Studying Law is not a walk in a park, it is one of the most difficult professions and it is always refreshing seeing girls make tremendous mark in this field and they should be celebrated in an era most young girls are focusing of costmetic surgery, Muoka has been able to distinguish herself, a true meaning of beauty and brain.
Muoka Olivia Kamsi, 24, from Anambra state, of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science emerged Unical’s Best Graduating Student With a CGPA of 4.73 in a total of 5.00.
Someone wrote; Kam, your poetic prowess, intellectual acumen and glowing beauty is enormous and welll noticed from the days we wrote poems together today not just our quills but that of University of Calabar is all writing same script” CONGRATULATIONS Kamsi”. – Enang Vincent
You recently deployment in UNILAG, let us know about it?
We visited UniLag and introduced our Proprietary software for Law Students and it was given an LPO for large supply. We basically want to make learning easier for Nigerian law students that was why we developed such a solution for them and what we have seen the acceptance is encouraging. It has shown that the students are very open to new ways of doing things. The law solutions for students made it easier for students to learn, research their legal reports, case studies etc.
You recently developed a software that has to deal with accounting and ICAN what is the level of reception?
Yes Organizations and Tertiary institutions including Polytechnics down to secondary schools have widely accepted it, as we have the best solutions to easiest way to pass ICAN Exams. We as an IT firm is constantly asking critical questions on how we can improve the lots of the society especially the Nigerian students . the ICAN solution looked at accounting, accountancy and booking keeping as a subject. We made learning these courses easier for students from secondary school where these courses are offered all the way to tertiary institution be it Universities or Polytechnics, we all covered all the areas of accounting to professional level which is ICAN (Institute of Charted Accountants of Nigeria) and the professional body is impressed with this software.
You are the first indigenous software in Nigeria and maybe West Africa to build an anti-virus software. What prompted this and how has it been?
We have been on the Anti-Virus Software development for about 7 years now, and now we have formally incorporated a Company for it TJTEK ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE MAKERS to separate its affairs and development from our usual software development business. The Nigerian antivirus software market is dominated wholly by foreign products. Ours is to find ways to start changing the narrative and bringing our indigenous solutions to the fore. We have also observed the capital flight that occurs as a result of buying this software, we want to make the desired impact in the market.
What are the challenges’ that you face as an IT Firm in Nigeria?
We face challenges from power supply and conducive working environment, we currently have found a temporary solution to the power supply as our technical department have developed and constructed a temporary engine to power all our systems. We have to look inward to solve some of these things.
Do you think that the Nigerian government is doing much to support indigenous IT Firms like yours?
Well for now the IT firms in Nigeria is not many and the Government seems not to concentrate on that part of Information Technology , I might be wrong but we are yet to see concrete efforts on the side of the regulators of IT to protect indigenous firms in Nigeria. We have operated under a strenuous IT environment and we pray that the government give us some level of concessions in terms of services and projects.
You have a launch this month, tell us more about this?
We want to launch a Law School Software called ENLAWS – EASE TO NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL CBT SOFTWARE, ICAN PRO-FOUNDATION and LEARNING WITH TOBIAS all these are used in Organizations so we plan to make the public have a proper look at the functions and benefits which on the launch day we will talk about. We are looking at this on or before the month of May .
Tell us about ease to Nigerian law school CBT software, ease to ICAN pro, Yettymax internet anti-virus and QR and Eye Retina tech?
Well it is for ease To Nigerian Law School CBT Software is a software for those that practice of Law School and Call to Bar Exams in Nigeria. This product is best for Law school students aspiring to pass the Bar part 1 AND THE Bar part 2 exams It is also great for university students studying and preparing to pass the Bar final exams . It is designed to make learning easier for future lawyers.
Tell us about your Banking Software, School Management Software, School CBT Software, Office Process Management Software and chat Software?
Our Banking Software Built for Banks and other financial Institutions are great deal for our clients benefiting from the source as it helps the workflow of their various Organization, records and manages the transactions made by the banks’ customers to their accounts and many other flexible, virtual and secured benefits. Just like our school management software which Save Cost, Saves time of teachers and administrators, Bridge Communication Gap, Human Resource Management, Student life-cycle data, Timetable management, Fee collection, Reports and decision making including Exams Management.
TOM JONES, MD/CEO OF TSCO SOFTWARE COMPANY, LAGOS
What do we expect from you this other part of the year?
As tech company that we are, we expect to give you the best of the best and safe technology all as freeware for this year and years to come as we offer FREE services for Companies and Small Businesses willing to expand in the cyber space. We will be launching innovative IT solutions this year.
