to collate information sharing data and

communicating online full internet connectivity (eg WI-FI broadband) and accessibility for

health care professionals at all levels boost public health Some Civil Society Organisations

(CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) complement government efforts toward

provision servicing and maintenance of e-health equipment and facilities especially in

developing countries like Nigeria In collaboration with the United Nations Children and


138

Educational Fund (UNICEF) for instance Nigeriarsquos Midwifery Services Scheme (MSS) supplied

ICT facilities such as computers mobile phones and solar panels to about 200 health facilities

(out of over 10000) in the country to complement the efforts of the Government toward fighting

maternal and child mortality in the country (Jimoh et al 2012)

The Federal Government of Nigeria is currently undertaking major reforms in the health sector

of the country with the aim of providing effective and affordable health care services to the

citizenry Just like there are three tiers of government or three tiers of education so also the

health sector comprises three tiers According to Hassan Ahmed and Dogo (2013 182) the three

tiers are primary secondary and tertiary health care systems According to them the Nigerian

health sector is faced with several challenges in delivering health care services to the people

especially in the primary health care system where the beneficiaries are mostly remote and rural

dwellers These rural dwellers make up 70 or more of the Nigerian population and have no

adequate access to qualified medical personnel With these many inadequacies coupled with a

growing demand for improved healthcare system the government in its health sector reforms

adopted the use of e-health in the form of telemedicine to tackle the numerous challenges of

medical health care delivery in the country What is telemedicine Hassan et al (2013 182-183)

defined it as the ldquouse of electronic sensor devices and wireless communication [ICT] to deliver

healthcare support services when participants [health personnel and patients] are separated by

distancerdquo Furthermore the Government is considering the use of biosensors in monitoring

patients with critical ailments


139

ICT Human and Natural Resources Development

A well-endowed human capital goes beyond having a hardworking dedicated and diligent

manpower In the information era these qualities though sine qua non are arguably not sufficient

to ensure sustainable development Furthermore it can be argued that with the emergence of

highly competitive production economies the key for rapid and sustainable development lies in

building a knowledge-based society The challenge however is how to use ICT for the creation

of new knowledge for all human endeavours

Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources Petroleum has been the major source of

government revenue and chief mineral resource in the country Apart from petroleum however

which is largely found on the coastal regions of the country there are other abundant non-oil

solid natural resources like iron ore gypsum limestone gold etc that if properly harnessed

could boost the economy of the country Using ICT as a tool can help the government in the

exploration extraction and processing of those abundant untapped resources efficiently

sustainably and at relatively lower costs For instance instead of relying on manual exploration

and extraction (mining) of the resources which may constitute a huge danger to the environment

as well as to the well-being of the workers in addition to being time and cost ineffective using

ICT-driven equipment to carry out those activities could be economically environmentally and

even socially more appropriate and viable Another critical realm that ICT could be harnessed for

sustainable development is defence and law enforcement using technologies such as closed-

circuit television (CCTV) trackers and mobile phones


140

ICT and Rural Development

The United Nations according to Tersoo (2014 27-31) defines rural development as ldquoA

strategy designed to transform rural life by extending to the masses of the rural population the

benefits of economic and social progressrdquo From that definition it can be understood that the UN

stresses a fundamental principle which is the process through which equitable access to

resources imputes services and participation in the design and implementation of rural

development programmes can be made available to the rural populacerdquo The Nigerian Ministry

of Agriculture in January 2014 said that the country spends N13 trillion (one-point-three

trillion Naira which is approximately more than US $82 billion) in a year on the importation of

basic food items such as fish rice and sugar Currently Nigeria is the second largest importer of

rice in the world The country consumes 2 million metric tons of rice per year (Murdoc 27 April

2012)

With all these huge statistics of importation of food Nigeria stands an enormous chance to

develop its agricultural sector reduce the importation of food items ensure food self-sufficiency

and food security reduce hunger and poverty as well as develop its rural areas if the country

would invest heavily in e-agriculture and e-rural development According to the findings of a

study by Tersoo (2014) about 80 of Nigerians live in rural areas They are predominantly poor

farmers and fishermen and 90 of them are illiterate Tersoo (2014) pointed out that most of the

poor in Africa live in rural areas and that the poverty rate is high in the continent because of its

(Africarsquos) failure to replicate the Asian Green Revolution (Tersoo 2014 27-31)


141

The Nigerian Government has made a concerted effort to bring down the level of the urban-rural

digital divide and raise Internet and broadband penetration in the country The countryrsquos ICT

