Have you got what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurs are known for their self-confidence, energy, flexibility and opportunism. They are accustomed to getting involved and expect positive results from their involvement. In other words, they are prepared to use energy and mental effort because they expect, and often receive, appropriate rewards.

The following 14 characteristics are often found amongst people who have successfully started a new venture: drive and energy; self-confidence; high initiative and personal responsibility; internal locus of control (that is, you believe your own behaviour determines what happens to you, more so than external influences); tolerance of ambiguity; low fear of failure; moderate risk-taking; prepared for long-term involvement; seeing money as a measure of success; not merely an end in itself; effective use of feedback; continuous pragmatic problem solving; effective use of resources; self-imposed standards; clear goal-setting.

Successful entrepreneurs have high internal locus of control. They believe that, to a large extent, what they do determines what happens to them – more so than chance or the actions of others. This is linked to the need for autonomy and personal independence expressed by many entrepreneurs as their prime motivation for setting up their own firms. Back to the question, “are you an entreprenuer?“

The ever increasing tariffs on calls by the mobile operators, has been an issue of concern among Commercial Telephone Operators (CTOs). It has not been business as usual as call rates have increased by as much as 64 per cent within the last few months. Presently, GSM calls that used to be between N15 and N20 per minute now go for N30 per minute.

As at October and November 2005, MTN weekly booster which was sold for N2200 was increased to N2500 by December 2005. The call rate then was N15 for users within the MTN network and N24 from MTN to other mobile networks.
Currently MTN weekly booster goes for N3000 which has shot call rates to N18 on MTN network, and N30 from MTN to other networks.

Most of these CTOs are now left with only one option - switching to fixed wireless services because of its relatively cheaper call rate. Starcomms or Multilinks charges only N21 per minute for calls to GSM and all they remove is N50 access charge everyday.

Meanwhile, CTOs still prefer Glomobile because of the bonus they get whenever they are able to load up to N30,000 or more in a month. Moreover, Glo mobile cost N18, but its call rate to other networks is N24, making it cheaper than other networks. Likewise Glo mobile charges N10 for SMS sent on its Profitmax SIM to any network anywhere in the world.

The only disadvantage Glo mobile has, however, is that if you are using a Profitmax Plus as a CTO, N9000 will be deducted from your account whether you use it in a month or not. It is aalso believed that Mtel could have been a better option since its weekly booster costs N2000, but there are complaints that the government-owned operator’s interconnectivity with other networks scores low in efficiency.

The Federal Government has invited 18 companies including major global telecoms operators like Vodafone, British Telecom Group, and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria plc (Transcorp) to participate in a fresh bid to sell 51 percent stake in public-owned Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) to a core investor.

The fresh start follows the disappointing outcome of the botched sale in which Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt offered a bid price of $256.53 million. The bid was rejected for falling short of the reserved price. The botched deal was another effort by the Egyptian operator to enter the Nigerian market after an unsuccessful one in the 2001 GSM licence auctions.

Technology Times’ Investigations indicate that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the government privatisation agency, has this month extended invitations to the 18 companies, a development that means a fresh start for the NITEL bids.

Orascom was not invited to participate in the fresh start which includes only two, Newtel International Limited and Celtel International BV, out of the six that made the shortlist in the last exercise. The previous shortlist includes MTN Group Ltd; Newtel International Ltd; Telkom SA LTD; Orascom Telecom Holdings; Celtel International BV, and Huawei Technologies/Jacuz Group.

One of the top contenders to watch out for it boasts of Transcorp which was incorporated November 17, 2004 to establish a “Mega Corporation” and influential and successful business people in Nigeria.

Transcorp, inaugurated July 2005 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, is eyeing stakes in IT to “respond to market opportunities that require heavy capital investment not just at home but in the sub African region and around the world”.

Transcorp is focusing on six revenue centres which include Oil and Gas, Agriculture and Agro Allied Business, Information Technology, Power, International Trade and Free Trade Zone/Industrial Park. It hopes to be the vehicle to reposition Nigeria in Africa and the world, as a nation ready to compete in global markets and recently acquired the five-star Abuja Hilton Hotel for $105 million.

Global Fleet Consortium, owned by businessman Jimoh Buraimo, is also on the list. Media reports recently have it that he made a futile bid to acquire, VGC Communications Limited, a Lagos-based PTO. After the deal fell through, he looked the way of NITEL as part of measures to expand his interest from oil and gas sector into telecoms business.