You have Automated cards System management, tell us about it
We have recently registered a new Company TJTEK DIGITAL CARDS SOLUTIONS for Virtual Credit Cards creation to use as private cards for online payments and transactions and TAP-TO-PAY cards for Supermarkets as Loyalty Cards and Transit Cards for Transportation services. This will impact so much in the eCommerce space and those that make use of the malls. The virtual cards will come very handy for them.
Finally, are you open to partnership and dealership with other vendors?
Yes, we are very much open to Partnership and we are currently in partnership with other companies even tech and E-commerce companies. We hope to get more partners as time goes by, our technology will bring in more Organizations and even the world to subscribe to using our FREE technologies and gain immensely partnering. We also have a BUTTON on our official web-page “BECOME A PARTNER”. We are also creating free website and mobile apps for organizations today, these are ways we want to give back to the society. The promotions are on – going and we can be contacted here It will be a way we want to assist firms that are finding it hard to leverage and build apps .
We hope to get more partners as time goes by, our technology will bring in more Organizations and even the world to subscribe to using our FREE technologies and gain immensely partnering. We also have a BUTTON on our official web-page “BECOME A PARTNER”. We are also creating free website and mobile apps for organizations today, these are ways we want to give back to the society. The promotions are on – going and we can be contacted here It will be a way we want to assist firms that are finding it hard to leverage and build apps .
Innovative tech brand TECNO (www.TECNO-Mobile.com) recently has just released a new brand video titled ‘Don’t Stop Creating: Magic Skin for a Better Design’. The video unveils the innovative methodology behind TECNO’s latest cutting-edge material technology “Magic Skin”. This cutting-edge material will be used on the body of TECNO’s phones, including the CAMON, SPARK, and POP series, to ensure that African consumers have access to the latest global trends in smartphone design innovation.
VIDEO
TECNO Delivers its Promise of “Don’t Stop Creating” for Africa Through Launching “Magic Skin”
TECNO Never Stops Pushing for Modern Design Innovation
Dedicated to become the most admired technology brand for young-at-heart consumers worldwide, TECNO relentlessly strives to innovate and improve the design of products to stay ahead of the competition. With Stop At Nothing as its band spirit, TECNO never stops innovating to create modern and stylish products for global consumers, bring them the beautiful taste of a better future through fashionable design.
Magic Skin, which caters to the demands of African consumers, is one of TECNO’s significant milestones in 2023. This innovative technology not only offers a premium texture but also delivers unparalleled functional benefits.
The design excellence combined with material innovations has made TECNO bag numerous well-recognized awards globally, such as iF Design Award, MUSE Product Design Silver Awards, CMF Design Gold Award, Sustainable Design Award, etc.
Our ‘stop at nothing’ philosophy is what has made TECNO so successful in delivering users products that push the boundaries of what’s possible with design and aesthetic
Magic Skin Born of “Don’t Stop Creating” Spirit
Magic Skin is a unique blend of polymers and micro-particles that create a skin-friendly, stylish and easy-to-clean coating. While advanced technology is essential for attracting customers, smart phones also require distinctive and appealing designs to be successful. With the incorporation of this technology, TECNO devices are set to transcend the boundaries of practicality and aestheticism, ushering in a new era of elevated functionality and visual allure.
The technology has become a staple in the world of high-end yacht and automotive interiors. Boasting a sleek, modern design and a buttery-soft texture, this material is not only visually stunning but also easy to clean.
What created the future wasn’t the functionality of the products, but rather how they can be designed. “Our ‘stop at nothing’ philosophy is what has made TECNO so successful in delivering users products that push the boundaries of what’s possible with design and aesthetic,” said Lucia Liu, Chief Brand Officer at TECNO. Innovation is engrained in TECNO’s DNA. The commitment to the mantra of “Don’t Stop Creating” has served as a driving force behind the continuous efforts to introduce Magic Skin.
TECNO’s unwavering commitment to innovation has propelled the brand to new heights in design. With Magic Skin serving as evidence of the company’s dedication to pushing boundaries and exploring new creative frontiers, there is no doubt that TECNO will continue to push the envelope in design innovation and establish itself as a trailblazer in the industry.
In line with one of the pillars of the National Digital Economic Policy and Strategy, (NDEPS 2020-2030), which is to further accelerate economic growth in digital literacy and skills, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is fully committed to the effective and efficient implementation of the Federal Government’s policy direction in repositioning the youth for the digital era job opportunities through a programme tagged, Digital Job Creation for Youths (DJCY).
Over 2,000 Nigerian youths have, so far, benefited from this programme from the Six (6) Geopolitical Zones of the country while the ongoing edition has 600 youths being trained.
