Did You Hear About Google Coming To Nigeria?

I just recently read an article that Nigeria has accepted googles proposal to make the whole pf Abuja totally wireless. Google has been thinking about this for a while, they claim it is their social responsibility to help the world improve internet wise, and they are making seven African cities totally wireless and Abuja, Nigeria happens to be one of them.

I am really excited about this because finally we are going to get some decent internet in nigeria and generally more connectivity for nigerians = more creativity and will lead nigeria to vast improvements.

This is news to me, but can I ask what/where your source is?

edit:
Is this it?
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=40064

That wasnt the exact one i read but yeah i guess that says it too

Adim, I will be very grateful if you can get the exact article you stumbled upon. Thanks.

I got the article by email.

does this mean there's gonna be one of those google campuses in abuja?

I guess so. But the whole wireless network to cover Abj is a huge thing for the capital city, really remarkable.

Presently there are some places that gives free wireless internet assess in Abuja.

wow! this is great. why not Lagos? or is it because of the power there?

Very intresting, i know very soon after abuja > lagos > Delta state

I read the article here as well http://www.institutionalinvestor.com/default.asp?page=1&SID=612026&ISS=21302&type=47
Google hasn't made any official announcement yet

Hi Guys,

This is good news to all of us in Abuja.

Se mo ti so tele pe awon Lagosians are going to loose out to the emerging city called Abuja. All roads lead to Abuja and you better jump in before its too late.

For your information, some of us are already browsing free in some districts in Abuja.

Infact, I was physically at the ISP (Suburban Limited in Wuse 2) providing the wi-fi connection today and they gave me the list of areas one can get the free internet access. I will post the identified areas in this forum tomorrow.

Google is realy smart with this this, not only is it socially responsible, its also very good for their business, the more people from these various cities have internet access, the more they can go on search engines like google and conduct searches meaning more money for Google in the long run, great Idea, perssonally I think they should put it in lagos due to the population factior in lagos, about 13 - 16 million people I belive, more people to go online, but I think they are loking at the future though, there will bea as much people in Abuja if not more than Lagos in hte comming years.

skyjuice:

Google is realy smart with this this, not only is it socially responsible, its also very good for their business, the more people from these various cities have internet access, the more they can go on search engines like google and conduct searches meaning more money for Google in the long run, great Idea, perssonally I think they should put it in lagos due to the population factior in lagos, about 13 - 16 million people I believe, more people to go online, but I think they are loking at the future though, there will bea as much people in Abuja if not more than Lagos in hte comming years.

How many there in lagos are willing and able to pay ? Dont foget that far more than 60% of that 13-16million you quote are living in sheer poverty.

good news indeed

Good stuff as far as 9ger is concerned..but y Abuja? i just think that city is boring..then again

You know something? I have just realised how much i want to live in Abuja!

so when will they start it ?

Scorpio, Abuja is the most exciting city to be in Nigeria.

Seun, take a night bus and come to Abuja immediately.

egoldman, the date has not been mentioned yet but there are already wifi hotspots in Abuja where you can go to and browse free.
1. Millennium Park
2. FCDA Secretariat Area,
3. Model Secondary School, Maitama
4. Kadanya Street, Life camp,
5. Old Federal Secretariat, Garki, Area3
6. National Children Park and Zoo, Asokoro Area
7. Abuja Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Wuse zone 4
8. Parks & Recreation Office, Asokoro Area
9. Force Headquarters, 3 Arms Zone (behind National Assembly)
10. ASO FM Radio Station, Katampe Hill
11. Miniters' Quarters, Mabushi
12. Peniel Apartments, Wuse 2,
13. The Aminu Kano/Ahmadu Bello Way Junction Park (Behind Diamond Bank Wuse2,)

Well, If you are in any of these areas, internet is free for you.

Better still you can check the full list of current and proposed here http://www.fctaccess.com/hotspots.html

olu thanks for the answer,seems like my time to come home is getting closer man

what is the speed of these connections like? why dem come bone lagos?

How many there in lagos are willing and able to pay ? Dont foget that far more than 60% of that 13-16million you quote are living in sheer poverty.


Are we not talking of free internet browsing, if its free nternet browsing which I think it isthen what are they paying for. As long as they go the google and they click on a search result link Google get paid.

Dejiolwe, the speed is very high. This is typical of wifi connections. Speed is never compromised.

There is no payment for now and i am sure before December 2006 it will be commercialized. What the company is doing is to let people know that Internet can reach everybody. It is not supposed to be elitist.

Lagos ko, lagos ni. You better check out of that poluted city and come to Abuja.

Peace 2 u guys.

abuja is too quiet for me jo. but the peace is cool. may be i should go there... will u welcome me?

Deji, you are welcome to Abuja anytime.

By the way, i read your blog and you said you were leaving Access Bank. I hope you are not going to be looking for job anywhere. Thank God for all those software and IT knowledge you were able to learn while at Access Bank.

My advise is that you start your own business. This is my candid opinion. I left my former employers in February 2004 after slaving for them. I did learn a lot and now i am using my acquired skills to run my own IT firm here in Abuja. I can't tell you the joy i feel doing my own business. Think about it.

