Summary of ngNOG VIII, University of Benin: 

03 -09 Nov, 2013

The 8th edition of the annual Nigerian Network Operators’ Group (ngNOG) Workshop and
Meetings were successfully hosted by the University of Benin (Uniben) from 03rd -09th
November, 2013.. Instructors and organizers however were at the ancient city of Benin from the
31st of October, 2013 for the workshop set-up.
The 2013 ngNOG Workshop was declared open by the Vice Chancellor University of Benin,
Prof. O. Oshodin (who was represented by Prof. Stella Chiemeke, The Director of ICT Uniben).
The workshop was closed with a celebratory dinner hosted by the Bandwidth Consortium (BWC)
Despite the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, Sixty two (62)
delegates from 18 Institutions and Organizations from all over the country participated in the five
parallel tracks offered at the 2013 ngNOG workshop in Benin city. This number is however low
compared to the 92 delegates from 32 Institutions and organizations represented at the ngNOG
2012 workshop held in Kaduna. The event also recorded the lowest number of delegates to the
ICT Strategy, Policy and Management (SPM) track.

The distribution of the 62 delegates to the 2013 workshop tracks is given below:
11 System Administration (SA)
28 Internet Infrastructure (II)
14 Internet Services and Applications (IS)
3 ICT Strategy, Policy and Management (SPM)
6 Applications and Content Development (ACD)
Host University of Benin (Uniben) led institutional representation with 25delegates. It was
followed by the the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with 6, and Usumanu Danfodio University,
Sokoto(UDU) with 5 delegates.
12 of the delegates were sponsored by the The Bandwidth Consortium (BWC) for her member
institutions.
Participation rate for women at ngNOG Benin was 7%. This is the lowest female participation
ever experienced with the ngNOG events. It was 26% in 2006; 13% in 2007; 14% in 2008; 19%
in 2009; 33% in 2010; and 12% at ngNOG Ife in 2011 and 14% in 2012.
The opening ceremony was well attended by all delegates and some principal officials of the
University of Benin.

Boot Camp
This year’s boot camp was attended by over 40 participants who were taken through the Linux
and IP basics to ensure that all participants are equipped with requisite skills for the
commencement of the workshop

Workshop and Meetings
As is customary with the ngNOG events for the last few years, the tracks held in parallel were
the Application and Content Development, Internet Services, Internet Infrastructure, System
Administration and Strategy, Policy and Management.
The Strategy, Policy and Management track recorded the lowest ever experienced in the
ngNOG events. Only three participants were present.
The Appropriate Power Technology track did not run at this years edition.
The evening events was well attended by delegates and very crucial issues were discussed
during these evening meetings: Issues like, way forward for ngNOG and NREN mandate.

Social Events and Sight Seeing
The University of Benin management hosted delegates to a cocktail on Monday the 4th of
November; the cocktail was attended by top officials of the University and all delegates.
Delegates were shown round the ancient Benin city and a visit to the museum in the evening of
Friday the 8th of November.
The closing dinner was proudly sponsored by the Bandwidth Consortium (BWC). Delegates
were treated to a very nice dinner with entertainment by the University of Benin theater arts
group.

Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the various Institutions and Firms, who contributed instructors and
presenters. They include: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (OAU); Yaba College of
Technology, Lagos; University of Jos; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Benin;
Bayero University Kano; The Bandwidth Consortium; Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN)
; NISTech Ltd; Eko-Konnect; and Meed Networks.
We continue to thank our international friends who are never far away from us, as well as our
membership and friends at home.
The Bandwidth Consortium was a distinguished Corporate Sponsor of ngNOG 2013. The
conference bags were donated by Meed Networks this year.
ngNOG Benin is a profound statement in so very many ways. It is proudly dedicated to the
amazing courage, commitment and support of the delegates, instructors and organizers, hosts,
the LOC and interns, the host community and our supporters.