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From: "Aminu Ibrahim" <aminu@forum.org.ng> To: board@forum.org.ng, nsrc@nsrc.org, wale@abu.edu.ng, AJ@carnegie.org, gmassari@danelec-ltd.com, kschafe@abu.edu.ng, koleshettima@yahoo.com, mir@isoc.org, quaynor@ghana.com, omo@datasphir.com, randy@psg.com, rdavion@macfound.org, sghuter@nsrc.org, sfolayan@skannet.com.ng, sgl3@nyu.edu, vint@google.com, scott@gnuveau.net, onime@ictp.it, boubakarbarry@gmail.com, ssong@idrc.ca Cc: info@forum.org.ng Time: Sat, 16 Sep 2006 08:38:33 +0100 (WAT) Subject: Report on the Nigeria ICT Forum Workshop on "Electric Power(lessness) and Campus Networks" Dear All, With apologies for reporting this late (we have been so enthralled by Scott's constant "Hyperionic" updates & other activities), thanks to everyone, and particularly to our hosts (Professor Ebi Bio Awotua-Efebo, the University of Port-Harcourt, Chief (Engr) Giandomenico Massari of ISOC-NG) and sponsors (Carnegie Corporation and MacArthur Foundation), we did have a good workshop and exhibition on "Electric Power(lessness) and Campus Networks" on 2006.08.22-25. Forum universities contributed by financing transportation and accommodation of their delegates, and also paid a fee of N10,000 per delegate to complement Forum grant funds for this activity. The Nigeria Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-NG) donated customized Workshop bags and writing materials for this event. Although nobody lodged there, our chief host, Prof. Ebi, arranged for Aristo House Hotel in Port Harcourt to donate meals and refreshments for all the participants throughout their stay in Port Harcourt, and also paid the honorarium and expenses of one of the resource persons invited to the workshop. The University of Port Harcourt and its ICT Centre donated Venue space and Secretariat Services for the Workshop, a shuttle bus service for participants, and CD copies of workshop materials for everyone. The Vice-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt summed up a marvelous outing by treating us to a cocktail party to close the event. This members-only Workshop was attended by 21 participants, of which 3 were Forum Staff and 18 were delegates from the six member-institutions. Only one institutional delegate (kudos to the host university) was female, reflecting a great systemic gender imbalance in this area of technology. The University of Jos and Obafemi Awolowo University presented detailed status of their energy problems, solutions and plans. Bayero University Kano (BUK) mentioned a planning trial using the resource earlier circulated (http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/POWERING_ICT). Exhibitions on Alternative (micro hydro, Wind and Solar) Energy Systems were mounted for the duration of the workshop. The Workshop presentations and case studies were led by the following resource persons: 1) The Director-General, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Abuja; 2) Chief (Engr) Giandomenico Massari (FNSE) of DANALEC Ltd, the Vice-President of the Internet Society (ISOC) Nigeria Chapter; 3) Rev. Ukaegbu Ogwo of SOLARTIME ELECTRIC LTD, Aba (incidentally, a 1980 graduate of OAU Ife); 4) Engr. M.O. OJO of OAU, Ife; and 5) Mr. Kayode Ayodele also of OAU, Ife. Topics and issues covered included: the state of mains generation and distribution; various alternative energy systems, especially wind and solar systems; power saving, protection and planning for networks; as well as energy research, regulations and policy matters in Nigeria. A significant event at the Workshop was the presentation and testing of a prototype "Smart Power Failure Logging" device and control program designed and fabricated by Mr. Kayode Ayodele an electrical engineering staff and student at our OAU Ife, in response to a challenge issued by the Forum a month earlier. Powered by a rechargeable battery, with a software control system and an on-board memory that could store time and duration of power outages for years, its output could also be exported easily to a database or spreadsheet for further analysis. This is probably an elementary small-step, and it probably exists somewhere, but we very much like our self-effort and it is a giant step for Nigeria! It would enable us to generate for the first time, precise monitoring data that would allow a precise scientific definition of the frequency and extent of the problem of power outages in Nigeria, as well as to monitor the impact of any interventions claimed to solve them. It was of interest to learn that the Vice-Chancellor at Bayero University Kano, had actually been asking for just such information to