Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) and MainData Nigeria Limited (MDXi), an Equinix Company, Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Launch Neutral Internet Exchange Services in Lagos, Nigeria

Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) and MainData Nigeria Limited (MDXi), an Equinix Company, Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Launch Neutral Internet Exchange Services in Lagos, Nigeria

AMS-IX (www.AMS-IX.net), one of the largest Internet Exchange operators in the world, and MainData Nigeria Limited (MDXi) (www.MDX-i.com), an Equinix (www.EQUINIX.com) company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to operate and grow Internet Exchange services in Africa.

 

AMS-IX will be setting up an internet exchange at MDXi, the carrier-neutral Data Center of MainOne (www.MainOne.net) in Lagos Nigeria. MDXi will act as AMS-IX strategic partner and reseller for AMS-IX in West Africa.

Lagos is the ideal location to serve as a content hub for West and Central Africa as it is strategically located in a fast-developing region

This strategic partnership between AMS-IX and MDXi will deliver improved interconnection capabilities for existing and new customers on the exchange, further facilitating the distribution of content into the West African region. With this partnership, content delivery networks, application providers, and hosting companies will now be able to exchange internet traffic locally through the rich interconnected ecosystem of networks, large enterprises, and cloud service providers, and network operators available at MDXi.

International Partnership Director Onno Bos of AMS-IX: “Lagos is the ideal location to serve as a content hub for West and Central Africa as it is strategically located in a fast-developing region with landing sites for international subsea cables connecting Africa to EMEA and beyond. We’re thrilled to work with such a strong partner as MainOne to expand this vibrant connectivity community.”

Oluwasayo Oshadami, GM, Technical Solutions, MainOne, “We’re excited to work with AMS-IX. AMS-IX has over 25 years of experience building, operating and growing Internet Exchanges all over the world. This partnership is an important step in realizing our long-term strategy to become a leading carrier-neutral digital infrastructure company by bringing a full range of transformative technologies to Africa.”

MDXi and AMS-IX are committed to developing Lagos into a regional content hub that services users all over West and Central Africa. The partners intend to seek alliances to connect with local telecom operators and IX’s to help develop and support local ecosystems.

FG INAUGURATES COMMITTEE ON 2022 INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

FG INAUGURATES COMMITTEE ON 2022 INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 15-man Inter-Ministerial Committee to organise the celebration of Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day anniversary.
While inaugurating the Committee in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the Committee was constituted to plan, organise and execute all approved activities befitting Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Anniversary celebration on 1st October, 2022, as well as document for posterity, all planned activities for the Anniversary.
According to SGF, the Committee would also co-opt organisations and persons relevant to the successful execution of the programmes, and carry out other assignments as may be required towards the successful implementation of the programme.
He disclosed that the Committee would meet regularly to give necessary direction on all the activities earmarked for the Celebration, while sub-committees would be constituted to assist in executing specific assignments from the Inter-Ministerial Committee.
The composition of the Inter-Ministerial Committee is as follows:
i. Secretary to the Government of the Federation Chairman
ii. Minister of Information and Culture Member
iii. Minister of Interior Member
iv. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Member
v. Minister of Foreign Affairs Member
vi. Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration Member
vii. Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Member
viii. National Security Adviser Member
ix. Special Adviser to President on Policy and Coordination Member
x. Permanent Secretary, State House Member
xi. Permanent Secretary, General Services Office​ Member
xii. Inspector-General of Police​ Member
xiii. Director-General, Department of State Services​ Member
xiv. Commander, Guards Brigade ​ Member
xv. Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office Member/ Secretary.
In another development, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, also inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), constituted to review the implementation of the United Nations Universal Periodic outcome of the human rights situation in Nigeria within the intervening years between the last reviews.
SGF, who was represented at the event by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Dr (Mrs.) Habiba Lawal, stated that the Terms of Reference of the Inter-Ministerial Committee include preparing and submitting a draft Country Report of the Human Rights Situation in Nigeria in accordance with the United Nations Human Rights Council guidelines for the fourth review of Nigeria during the fourth review cycle of the UPR mechanism.
He added that the Committee would also assess the level of implementation of the accepted recommendations made to Nigeria by the UN Human Rights Council during the third review cycle; and take appropriate steps towards the implementation by Nigeria in preparation for the fourth review cycle.
SGF stated that since the inception of UPR, the Federal Government had fully cooperated with United Nations (UN) human rights protection mechanism by actively participating in the review process, adding that Nigeria had been reviewed on three occasions- February 2009, October 2013, and November 2018.
He expressed confidence that “the review of the implementation of our accepted recommendation of the third review cycle and the draft fourth country report would reflect the true position of the human rights situations in the country. This will provide the opportunity for the country to have an objective assessment of the gaps in the enjoyment of human rights, areas of improvement and realistic recommendations on enhancing the realization of human rights of all in the country.”
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Shehu Ibrahim, stated that the Committee would be chaired by the Solicitor-General of the Federation/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, and co-chaired by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, membership of the Committee is drawn from Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministry of Interior, Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Health, Women Affairs, Education, Justice; Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria Bar Association, and Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Solicitor-General of the Federation, Beatrice Jedy-Agba (Mrs), said the members would deploy their experience and expertise to deliver on the assignment, and would remain resolute till its completion