The DJCY programme is designed to enhance the skills of youths across all the Six (6) Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria through customised training and offer of fully-loaded laptop computers with networking devices, to equip them for the purposes of engaging in different digital entrepreneurship businesses that they may chose.
The beneficiaries are provided with free accommodation facilities for two weeks, during which resource persons in digital skills, business development and management, are engaged to retool them with their laptops to re-orientate them towards self-discovery, self-development, and self-employment.
Some of the objectives of the DJCY include to remould youths with other skills with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) proficiency to fit into the digital economy as well as strengthen technical and scientific competences among the youths with a view to creating opportunities for self-employment. It is also designed to improve access to ICT-enabled services such as banking, and strengthen the ICT micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector of the economy.
The DJCY relies on the provisions of NDEPS 2020-2030, which encourage the promotion of Digital Literacy and Skills through “massive training of Nigerians from all walks of life in order to enable them to obtain digital literacy and other digital skills.” Hundreds of the participants in the previous two editions have reported gainful self-employments, using the laptops and Internet connectivity tools provided by the Commission.
It is gratifying to note that the Commission has, through the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Ibrahim Pantami, received the commendations of the Federal Government for the way and manner it had efficiently and effectively designed and implemented this programme for the benefit of the Nigerian youths.
The Commission restates its full commitment to this programme as a result of the positive feedbacks from the previous editions and the potentials it has in enhancing the digital opportunities of the Nigerian youth for the benefit of the nation’s digital economy.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and Developmental Partners in the Livestock Sub Sector has advocated for Alternative Feed Ingredients to enhance Animal Feed Supply and Reduce Cost of Production as well as boost the Economy.
Speaking during the Capacity Building Programme that took place in Gwagwalada, Abuja, recently, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe represented by the Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Mrs. Winnie Lai Solarin stated that the Capacity Building Programe was in line with present Administration’s Agenda to leverage on the Agricultural Sector for Wealth Creation, Employment Generation and Diversification of the Economy.
Dr. Umakhihe pointed out that the program would provide Stakeholders with needed knowledge and proffer solutions to overcome the complex challenges caused by Covid-19 Pandemic, Flood and Insecurity in the Animal Feed Sub-Sector.
He noted that Livestock Sub-Sector supports over one billion people globally, accounting for over 40% of Global Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Provides over 33% of the World’s Protein intake.
He urged beneficiaries to make adequate use of the capacity building skills to optimize the utilization of alternative feed ingredients to produce at minimal cost.
Earlier in her remarks, the Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Mrs. Winnie Lai Solarin represented by the Chief Health and Animal Husbandry Technology, Mrs. Florence Ahmed stated that the Ministry was determined to support Feed Millers with enhanced production processing methods which would lead to increase in Feed Production, Food and Nutrition Security as well as Better Income.
She revealed that feed constitutes about 70% of the cost of livestock production as such, subsidizing the cost of feed production would not only increase the farmers profit but also sustain their interest.
In his Goodwill Message, the Director General, National Animal Production Research Institute, Dr. Yunusa Muhammad Ishiaku appealed to participants to utilize the knowledge acquired from the programme for sustainable animal feed production.
In attendance were Development Partners, Farmers, Feed Millers Representatives and Cooperative Groups among others.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of various animal feeds to each participants.
In a constantly digitizing world with a lot of breaches and security risks, online protections become imminent and imperative, this has necessitated many organizations to invest heavily on antivirus software, these types of software counter these security breaches. In Nigeria today, almost all the antivirus in the market are foreign with no indigenous antivirus in the market, having seen the level of foreign exchange lost and capital flight on these antivirus software with runs in millions, an indigenous information technology (IT) firm located in Lekki – Ajah axis of Lagos known as TSCO-TJTEK SOFTWARE COMPANY has build the first indigenous software in the country and set to unveil it this month of May. These moves have been lauded by industry watchers and stakeholders as the right move in proper direction.
Speaking on the antivirus solution, Tom Jones, the Chief Executive officer of TSCO-TJTEK SOFTWARE said that “We have been on the Anti-Virus Software development for about 7 years now, and now we have formally incorporated a Company for it TJTEK ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE MAKERS to separate its affairs and development from our usual software development business. The Nigerian antivirus software market is dominated wholly by foreign products. Ours is to find ways to start changing the narrative and bringing our indigenous solutions to the fore. We have also observed the capital flight that occurs as a result of buying this software, we want to make the desired impact in the market.”