The return of Vodacom, South Africa’s top mobile cellular operator after a pullout in the last bid from a consortium with fellow South African fixed line operator, Telkom SA, is of equal interest. The latter is not under consideration in the fresh race. However, Vodacom has lately made spirited bid to acquire controlling stake in Vmobile, one of Nigeria’s three top mobile operators without making any leeway.

Citing ‘corporate governance issues’ Vodacom had pulled out of a deal with Vmobile inspite of its eagerness to compete with rival South African player, and the more pan-African operator, MTN. Part of the reason why Vodacom makes effort to have Nigerian foothold is that though it leads with subscriber numbers, MTN is ahead in revenue which is mainly earned from its Nigerian operation.

Celtel International BV, another company which equally eyes Vmobile and was also in the last NITEL bid is also in the list.

Also Minaj Holding Limited, a company with interest in the Nigerian broadcast business promoted by politician, Mike Ajegbo, has also been invited to take part in the race. Some other new names include KT Corporation, Link Global Logistics Co LTD and Optic Network Management Co. LTD.

If all the invited companies participate, it will be a titanic battle with other top international players including Millicon International Cellular SA of Luxembourg, Telenor ASA, Vodafone, British Telecom Group PLC and Saudi Oger. Also on the list are Orange plc, Telecom Malaysia, France Telecom and Telecom Italia, Telia Sonera.

BEFORE the end of this year, the desire by citizens of West African countries to communicate by means of the Global System of Mobile Telecommunications may be realised. The dream is to be actualised through a synchronised network that can quicken access to the countries.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced in Abuja that two sub-groups had been set up by its technical branch on GSM Roaming to address the core issues of interconnectivity of regional networks and tariff harmonisation that will facilitate the introduction of a region-wide roaming facility in West Africa by December 2006.

Observers have often deplored the prevailing situation in the sub-region whereby it is easier to put a call by GSM to countries in Europe or America than access a line in a country in West Africa, despite the proximity.

According to the ECOWAS Secretariat, the first group would make proposals for strengthening trans-border interconnectivity to ensure the free flow of intra-community calls through improvements in telecommunications infrastructure. The second is expected to review the proposals already adopted by GSM operators on tariff harmonisation and billing.

Interestingly, leaders of the African Union (AU), at their recently concluded meeting, also adopted the report on the implementation of the project for the creation of a unified telecommunications numbering space for Africa.

ECOWAS Secretariat said yesterday in Abuja that the two groups have already approved actions plans indicating critical activities to be undertaken towards the realisation of the project, which was originally approved during the January 12th, 2006 29th Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Niamey.

Meanwhile, the technical group has also proposed some measures for implementation under a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) involving member states, telecommunications regulators in the sub-region and GSM operators that will enhance the creation of an environment conducive for the realisation of the project.

I am not writing this not just as good advice, but as a mental note for myself. I have started realizing all the people around me, whether it’s family or strangers, who are “talkers”.

Talkers are those people that have great ideas or great intentions, but just never follow through 100% on their beliefs. I have been a talker many times in my life, whether it’s through eating right, exercising, meeting a deadline, etc…

One of the areas I have seen people do the most “talking” in and have no “follow through” is diet and exercising. These are the “diet hoppers” who bounce from 1 diet to the next only to start a new one weeks later. The same goes for exercising.

Anyone can be a talker, but to make a change in your life, you need to take solid action and follow through 100%. If you don’t, you will never see the results that are ultimately in your grasp.

I often will say:

Yea, I am really going to get into exercising this week… or I am going to start business next week…

Do I ever follow through? NO.

If you want to be a talker your whole life, than that is your prerogative, but unfortunately you will probably lose the confidence in yourself along with the backing of friends and family. People will see through you given enough time if “talking” is all you’re capable of.

Take one aspect of your life…just one, that you have a problem in completing, whether it’s family life, dieting, exercising, finances, or anything else and take a stand. Follow through 100% with the task and see the results you are looking for. It IS possible; it just takes effort and patience.

Congo-Brazzaville has been chosen to head the African Union, after Sudan withdrew its bid for the leadership at the AU summit in Khartoum. AU members did not reach consensus on the presidency, some fearing that Sudan’s human rights record would harm the union’s reputation.

A compromise solution was reached whereby Sudan is expected to succeed Congo in the AU presidency in 2007. Sudan was previously the only country that had announced its candidacy. Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso has now taken over the chair of the Khartoum summit.

