Nigeria’s official website shutdown
By Everest Amaefule, Abuja
Published: Thursday, 25 Dec 2008
The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has lamented the shutting down of the nation’s official website – www.nigeria.gov.ng – as a result of the inability of government officials to maintain the national flagship.

Akunyili, who spoke at the first meeting she had with heads of parastatals under the ministry in Abuja late on Tuesday, also gave all agencies in the ministry a deadline of March 2009 to establish their own websites.

She also barred officials of the ministry and the parastatals from receiving free telephone lines and cable televisions, directing those that already had such gifts to return them before the end of January 2009.

Noting that the incidence of poor telecommunications services has continued, the minister directed the Nigerian Communications Commission to monitor and report quality of service parameters on regular weekly basis.

She said, “Today, we live in an information age where access to information should be made readily available, and yet information about Nigeria from Nigeria is not easily accessible. I find it disheartening that the Ministry of Information and Communications does not have a website.

“It is also very discomforting that our flagship corporation, Nigerian Television Authority, does not have a website. It is unfortunate that the official government website www.nigeria.gov.ng, which was launched in 2005, and hit 1.3 million in its first year, making it one of the most viable national websites in the world, has been shut down for many months. This website, which serves as a gateway to Nigeria, must be reactivated.

“Every parastatal must have an active and vibrant website up and running before the end of March 2009, and I am ready to support you to make sure that this happens. On our part, before the end of March 2009, this ministry will create a vibrant website that will enable people around the world to find everything they need to know about Nigeria in a click. This will be an interactive website that will allow people to ask questions and get answers. It will also provide polling opportunities as an avenue to know the feelings and desires of our people on various issues.”

On telecommunications, Akunyili said it was general knowledge that services rendered by telecom operators were poor, adding that most Nigerians were unhappy and expressing displeasure over the services of mobile telecom operators.

The minister said the incidences of dropped calls, poor voice signal quality and poor reception have caused unnecessary financial burdens for Nigerians as they carry multiple handsets to be able to connect to working networks.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20081225217390

Very INTERESTING to hear and read this news.

Web Designers/ Developers, what do think? Time to get busy and do it all perfectly well *the much you can do anyway* and design/ developer at least 10 webs  before end of March 2009. Great opportunity for the new year.

As we have debated on a thread some good months back, Ref: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-190166.32.html, the web was not really worth it and finally it is down (though it is still accessible as I was able to log on and still saw the same old website there http://nigeria.gov.ng/). So what next?

I wanted to draw the public attention to this thread I referenced above but the punch web will not allow me. All I get is an error from the backend program for the posts or shout box there.

@poster
Thanks for alerting us on this. Even this news is not on the frontpage of about 3 other newspapers I've checked this morning.

MERRY XMAS TO ALL!
   

According to the news article, the site is going down, "as a result of the inability of government officials to maintain the national flagship." What a shame!

That site staying up is a matter of national security. When I posted this, I got like 3 responses. Probably many laughed behind my back. How about posting comments on that news article saying you are willing to undertake ownership of the site? Don't you think Akunliyi will notice and perhaps give you the job? Now, will more sign up for this? Questions, questions, answers, answers.

The site goes down in March. I say we get something in place by end of January. In the meantime, post comments on all major newspaper sites in Nigeria saying you are willing to undertake the project and for those with hook ups in the media (TV and radio), do same. You never know where this might lead.

Think about it people. This might just be your chance.

@ Yawa-ti-de

Your enthusiasm (or patriotism) is commendable but I beg to disagree that the availability of the site having any bearing on national security (unfortunately a very broad and vague term used by different tiers of the government and politicians for reasons mostly borne out of convenience).  The Nigerian website has not been developed to transact any serious business (compared to say direct.gov.uk for example), it was most likely a by-product of someone high up there getting a dodgy proposal approved and laughing real hard to the bank for delivering what is at best a mediocre project.

The possibility of capable nairalanders (including yourself) being given this job? - zero I'll say (unless of course the ones with friends in high places), not while you still have those politicians-contractors-godfathers turned emergency overnight IT-consultants lurking around the corridors of Aso rock and other government ministries hijacking projects they have no real commitments to nor have any serious clues on how to deliver. Those hydra-headed govt agencies like Galaxy Backbone (operating right out of Aso rock), NITDA etc would most likely get the job awarded at some obviously ridiculously inflated prices or out of the blue some joint venture partnership between these agencies and some unscrupulous 'expatriate' consultants would more than likely seal the deal. I've seen that not too few times in the govt arena.

