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Agbodike, Chuma - Networking in Nigeria.Z
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Agbodike, Chuma - Networking in Nigeria
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1994-03-20
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N-2-3-014.10.2
Networking in Nigeria
by Chuma Agbodike
<Chuma.Agbodike@baobab.fidonet.org>
Is there networking in Nigeria? That's a question I've been asked
by many people who would like to reach their friends and
colleagues in Nigeria via electronic mail. In this article I will
share with you my experiences in attempting to establish a
reliable e-mail link with Nigeria.
I have been running a FidoNet node in southern California since
1986 and have seen FidoNet expand in five continents to over
twenty thousand listed nodes. When FidoNet Zone 5 (Africa)
appeared, I was elated because I expected to soon see nodes from
Nigeria. When time passed and still no node from Nigeria, I
resolved to establish one there myself.
The opportunity came in 1990 when I decided to relocate to
Nigeria. I took two computers with me and two modems, a US
Robotics 9600 bps and a 2400 bps smarTEAM. I got to Lagos and
rented a house that would double as my office and residence. I
then went to NITEL (the state run Nigerian telecommunications
company) to apply for a phone. I was promptly told that there were
no more lines available in my area. I had been warned by
acquaintances that it wasn't going to be easy, but I had to start
somewhere.
I was soon approached by "agents" right outside the local NITEL
office who said they could procure a line for me. I negotiated
with one of them and set him into motion. Within three weeks the
line was installed in my office, but it cost me the equivalent of
about $2,800. NITEL's stated costs for an international direct
dial line and a phone set at the time was about $500. It is now
about $800.
Two days later I setup my FidoNet mailer and sent e-mail to my
home in California. I had an identical US Robotics modem on the
California node, but had difficultly making a good connect. My
attempts were plagued by line noise, and when the modems did
connect, bps would drop to about 300 bps and carrier was dropped
several times. I once needed a 90K file that took three tries to
retrieve. The session that eventually succeeded lasted twenty
minutes. At about $1.50 a minute you can figure the cost.
Within a month the modem got fried. Shortly after that the
computer also got zapped. The modem was damaged when an assistant
plugged its 110 volt power supply directly into a 220 volt outlet.
The computer was a victim of the numerous power outages that are
routine in Lagos.
I learned a few things from that initial experience, so when I
returned to the US I had some ideas to implement the next time
around. Back in the US, I discovered that several people were very
interested in my efforts to establish an electronic link with
Nigeria. I was contacted by one of them, Bob Barad of Baobab
Communications in Washington, DC. Good thing, because Bob runs a
FidoNet node and offered to work with me and serve as a test
site.
I returned to Nigeria in April 1993, arriving just in time to join
Bob and others at the closing sessions of the UNESCO-supported
Regional Informatics Networks for Africa (RINAF) electronic
networking workshop that was held at Obafemi Awolowo University in
Ile-Ife.
This time I brought three modems. A Zyxel v32bis, an AT&T v32bis,
and an internal 1200 bps modem. Also a surge suppressor, a noise
eliminator, and a new 386DX 33 mHz computer with 200 mb hard disk.
Some folks I had consulted with suggested the Telebit WorldBlazer,
but I could not afford it.
When I got to Lagos my phone line was dead. It took more bribes
to resurrect the line. While I was gone some crooks were
apparently using my line, in collaboration with devious NITEL
employees, to call all over the world. I had to pay those phone
calls plus some extra to restore the line. It's a common
occurrence in Lagos. The NITEL authorities claim that they are
working to nip that practice, but that remains to be seen.
I quickly got back on the air to London, Johannesburg, and Bob in
Washington, DC. It was often difficult to obtain a clean link with
them, but we did manage several successful 14400 bps connections.
The Zyxel proved to be the better modem. The AT&T modem despite
its "Optical Link" hype was poor.
By sending FidoNet mail through Bob's FidoNet to Uucp gateway, I
was able to send e-mail to anyone with an internet address. I
still maintain an address on his system so he can forward e-mail
to me at either my California or Lagos-based FidoNet nodes,
depending on where I happen to be at the time.
Having established that e-mail to and from Nigeria is possible, I
proceeded to solicit other people to join me in building a
network. Some folks showed interest, but then I had to deal with
the unreliability of power from NEPA (the Nigerian Electrical
Power Authority). The daily power outage was so bad that I had to
rent a standby generator. That helped, but during the numerous
outages both v32bis modems got wrecked. The surge suppressor
proved inadequate though the computer survived. I was eventually
down to using the internal 1200 bps modem. Meanwhile NITEL had
hiked its per minute charge to $2.50.
I was still recruiting potential nodes when the current political
crises in Nigeria erupted. I was running out of funds and with the
major components out of commission I decided to return to the US
to regroup.
The Future
Although Nigerian universities and other institutions of higher
learning are very eager to get electronically linked to the rest
of the world, they receive little support from the government.
Their staff are always fighting a constant battle to be paid their
monthly salary. Infrastructure that is taken for granted in other
parts of the world is barely functional. Most phones don't work
and the rare ones that do get commandeered by higher ups in the
pecking order. During the power outages, I was appalled that one
institution I was working with had to pass through a seemingly
endless bureaucratic maze just to get the necessary approvals for
renting a generator, while I was able to obtain one and have it
running in an hour.
Hopefully this will begin to change if and when a democratic
government that is accountable to an electorate gets established
in Nigeria.
Despite all of these challenges, I'm confident that a reliable
e-mail link with Nigeria will be available soon. Perhaps it will
exist by the time you read this. RINAF is working on it. Mike
Lawrie from South Africa is too. As are Mikko Korpela from
Finland, Karen Banks from London, and others. For my part, I will
continue to pursue my own end and remain eager to build
partnerships with any and all persons who wish to see electronic
networking in Nigeria flourish.