Traditionally, the host of the 53-nation AU summit takes over in the chair. But human rights groups opposed a Sudanese AU presidency, citing the crisis over Sudan’s Darfur region and allegations that Khartoum-backed militias have been involved in murder, rape and other atrocities.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur in the past three years, and two million people have been forced from their homes. Rebels from the Darfur region had said they would pull out of peace talks if Sudan took over at the AU.

Six months after it began, the electronic card-payment system issued by some Nigerian banks has been rejected by merchants in Europe and the United States (U.S.). Citing the prevalence of large-scale fraud, the merchants say the mastercards and other card-based instruments of payment from the country are “high risk.”

Many of such would-be transactions originated by Nigerians through these cards have resulted in still births. In many cases, the cold shoulders have not been because the card issuers cannot back them up with cash, but because “the card owners are located in Nigeria.”

The office of the Nigerian Cybercrime Working Group (NCWG) is currently inundated with letters from many merchants giving details of their reasons for rejecting e-commerce transactions with Nigeria-based persons and organisations: “Because you live in a high fraud area, we cannot process your order.”

The rejections, which cut across different business strata are also because the cards were issued by Nigerian banks in Nigeria.

The merchants alleged that even Nigerian correspondent banks abroad had also not helped matters. “Most of them have not been able to issue guarantee for these Nigerian-originated mastercards and other cards for the purpose of online payments to merchants abroad,” according to a European merchant.

If the trend continues, master-cards and other e-cards used as instrument for payments and commercial transactions may suffer a major setback. Most affected for now are telecommunications and technology-based customers. A major telecommunications company, which placed order for switches and base station transceivers may look for other means to actualise the transactions as its online merchant has repeatedly turned down its offer of payments through electronics means.

NCWG co-ordinator, Mr. Basil Udotai, confirmed at the weekend that the situation was very serious. Once the merchant sees the billing address of its potential customers as Nigeria, the transaction is aborted.

He added: “Some of these online merchants have actually programmed their processing systems with an alert on Nigeria and once they notice the billing address as Nigeria, the system automatically rejects the card and end the transaction immediately.”

The Guardian also noted that even when the billing address is not Nigeria, transactions have been rejected on these cards when the shipping addresses indicate the country.

What this shows is that some smart Nigerians in anticipation that there might be problems with Nigerian billing addresses, opt for international addresses of friends or relations in their card applications.

“This has helped a lot of customers because so long as Nigeria is not included in any of the forms filed, the merchants would have no problems accepting the cards,” Udotai explained.

“But that is not all. If shipment address is Nigeria, some merchants also reject the transactions. “This is the dilemma now,” Udotai lamented.

The problems are not only those of the Nigerian Mastercard carriers but the banks too. Some of the issuing banks are said to be in a state of frenzy and have therefore opened dedicated units where their staff attend to such problems, to ameliorate the pains and frustrations of their customers.

One bank official at the weekend told The Guardian: “It is a serious issue and we are putting everything in place to cushion the pains of customers so that they do not cancel their cards in droves“.

Udotai equally confirmed that the NCWG and the banks had been holding series of consultations on the subject. He, however, said that while some banks thought that they could resolve the issue at once, others believed that it required more tactics and diligence.

Statistics of rejected cards are huge. “I don’t think this is something the banks need to be shy about because it is a matter that affects the entire Mastercard franchise in Nigeria and is not specific to any one bank. The problem is also not specific to Mastercard alone but other credit card franchises located in Nigeria,” Udotai explained.

Although Mastercard and other cards are rated highly at international market, their problems are that they were issued in Nigeria.

“This is also the problem of migrating services online, be it personal, government or business. I wonder why these banks expected merchants who have allegedly been cheated of their goods, monies and services in the past by Nigerians to simply shrug off those experiences and launch into processing Nigerian credit cards or ship goods to Nigeria based on credit cards issued in Nigeria,” he added.

The NCWG boss explained that the problem was not really with Mastercard as a company but the perception of Nigerians by the international community.

“The same thing would happen if the cards were issued by American Express Visa or Discovery,” one bank official explained.

NCWG was set up in 2004 by President Olusegun Obasanjo to create a legal and institutional framework for the security of compiler systems and networks in the country and the protection of critical information infrastructure.

Mastercard came into Nigeria through Cards Technology Limited (CTL) and currently being issued by First Bank, Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, among others. Its commercial launch took place six months ago and it is used for both local and international transactions.

Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Irene Chigbue, confirmed on Monday that the process of selling off the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) will start afresh, despite the other failed attempt late last year.