Canon is Embarking on the Much-Awaited Canon R Tour in Nigeria to Launch our Flagship R System Models and Experiential Opportunities to Test Drive its Revolutionary Mirrorless Range of Products

Canon is Embarking on the Much-Awaited Canon R Tour in Nigeria to Launch our Flagship R System Models and Experiential Opportunities to Test Drive its Revolutionary Mirrorless Range of Products

In alignment with the company’s dedication to introducing innovative and technology-led imaging solutions in Africa, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) brings its much-anticipated R-tour to Nigeria. The tour sheds light on its upcoming products, closer to customer strategy, the rise of content creation as an industry in the country, and much more. Canon will also introduce for the first time in Nigeria, its revolutionary mirrorless range of products – EOS R3, EOS R5 C, EOS R7 & EOS R10 in an endeavor to introduce a much wider array of technology solutions in Africa.

 

Canon Central and North Africa is set to embark on the Canon R Tour journey to Nigeria that falls in line with the company’s vision to bring together the finest imaging technology solutions to the continent of Africa. Through the R tour, Canon is also launching its revolutionary mirrorless range of products for the first time in Nigeria – the EOS R3, EOS R5 C, EOS R7, and EOS R10.

Canon hosted a Masterclass with Canon Certified trainer Austen Udoh, on its renowned mirrorless products, followed by an open exhibition that put on display some of Canon’s best products for the audiences to touch and try on August 23rd, 2022. Furthermore, photography workshops will also be held on 24th and 25th August 2022 with Canon photographers who will shine light on their best tips and tricks to use Canon’s revolutionary full-frame R system lineup. Starting on August 24th, the photography workshops will commence with Canon ambassador Emanuel Oyeleke putting the spotlight on Canon EOS R3, followed by photographer Victor Modo on EOS R3, and finally, conclude on August 25th with PRO influencer Daniel Ehimen on EOS R5C.

The EOS R3 offers all the familiarity and speed of Canon’s celebrated EOS-1 series, with the innovation and versatility of the pioneering EOS R System whereas the EOS R5 C is a powerful, hybrid cinema camera that combines the professional filmmaking features of the Cinema EOS range with the EOS R System’s photo capabilities.

Connecting, Communicating & Co-creating

Centering its vision of getting closer to its customers and imaging community in Nigeria, Canon has set up various experiential booths to facilitate audiences in getting an authentic experience of the Canon universe. A total of five different experiential booths promises a thrilling ride for the participants. The R series & Pro Printer booth will put on display the Canon R series line-up along with its different accessories as well as showcase the brilliance of the PRO printers through a live photoshoot and printing experience. The Canon Showroom will spark curiosity among visitors for Canon’s high-end DSLR range, the lineup of its Cinema products, along with Inkjet and laser printers. Likewise, the Documentary Production Booth will offer an exciting experience to avid documentary filmmakers and cinematographers by simulating a food documentary experience, while action and sports photography enthusiasts can experience diverse photography techniques to capture split-second moments at the action booth where it will showcase an exhilarating fast-paced aerial act performance. Lastly, there will also be a Service Check and Clean booth, where audiences can get their Canon gear checked and cleaned by professionals.

“The objective behind setting up these different booths is for our end users, enthusiasts and customers, and media to really get up close and personal with Canon products to gather all the knowledge, and additional tips and tricks they need to use their Canon products optimally. We truly practice what we preach, and the R-tour is a living testimony of Canon’s commitment to get closer to its customers. It gives us an opportunity to connect, learn, teach, communicate, and co-create with our passionate end users who are as eager to interact with us, as we are with them. The roaring success of our previous R-tours in Africa highlights the mammoth efforts taken by Canon to build long-lasting relationships with our consumers,” remarked Amine Djouahra, Director of Sales and Marketing, Canon Central and North Africa.

“Nigeria is a land of creativity and is home to the second biggest film industry in the world, there is absolutely no doubt that the country needs best-in-class photography and videography products and that’s precisely what we do. Canon and Nigeria are a perfect match for each other, and I know that this R-tour will help us fortify this bond of creativity even further,” he continues.

The last day of Canon’s R-tour in Nigeria, August 25th will witness the first ever African Canon Creators Summit, where content creators will be invited to learn and exchange knowledge on the nitty-gritties of content creation. The space will also help participants to better understand the significance of imaging and using the right equipment and tools to achieve the right outcome. The summit will also host a panel discussion on ‘The importance of quality content creation and how it can grow industries. In addition, content creators will be part of future local creator summits along with a performance-based opportunity to attend Canon Creator Summit in Dubai, and exclusive product offers to purchase Canon products.