justify investments and make rational decisions on power-generation equipment. Participants and observers were astounded to realize how little scientific and technical attention has been accorded to energy planning and protection and how much we have all been taking for granted. But it was also refreshing to realize (from the challenge by the VC at BUK; the OAU Ife project and presentations; and Report from Jos), that "Energy and Networks" is an area where there is still room for Nigerian universities and other R&E Institutions to lead as front-liners, and demonstrate great relevance in National development efforts. Thanks to Steve Huter and the NSRC for creating the opportunity and to Vint Cerf and Scott Johnson for granting it, we hope the University of Ibadan and SKANNET in Ibadan will participate as a test site for an advanced R&D collaboration project that is just nearing completion: see http://hyperion.gnuveau.net/images/. (we had circulated the "TS10 Mark2 Multiuser Terminal ITC Network" kindly sent by Steve. Scott gave the prototype network the working name of "hyperion" based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_%28mythology%29). We clearly have good resources at neighboring OAU Ife, and they should be able to observe & participate in the tests at Ibadan. The Smart Power Failure Logger would provide factual background field information regarding the extent of the problem to be solved by interventions like Hyperion. We learnt that Port Harcourt might benefit from the gas turbine project being planned by the Government of Rivers State. Solartime Electric (the firm Ebi identified & served as a resource ally for the workshop) would also be a good partner for UniPort. Meanwhile, delegates from Zaria, Bayero and Jos agreed to explore Solar and Wind energy systems together. And we have other good opportunities to tap and cultivate. We know the present Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) quite well, and all the four Energy Research Centres managed by the ECN are affiliated to Universities, two of which are Forum institutions (OAU and ABU). The Forum will of course take full advantage of the observed R&D room and opportunities for Universities in the energy sector in Nigeria. We agreed, for instance, to: a) Provide logistic support required by Scott, NSRC et al. for the hyperion project, for field tests and advocacy. b) include a tutorial on "energy and networks" in the annual "Nigerian Network Operators' Group" (NgNOG) Workshops, beginning with the first edition in Jos, 20-25 November 2006; Sunday, Ayo & Scott will be provided space to discuss the hyperion project with a wider audience in Nigeria. c) support and promote the completion and testing of Kayode's research & development of the smart power-failure logger to a more user-friendly prototype and that would also measure quality of mains supply, etc. Kayode/ OAU Ife is to submit a R&D proposal to the Forum. d) instal and use the Logger to monitor and provide periodic updates and trends on power-outages & stability in various parts of the country. A research proposal plan to that effect is expected to be submitted to the Forum by BUK Kano (whose VC had been thinking about it) and OAU Ife (which will provide technical help). The workshop at UniPort also provided space for a meeting of the Forum Board with the West & Central Africa Manager of CISCO Academy, and with ACCELON Africa (a satellite provider). We were happy to learn from collegues and others as resources persons. And, at the end of the workshop, techies from Jos and Zaria teamed to assist their host colleagues long into the night, to improve the performance of the network in Port Harcourt. Learning from each other is supposed to happen at Forum Workshops, but it was pleasing to see the collaboration happening naturally among techies without any prompts from senior citizens. It was a good first outing on Power- thanks to everyone, and that includes those who inspire and encourage us. Interesting times are clearly ahead as we work to chip away at the various problems militating against optimal use of networks and bandwidth- now that we have it. Next week in Abuja, the AVU conducts training on VSAT maintenance and the Mortenson Centre meets with our University Librarians. And, of course, we look forward to our NgNOG Workshop in Jos, 20-25 November 2006. aminu Aminu Ibrahim Convenor, The Nigeria ICT Forum of Partnership Institutions, P.M.B. 498 Garki GPO, 25 Libreville Street, off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja. Tel. (Mobile): +234 803 470 9404 Web: http://www.forum.org.ng Email: aminu@forum.org.ng; info@forum.org.ng