She disclosed at a press briefing in Abuja that the BPE realised N48 billion from the sale of public enterprises in 2005.

“The government has approved our proposal that given the very low bid by Orascom and also given that there was very low competition towards the end, it will be appropriate to revisit that process entirely and then proceed from there. That was the decision the government took and we are implementing the government position”, Chigbue said.

The BPE is seeking ways to invite others willing to participate in the privatisation of the first national carrier. Chigbue noted that the transaction has bottlenecks, including the interest of bidders in acquiring M-Tel, NITEL’s mobile operator.

Some prospective investors want NITEL unbundled, which is against government strategy that the two should go together. Another problem was the controversy over SAT-3 which was resolved a few days before the submission of bids.

This influenced the bid submitted and the interest of investors in other opportunities in the telecom sector as well as the argument on the expected unified licensing regime, according to Chigbue.

I don’t mind telling you, I’ve had Egypt on my mind this weekend. I find it disappointing that so many people who claim to be students of the international game, care little about the African Cup of Nations. We should all be capable of gazing away from the Premiership once in a while, especially to watch a competition replete with so much football talent. In a World Cup year, with five of the sixteen African participants bound for Germany in June, it’s particularly enlightening.

The 2006 tournament has started brightly. No disrespect to Libya, but most neutrals were hoping for an Egyptian victory in Friday’s competition opener. That the Pharaohs delivered three goals without reply means there’s no danger of the locals losing interest, before things have really got going.

Spurs striker Mido strolled through the game, leading the line for an Egypt side untroubled by their modest Libyan opponents. Mohamed Aboutrika’s superb free-kick from distance represented the individual highlight of a job well done by the host nation at the Cairo International Stadium.

So much have been said about the Ivorian’s build-up to the African Cup of Nations, about the striking prowess of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, and perhaps not enough about defensive stalwarts, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, the Arsenal pair. Their keeper, Jean-Jacques Tizie, who plays his club football for the Tunisian club Esperance was similarly excellent.

I will say this. I’m far from convinced the Ivorians should have been awarded their 36th minute penalty. I believe you will agree with me also. Moroccan defender Walid Regragui fouled Drogba outside the area for me. Yet no one of fair disposition can really argue with the end result. If this is a portent of things to come from the Ivory Coast, they won’t be far away when the medals are handed out.

An average African would fancy them to make an impact at the World Cup, were it not for the unforgiving group they’ve landed in. With the best will in the world, it’s hard to imagine the Elephants finishing above Argentina and Holland, not to mention Serbia & Montenegro.

But wait… the conclusion that Africa will be hard pressed to do itself justice in Germany is unavoidable. This view has been reinforced in the wake of dispiriting displays at the weekend by two African World Cup standard bearers, Angola and Togo. On the one hand, Angola’s 3-1 defeat by Cameroon was no surprise. The Palancas Negras won’t be the last team to succumb to Samuel Eto’o and his mates in Egypt. However, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that there’s insufficient quality within the squad, for World Cup progress to be likely.

Then we come to Togo, whose plight, following a tame 2-0 surrender to DR Congo, has worsened with news of a row between coach Stephen Keshi and star player Emmanuel Adebayor. No one is quite sure, at the time of writing, what precisely has caused this fight. Originally listed in Togo’s side on Saturday, Adebayor’s name was later removed. The recently signed Arsenal striker started on the bench, and only came on near the end of the match. Whoever is right and wrong in this mess is unclear. What can’t be contradicted, though, is that Togo rely extremely heavily on Adebayor. Without him, they’re rather ordinary.

At least there was better luck on Sunday in Alexandria, for another World Cup country, Tunisia, the defending champions. The 4-1 margin of victory might look emphatic, yet this was a remarkably even game for long periods. The Zambians scored first when James Chamanga took advantage of a misunderstanding between goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel and defender Hatem Trabelsi. However, Tunisia’s Brazilian born striker Francileudo dos Santos netted a fine hat-trick, while Riad Bouazizi also got on target.

South Africa’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Guinea merely underlines what many who follow Bafana Bafana closely have been saying for some time. This is a very poor side and no one can begrudge the more inventive Guineans their victory.

No doubt about the most eye-catching individual effort so far. That early honour goes to the incomparable Eto’o. After scoring three times against the Angolans, you wonder if it’s not far-fetched to picture the Cameroonian reaching double figures by competition’s end.

In my view, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and the host nation have all demonstrated that they have the capacity to go far the tournament. We’ll know more about Nigerian and Ghanaian credentials after their meeting - the African equivalent of England v Scotland - in Port Said on Monday.