The R series & Pro Printer booth will put on display the Canon R series line-up along with its different accessories as well as showcase the brilliance of the PRO printers

Spreading Goodness – Project Ire

Canon will commence its Project Ire through R-tour with a vision to support and sustain a year-long collaboration with influencers that are spreading goodness and giving back to their respective communities by generating awareness through their art-forms. Canon will collaborate with influencers that include Mofe Bamuyiwa, George Okoro, Princemeyson, Eleanor Goodey, Bedge, Aham Ibeleme and Gazmadu. Coinciding with the Canon’s Kyosei philosophy that stands for working and living together for the common good, the word ‘Ire’ stands for goodness and thus Project Ire will focus on bringing the goodness out of Canon’s avant-garde technology to further the cause of spreading goodness for different communities in Nigeria. The chosen influencers will be exclusively offered the opportunity to test drive Canon’s mirrorless line-up of products, along with a range of online and/or offline masterclasses in a bid to propel the wave of storytelling in Nigeria. Images captured by the influencers who are part of Project Ire will be printed on Canon Pro 300 Printer at the University of Lagos.

The Spirit of Storytelling

As part of the R-tour, Canon will also be announcing a partnership with Shuttersnetwork – a photo community based in Abuja, Nigeria in an endeavor to promote the spirit of storytelling through community engagement, content creation, and social media awareness. Canon’s online activities to generate community engagement in the Shuttersnetwork will include photo competitions, live sessions on Shutter’s network community page along with online panel discussions and masterclasses whereas the offline activities will include photo walks and physical masterclasses. Additionally, photography and videography campaigns and training will also be held by Canon to facilitate creation of inspirational content, along with the availability of Canon’s demonstration products for the network.

Canon Central and North Africa has successfully launched its R-tour previously in Morocco, Egypt and Kenya and intends to continue this journey of building relationships by getting closer to its customers throughout the African continent.

PalmPay Hits 10 Million User Milestone in Nigeria

PalmPay Hits 10 Million User Milestone in Nigeria

PalmPay (https://PalmPay.com/), a fintech innovator aiming to make digital payment more accessible and flexible, announced that it has reached 10 million users in Nigeria. This represents a doubling in its user base within just six months and puts its customer numbers in the same league as major institutions only 3 years after the company launched in the market.

 

The fintech, which operates under a Mobile Money Operator license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, has gained significant traction with its payment’s app and nationwide agency banking network. Its proposition of instant financial account creation, fee-free bank transfers and cashback rewards on airtime and bill payments has appealed to Millennial and Gen-Z consumers, who are looking for more affordable banking options and prefer the convenience of a digital-first service.

Nowadays PalmPay is processing millions of transactions a day. And around 20% of the company’s customer base report that the PalmPay app was their first financial account, demonstrating that the Mobile Money Operator is contributing to driving progress towards financial inclusion targets in Nigeria, where 36% of the population remains unbanked.

Nigerians without smartphones can visit one of PalmPay’s 200,000 mobile money agents across the country, who can transact on their behalf or issue an innovative QR card that can be used to hold a balance. Consumers can also use PalmPay agents to deposit cash to their PalmPay accounts and to withdraw money using their debit cards through PalmPay-branded POS machines.

“We are delighted to be able to celebrate this growth milestone and are proud of PalmPay’s track record of making cutting-edge financial services accessible to every Nigerian – including the unbanked.”, said Mr Chika Nwosu, Managing Director, PalmPay Nigeria, “The pandemic has accelerated the shift from cash to digital payments and we are looking forward to continuing to work together with regulators and our partners to innovate to meet the financial needs of consumers.”

“Our significant growth in Nigeria demonstrates PalmPay’s ability to innovate to meet the financial needs of consumers, and we are looking forward to replicating this success as we scale in more markets across Africa.” said Sofia Zab, PalmPay Global CMO.

FINTRAK EASES FINANCIAL REPORTING WITH AN ADVANCED SOFTWARE

FINTRAK EASES FINANCIAL REPORTING WITH AN ADVANCED SOFTWARE

 

 

Covid 19 pandemic last year made a lot of disruptions in the global financial space, Nigeria included. The technique companies report their operations, financial condition, and cash flows during this crisis and after will be a little bit altered or rejigged. Having this in mind, Fintrak Software Limited, an indigenous financial technology (fintech) company is bringing to the knowledge of financial players like banks, insurance, mortgage institutions and other key players in the ecosystem their product known as FINSTAT. An innovative solution designed to ease the burden of financial reporting for the key players in the industry.

