Jim Ovia – NIGERIA’S ICT TOP10

Chairman, Cyberspace Networks Limited

Jim Ovia, chairman, Cyberspace Networks Limited, started the company in 1995 with a mission to providing value added ICT services and cutting edge networking solutions. As he has accomplished great innovations in banking so also has he excelled in the ICT space, offering solutions that empower enterprise and the economy. He is also the founder of Visafone Communications Limited.

Cyberspace Networks has distinguished itself as a complete network and software solutions provider in Nigeria.It commandsa state of the art internet protocol infrastructure – a converged IP network that supports applications based on the three hierarchical models that became operative in 2002.

The companyhas successfully deployed three earth stations (Hubs) across the country. That has positioned it to provide connectivity with VSAT solutions using both I-Direct and SCPC platform and the 3.5 GHz fixed wireless access solutions on cable technology (FWA Licence) acquired from the Nigerian Communications Commission. This has enabled metro connectivity within Lagos and Delta States.

Ovia has a strong penchant for ICT, having ridden at the back of technology to build exceptional service quality in banking. Again, he has excelled with Cyberspace Networks in the ICT sector. The company is the first service provider to implement the MPLS backbone in Nigeria. “We support the use of ICT whenever and wherever possible to enhance the standard of living of the society and increase human efficiency”, he said.

He understands clearlythe dynamism of consumer habits, which is highest when it comes to the use of technology as well as the explosive growth of data and cloud based computing in a modern economy. He has therefore positioned Cyberspace Networkswith adequate capacity to provide top-notch services.

The companydeployed a 4G LTE network infrastructure in 2014 to avail customers the feel of 10x speed, mobility, security, throughputand reduced latency.The improved speed, latency and overhead, capacity and other capabilities of the network, has empowered Cyberspace Networks to foster programmes and initiatives designed to roll out innovative products to the market.

Cyberspace Networks has made a number of landmark achievements in the development of the ICT sector in Nigeria. The company has developed software solutions that have gained wide acceptance in the marketplace.These include; e-payment, e-pin recharge system, staff appraisal system, intelligent revenue and sales manager (IRSM).

It has also developed workflow system, point of sales terminals and inventory application, document management system and web-based check payment system. Other software solutions of the company are mobile application based on BREW, CDMA-Based POS terminal applications and workflow systems. The software havebeen acknowledged to satisfy all industry standards for various organizations.

The company’s operating capacity is strengthened with a number of strategic partnerships it has established with various international providers of ICT. These include Cisco Systems, I Direct, Microsoft, IBM, Airspan, Newskies, Cetel of Germany, Skyvision, Ceragon, Redline Communications, Vecima Networks, ADC Krone, NigComsat, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and a host of others.

Cyberspace Networks stands out as the first partner on CRM with Microsoft in Nigeria. It also deployed the first nationwide computer based testing solution adopted by Joint Admission and Matriculation Board. The software is highly secured and scalable to accommodate millions of connections in adherence to global practices and producing internationally accepted standard applications.

The company has provided a solution to manage efficiently the exponential growth in students’ population experienced over the years in academic institutionsresulting in a surge in the number of records to be processed and stored. Schools have had to struggle to cope with lots of transactions and records from admission to clearance, tuition payment and course registration for tens of thousands of students. Bursary departments experienced great challenges trying to manage records of the surging number of students.

Cyberspace Networks has offered a solution to these challenges with its CybsoftEduPortal.It is a solution that automates and simplifies academic records processing from admission to clearance, tuition, hostel allocation, course registration, biometric login results and more.

Oviahas established an ICT foundation that aims at youth empowerment through investing in the unlimited and untapped potentials of the Nigerian youth as the key to socio-economic growth.He is on a mission of using the foundation to fulfill his purpose of preparing young people for the modern day work-place, sharpen their entrepreneurship skills and enable them exploit business opportunities.

It is his chosen avenue to employ information and communication technology to empower the future of the people and the nation.“Our long-term goal is to put ICT into our education policy, ensuring progressive and continuous learning”, he said.