It's always amazing how we Nigerian's get so carried away when we hear such news. Why do you think Google is interested in Abuja?or Why do you think US govt wants access to  all googles search records.  Well, just know that Google would be able to build user patterns down to your President, that is if your/our president users a computer. They'll be able to trace and log every bit of info coming out of Nigeria, and develop powerful user analysis of Nigerians, they'll always know who you're buying from, who your not buying from, who Nigerians are defrauding, who is carrying out what search, (e.g are they searching for guns, drugs, etc and what IP address is doing the searching) and don't be suprised that they'll even know what the govt intends to buy before the govt even makes it public.

Let's always look at the bigger picture, not only the financial benefits, does any one know what the rope-a-dope is? Well, that was Muhammad Ali's style of fighting, he will always show you the left hand, but that's not the one's he really going to knock you out with. It's the right hand.

So basically what I'm trying to say is that, LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.

We should not allow Google to do this. Instead, the Nigerian govt should empower young entrepreneurs (Like seun, et al) with the financial backing of the banks to embark on such projects. What does it really take to take a city wireless. I've designed Global VPN's for major multinationals in the UK, so I should know, not much at all

A country must never contract out  their technology infrastructure to foreigners in the name of charity. Otherwise, be rest assured, at the flick of a switch they'll be listening to your presidents' telephone conversation.


Have you ever wondered why the Foreign Press heard of Nigerian coups well before we Nigerians did? FOOD FOR THOUGHT hey

Neticash, Na wa o. You have added another dimension to this thread. Are you trying to scare us or what?

On the other hand, i think you make some sense but what can we do now that such a gigantic venture like this is being worked on through the Nigerian government.

Well, you see. I'm going to talk football for a second.

Let's take a look at the Nigeria Ivory coast Match. You see Europeans (including those that emigrated to the US who now make up the most of the US today) are the best strategists in the world and that is why we africans remain where we are today.
Look at the goal Ivory Coast scored against us simple and strategic, one man up-front (Drogba), waited for the Nigerian defense to fall asleep, then nicked the goal, No fancy football, pure strategy. but the Nigerian/African Coaches by virtue of their background never play strategic football. We always want to play an exhibition (Okocha style) match, that never wins trophies. Look at Togo, no strategy at all, and this is the bane of our continent.

Before I go on, I'll also want to take you back to World cup '94, I can never forget that match against Argentina where Austin Eguavon was right full back. He comitted a foul around the right fullback position around the 18 yard box, and before you said jack the Argentines had placed the ball, taken a quick freekick and scored before the Nigerian Team could even organise a wall. In actual fact they were still talking amongst themselves when that goal was scored.

2006: Nigeria vs Ivory Coast : A similar occurence, so what did we learn from 1994, Absolutely nothing.

What is my point? Europeans will always capitalise on our weakenesses because they know we always get too carried away in the moment or to put it simply we "fall out of concentration" too easily. Same happens in government, the big companies come from the US promise a lot of fancy things to the person in charge, and he sells his soul afterwards without even thinking of the consequenses. Who actually benefits fropm this deal, the US or Nigeria?

You see from time, the Europeans had always sourced us out, and that was why they were able to colonize and enslave us. And what is happening today in Africa still stinks of this same strategy against us. And unfortunately, until we can realize this we ain't going nowhere.


Hear this, Nigeria was given debt relief, but at the same time granted more loans by the worlds financial institutions, who gains here, Nigeria. Hmmmm I don't think so.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that they have us cornered because there is no one brave enough to take us to our promised land and they will always play on that.

I mean they call Nigeria the most corrupt nation in the world, yet most of the stolen funds are in their banks, and they don't want to release them. Why? Can you imagine what would happen to their economies if you suddenly pull out say 50 billion dollars in cash. The country's fiscal structure will almost collapse.



SO GUYS ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, AS MUCH AS THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE YOUR/OUR INTEREST AT HEART, WHO POCKETS MOST OF THE MONEY, AND IF THEY ARE OFFERING IT FREE, JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE.

Neticash, now I get your drift.
We really have to be smart and not resell ourselves to neoimperialism.

A quick search of this (on google) doesn't show anything from google itself about this project. I'll do some more looking once i get some sleep.

the worst thing about we Nigerians is that we get so happy when we are to get something for free, and our knees begin knocking like a guy whos about to be hanged.

heres my opinion:
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH NETICASH
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH NETICASH
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH NETICASH
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH NETICASH
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH NETICASH

if the plan proceeds and google comes to abuja, honestly, i wont subscribe to it, because yes, that will be the beginning of the end for Nigeria. Look at it this way: Abuja is the seat of all the Nigerian Government. what else willl be better than to have a thick-eye glassed IT guru from NASA going through emails, searches etc., and other infos from our Ministries, companies and individuals. Even in America, i once read a CNN post that the CIA spies on 150,000 ppl(emails, phone-calls, chats, etc) living in America everyday, and such was legal stuff. Now, by the time, they begin to spy on 150,000 nigerians everyday, they'll know our next move.

See, this is business. Google and the American gov't are one and the same. Check out the profiles of their top-IT guys and you might be surprised. Why doesnt google make the same proposal to China. In fact, China even has its own google.com.cn(i think) to filter out everyinfo about the western world. You see, colonization has come into a new dimension: the emergence of info-tech now makes such things so easy.

Nothing is free, thats a major fact in this life.