The use of technology in the automation of financial reporting eases consolidation and preparation of full set of annual financial statements according to the international financial reporting standards (IFRS). FINSTAT reporting solution is designed to be bespoke and fluid, this means that it is built to the specification of clients that desire a robust financial reporting tool. The solution has been described to meet and exceeds standard IFRS system requirements, as it is in compliance with the recent IFRS 9 s standard

The FinTrak Enterprise Performance Management consolidates finance processes using technology to resolve challenges faced by businesses in relation to Data integrity, delayed reporting, Relationship management, Back Office operations and Support, Cost allocation, External domiciled accounts and Transfer pricing. This solution has made it possible for organizations such as banks, insurance and mortgage houses to successfully reduce risks, increase efficiency, decrease cost of operations and free resources for more value-adding activities by business units. The solution presents the report such as Management Performance Reporting Solution, which is an analytical tool created for organizations’ supervisory, examination, and management purposes in a summarizing format making it easier to understand.

Speaking on the importance of the solution, The Group Managing Director, Bimbo Abioye said “FinTrak Enterprise Performance Management solution is a valuable tool for the business to empower Management with the right information to make critical business decision and inherently deliver business value (Revenue and profitability, customer retention and acquisition, operational efficiency), resource productivity, and IT effectiveness. Profitability based measurement can serve as a more robust and inclusive means to measure the performance by gauging the extent of operational efficiency as well as capturing the nuances of an organization’s diversifying earnings through non-interest income activities and management of their costs. Profitability-oriented performance management is necessary, both to know what a business can do to affect profits and to benchmark the effect of any such moves.”

He added that; The solution monitors the performance of the whole Organization as well as Individuals, Teams, Branches, Business units, and further compares actual with budgets, to evaluate productivity and profitability based on key standard performance metrics. Our solution communicates with your core business application, spools and analyzes all the required data, so you can have a holistic presentation of your business performance in one Executive dashboard. You are empowered with the ability to render full MPR reports on daily basis as the month progresses. The system presents a Multi-dimensional view of performance across Teams, Branch, Products and Individual’s income and Balance sheet statements. and also, all reports respond to changes in reporting lines, both current and past performance.

Having deployed in many countries of Africa such as Gambia, Ghana, Congo etc, the Fintech giant incorporated English and French in the solution making is easily untestable to French and English-speaking countries.  Loaded with features such as flexibility, the solution can handle complex transfer pricing based on your organization’s policy. The solution can also be customized to suit your unique business needs and sector. For executive on the go, the software has mobile versions that can be easily deployed in mobile devices. Other features such as Single and Multiple rate pool pricing, Risk based multiple pool pricing, Penal charges based on policy violations, Ability to handle relationship management tree, Cost breakdown showing details and sources of costs at all levels. With these features, the software has the ability to reduce significantly or remove human errors associated with reporting and at a reduced cost for the organizations

“Our software has the ability to empower users to control cost elements without sacrificing revenue. The ability to see how cost elements like depreciation, OPEX, CAPEX, Human Resource impact and can improve revenue potentials. Key users are able to understand what drives cost and value within their business segment. FinTrak Software will set up bespoke reports peculiar to the business to track profitability and performance of their Business Units and Segments. The system can extract codes from transaction description to allocate the expenses, drill down details available on all reporting lines both income and balance sheet items on click and get basis”, Ladi Ipaye, Executive Director, Business Development and Marketing Strategy concluded.

 

ANTHONY EMEKA NWOSU

The solution monitors the performance of the whole Organization as well as Individuals, Teams, Branches, Business units, and further compares actual with budgets, to evaluate productivity and profitability based on key standard performance metrics. Our solution communicates with your core business application, spools and analyzes all the required data, so you can have a holistic presentation of your business performance in one Executive dashboard. You are empowered with the ability to render full MPR reports on daily basis as the month progresses. The system presents a Multi-dimensional view of performance across Teams, Branch, Products and Individual’s income and Balance sheet statements. and also, all reports respond to changes in reporting lines, both current and past performance.

 

Nigerians have started appreciating the concept of BPO outsourcing services

Nigerians have started appreciating the concept of BPO outsourcing services

 

 

 

In this interview with Anthony Nwosu of IT EDGE NEWS, The Top Management of Zeta-Web  Nigeria Limited, an indigenous ICT firms that offer bespoke services in the  areas of Data Center services, Internet Service and BPO,  Zeta Web  Speaks on the concept of outsourcing in Nigeria, how government must create an enabling environment for BPO and Contact Centers Service providers to thrive in Nigeria.        

 

Zeta-Web Nigeria Limited has been known as a strong stakeholder in the Nigerian ICT space, can we know strides this 2017?

As a business concern,  we introduced a suite of services that addresses some of the identified  business needs and clients’ demands. These ICT solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of our customers. We realized that  for Nigerians to have the best customer experience,  we must ensure that our ICT solutions are bespoke and tailor made to fit their individual needs. This was one of the major reasons that made us to introduce suite services, this would cater to  various segments.

Zeta-Web has been split into Business solution and Contact Centre, what prompted this?

