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Neptune Solutions plc, a leading international software company, is to launch a branch in Addis Ababa in the next two months. The company is currently seeking office space and hiring local staff said Raymond Badanga, country Manger for Neptune in the country.

A significant market has been created in Ethiopia since the National Bank required all banks to interface with the National payment system according to Badanga.

It is to be remembered that Berhan International Bank became the first bank to interface with the National Payment Service installing Rubikon, Neptune’s CORE banking system.

Abay Bank, Ethiopia announced finalizing the interconnection of its 22 branches to launch CORE banking solutions. The software technology was installed by the US firm Oracle Financial Service Software.

The software connects the branches with the Head Office through a Wide Area Network which will serve as a base to implement the CORE banking system. The system is designed to adapt to the fast growth in the financial sector allowing easy connectivity and third part networking.

Tecno Mobile Ethiopia is set to release the first domestically assembled smart phone next month for an estimated price of 6000-8000 birr.

The new smart phone branded Tecno T3 supports the Google Android 2.3 smart phone operating system. Android is a Linux-based operating system used in mobile devices including smart phones and tablet computers.

Tecno is studying the market to decide on the market price for the new product according to Henry Yu, General Manager of Techno Ethiopia.

The IT Park project in Ethiopia is expected to create 300 thousand jobs when it is completed said the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

The project aims to enhance the quick growth of micro enterprises as well as benefiting companies in its vicinity to support the development of research institutes and creating trade relations and transfer of technology explained Beker Seid, Public Relations Officer with the Ministry.

It is also expected that the project will create favorable conditions to allow domestic companies to become competitive on the international markets he said.

Ethiopia is to organize a nationwide ICT competition for the second time announced the ICT Excellence Center of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

The registration for the ICT competition will remain open until the 7th of July and winners will be awarded a range of prizes it was announced.

The competition is intended to create an opportunity for people with intellectual properties to compete, promote their work and form commercial networks according to the ministry.

The fifth ICT Exhibition and Conference in Ethiopia was opened last week at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center. The Exhibition was held under the theme of ‘ICT is the Road to Development and Transformation’.

Domestic IT colleges, government agencies working in the ICT sector, training center, and international companies from China, England and Egypt engaged in the production and development of ICT products participated in the exhibition.

The exhibition offers an opportunity for consumers and producers to develop networks and to enhance experience sharing amongst countries said Debretsion Gebremichael, Minister of Communication and Information Technology.

Buna International Bank, Ethiopia signed an agreement to implement CORE Banking Solutions with Infosys. BIB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian based Infosys for the installation of the system which will allow the bank to launch electronic banking, last week.

Infosys will commence with deploying the project in three weeks after negotiations are concluded between the two sides said Gezahegn Dugassa, Project Manager for ICT with BIB.  It is expected that part of the new system will be implemented by the Ethiopian New Year, the deadline imposed by the National Bank of Ethiopia on all banks to automate their banking services, he noted.

Bole International Airport, Ethiopia launched self check-in-services starting to ease long lines at check in counters at the International Terminal.

The airport currently has 28 check in counters and has added four self check in kiosks where customers can enter their flight number, destination and reservation code and be able to print a boarding pass.

The self checks in booths are especially ideal for those who do not have check in luggage as they can then proceed to Immigration without delays.

Ethiopia is to inaugurate a 30 million birr road sector database system in the next few weeks after completing transferring its data to the data base according to Ethiopian Roads Authority.

The project is part of ERA’s development program to modernize and transform its initiative. The development program has  36 projects, including standardizing various communications, including correspondences such as memos, emails, a road history database, online status for projects, a data warehouse for easy extraction of historical data on the existing roads, research and development.

It is expected that the new database system will support the monitoring and decision-making for the management by supplying consolidated information through a performance appraisal system, tender analysis, and cost estimates for each project said Mulugeta Demisse, Director of the Quality Assurance and Inspection Directorate. 

Awash International Bank, Ethiopia has signed a 3.5 million US dollar agreement with British Misys International Banking Systems to upgrade the centralized, real time, online, electronic CORE banking system.

The bank floated a bid for the IT upgrade last August attracting a range of international companies including, Swiss Temenos Group, US Oracle Flext, Indian Infosys and Misys. Awash bank, which had previously had dealings with Misys when it installed its current system, decided to stick with the UK-based company.

The upgrade is expected to allow AIB to provide services to its 500,000 customers in finance, credit, human resources packages and Islamic banking. The technological upgrades also include anti-money laundering software.