Jones also said that apart from the antivirus solution that TSCO-TJTEK SOFTWARE has made tremendous impact in the education sector of the country by building solutions that will aid many subjects such as law, accounting and others. The company recently partnered with Nigerian Law School management to unbundle legal studies in a simple software and also with Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to bring accounting, book keeping and other forms of record keeping subjects to speed by making them available in a software. Jones also talked about their deployment in one of the Nigerian foremost universities, University of Lagos to aid students with their lectures.
Jones opined that “We visited UniLag and introduced our Proprietary software for Law Students and it was given an LPO for large supply. We basically want to make learning easier for Nigerian law students that was why we developed such a solution for them and what we have seen the acceptance is encouraging. It has shown that the students are very open to new ways of doing things. The law solutions for students made it easier for students to learn, research their legal reports, case studies etc.”https://tavism.com.ng/
He added on the issue of making accounting easier that “Organizations and Tertiary institutions including Polytechnics down to secondary schools have widely accepted it, as we have the best solutions to easiest way to pass ICAN Exams. We as an IT firm is constantly asking critical questions on how we can improve the lots of the society especially the Nigerian students. the ICAN solution looked at accounting, accountancy and booking keeping as a subject. We made learning these courses easier for students from secondary school where these courses are offered all the way to tertiary institution be it Universities or Polytechnics, we all covered all the areas of accounting to professional level which is ICAN (Institute of Charted Accountants of Nigeria) and the professional body is impressed with this software.”
On Nigerian Law School solution, Jones quipped that “Nigerian Law School CBT Software is a software for those that practice of Law School and Call to Bar Exams in Nigeria. This product is best for Law school students aspiring to pass the Bar part 1 AND THE Bar part 2 exams It is also great for university students studying and preparing to pass the Bar final exams. It is designed to make learning easier for future lawyers.”
The company highlighted other of their solutions from banking software to card solutions. Jones concluded that “Our Banking Software Built for Banks and other financial Institutions are great deal for our clients benefiting from the source as it helps the workflow of their various Organization, records and manages the transactions made by the banks’ customers to their accounts and many other flexible, virtual and secured benefits. Just like our school management software which Save Cost, Saves time of teachers and administrators, Bridge Communication Gap, Human Resource Management, Student life-cycle data, Timetable management, Fee collection, Reports and decision making including Exams Management”
“We have recently registered a new Company TJTEK DIGITAL CARDS SOLUTIONS for Virtual Credit Cards creation to use as private cards for online payments and transactions and
TAP-TO-PAY cards for Supermarkets as Loyalty Cards and Transit Cards for Transportation services. This will impact so much in the eCommerce space and those that make use of the malls. The virtual cards will come very handy for them.”
The Federal Executive Council approved the National Blockchain Policy for Nigeria during its meeting today, the 3rd of May, 2023. This followed the presentation of a memo by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami). The process of developing the Policy involved robust stakeholder engagements across the public and private sectors.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Blockchain Technologies could boost the global economy with US$1.76 trillion by 2030. The National Blockchain Policy for Nigeria is line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), which was unveiled and launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 28th of November, 2019. The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy developed the National Blockchain Policy for Nigeria on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, in line with the 7th Pillar of the NDEPS, which focuses on Digital Society and Emerging Technologies.
The vision of the Policy is to create a Blockchain-powered economy that supports secure transactions, data sharing, and value exchange between people, businesses, and Government, thereby enhancing innovation, trust, growth, and prosperity for all. The implementation of the National Bloackchain Policy will have a positive effect on both the public and private sectors of the country.
Blockchain Technology has the potential to revolutionise many industries, from finance and healthcare to transportation and supply chain management. Blockchain Technology makes transactions more transparent, trustworthy, and efficient and it can result in considerable cost savings and better user experiences. Furthermore, Blockchain Technology can boost innovation, improve public services, create job opportunities, and drive economic growth.
These benefits have inspired governments around the world to explore ways to leverage this important technology. With the approval of the National Blockchain Policy, Nigeria joins the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Estonia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Denmark and other leading technology countries in adopting Blockchain Technology at the national level.
The activities of the Policy shall be coordinated by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. A multi-sectoral Steering Committee has also been approved to oversee the implementation of the Policy.
The Federal Executive Council has further directed relevant regulatory bodies to develop regulatory instruments for the deployment of Blockchain Technology across various sectors of the economy. These regulatory agencies include NITDA, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), among others.
All other Federal and State Government institutions, as well as the private sector are urged to leverage Blockchain Technologies in education, health, security, agriculture and finance, among many other sectors. Deploying these applications will further support in the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria.
Several years ago, the African energy industry was in survival mode. The COVID-19 pandemic had practically eliminated demand for crude oil, and African exports dropped sharply.
