ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT

Fantsuam Foundation is one of the earliest promoters of ICT for Development at a time when official recognition of ICTs was still lacking. More specifically, FF installed the first satellite internet service in rural northern Nigeria, in 1997, when the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) was the only available equipment for rural connectivity. Fantsuam Foundation was keen to ensure gender equity in access to ICT knowledge and skills, and it was in recognition of this effort that our CEO was awarded the first Hafkin Africa Prize (http://www.apc.org/english/hafkin  in 2001. In 2012 she was also awarded First Woman ICT Entrepreneur in Nigeria, http://www.hightechwomen.org.ng.

Fantsuam Foundation continued to set the pace for rural connectivity in northern Nigeria, and in 2005, she was licensed to provide Cisco Networking Training under the Cisco Regional Academy and the University of Jos. Other computer-based courses were being provided  by Fantsuam’s ZittNet Academy, starting from the beginners class of a 5-week certificate course followed by a more detailed 12 week Diploma training which qualifies the candidates to undertake the IT Essentials Course and later the Cisco Networking program. Between 2005 and 2015, the Fantsuam computer training services had trained over 3,000 students. Most of the business centres in Kafanchan are owned or managed by students who graduated from the ZittNet Academy

Fantsuam Agric4ICT Service is driven by youths and adults; they are known as Community Agricultural Extension Volunteers (CAEVs) Independent Service Providers – CAEV ISPs). 

ZittNet Academy is a wireless internet service provider serving clients in the Kafanchan area. This includes the installation and sale or rental of the necessary equipment (2.4 GHz radio, mounting hardware, cable, etc.) as well as bandwidth vouchers enabling the client to access the internet. The service is offered on a cost-recovery basis. ZittNet Academy also offers ICT training and a Computer Based Test Centre for JAMB examinations.

A.  Digital Literacy Programs

Basics of Digital Literacy

Courses in

Cybersecurity,

Web Development,

Data Analysis

App Development

Content creation

Digital marketing.

Graphic designing. 

Web Development. 

Web hosting

B.  Computer-based Test Centre at Kafanchan and Gwantu

C.  Fantsuam ICT Hub with Solar back-up power

D.  Nigerian Learning Passport for Out of School children, UNESCO-Nigeria

E.  Online professional ICT courses