Singapore was ranked the most efficient user of information technology by the World Economic Forum. Kenya was ranked No. 75, out of 104 – with Tunisia at 31, South Africa at 34, and Botswana at 50 leading the African brigades. The Global Information Technology Report assigned countries scores by looking at how well positioned they were to take advantage of information technology to develop their economies. Singapore, a Southeast Asian island state with a population of four million, ranked first in a number of categories, including quality of math and science education, affordability of telephones, and the government’s efforts to promote information technology.
Meanwhile, the New York Times believes Nigeria is improving. Hopeful, and familiar, signs of this in Nigeria are: (i) two, albeit flawed, democratic elections, have given themselves a reformist government with the right intentions (ii) President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken up the mantle of anti-corruption – or, at least, slightly reduced corruption. He established an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, whose chairman, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, at risk to his life, has been terrifying current and former officials with his investigations. (iii) three purported e-mail crime leaders have been arrested (iv) Nigeria has made huge strides in promoting regional security – with Nigerian peacekeepers are in Liberia, Sudan and Sierra Leone.