That’s why — though many African states are still feeling the wounds inflicted by COVID — I find it encouraging to learn that Africa’s liquids supply in 2023 has reached nearly 7 million barrels per day (MMbbs/d), more than 430,000 barrels per day (bpd) above Africa’s 2020 lows of about 6.55 MMbbs/d.
This progress is among the topics covered in the African Energy Chamber’s newly released State of African Energy Q1 2023 Report. The report details the emerging trends shaping the world’s oil economy and highlights Africa’s role in meeting global demand.
And the overall outlook for African oil production in 2023 is promising.
Russian energy supplies to Europe continue to decline in the wake of the Ukraine war, Africa is poised to increase its oil and natural gas exports to the continent, and African oil supplies are expected to remain steady throughout 2023 and beyond.
Highlighting Africa’s Role in the Global Oil Economy
The State of African Energy Q1 2023 Report provides several key insights into African oil production for the remainder of this year.
The 2023 global liquids (crude + condensates) month-on-month outlook is expected to stay flat and stable with an annual average of 83.4 million bpd.
Africa’s liquids supply is expected to contribute 8% of the global volume over the year.
The continent’s top five producers—Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Angola, and Egypt—will contribute to over 80% of Africa’s 2023 liquids output.
The 2023 global liquids (crude + condensates) month-on-month outlook is expected to stay flat and stable with an annual average of 83.4 million bpd
While the majority of the production from Nigeria and Angola is from offshore projects, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt’s production comes from their respective onshore fields. Libya is expected to deliver increased 2023 production as its civil war subsides.
New Projects Across the Continent Will Drive 2023 Supply
A number of new projects are expected to drive African supply in 2023.
In Nigeria, Shell’s Bonga North project, believed to hold as much as 525 million barrels of crude, could help the country boost its production to pre-pandemic levels. Nigeria’s production is on the rebound, reaching a one-year high of 1.44 million barrels per day in February and accounting for two-thirds of the rise in OPEC’s oil production that month.
With a $10 billion investment from TotalEnergies, Uganda’s Lake Albert development, together with the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects and the 1,500-kilometer East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), is predicted to produce as much as 230,000 barrels per day.
Ghana stands to double its production to over 400,000 barrels per day with recent discoveries in the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points Block, operated by Norway’s Aker Energy. Ghana will have a significant role in shaping the region’s outlook this year as it also reopens its 45,000 barrel-per-day Tema oil refinery.
Senegal’s Sangomar Field Development, reported 60% complete as of last September, is expected to yield its first oil this year. The $4.6 billion project, led by Woodside Energy in partnership with Senegal’s national oil firm Petrosen, is expected to yield approximately 231 million barrels of oil in its first phase of development, with total recoverable oil resources estimated at around 500 million barrels over its lifetime.
Angola’s output has soared, reaching 34.29 million barrels in January — an increase of more than 580,000 barrels over the prior month. Its capacity has more than tripled since it completed the rehabilitation and expansion of its 65,000 barrel-per-day Luanda Refinery.
These impressive numbers represent a significant growth trend for Africa as we move further into 2023. With more than 70 oil and gas projects slated to come online by 2025, analysts predict Africa could produce as much as 2.3 million barrels per day of crude by 2025.
Oil Production Boosts Mean New Life for African Economies
The data and forecasts in our State of African Energy Q1 2023 Report paint an encouraging picture of Africa’s energy industry. In a turbulent global oil and gas market, the continent’s oil production is steady and growing. Our oil and gas industry is poised to breathe new life into our economies and create new opportunities for Africans in 2023.
COURE Technologies CEO Uche Onwudiwe discusses the company’s journey from the USA to Nigeria in a 25-year retrospective interview with Anthony Nwosu. The conversation delves into the evolution of the Nigerian IT ecosystem, as well as COURE’s significant contributions in the areas of Value Added Services, Aggregators, , Fintech, and Public Sector. Onwudiwe also shares insights into the company’s expansion across various African nations.
Coure Tech has always been an IT firm for years, how has the journey been?
COURE Software & Systems Limited (“COURE”) is a Platform Services Provider with a focus on the provision of accurate, secure and relevant data to improve its clients’ business processes and operations. We started out in the US in 1998 at a time when the internet and modern technology, as we know it, was taking off. At that time, we were focused on networking and physical systems integration. Over the years, the shifts in technology and the need to be scalable beyond billing for individual man hours caused us to migrate our technology services first to web and application development, and then to what we currently provide today, which are platforms that leverage standardized and aggregated data to enable and enhance the operational efficiency of our clients. It has been an exciting 25-year journey of change and transformation! Our flagship solutions, ANQ and HUB, have been enabling the telecom, fintech, banking and various other sectors to increase their value and service provision to their customers. Our development teams consist of analysts, web designers, UI/UX experts, programmers, graphic artists and network engineers all of whom have many years of experience in the design, development and support of clean, functional and aesthetically appealing web portals and solutions.