However should this discourage you guys - NO!. But until the govt are really committed to true development in the information technology sector - and where every projects are not seen as a tender-inflate prices-full mobilisation-part supply-hands greased-mouth shut-we move on - business, you'll be better off spreading your web development tentacles within the private sector.

gave all agencies in the ministry a deadline of March 2009 to establish their own websites

Would a ministerial fiat such as this help or encourage true IT development in the ministry? - I doubt. It would only benefit cowboy web developers out to make a quick buck (and of course their collaborators in the agencies) all in the name of giving a website to each agency. It would have been ideal to spend time on formulating a roadmap and drafting a framework with accompanying policies to guide and direct the conversion of brick and mortar agencies services to their online equivalent. I seriously hope things would be planned and executed properly rather than the haphazard approach we have been so dangerously accustomed to. Regards

paribus:

The Nigerian website has not been developed to transact any serious business (compared to say direct.gov.uk for example), it was most likely a by-product of someone high up there getting a dodgy proposal approved and laughing real hard to the bank for delivering what is at best a mediocre project.

I agree but neither has http://www.usa.gov/

I beg to disagree that the availability of the site having any bearing on national security (unfortunately a very broad and vague term used by different tiers of the government and politicians for reasons mostly borne out of convenience)

It does and so as not to bore, I won't go into detail. I will say this much though: A website such as this has the potential to attract Foreign Direct Investment into a country, something which is good for trade, trade being one of the pillars of any economy and by extension, an issue of national security, though Nigeria being a consumer nation might give reason for pause here.

The possibility of capable nairalanders (including yourself) being given this job? - zero I'll say

Again true but you never know. I have turned in at least 20 proposals for various websites to my state government and all but 2 were approved. And guess what? I will keep on submitting. Who knows when the next one will bite? Besides, this started off as a volunteer effort as in, no pay guaranteed. It was more of a patriotic act to show those interested that things can be done in a better way. Something for the resume/CV should one go applying for a job. Getting a job from the FG would simply be a bonus.

Would a ministerial fiat such as this help or encourage true IT development in the ministry? - I doubt. It would only benefit cowboy web developers out to make a quick buck (and of course their collaborators in the agencies) all in the name of giving a website to each agency.

I agree with you here. You do need to address the root of the matter here - Akunliyi is not fit for the job and therein lies the problem. If I were in charge, what would I do? Thanks for asking:

I would ask each university to send to me their top 5 students or so and have them over in Abuja over whenever the longest holiday break is, hire them as interns and have them in that time, design/develop the best site out there. For their efforts, they would get paid. In the end, it would be a win-win situation - They get to apply what they have learned, we get the site we want and they get paid. The next year, I do the same thing and have the next site improve upon what is out there and so, like the waterfall method, things would improve over time. This would probably be cheaper than having a dedicated department or contracting the work out.

It would only benefit cowboy web developers out to make a quick buck

I like the term, "cowboy web developers", cos thatz what many are

Again, the aim of this project isn't get to any cash awards (although if given, it wouldn't be rejected ) but to get some us together so that they can experience first hand how a web project can and should be done from start to finish. Consider it like the YUI project which is done by a group of developers for the benefit of all. A site where fellow developers from all over the world would visit for ideas on how to get the job done right

Merry Xmas.

naija?

@Paribus

Thanks for your remarks here.

@Yawa
Thanks for those responses.

Talking about fitness for the position as the Minister for Information, I think she is capable of being there. Why? If she was not capable, why will the Senate approve the list at all even after seeing her name not in the expected Minister for Health? But, IMHO she is not good enough for that position  .

About the deadline issue, I guess that is enough time for any agency thinking about what to make her web platform look like. The earlier they start now, the better for them. Where the problem lies is on the many crappy web works that will soon sprout up here and there in name of websites for agencies. This is only where I foresee a big problem. Just as you put it here,  cowboy web developers will simply arise from different corners and spoil the good name and pace which better developers have worked to set up for years. Yes, this is true but we have do anything about it. Our people will always say that, "someone who has his brother in heaven, doesn't get to hell as his brother, in a better place will always remember him". Someone whose brother/ sister is in any of the agencies, even if it is only how to type on the computer that he/she is familiar with, will be given the job of a web designer. What do you expect as the end result?

There are many things to really put into consideration before taking this kinda decision she has taken as per the deadline of March but she has spoken, what else?
=== Roman locuta, causam finitam est. ===

We must not sit down and watch these projects go anyway. We'll try our best and get at some, at least, if 10 is awarder and we get just 1, not a bad idea. We simply do the task as professionalized as we can and if it stands out, don't you think that the word "redesign" still exists  ?

It is better to try and fail than not to try at all.  Some one or some people should go for it.  You will never know what might be by sitting on the sidelines.  That is all I am saying.  Everything happens for a reason.  This might be someone's moment.  You never know. All I ask for on my end is that it be built to last 1,000 years and to bring respect to the trade in our corner of the globe.

Yes, a better website that will last longer and possess better functionalities than this initial one here. I hope they'll maintain the domain name and not start trying to register a new one which is always their trend. Once a new person comes in, instead maintaining the former, he/she simply introduces his own different concept. Take NECO website as a case study even JAMB. Different websites working on different DB which not all of them are updated to contain the same results. I call it a waste of resources.