THE ROLES AND CHALLENGES OF USING EMAIL, VIDEO CONFERENCING AND VOICE OVER IP IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.

SULAIMAN SAIED TAFIDA
INTRODUCTION

The massive inflow of communications in this dispensation is beyond calculations. Thanks to the ICT, The computer I am typing on now, the online materials I am citing from, my web camp, phones etc, all combined made my assignment writing easy. The e-mails, chart rooms, social websites and telecommunications has brought the whole world to a “global village”. With a click you can connect to the more than 6 billion people of the world. We can all buy, sell and follow the best products regardless of where they are produced.
This contrasted to the ancient form of communicating over long distances which had series challenges throughout history. In ancient times, runners were used to carry important messages between rulers or other important people. Other forms of long-distance communication included smoke signals, chains of searchlights and flags to send a message from one tower to another, carrier pigeons, and horses. (Robert 2009)
This over beneficial modern telecommunications began in the 1800s with the discovery that electricity can be used to transmit a signal. For the first time, a signal could be sent faster than any other mode of transportation. The first practical telecommunications device to make use of this discovery was the telegraph (Robert 2009). And now the discovery of fiber optic cables further changes the face of communication.
Even though, the information and communications technology (ICT) enhances human lives and economic growth. It is important to note that it is not just enjoyed, a medium for communication have to be there, ‘The computer’ a source for the internet and off course the energy to power the gadgets. In the underdeveloped countries like Nigeria this is a major issue of concern. It is necessary to consider costs, access, usage and definitions, and one might also consider the most appropriate form of provision of access: personal ownership, schools/colleges or community tele-centers (Hicks 2009). This paper will aim at looking at the challenges of using email, video conferencing and voice over IP in socio-economic development in Nigeria.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Internet:
Internet, computer-based global information system. The Internet is composed of many interconnected computer networks. Each network may link tens, hundreds, or even thousands of computers, enabling them to share information and processing power. One of the best-known resources on the Internet is the World Wide Web, which uses the Internet to display text and multimedia content on Web pages, along with interactive features. The Internet has made it possible for people all over the world to communicate with one another effectively and inexpensively. Unlike traditional broadcasting media, such as radio and television, the Internet does not have a centralized distribution system. Instead, an individual who has Internet access can communicate directly with anyone else on the Internet, post information for general consumption, retrieve information, use distant applications and services, or buy and sell products. (Comer 2009)

E-mail
Electronic mail, or e-mail, is a key attraction of the Internet and a common form of computer telecommunications. E-mail is a text-based message delivery system that allows information such as typed messages and multimedia to be sent to individual computer users (Robert 2009). Tones of thousands of pages can be sent fast and cheap.

Video conferencing:
This a conferencing method known as one-way video/two-way audio that uses television pictures that are transmitted to particular sites, where people can reply to the broadcasters with a telephone call-in system. Television pictures can also be transmitted in two directions simultaneously through telephone lines, so that teachers and students in one place can see and hear teachers and students in other places. It was developed as distance education increasingly uses combinations of different communications technologies to enhance the abilities of teachers and students to communicate with each other. (Moore 2009)

Voice over IP
Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) is a method for making telephone calls over the Internet by sending voice data in separate packets, just as e-mail is sent. Each packet is assigned a code for its destination, and the packets are then reassembled in the correct order at the receiving end(Robert 2009). Recent technological improvements have made VOIP as smooth as any phone call.
DISCUSS
Many economists consider ICT a general-purpose technology due to its pervasive character; it has become an indispensible part of production of goods and services, irrespective of industry. Literatures have identified two important channels by which ICT can have real effects on real economy: the production of the ICT and the use of ICT by other industries. Given its huge impact, the ICT revolution is started to be tagged as a general-purpose technology, like steam engine and electricity, by many economists. (Erdil, et al 2009)
Emails, video conference and other internet gadgets are agents of improving productivity and reducing cost of production, hence economic growth. A company that may need a secretary to write piles of notes, a clerk to type them and messenger to deliver the minutes to the members of the board can overcome this by just organizing a video conferencing or e-mailing. Thanks to video conferencing, now students can sit in Nigeria and take notes and lectures from UK. This makes e studies easier and degrees are conferred now without the student coming in eye to eye contact with his lectures.
The yahoo chat and other social networks like skype, Has also aided, in making the world a global village, with the help of your web camp mouth piece and ear phones, we can now see each other talk to each other shear moments and pictures with our friends all around the world. Instant phone is made easy with just a connection to a broad band internet connection.
Upon this inevitable importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Nigeria lacks intensive infrastructure such as landlines and fixed broadband. There are only 2% of the world landlines in Africa and Less than three percent of the world’s Internet subscribers are located in Africa. This means that taking into account the populations of Africa, only1.3 percent of the inhabitants were sub-scribers to an Internet Service Provider. (Avila 2009). Nigeria is considered the most populated nations of the African continent. With all this high need of ICT yet less laid structures to cater for it. The internet broadband in Nigeria is provided at a very high cost, with few people being able to afford.
The latest United Nations figures show that more than 70 percent of Nigerians populations live on less than one dollar a day. This figure means most of the populace had to go for other means lively hood and view gadgets like internet as an opportunity cost. That is, what can be forgone for another necessity of life like food, and school fees. Until recently computer and internet are seen as the instrument of the rich in Nigeria.
Another challenge in internet in Nigeria is the distribution of acess, Tele-density in the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa is rather low, in rural areas. Many people are living in rural areas. Estimation in 2004, shows that around two-thirds of population in the region resides in rural areas. Efforts are being carried out to include small villages to use some form of ICTs, however, there is lots to be done in this field. Furthermore, it is estimated that 55% of villages’ population are unconnected without access to fixed, mobile and/or data ser-vices (Avila 2009).
Internet connectivity and the host computer all depend on power. Nigeria’s greatest deterrence to development is power, lack of it has made every activity not feasible and where feasible very expansive. People have to buy private sources of energy to power their computers. And internet service provider will have to install two electricity generating sets as a backup source of power to be able to provide effective services. Therefore most instant massages like the voice over IP may not be easy, because if on your side you have provided the energy to power your computer and internet, the other party may be out of power.
Lack of awareness on the benefits of internet and things like emails, is also another challenge in the use of internet in Nigeria. It is not uncommon to see students and people not having the know how to operate a computer or work on the internet. Most people see it as an alien machine.

CONCLUSION
The challenges in the use of internet, e-mail, video conferencing and voice over IP in socio economic Nigeria are numerous. However it is not insurmountable. It is important for the policy makers of Nigeria to focus on the provision and expansion of the internet access. And as well make the access to internet easy. Expanding access to broadband services is a challenge and a chance for Nigeria to benefit from the Information Society. Therefore the establishment of access to the global backbones will be crucial for the development of Nigeria’s telecommunication markets as well as to other sectors.













References
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