Do you think that the Nigerian IT space is evolving in terms of digitization?
The IT space is constantly evolving with the advancement of digital technology such as cloud computing, AI, IoT, and blockchain etc. Nigeria has not been left out of this. The trend towards digital transformation, automation and artificial intelligence is accelerating, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past, there were a lot of manual processes in business, and while automation was being implemented via IT, the pace was average. The pandemic accelerated digitization in Nigeria and across the world as businesses and people had to survive without close contact. Many businesses were forced to shut down, but for those who were better prepared, their adoption of digital technology and new ways of working became an advantage, and customers embraced online and digital service delivery. The IT industry continues to develop innovative solutions to make life easier for people and to help businesses harness the power of digital technology to improve operations, products, services, and reach new customers.
Can you consider yourself as a fintech firm?
COURE is a platform provider with key partners in the telco, financial, and technology space. Through our platforms, we are able to aggregate various types of data, analyze the data, and create services that provide value to these organizations and generate revenue for them. This makes us an enabler of fintech firms as opposed to being one ourselves.
Your Message Hub is one of a kind, do you think that SMEs can deploy it , if yes, how?
HUB is a ready-to-use platform designed for SMEs to create and manage their services, contents, and subscriptions. The platform allows for hosting, management, and delivery of VAS services to the Aggregators or Operators on behalf of the Service Provider. HUB was specifically built to address some of our local and African peculiarities. HUB is very easy to use for SME’s as there is no local installation required and for most of the services, the clients can login via our web interface to enable management and delivery of their services. In the event the client already has a local system that they want to integrate into HUB, we have some very easy to use API’s which they can integrate into their platforms and be up and running in a very short time. HUB enables them to integrate once and have access to all the Telcos and multiple aggregators based on their preference thus greatly simplifying the onboarding and management of the solution. HUB’s messaging capabilities such as Whatsapp and RCS technologies help SMEs build better relationships with their customers, improve the customer experience, reduce customer support calls, and enhance transaction security. They can also benefit greatly from using bulk SMS and USSD services as part of their marketing and communication strategies. These services offer a cost-effective and efficient way to engage with customers, provide information, and increase sales.
What are the challenges you face in Nigeria?
Given the insecurity challenges and the economic hardship in the country, we have witnessed the loss of talent across many sectors of the economy including the technology sector. This has made it paramount that we adopt an aggressive recruitment and talent retention strategy in a bid to forestall the negative impacts of this trend affecting our business.
Tell us more about your fraud prevention solutions?
Our fraud prevention solution adopts strategies, technologies, and processes to protect individuals, businesses, and organizations from fraudulent activities such as payment fraud, account takeover, and identity theft. Using intelligent algorithms, we check and flag fraudulent transactions before approval. Our algorithm takes into consideration numerous points of data and provides a risk level rating for the transaction, thus minimizing losses, optimizing efficiencies, and protecting customers from fraud. This service helps achieve a faster and more effective fraud detection process leading to reduced financial loss, increased customer retention, protection of brand and reputation, protection of customers’ details, identification of employee misconduct, fake account reduction and account take-over prevention.
Are they only for banks and fintechs?
Our solutions cater to a cross-section of organizations that provide services to end customers. This includes banks, fintechs, lenders, payment services companies, telco service providers, retailers and value-added service providers. Fraud can affect any organization that deals with sensitive data or valuable assets. Many businesses outside of the financial sector invest in fraud prevention solutions to protect themselves against financial losses, maintain customer trust, and avoid legal and financial penalties. The same applies to KYC, Routing and Communication. These are all services that are relevant for organizations that provide services to end consumers.
Do you have a presence in other ECOWAS countries?
Our routing service is present in most African countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Côte D’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Our 2023 roll-out plan includes expansion to key regions within the continent with a focus on Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
How do you do your Data Monetization?
COURE partners with data owners in the telco, banking and payment service sectors to aggregate and centralize data that can be analyzed to extract intelligent insights, and in an automated and real-time manner, provide those insights to service providers for decision-making. This offers data owners the opportunity to monetize their data which would otherwise sit idle. It also enables users to gain secure access to various data related services for enhancement of their business processes. This presents a mutually beneficial business relationship between COURE, a proven platform provider, data owners, and end customers. In providing these insights, COURE is careful to adhere to global data privacy laws and security standards, being an NDPR-certified organization.