Centre provides an insight into that An excerpt culled from IT and E-Digest (2012) online news

site states In 2007 the Government under its ICT Centre came out with a programme aimed at

providing Internet penetration in rural areas known as the Rural Information Technology

Centres Those centres provide the framework for providing internet access to the rural and other

information disadvantaged areas Currently Nigeria has more than 240 of such centres spread

across the country and most of them conduct Internet training In fact the centres render a lot of

ICT services to clients such as obtaining information on population control statistics death

statistics rural agricultural production statistics do-it-yourself tips and others

Conclusion

Sustainable development has emphatically been identified by intellectuals and experts as a safe

haven of survival and existence on our planet Earth particularly in this era when both natural

and man-made actions are depleting resources at more alarming rates than they could be

renewed recycled or replaced However sustainable development cannot be achieved without a

veritable tool that could pave the avenue for the facilitation of local national and global

partnership for a synergy toward a safer world for all to live With its unfathomable

profoundness (in terms of knowledge creation information and opportunities) and its

formidability (in terms of the overwhelming power to compress the world into a ldquovillagerdquo) ICT

possesses the capability to promote sustainable development practices in our societies through

the dissemination of information about disasters erosions desertification floods drought etc

with the help of ICT experts who could predict with near-accuracy where disasters are likely to


142

occur why they are likely to occur how they would occur and proffering possible measures on

how to manage them Therefore this paper argues that the goal of developing the human and

technological potential of any society cannot be achieved effectively unless the society adopts

ICT-driven development strategies especially in an information era like ours

Obviously there are challenges in Nigerian society for example the gender issue In large parts

of the country the female person is not allowed to enrol in schools or attain a certain level of

education or engage in some kinds of businesses or work in an organisation due to cultural

reasons By implication this could mean that nearly half of the population of the country could be

deprived of the power to contribute toward national development However with the advent of

the Internet and subsequently development of ICT coupled with accessibility and ubiquity

individuals and groups can get a great deal of exposure and enlightenment about issues around

them Sometimes these can be a source of social emancipation to people particularly those living

in highly traditional and conservative societies In addition the UN and its agencies together

with NGOs and CSOs have been proactively mobilising resources in collaboration with the

various levels of government in the country advocating for a gender-friendly education policy

and legislation The primary roles ICT has been playing in this realm are those of publicity

enlightenment and sensitisation particularly at the grassroots level through radio TV mobile

phones the Internet etc at a faster rate

Worthy of note is that ICT is often regarded as the exclusive preserve of the elites and the

affluent members of society By and large ICT gadgets are usually exorbitantly expensive to

procure maintain and repair ICT applications seem to be out of reach of the economically poor


143

Moreover the source of power and connectivity are issues in many locations and contents are

often not locally relevant To crown it all language barriers illiteracy and media (ICT) illiteracy

are more deterring challenges and problems that hamper the effective utilisation of ICT for

sustainable and participatory sustainable development

To face those challenges squarely it requires commitment by the stakeholders the Government

NGOs and beneficiaries Arguably the entire efforts for ICT and sustainable development

revolve around usersrsquo acceptance accessibility affordability and usage and the implementersrsquo

(government NGOs) access to funds and infrastructural facilities It also involves the

stakeholdersrsquo responsibility for scalability and both stakeholdersrsquo and beneficiariesrsquo

responsibility for sustainability and maintenance That is to say to make ICT work for

sustainable development it requires affordable market-driven infrastructures and multi-

stakeholder efforts at all levels to help the poor the disadvantaged and the marginalised

members of society benefit from ICT interventions according to their priorities and demands

Besides the creation and delivery of services the key to success is acceptance by the end user

For instance if the end user cannot afford to pay for the access or the use of data the access may

provide the system could fail Access must be provided affordably both in terms of

infrastructure and applications

Fundamentally however for ICT to serve as a catalyst for sustainable development the



sustainably harnessed the human resources ought to be adequately mobilised to appropriately


144

manipulate capital resources for affirmative outcomes Stakeholders can employ low-cost and

low-powered technology that can sustainably develop both rural and urban societies

Furthermore ICT projects such as telecentres need to be properly administered and monitored

for wholesome outcomes the design of the system and user interface should be suitable to the

target users


145

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Ebeling M (2003) The new dawn Black agency in cyberspace Radical History Review

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GITR Report 2012 The networked readiness index rankings In Dutta S and Bilbao-Osorio B

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Google Public Data (2012) wwwgooglecompublicdata Retrieved on 15 January 2012