If you’ve given the African Cup of Nations the old body swerve so far, do an about-turn. You won’t regret it.

Abuja, Nigeria January 20, 2006. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has released the long-awaited unified licence rules that offer the compass for a new dawn that will be ushered into the fast-growth telecoms sector when the market exclusivity granted under the 15-year licence to mobile operators expires next month.

This is possibly be a game for big players as the rule pegs a hefty fee of N260m for the 10-year licence that allows existing and new operators, who can afford the bill, to provide national roaming. Under the new service regimen telecoms players will now be opened the way to offer a bouquet of services including Fixed Telephony (whether wired or wireless), Digital Mobile, International Gateway, National Long Distance and Regional Long Distance.

According to the NCC document titled, “Licensing Framework for Unified Access Service in Nigeria” and dated January 19, 2005, the regulator says existing operators will no longer be restricted but will be allowed to provide a mix of telecoms services supporting voice, data and Internet, among others, “subject to the availability of frequency spectrum.” It also sought comments of stakeholders within the next 14 days of publishing the guidelines.

Unlike before, when operators were restricted to specific service segments like mobile, fixed, Internet, among others, they can now provide a basket of services on their network signalling government’s tacit move towards convergence of various ICT services. According to the regulator, “for the post exclusivity period all wireless licences shall not be segmented in terms of mobile and fixed service categories. Once a spectrum is allocated, licensees shall be free to offer voice, data or multimedia services as they deem fit.”

It is not that ‘free’ as existing regional operators, who eye unified licences, and cannot afford the national roaming licence, will be restricted to regions already segmented into tiers. Under the arrangement, all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja country have been segmented into regions with licence fees varying from N33m to N9m based on the perceived profitability of their locations.

Lagos, the only state in the Tier 1 category, and obviously the most profitable of the urban centres, attracts a licence fee of N33m for regional mobility, the highest of the five categories. The Tier 2 category attracts a licence fee of N20m and includes fives states namely Kaduna, Abuja, Kano, Delta and Rivers. Tier 3 category attracts a licence fee of N16m and includes fives states namely Anambra, Abia, Edo, Ogun and Oyo.

Tier 4 category attracts a licence fee of N14m and includes 14 states namely Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno and Cross River. Others are Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Osun and Plateau. Tier 5 category attracts a licence fee of N9m and includes 12 states namely Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto. Others are Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa and Nassarawa.

Fixed line service operators hoping to acquire unified licence will have to pay the appropriate licence fee for mobile service, operating license fee for International Data Access (Gateway) pegged at N25m; operating license fee for National long Distance pegged at N20m; operating license fee for regional long Distance (within a state) pegged at N1m

According to NCC, there is a caveat. PTOs wishing to migrate to Unified Licensing will surrender their existing licence and would be credited the unexpired portion of their licence fees and issued a unified license of 10 years tenor. Additionally, existing mobile operators wishing to migrate to Unified Licence will pay an operating licence fee for Fixed Telephony valued at N44.6m; operating Licence fee for International Gateway valued at N50m; operating Licence fee for National Long Distance valued at N20m.

NCC says that reforms undertaken in the telecoms sector have revved up growth to record a rapid increase in teledensity from 0.5 per cent in 2000 to over 7.5 per cent in December 2004. Additionally, the sector witnessed strong performance by mobile cellular operators as “subscriber base rose from 450,000 in December 2001 to about 19 million in December 2005. Mobile cellular telephony became an integral part of the every day life for many Nigerians for the first time.”

Even though what it cites as “less dynamic but consistent growth” occurred in the fixed telephony segment of the market, “private telecom operators (PTO) have been the main contributors to fixed line growth figures offering broad service packages including voice, fax and Internet. Most PTOs also offer limited mobility, thus providing a convergent telecommunication platform.”

Additionally, consumers have benefited from ‘steadily declining prices’ with mobile phone lines, “decreasing from N20,000 in 2001 to N1 in 2004 for basic prepaid services or overall fixed voice prices fell by an average 24 per cent in between 2003 and 2004.”

NCC estimates that $6.08b has been invested between 2001 and 2004 making telecoms “the largest generator of foreign direct investments (FDI) after the oil and gas industry” with a huge chunk of the investment flowing into the mobile cellular sector.” NCC says, it “will not impose separate rollout obligations on unified licensees, but rather deal with universal access issues in a separate universal access regulation, in which universal access targets and respective designation mechanisms are defined.”