The Daily Independent

The centralised database system being put in place by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) for the entire insurance industry in the country is scheduled to go live during the current quarter of the year. The centralised database will be a repository of all the insurance industry data.

Chairman, Information Technology Committee of NIA, Olawale Adedokun, who made this known in the committee's report to members of the association in Lagos recently, informed that the system is currently undergoing pilot test run.

African insurance operators have resolved to partner with distribution enablers like mobile phone operators as part of efforts to increase the level of insurance penetration in the continent.

This formed part of the resolution adopted at the 38th annual conference of African Insurance Organisation (AIO) recently concluded in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The theme of the conference was "In pursuit of the uninsured African."

Interswitch, an electronic payment transaction switching company; last week in Lagos, unveiled its business expansion plans into East and West Africa markets.

The expansion plans, which repositioned the company as a Pan-African integrated transaction and payment processing company, prompted Interswitch to change its brand identity in order to reflect its newly expanded status.

Lagos Geospatial information, previously in analogue form, has now been officially digitalised, following the formal unveiling last week of the state's Digital Mapping and Geographical Information System (GIS) project.

The comprehensive digital surveying and mapping of the entire state will apparently revolutionise the process of data acquisition, processing, storage, dissemination and use of spatial data in digital format for planning and decision making in the megacity.

The West African Cable System (WACS), being managed from Europe to Africa by MTN, is set to land on the shores of Nigeria, according to Corporate Services Executive of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Wale Goodluck.

Speaking in an interview in Lagos at the weekend, Goodluck said, "WACS is on stream and a lot of work has been put into it within and outside Nigeria. The sub-sea cable is being laid all the way from Europe, and it is ready to land in Nigeria. We are in the process of finalising some of the necessary regulatory approvals.

Helios Investment Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to making growth investments across Africa has acquired a majority stake in Interswitch and thus have become a shareholder of the largest transaction switching and electronic payment processing service provider in Nigeria and owner of the card scheme Verve.

Nigeria internet Registration Association (NiRA), managers of the Nigerian name space on the internet, the dot ng domain name has released 50, 000 free domain names for Nigerians as part of efforts to identify with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the country. Registration of free domains commenced formally on Friday, December 31, 2010 and will run till March 21, 2011.

President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Titi Omo-Ettu, and key players in the telecom sector have emphasised on the need to focus on improved technology and investment in the sector.

Submarine cable company Main One, which has licences to land in Ghana and Nigeria, said it has completed the landing processes and would begin commercial service next month.