NeGSt Agent and Vendor Criteria

Brief

The National eGovernment programme enters a citizen-centered/eCommerce service delivery stage as Government businesses go online.

Against this backdrop, it has become pertinent to appoint accredited and certified Agents and Vendors across the federation who will become Alliance Partners to National eGovernment Strategies, (NeGSt) in the implementation of the capacity building for eGovernment compliance at the national level.

These alliance partners are the emergent eEntrepreneurs that shall be licensed to carry out online registration of teachers, provide related eServices and distribute NeGSt eProducts including but not limited to ePINs, eNaira, eForms, eCollateral, eAuthentication, eKiosk etc.

What is NeGSt?

The National eGovernment Strategies Limited, NeGSt was established in March 2004 as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in accordance with the Nigerian National Policy on Information Technology.

It is a tripartite joint venture between Government, strategic partners, top ranking banks and other investors for the actualisation of the eGovernment programmes in Nigeria.

In this partnership private sectors are positioned to work together. The Federal Government is the champion of the eGovernment programme while the private sector provides the drive and funds.

The leadership of the Federal Government of Nigeria, especially the President and Commander-in- Chief, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has demonstrated strong political will that has paved the way to enable e R e a d i n e s s f o r N i g e r i a . Government’s commitment to eGovernment strategies is evident from its programmes coded NEEDS, National Economic Empowerment for Development Strategy which encapsulate pervasive socioeconomic reform.

eGovernment Defined

• Promote more efficient and effective government;
• Facilitate more accessible government service;
• Allow greater public access to information;
• And make government more accountable to its citizens.

The overall focus of eGovernment is to increase the convenience and simplicity of citizens’ interaction with government.

eGovernment provides better service to citizens and business at less cost.

What Are NeGSt Alliances?

Alliances are partnerships or collaborations which NeGSt requires to implement eGovernment programmes in Nigeria along with private sector participation, using the sector’s resources and technical tools.

Why NeGSt Alliances?

NeGSt needs alliances because the main role of NeGSt in implementing eGovernment in Nigeria is that of a facilitator, moderator, standards provider and marketer. NeGSt will collaborate and/or form alliances with qualified vendors and agents to provide appropriate channels to drive eGovernment in Nigeria.

Who qualifies for NeGSt Alliances?

Any individual, organisation or company with requisite IT infrastructure or with expertise, capabilities or experience in eGovernment or any eBusiness minded or inclined people with zeal to drive eGovernment products and services.

To give the Alliances a ubiquitous and wide-spread approach, Cybercafé Owners/Operators, Business Centre Owners, Cyberpoint Owners, Business Opportunity Centres, PC Owners, Religious bodies, NGOs, Restaurants, Hotels, Corporate bodies and eEntrepreneurs (such as eDealers, eDistributors and eWholesalers) who meet our requirements shall be brought on board to partner with NeGSt.

Benefits of being an Alliance Partner

• Apart from the enormous revenue generation opportunities that abound from the sales of eGovernment products, the Alliance Partners are strategic units or points of contacts between government and the citizenry.
• They become the official face of NeGSt as they are branded and authorized to exclusively transact online government businesses on the eNigeria platform.
• They also become the official Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and marketers for the eNigeria platform in their various locations across the federation.
• They stand to gain a tremendous increase in ROI.
• More awareness and publicity are generated for their businesses as they become eChannels for eGovernment programmes.
• They become eGovernment compliant and as such can carry out eLand, eAuthentication, eRegistration and can also become eCollection Centres for Government forms etc.
• They are given an eNigeria platform badge/ID Card that provides them access to eGovernment seminars, workshops etc.
• Individuals become empowered with the sales of eProducts.
• Their businesses become more standardised and better organized for the challenges of the 21st century.

Agents and Vendors Explained

A. eGovernment Agents

eGovernment Agent is someone that buys and sells in bulk. He is not required to hold physical stock of products. This certified partner requires very little capital investment.

The major difference between these classes are the financial capacity to invest and the level of IT infrastructure and resources they posses.

The eAgents are those certified to register candidates e.g. Teachers or any other professional body that may be embarking on online registration. They have direct dealings with end-users such as the teachers for eRegistration.