Contact Center is one of the services available within our product portfolio and  part of our strategy to make Zeta-Web a one-stop ICT Center for businesses in Nigeria. The value Contact Center brings to any business cannot be quantified. The Contact Center solution as a service is usually entailed a high capital expenditure, but we crafted our own BPO/Contact Center to be cost-effective and robust most especially for SMEs. Unlike most contact centres that focus on the big corporates, we have the small and medium scale firms in view and also we service the big fir

Your firm is known for data and internet service, with the demand for high speed internet today, what is your business model and whom are you targeting at?

Our target audience ranges from SMEs to Large organizations. We are strategically positioned to operate a 3-tier business model that comprises of Technology, Business and Services. These are our main focus, we noticed that broadband is an economic driver and we are poised to deliver high speed broadband service that is compatible with what is obtained in the advanced countries.

                                                                                                                            

But,  there are cries that the quality of internet in the country is low, most of the operators are yet to come to terms with 4G services. Why is this situation still prevalent in the country?

I do not agree completely, if you need good service and are ready to pay for it, you will definitely get value for your money. However, Environmental factors, Regulatory policies and Infrastructure are generally undeveloped; hence prompting the complaints of poor quality of service even though this is due to the unstable nature of these elements. A lot of factors contribute to low quality of service from the internet service firms in Nigeria.  We are looking at pricing, policies, topography an others, but in a nutshell, for you to enjoy a high speed internet in Nigeria, be ready to pay for it and some of us still offer such services.

ISPs have cried to the regulator on the issue of harsh business environment and their inability to compete against telecommunication firms, hinting that this is anti-competitive practice. How true is this?

This is partially true. But if you go beyond connectivity to solution selling, and through your solution your customers can save cost and generate more revenue. You will definitely survive the harsh economy situation. And this is why we  are customer -centric organization with services tailored to meet both your budget and business needs.

BPO and Contact Center solution seems to be gaining ground in the country. A lot of organizations are coming to terms with business process outsourcing and you are a player in this space.  Today, most of the Contact Centers look at the big firms like banks, telcos and government establishments?

BPO and Contact Centers started as a global trend in the 60’s through the 80’s with manufacturing companies as the early adopters. But with the explosion that happened in the ICT world in the early 90’s BPO was further enabled and made available to a vast array of sectors and organizations. The basic idea of BPO is to give out non-core operations of a company to others who specialize in that area so that operations run smoothly, costs are cut and true value is realized. Typical BPO areas are customer service, Contact Centers, IT, finance, HR & Admin etc. Nigeria being part of the global village created by ICT is beginning to also play in this field. Nigeria did not initially tap into the BPO offshoring trend of the 90s because of infrastructure deficit and political climate,  but with the advent of multinationals extending their operations into Nigeria BPO became an imperative. The Banks, Telcos and Government establishments are beginning to see the benefits of BPO first hand and are adopting and adapting it in ways that work for them. The boom in cloud technology and other ICT enablers is also making BPO easier to offer to other organizations as well.

Most organizations that offer Contact Center services, most times diversify or combine the services of Contact Center with Data Center services. How is your Data Center and do you think that the trend of Nigerian firms hosting abroad is changing?

A lot of the enabling technology needed for Contact Center services requires a Data Center to host them and if the Contact Center operations are to continue smoothly the Data Center must perform to certain standards of uptime, redundancy and availability. Some organizations who offer Contact Center services initially tried to run their own Data Centers or use one from outside the country, but the challenges of latency and divided attention eventually took its toll and they also eventually began to outsource this to dedicated Data Center providers. The availability of standard Data Centers in the country will make this a continuous trend with a lot of organizations moving into the country. It is actually the way to go these days.Zeta-Web Nigeria has a Contact Center and can provide Data Center services up to the Tier 3 Global standard which is the highest currently available in Nigeria.

IP infrastructure is one area that most Nigerian firms haven’t gotten it right, our infrastructure is  mostly handled by oversea firms mostly Asians, as an ICT firm, do you believe that Nigerian firms have the capacity to handle  this and what can the regulator, NCC do to ensure  that Nigerian firms are given preferential treatment in bidding processes?

The idea that only foreign firms can handle IP infrastructure projects and indeed any type of ICT project be it ERP, Virtualization or any type of systems integration is a fallacy and no longer holds water. As I earlier mentioned, the world has become a global village because of technology and as such everyone in Nigeria has access to the same level of training and knowledge that is required for each project. Yes, there have been issues regarding standards in the past, but I can tell you from personal experience that any organization that holds excellence and the delivery of true value as supreme as we do at Zeta-Web will be fine and I believe that there are quite a few companies in Nigeria that have adopted this as part of their strategy.

I think the regulator can still do much more for one; they need to urgently take steps in implementing a local content policy so that the majority of the gains of the Telecoms industry growth since 2001 can remain in the country in terms of economic empowerment and technical know-how. For instance, if there are not enough contracts/projects awarded to indigenous companies,  even their competent staff begin to look outside the country for greener pastures thus adding to the brain drain we have been experiencing lately.