How can the Public Sector leverage your solutions?
COURE’s services and solutions are relevant for public sector use. The HUB CPaaS offers an opportunity for such organizations to improve communication with citizens, enhance security, streamline billing, provide real-time transaction notifications, and gain valuable insights through data analytics. The service is currently used by a number of public sector entities including the CBN and the NPHCDA. Again, our Fraud solutions can help the public sector entities protect against fraud and cyber threats. This can be especially important when handling sensitive information, such as personal data or financial information.
What do we expect from you this 2023?
This year 2023, COURE will be commemorating its 25th year of existence. This is a remarkable milestone for us and represents a pivotal point in our journey. We will also be expanding our services to other countries on the continent as well as adding a 3rd platform to our suite, the OpenBank platform. The OpenBank platform offers Financial Data owners the opportunity to monetize their data by making it available to third-parties financial services in a secure, efficient and profitable manner via APIs, and in alignment with the CBN’s Open Banking Initiative. We have already partnered with some banks to pilot the solution and are excited about the ease and convenience that customers will enjoy when they use applications that leverage these APIs. Needless to say, we have great times ahead!
COURE Technologies CEO Uche Onwudiwe
“HUB was specifically built to address some of our local and African peculiarities. HUB is very easy to use for SME’s as there is no local installation required and for most of the services, the clients can login via our web interface to enable management and delivery of their services.”
As an IT firm for years, how has the journey been?
COURE Software & Systems Limited (“COURE”) is a Platform Services Provider with a focus on the provision of accurate, secure and relevant data to improve its clients’ business processes and operations. We started out in the US in 1998 at a time when the internet and modern technology, as we know it, was taking off. At that time, we were focused on networking and physical systems integration. Over the years, the shifts in technology and the need to be scalable beyond billing for individual man hours caused us to migrate our technology services first to web and application development, and then to what we currently provide today, which are platforms that leverage standardized and aggregated data to enable and enhance the operational efficiency of our clients.
It has been an exciting 25-year journey of change and transformation! Our flagship solutions, ANQ and HUB, have been enabling the telecom, fintech, banking and various other sectors to increase their value and service provision to their customers. Our development teams consist of analysts, web designers, UI/UX experts, programmers, graphic artists and network engineers all of whom have many years of experience in the design, development and support of clean, functional and aesthetically appealing web portals and solutions.
Do you think that the Nigerian IT space is evolving in terms of digitization?
The IT space is constantly evolving with the advancement of digital technology such as cloud computing, AI, IoT, and blockchain etc. Nigeria has not been left out of this. The trend towards digital transformation, automation and artificial intelligence is accelerating, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past, there were a lot of manual processes in business, and while automation was being implemented via IT, the pace was average. The pandemic accelerated digitization in Nigeria and across the world as businesses and people had to survive without close contact. Many businesses were forced to shut down, but for those who were better prepared, their adoption of digital technology and new ways of working became an advantage, and customers embraced online and digital service delivery. The IT industry continues to develop innovative solutions to make life easier for people and to help businesses harness the power of digital technology to improve operations, products, services, and reach new customers.
Can you consider yourself as a fintech firm?
COURE is a platform provider with key partners in the telco, financial, and technology space. Through our platforms, we are able to aggregate various types of data, analyze the data, and create services that provide value to these organizations and generate revenue for them. This makes us an enabler of fintech firms as opposed to being one ourselves.
Tell us more about your ANQ and Hub Platform?
Our ANQ (All Number Query) is a lookup platform that provides quick and easy access to information which enables our clients to support their customers in areas such as Fraud prevention, Routing and KYC (know Your Customer) using various number and data sources. Our partnership with data owners and access to large volumes of diversified data along with our processing capacity and intelligent algorithms enables us to apply real-time analytics on data that is being searched against and provide information to businesses to aid their decision-making. ANQ also helps our data owners monetize their otherwise idle data. Our HUB Platform is what is called a CPaaS – Communication Platform as a Service. It was built to enable aggregators and VAS providers in the telecom industry to integrate with the Telcos then safely and accurately deliver messages between the applications through the Telcos and onward to the end customer and back. Message types include Bulk SMS, USSD, Whatsapp and RCS (Rich Communication Services). It also addresses a number of industry issues and concerns such as the management of sender ID’s and Short codes. Built with industry regulations in mind, HUB is the ideal platform for any Service Provider with great service ideas capable of meeting the needs of its subscribers.
Your Message Hub is one of a kind, do you think that SMEs can deploy it , if yes, how?