Hassan NM Olaniyi OM Ahmed A and Dogo EM (2013) Wireless sensor

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2016-7

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2014

IT and Telecom Digest 2012 ldquoWe have more than 240 rural ICT centers across Nigeriardquo

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ITU (2009) World TelecommunicationICT Indicators Database 2009 Retrieved from

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Jimoh L Pate MA Lin L and Schulman KA (2012) A model for the adoption of ICT by

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Laswell H (1948) The structure and function of communication and society The

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Lazarsfeld PF and Merton FK (2007) Mass communication popular taste and organized

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February 2014

MCMC (2013) Retrieved from wwwskmmgovmy Retrieved on 9 December 2013 Also

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January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adamkolo Mohammed Ibrahim was born in 1979 in Geidam town in Yobe State Nigeria I

was brought up by my guardian Late Adamkolo Snr in Damaturu where I attended Njiwaji

Primary School Damaturu from 1983-1988 and later joined Federal Government College (FGC)

Maiduguri from 1989-1994 In 2002 I joined University of Maiduguri to study Mass

Communication I graduated with a Second-Class Upper BA Mass Comm (Hons) in 2007 I

was employed by Yobe State Government radio Yobe Broadcasting Corporation (YBC)

Damaturu as broadcaster until November 2010 when I joined University of Maiduguri as

Graduate Assistant in Department of Mass Communication In February 2013 I got admission in

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for a Masterrsquos Degree in Development Communication I am

Muslim married and blessed with two children I am enamoured of reading writing and current

affairs I also like jogging football blogging chatting on social media and voluntary social

work


112

Keywords ICT sustainable development critical purviews management of natural human and

capital resources Nigeria Malaysia

Introduction

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is changing the world dramatically ICT has

made political cultural and socio-economic integration much easier and faster than before

Consequently ICT has ushered us into the much-talked about information age something

Marshal McLuhan had foreseen since the 1960s which he called the global village and now

widely referred to as globalization ICT has made access to knowledge and education

(awareness) much easier and relatively cheaper Awareness increases peoplersquos chances to be

carried along in the ICT-driven global dynamism Information poverty or digital divide

however impedes peoplersquos access to knowledge and education which unfortunately reinforces

their vulnerability constraints and challenges Such constraints and challenges usually thwart the

socio-economic well-being of the people by pushing them into the abyss of exclusion

powerlessness and penury

Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent according to the United Nations

(UN) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nigeria The country is the sixth most

populous nation in the world after China India US Indonesia and Brazil according to the UNFP

Report cited on the Nigerian National Population Commission (NPC) website with an estimated

population of over 167 million (NPC 2014) The estimated population growth rate (average

annual percentage) of the country from 2010 to 2015 is 25 its urban growth rate from 2010 to

2015 is estimated at 38 its rural population growth rate (annual average percentage) from


113











ICT in Nigeria













114





















115













out












116

















NCC 2013)







117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


113











ICT in Nigeria













114





















115













out












116

















NCC 2013)







117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


114





















115













out












116

















NCC 2013)







117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


115













out












116

















NCC 2013)







117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


116

















NCC 2013)







117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


117























118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


118



What is ICT







(i) Information

(ii) Communication

(iii) Technologies







email[and] robots




119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


119
























120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


120
















121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


121

Source Author


ICT and Agriculture









122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


122
























123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


123
























124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


124



ICT and Culture




















125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


125























126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


126























127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


127






















128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


128























129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


129
















business



ICT and Education




130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


130
























131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


131














2012)









132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


132





face

















this regard


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


133








ICT and Environment















134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


134
























135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


135












ICT and Governance











136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


136

















Government







137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


137








ICT and Health
















138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


138






















139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


139






















140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


140












2012)










141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


141











Conclusion













142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


142























143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


143























144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


144





target users


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


145

References











Addis Ababa CODIST



24 January 2014




on 1 February 2014













146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


146






8 February 2014



February 2014



on 1 February 2014



14 2013









77-7











147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


147


















2016-7






2013



2014



2014




148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


148









3 Available at















February 2014










149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


149


December 2013














August 2013









Publishers P 30








150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


150



November 2009





on 1 February 2014











2014


4 April 2013



February 2014



8 February 2014




151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work


151








January 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR












work

Critical purviews where information and communication technology (ICT) can promote sustainable development in nigeria by adamkolo m.i., 2013

Internet

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rural poverty

agricultural

sustainable

google public

higher educational

world economic