Do you think that SMEs and organization are embracing the concept of outsourcing and Contact Center solutions? How can the government also ensure that Nigerian Contact Center solution providers are catered for in terms of policy statements and enabling environment?

Oh yes, the adoption of outsourcing is definitely on the upward trend. The ever increasing need to cut cost has been there and also the multiplicity of options for achieving the same things can lead to confusion and a lot of time invested in analysis and consideration of issues for non-core activities. Let us not equate the fact that they are non-core to mean not important. These outsourced areas are very important, but the complexities involved in handling them smoothly, efficiently and cost effectively is the headache that outsourcing solves.

I think the very first area to address with regards an enabling environment is Infrastructure. Specifically power and transportation. These  foundational elements make it easier for outsourcing services to be offered in a cost effective way to SMEs. Also a cohesive strategy for Nigerian content development must be developed across the sector and implemented in a transparent way.

 

 

 

“I think the regulator can still do much more for one; they need to urgently take steps in implementing a local content policy so that the majority of the gains of the Telecoms industry growth since 2001 can remain in the country in terms of economic empowerment and technical know-how. For instance, if there are not enough contracts/projects awarded to indigenous companies,  even their competent staff begin to look outside the country for greener pastures thus adding to the brain drain we have been experiencing lately.”

 

Meet the top eight Web3 developers and innovators from the Hack the Mara Hackathon

Meet the top eight Web3 developers and innovators from the Hack the Mara Hackathon

 

 

Top eight teams to compete in physical hackathon taking place in the Mara, Kenya from 17th-26th of September 2022

As part of its commitment to inspire developers to “build the future of Africa on Web3”, Mara, the Pan-African blockchain platform, has announced the top eight finalist teams of the “Hack The Mara” competition. These finalists have been invited to a physical hackathon in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, taking place from 17th-26th of September 2022 to determine which teams will emerge the overall winners of the hackathon.

The reveal of the finalists places a spotlight on the teams that submitted the most innovative and promising proposals to advance long term beneficial, social and environmental change in Africa and beyond. With each team’s proposal explaining the innovative solutions they would be building prototypes for during the physical hack, the finalists reflect Mara’s commitment to serve as the port of entry for blockchain capacity building in Africa.

The Mara Hackathon celebrates African Web3 developers and innovators who are working to solve last mile payment tracking challenges and strengthen the financial sustainability of ongoing conservation projects in the Mara for better livelihoods. Working in partnership with Circle (the issuer of USD Coin (USDC) and Euro Coin), United Nations Foundations, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, Ishara Mara and Antler; Mara will award the top solutions with up to $100,000 in funding, entry into startup accelerator programmes, mentorship and other resources to build out their solutions.

 

Meet the Finalist teams

The finalist teams from Nigeria and Kenya that will be participating in the physical hackathon include:

 

Team AfroLabs (Nigeria)

A team of young blockchain explorers building Web3 solutions, breeding culture and building Africa. The team is made up of Obinna Oba, a full-stack developer with an interest in building in the web3 space for startups in Africa; Anthony Nwobodo, a full-stack software engineer and blockchain developer; and Chisom Aniefuna, a 400 level Pharmacy student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka who loves blockchain and all the promises its innovation can help the world with.

Team BlockDash (Nigeria)

A team combining a wealth of experience in software development and blockchain technologies to build highly performant systems. The team is made up of Obinna Onuoha, a full-stack software engineer with experience building highly scalable user-facing applications; Hakeem Kazeem, a data scientist with a demonstrated history of working in the information services industry; and Nofisat Ayanlola, a frontend developer skilled in data science and frontend coding.

Team FedhaPay (Kenya) 

A team that builds easy-to-use DeFi solutions for locals. The team is made up of Humphry Shikunzi, a software developer skilled in blockchain development and UI/UX design; Maxwell Mwangi, a full-stack software engineer with interest in Web3; and Jackline Tum, a product designer who loves to use technology to solve problems and make an impact.

Team BlockHackers (Nigeria) 

A team of experienced Web3 professionals with solutions that provides 100% transparency and security. The team is made up of Solomon Ayo, an experienced software engineer with proficiency in blockchain development and backend development; Oluwayimika Oladipupo, a Mechatronics Engineering student who doubles as a full stack developer; and Chinwendu Iheanetu, an experienced project manager who has worked with several teams in various tech competitions and two startups.

Team Blocverse (Nigeria)

 A team with a mission to drive blockchain adoption in Africa, through building everyday products with web3 technologies. The team is made up of Toochukwu Okoro, a smart-contract developer; Joshua Avoaja, a software developer with technical implementation skills; and Teresa Amanwachi, a researcher and technical writer.