HUB is a ready-to-use platform designed for SMEs to create and manage their services, contents, and subscriptions. The platform allows for hosting, management, and delivery of VAS services to the Aggregators or Operators on behalf of the Service Provider. HUB was specifically built to address some of our local and African peculiarities. HUB is very easy to use for SME’s as there is no local installation required and for most of the services, the clients can login via our web interface to enable management and delivery of their services. In the event the client already has a local system that they want to integrate into HUB, we have some very easy to use API’s which they can integrate into their platforms and be up and running in a very short time. HUB enables them to integrate once and have access to all the Telcos and multiple aggregators based on their preference thus greatly simplifying the onboarding and management of the solution. HUB’s messaging capabilities such as Whatsapp and RCS technologies help SMEs build better relationships with their customers, improve the customer experience, reduce customer support calls, and enhance transaction security. They can also benefit greatly from using bulk SMS and USSD services as part of their marketing and communication strategies. These services offer a cost-effective and efficient way to engage with customers, provide information, and increase sales.
What are the challenges you face in Nigeria?
Given the insecurity challenges and the economic hardship in the country, we have witnessed the loss of talent across many sectors of the economy including the technology sector. This has made it paramount that we adopt an aggressive recruitment and talent retention strategy in a bid to forestall the negative impacts of this trend affecting our business.
Tell us more about your fraud prevention solutions?
Our fraud prevention solution adopts strategies, technologies, and processes to protect individuals, businesses, and organizations from fraudulent activities such as payment fraud, account takeover, and identity theft. Using intelligent algorithms, we check and flag fraudulent transactions before approval. Our algorithm takes into consideration numerous points of data and provides a risk level rating for the transaction, thus minimizing losses, optimizing efficiencies, and protecting customers from fraud. This service helps achieve a faster and more effective fraud detection process leading to reduced financial loss, increased customer retention, protection of brand and reputation, protection of customers’ details, identification of employee misconduct, fake account reduction and account take-over prevention.
Are they only for banks and fintechs?
Our solutions cater to a cross-section of organizations that provide services to end customers. This includes banks, fintechs, lenders, payment services companies, telco service providers, retailers and value-added service providers. Fraud can affect any organization that deals with sensitive data or valuable assets. Many businesses outside of the financial sector invest in fraud prevention solutions to protect themselves against financial losses, maintain customer trust, and avoid legal and financial penalties. The same applies to KYC, Routing and Communication. These are all services that are relevant for organizations that provide services to end consumers.
Do you have presence in other ECOWAS countries?
Our routing service is present in most African countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Our 2023 roll-out plan includes expansion to key regions within the continent with a focus on Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.
How do you do your Data Monetization?
COURE partners with data owners in the telco, banking and payment service sectors to aggregate and centralize data that can be analyzed to extract intelligent insights, and in an automated and real-time manner, provide those insights to service providers for decision-making. This offers data owners the opportunity to monetize their data which would otherwise sit idle. It also enables users to gain secure access to various data related services for enhancement of their business processes. This presents a mutually beneficial business relationship between COURE, a proven platform provider, data owners, and end customers. In providing these insights, COURE is careful to adhere to global data privacy laws and security standards, being an NDPR-certified organization.
What do we expect from you this 2023?
This year 2023, COURE will be commemorating its 25th year of existence. This is a remarkable milestone for us and represents a pivotal point in our journey. We will also be expanding our services to other countries on the continent as well as adding a 3rd platform to our suite, the OpenBank platform. The OpenBank platform offers Financial Data owners the opportunity to monetize their data by making it available to third-parties financial services in a secure, efficient and profitable manner via APIs, and in alignment with the CBN’s Open Banking Initiative. We have already partnered with some banks to pilot the solution and are excited about the ease and convenience that customers will enjoy when they use applications that leverage these APIs. Needless to say, we have great times ahead!
“Given the insecurity challenges and the economic hardship in the country, we have witnessed the loss of talent across many sectors of the economy including the technology sector. This has made it paramount that we adopt an aggressive recruitment and talent retention strategy in a bid to forestall the negative impacts of this trend affecting our business.”
President Muhammadu Buhari will depart for London, United Kingdom later today, Wednesday, May 3 to join other world leaders invited to attend the coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, respectively.
The coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6.
Ahead of the coronation, the Commonwealth Secretariat will take advantage of the gathering of leaders in London to host a Commonwealth Summit for Presidents and Heads of Government of Commonwealth countries on Friday, May 5.
President Buhari is billed to participate in the Summit which will deliberate on the Future of the Commonwealth and the Role of the Youth.
The President will be accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno (Rtd), the Director General, National Intelligence Agency, (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, the Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and other senior government officials.
