The partnership was announced on Monday, in Abuja, following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Galaxy Backbone and Ericsson.
By this partnership Nigeria is to make definite strides towards deploying e-Government solutions to enhance public sector delivery.
To achieve this, Ericsson will work closely with Galaxy Backbone, the government and private agencies to scope the roadmap and implement solutions for industry transformation
This partnership is in keeping with the Nigerian Government’s commitment to leverage ICT for job creation, improved security, economic diversification and social inclusion as well as supports the Minister of Communication’s vision to deploy e-Government as a tool to improve governance and efficiency in the delivery of quality public services.
Yusuf Kazaure, Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Backbone says: ““The transformative role of ICT for improved delivery of public services has become quite significant and in Nigeria, Galaxy is at the forefront in terms of the provision of the infrastructure and services that empower federal ministries, state departments and government agencies to achieve their mandates through better service delivery to the citizens they serve”..
According to him, the partnership is aimed at deploying ICT in three key areas including integrated transport solutions, public safety and security as well as utilities and energy in order to improve the quality of lives of the people.
Under the terms of this partnership spanning three years, Ericsson will serve as advisor, systems integrator and implementation partner for ICT based solutions and services covering the transport, utility and safety and security sectors of the economy.
Ericsson will also manage all deployed solutions and services while building capacity within Galaxy Babckbone and partner public parastatals ensuring that all deployments are eventually handed over to the government along with selected private sector players.
Johan Jemdahl, Managing Director, Ericsson Nigeria says: “A recent report by Ericsson and the Earth Institute at Columbia University on the impact of ICT on sustainable development, calls on governments to harness technology, investment and new types of partnerships to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. This MoU with Galaxy Backbone touches upon all of these criteria and places Nigeria on a clear path towards meeting the needs of a growing economy using ICT. This partnership also supports our vision of building a networked society in Nigeria and we are excited to be partnering Galaxy Backbone on this journey.”
Upon the finalisation of scoping the required solutions, all involved parties will jointly agree on the investment business models that best suit what is required to most efficiently roll out this new vision. Additionally, the inclusion of outside participation from third party investors will be discussed and finalised.