Team Relic (Kenya)

 An all-ladies team qualified to think, plan and execute solutions effectively. The team is made up of Martha Mwangi, a software developer that enjoys solving problems at the bright and crisp interface between users and business logic; Rachel Chege, a graphic designer and a product designer for web and mobile applications leveraging Web2 and Web3; and Velma Krop, a team player skilled in project management, presentations, blockchain, DAOs and community management.

Team Mastermind (Nigeria) 

A team with three engineers focused on building impactful USSD blockchain solutions in Web3. The team is made up of Babatide Ayoade, a blockchain developer; Oluwasegun Abisagbo, a frontend developer and Patience Adajah, a frontend d-App engineer skilled in UI/UX design.

Team Sahara (Kenya) 

A group of friends seeking to change the world by utilising the current trends in technology to build simple solutions that solve major crises. According to them, ‘Occam’s razor is still sharp’. The team is made up of Dennis Mutua, a software engineer specialising in blockchain and smart contracts development; Beatrice Kirii, a software developer skilled in code knowledge, research and testing; as well as Maina Gichuru, a software engineer skilled in smart contracts development. 

Meet the Judges

The participants will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on originality, creativity, analytical skills, strategic thinking and practical implementation. The judges include: 

Wei Xiao, Director of DevRel NVIDIA

Wei is the Director of the cross-geo Developer Relations team at NVIDIA. As Africa’s developer population grows across the continent, they become an engine for digital transformation in local economies. Wei is passionate about nurturing talents with her breadth of technical expertise and fostering developer development.

Dr. Bright Gameli Mawudor, CTO Xetova

Dr. Bright is the CTO at Xetova, a Data Science as a service organization and the founder of the Cyber Security collective Africahackon, the first ever Live demonstration Cyber Security Conference in East and Central Africa. He has over 10 years of professional experience in the Cyber Security industry with strong expertise in Cyber security Strategy building, Resilience, and system penetration testing. Bright has also presented at over 190 Cyber Security conferences, lectured at various universities, and contributed to cyber security publications.

Sandra Persing, VP of Developer and Ecosystem Marketing, Circle

Sandra is the VP of Developer and Ecosystem Marketing at Circle, responsible for building awareness, affinity, and scale on the Circle platform and supporting existing and future USDC developers and alliances. She is a champion of developers building for inclusion and accessibility, especially on the web.  She is passionate in speaking about developer marketing strategies and women in tech; and has previously served on the advisory board for Women Who Code for 6 years.

Confrey Alianji, Innovations Strategist, WWF-Kenya 

Confrey works as the Innovation strategist/Lead at WWF where he is responsible for starting up WWF Kenya Innovation program “PandaLabs”. He is an Expert Reviewer for World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Climate Justice Challenge. He has a passion for mentoring the creative talents of young people and has supported the Safaricom Blaze BYOB program as the Technology Mentor, Contributor at KamiLimu and Andela’s professional development sessions, and Entrepreneurship trainer at the Young African Leadership Initiative

Dearg Obartuin, Co-Founder & CTPO, Mara

Dearg is best known for his success in scaling financial service products from concept to delivery, serving millions of users and billions of transactions.  He has focused his career in Blockchain and Crypto finance projects, payments, cross-border remittance, and digital challenger-banking, bringing a gold standard to security and scalability. Dearg advocates best-in-class adherence to local market compliance requirements, often working directly with regulators such as the FCA, CBN, FDIC, CBN, CBK and GFSC to help influence policy change and architect sandbox environments that promote Fintech innovation.

Victor Ohuruogu, Senior Africa Regional Manager, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data

Victor is an experienced public health and development specialist with several years of experience in strengthening national data systems and institutions for evidence-based decision and policy making.  He is very experienced in brokering large and complex partnerships with several regional and global partners including the UN system, private sector actors, civil society, universities, developer communities and manages huge programs to support African nations to enhance their capacity for effective responses to development challenges.

Selam A. Kebede, Director, Antler 

Salem leads Antler’s work as Marketing, Recruitment, and Partnership Director in East Africa. Before joining Antler, she worked for various start-ups, VCs, and ESOs across geographies. She holds MSc Degree in Electrical & Communication Engineering from Aalto University, Finland.

While in Kenya for the hackathon, the finalists will be hosted at Ishara. Located in the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, Ishara is an immersive experience dedicated to preserving the wildlife, the communities, and the land of this globally significant conservation area.

With crypto, Web3 and blockchain education as its focal point, Mara is set to train one million people and impact one billion lives in five years.

 

 

GIVING IS VERY CRITICAL IN LIFE, THAT HAS BEEN OUR SUSTENANCE THESE SEVENTEEN YEARS – DR SUCCESS IBEAKANMA

GIVING IS VERY CRITICAL IN LIFE, THAT HAS BEEN OUR SUSTENANCE THESE SEVENTEEN YEARS – DR SUCCESS IBEAKANMA

 

In this interview, Pastor Dr Success Ibeakanma, The General Overseer of Royal Choice Ministries International Lagos speaks on their travails and journey these past 17 years and how he has been able to surmount the challenges through Jesus Christ. He also said that it is always important to give and that is what has kept them. He also received accolades from members and well-wishers of how God is using him to bless, sponsorship, scholarships, etc. One of his members, Bro Emma King gave a Testimony of how God used the pastor to heal him of chronic kidney disease. Among other Testimonies. Clemms Emmanuel captures this in this exclusive interview.

