UK ‘s Neptune Software to set up plant in Lagos.

Jonah Iboma
Neptune Software PLC is to open a new offshore development centre in Lagos, Nigeria in what it said is a “reconfirming its commitment to the African Market.”
The company said offshore development centre would be first of its kind in Nigeria complying with an ISO 9001-2000 quality standard for software development.

A document on the plan obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, stated that the offshore development centre in Lagos will be opened by the end of March 2006 and will house 100 software engineers.

The firm said Nigeria became a logical choice for several reasons: first, Neptune has a strong presence in Nigeria through its Platinum partner, CSA. Second, software developers in Nigeria are highly skilled and qualified as has been experienced during the evolution of Equinox to suit African requirements.

Neptune Software PLC is an enterprise solutions provider offering two product suites: Equinox – suit of products for banking and financial industry and Nexus ERP solution.
“This state-of-the art facility, equipped with the latest technologies, will be providing product and bespoke development, and will expand Neptune’s engagement capabilities to provide a wider range of services such as business consulting and technology implementation,” the firm stated.

Neptune’s Development Director, Mr. Harold Dempster, said, “This new development centre will further benefit Neptune in terms of project management, development expertise, time to market, quality and infrastructure cost. Other key advantages include flexibility in managing projects and greater customer awareness and satisfaction. With this extended presence in Nigeria we intend to strengthen our market leadership in the African continent.”

The African Development Centre will provide business solutions in a wide range of domains leveraging multiple technology platforms. It includes solutions in UBS (Universal Banking System), ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management). The technology solutions provided by this centre will cater for industries such as Financial Services, Retailing, Manufacturing, Energy and Utilities servicing a large number of clients across Africa.

This centre will be run by a dedicated team of professionals based in Nigeria and in London. The centre will follow Neptune’s processes, tools and methodology, which are already implemented in its on-site development centre. As part of our quality process, Neptune is recruiting the finest from the IT industry, who are experts not only in technology but also have a strong business domain knowledge in banking, consulting and ERP.

African GSM operators meet in Abuja to chart future
Jonah Iboma

The regulatory requirement in an era of convergence of fixed and mobile phones technologies, is expected to top discussions as GSM experts from across Africa and beyond GSM Africa 2006 Conference Abuja on Monday (today).

The conference, which is coming to Nigeria for the first time, is also expected to focus on customer-centric topics like effective billing system, meeting customers needs, competition management, expansion, affordable network solutions for rural expansion, and effective industry regulation.

According to the Chairman, Nigeria’s GSM Consultative Forum, Mr. Chioke Ogugua, other topics for debate during the conference are: fixed to mobile convergence regulation, technological implication and constraints of fixed to mobile convergence, GSM role in the future, economic and social impact of mobile, government initiative to stimulate private sector participation, and market liberalisation.

GSM Africa believes the major challenges of GSM Operators all over Africa and developing economies are multiple taxation and regulation. The GSMA said it has engaged the services of reputed major international accounting and consulting firm, Price Waterhouse Coopers to examine the effect of these factors and that the firm’s finding is frightening. The report is available on the GSMA and GSMCF website.

Also, issues such as fraud management, indigenous participation in GSM growth, Industry breakthroughs: latest products, applications and services, and trends affecting GSM sector development.

The event will bring together respected senior decision makers and leading lights in the industry which is generally regarded as the prime driver of telecommunication growth in the continent.

Ogugua who is also the Vice Chairman of GSM Africa, said speakers have been carefully drawn from government ministries and regulatory bodies government ministries, regulatory bodies, GSM regional operators, vendors (technology, content and service providers), Banks and financial institutions, Consultants and analysts

The event will hold at the International Conference, Abuja between March 27 and 30, 2006.

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