The Nigeria Internet Group was established sometime ago, that was precisely in the year 1995 with the sole aim of promoting online transactions, that is, the internet in Nigeria. The Nigeria Internet Group is an NGO, as a non governmental organization, it is non profit organization.
The mandate of the Nigeria Internet Group, as I said earlier, was to promote internet in Nigeria, and to achieve this mandate, the Nigeria Internet Group has to engage itself in numerous activities, and some of these activities were the policy advocacy, and awareness creation, including education awareness creation.
The Nigeria Internet Group carried out its activities through seminars and conferences and exhibitions, other ways of carrying out its education programs include, workshops as well as publication of newsletters.
Besides these medium of carrying out its education tasks, the Nigeria Internet Group’s policy advocacy is carried out by engaging the government of the day, and this is done during the time they are engaging in policy formulation processes.
Functions of the Nigerian Internet Group:
I have in the beginning of this article mentioned the reason that led to the establishment of the Nigeria Internet Group in Nigeria, which was actually to promote internet in Nigeria. Besides this function, the Nigeria Internet Group is saddled with numerous responsibilities, and as we continue, I am going to explain quite a number of them in this article, and below are some of the functions of the Nigeria Internet Group.
1. The Nigeria Internet Group Carried Out Education Awareness Programs About Internet In Nigeria
I have said that, the major function of the Nigeria Internet Group is to promote internet in Nigeria, and there is no gainsaying that this present age is ruled by information, and that is why, it is called the information age thus, the introduction of the information and communication technology ICT.
It is also true that a good number of Nigerians were not familiar with this new development, and even as I speak, a greater number of Nigerians are yet to embrace this new information technology.
Hence to keep Nigerians abreast on the import of internet which has taken the world by storm in recent time, there was need for Nigerians to be educated, and there was need for the creation of awareness among Nigerians on the use of internet.
That is why the Nigeria Internet Group was founded, since its inception, the Nigeria Internet Group has lived up to its statutory responsibilities of creating awareness among Nigerians about internet, and as a result, there is increased awareness about internet, which has also helped in increasing the level of internet connectivity within the country, Nigeria.
2. The Nigeria Internet Group Contributes to Government ‘s Policies Related To Internet
Another function of the Nigeria Internet Group is its contributions to the policies of government, and this involved virtually every policy of government.
part from the Nigeria Internet Group contributions to the policies of government, it has positively contributed also to government legislation, such contributions must relate to the Information Communication Technology, as well as the internet.
Some of the government policies and legislation, the Nigeria Internet Group has made contributions to include; the National Information Technology IT policies, and the NITDA Act, and the EFCC amended Act, and the cyber-security bill and the National policy on Telecom, as well as, the Telecom Acts.
3. Promotion of Internet as a Tool for Development
The Nigeria Internet Group also saddled with the responsibility of promoting Internet as a medium for development.
The Nigeria Internet Group has reasoned that, Internet could serves as a tool for development, and such development include, personal development and national development hence, it has poised to promote Internet in the country, given the import of Internet or information and communication technology to individual or a nation development.
The truth however, remained that, for any nation to advance in this technology era, Internet or information and communication technology must be embraced by such nation and its citizenry.
4. Makes Provision or All Nigerians to Access Internet
Internet has remained a veritable tool for development in every country of the world, and so, for Nigerian citizens to embrace such tool for their personal development and the development of Nigeria, it becomes incumbent on the part of the Nigeria Internet Group to promote and as well, make provision for every Nigerian citizen to access Internet and understand the working of the information and communication technology to the development of the Nigerian state.
5. Sensitization of Government About the Numerous Potentials of Internet to Development
It has been one of the functions of the Nigeria Internet Group to ensure that, the government of the federal republic of Nigeria is well sensitized about those potentials Internet can offer for the development of Nigeria.
It is a known fact that, Internet is a veritable tool for social and economic development, and going by this fact, the Nigeria Internet Group has went as far as, not only sensitizing the government about the internet potentials, but also the general public.
The Nigeria Internet Group believes that, to achieve the purpose to which, the Nigeria Internet Group was founded, both the government and the general public should be sensitized about the potentials of the internet.
6. Promotes and Champions the Development of Local Internet Content
Another function of the Nigeria Internet Group has also been to champion the development and the promotion of the local Internet content in the country. The Nigeria Internet Group achieved this objective by adopting services, such as, Internet services.
The internet services adopted by the Nigeria Internet Group to promote local Internet content, as well as, develop local Internet content include, e-Entertainment, and e-Government and e- Commerce, and e-Health, and e-Learning among others.
7. Promotes Formulation of Appropriate Legislation and Policies for the Growth of Internet in Nigeria
It has been the function of the Nigeria Internet Group to ensure that, formulation of appropriate policies are promoted, and that include appropriate legislation too for the purpose of developing internet in the country. The Nigeria Internet Group aim behind this its function is to help drive the growth of Internet in Nigeria.
Nonetheless, it is the formulation of such appropriate policies and legislation that has led to the development and growth of Internet in Nigeria.
9. Creates and Adopts Appropriate Standards and Enforces Compliance
In every organization, there is a set out standard on how to go about its operations, therefore, in the Nigeria Internet Group, there is no exemption thus, the Nigeria Internet Group do saddled with the responsibility of promoting, as well as, creating and adopting best and acceptable standards on how to go about Internet business in Nigeria.
Besides the Nigeria Internet Group function of promoting the creation and adoption of best standards in the operation of Internet in the country, it is its duty to ensure that, these set out standards are adhere to, in other words, it is the responsibility of the Nigeria Internet Group to enforce compliance to these set out standards.
Conclusion
As i said earlier in this article, the Nigeria Internet Group carried out its activities through seminars and conferences and exhibitions, other ways of carrying out its education programs include, workshops as well as publication of newsletters.
Besides these medium of carrying out its education tasks, the Nigeria Internet Group’s policy advocacy is carried out by engaging the government of the day, and this is done during the time they are engaging in policy formulation processes