Apart from helping prospective registrants, they also stock various eProducts like Portal Access PINs, eNaira PINs, TRCN cards that will be needed to complete registration process.

They are expected to make their equipment and business offices ready for registration.

They are expected to be conversant with the eNigeria portal and the Online Teachers Registration System as they will be helping applicants/registrants complete their forms.

Such eAgents are Cybercafé Owners, Business Centre Owners, Cyberpoint Owners, PC Owners, Religious bodies, NGOs etc with requisite IT infrastructure and Internet access.

General Requirements for eGovernment Agents

1. Have Internet Access
2. Have Basic IT infrastructure which includes among others, a Scanner, a Printer etc
3. Have a conducive business office or environment
4. Have capacity to stock some pre-determined no of eProducts?
5. Have capable IT staff who can go through the eNigeria platform training
6. Get duly certified and authorized by passing the training course.
7. Pass our on-site inspection test.
8. Must be of good conduct and integrity.
9. Must have a small CRM unit to attend to customer request.
10. Must agree to the Terms and Conditions of eNigeria Platform.

B. ePayment Vendors:

The ePayment modes/tools include: eNaira, ePINs for all forms of registration, Portal Access Pins, Scratch cards, etc.

1. eDealer: To become a certified eDealer, you must purchase in very large bulk. The eDealer is a major player or a principal partner in the business chain. He maintains an inventory of products and sells to eDistributors and eWholesalers. He bears a lot of risk and then charges a markup or markdown to recoup investments.

This certified partner requires huge capital investment and makes huge profits.
The certified eDealer must also able to stock products for a longer period of time.

2. eDISTRIBUTOR: This certified partner buys in bulk, has physical stock of products and distributes to retailer or end-user consumers.

This partner will be able to stock products for up to a period of 1 year or more. Requires large capital for investment and makes the most profit.

3. eWHOLESALER: This certified partner buys in bulk. Has physical stock of products, and only sells in bulk at a smaller MOQ to retailers. Usually holds physical stock from 3 to 6 months.

Requires medium to large capital investment and makes good profit.

General Requirements for ePayment Vendors

1. Must have capital and be willing to invest
2. Must have space to stock eProducts
3. Must understand the eProducts they are stocking
4. Must pass the on-site inspection of NeGSt
5. Must undergo and pass the certification training to become NeGSt approved Vendors.

C. eKiosk Vendors

New eProducts as they are rolled out;
New eServices and eSolutions as they become available and
Free eGovt Update and eProducts Newsletters

These set of certified people are the eEntrepreneurs that have access to all the eSolutions and eServices offered by NeGSt through the eGovernment Portal. They have the capability to combine the functionality of an eGovt Agent and the ePayment Vendor together.

They are like marketing outfit or business dispensing unit of NeGSt.

They pay a yearly subscription fee and are provided access key to be able to transact eBusiness and carry out eServices through the eKiosk portal.

Apart from being able to offer eServices on his physical kiosk, he can also transact his business anywhere and at anytime as long as he has his access code which will enable him to access the eKiosk portal anywhere. So while his kiosk is physically situated in Abuja, he can still conduct his business in Lagos as long as his subscription is still valid.

This idea is very good as the eKiosk vendor can sell so many eProducts online without necessarily stocking them physically, so he becomes a virtual market place for eGovernment products.

General Requirements for eKiosk Vendors

1. Must subscribe and pre-connect to the eNigeria Platform
2. Must have small to medium capital to invest.
3. Must be computer literate and internet aware.
4. Must understand the eGovernment platform.
5. Must undergo and pass the certification training to become licensed.
6. Must be of good conduct and integrity.

Training and Certification

So, each partner must physically attend training or send a technical staff to attend.

The fee for the training is 25,000 naira for tuition only.

At the end of the training, the participants shall be awarded certificates to operate and transact eGovernment business. Their business units/points shall also be branded to reflect the vision and mission of eGovernment and NeGSt.

Agent/Vendor Profile

Agent/Vendor Appraisal

Result of assessment will determine which partners are to be blacklisted, which are to be given discounts and which are to grant Life Strategic Partnership status to.