 

How has it been with you all these years in the Ministry and Vineyard of God?

It has been a wonderful journey and I must be frank with you here; it is not my making. It is just God. I will never take the credit that I have been very smart. I give the credit to God. It is God’s doing and I give him all the glory. We have been enjoying his mercies these years. God has been extremely faithful to us.

Looking at things retrospectively, can you recall any challenges?

Well, we do not see them as challenges because most times that the challenges come there are major promotion behind it. When others see challenges and cry, we see it and give God the praises. I have grown to see challenges as nothing but a step towards a major promotion. I have discovered that in any challenge that comes there is a testimony. I celebrate challenges and give God praises. I have discovered that challenges are ways to testimonies.

While preaching, you focused on giving. I have discovered that you have a humanitarian attribute. What informed it?

I can’t do without giving. You can never say that you worship or love God and you do not give. It doesn’t work that way. God is love and giving is practically manifestation of God in practical form. God so love the world that He grace. I enjoy giving, it is part of my life and it gives me joy. Even if I do not have to give, I will always give cos I know that I am rich. My mentor is David Oyedepo and that man is my mentor and I have tapped graces from him. You must be a giver to grow t the next level. You must be a giver

For 17 years will you say God has been great?

Yes, God has been great. Though, people will call you different names, but do not mind them and do not key into that name. you must look unto God. It was said that no church prospers in Alapere but here we are after 17 years. We have given a lot from cars to others. When I married, we do not have cars yet my Wife stood by me today we have been able to buy over 150 cars and given to people to start up businesses, and we must know it is all by God not by my power.

 

 

Managing human being is one difficult thing. How have you been able to cope these seventeen years?

As a pastor or any evangelist ability to manage people is critical and crucial and we thank God for this. We know managing human beings is difficult. You must know that all manner of people will come around. Just like Joseph in the bible, he had those that came to either destroy or motivate him. His brothers were the destroyers and those that bought him are the motivators. We must know that human investment is the best thing one can make. Do not be dissuaded by the attitude of people just keep investing in them and do not see them as problem.

What are the benefits of Giving?

Giving is the fastest way of getting to God. Now as a giver you must know that bible encourages us to always do that. It unlocks the favor of God and make God to be pleased with you. There are levels to this, they that sow in tears will reap in joy. Sacrifice and giving is the greatest and fastest way of receiving from God. You also give to pastor. Give to the needy and also give to the society, be a giver from church to society. You have to touch lives and community

What message can be deduced from this anniversary and you are giving?

The message is basically be “focused” people will critic and talk all manner of ills towards you but you must be focused as a individual and this is what will take you to the next place. Jesus is the solution for anything and you must be focused. That has been what took us these past 17 years.

 

 

“You must know that all manner of people will come around. Just like Joseph in the bible, he had those that came to either destroy or motivate him. His brothers were the destroyers and those that bought him are the motivators. We must know that human investment is the best thing one can make.”

Serena Williams: Lessons From a Life of Focus

Serena Williams: Lessons From a Life of Focus

Serena Williams: Lessons From a Life of Focus

I watched Serena Williams end her career on the court last night as she lost to 29 years old Tomljanovic. It was obvious she lost to youth. As I watched her play a beautiful game, I saw her struggle. I noticed the effort and the evolution of Serena.

Serena is an amazing woman. According to ESPN ” In 2022, Williams walks away from the game with 858 tour victories, 73 singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, and 319 weeks at No. 1. Together with Venus, she won 14 major double titles and three Olympic golds. Williams’ 23-major mark remains the most by a player, man or woman, in the Open Era.”*

Serena and her sister Venus redefined tennis, inspired a generation of black women in sports, and renewed the idea of sports as a career for women. She overcame injuries, life-threatening health challenges, difficult childbirth, and racial slurs to emerge a defining icon of an Era. The world will miss the Williams sisters on the court.

A few lessons crossed my mind watching her yesterday. First, we will all grow older. Use your youth wisely; once you cross your teenage age, opportunities begin to narrow in many fields. Sow the seeds of greatness while the sun shines. Focus on honing your skills and utilize your youth wisely. Like Serena, the game must end someday.

Second, single-minded dedication made all the difference for Serena. From early coaching from her father to playing finals pregnant and returning to the court months after difficult childbirth, she focused and turned up on all occasions. No excuses. Focus and commit.

Third, defeat setbacks are not final nor destiny. After painful losses, she came back, determined and focused. 2018 and 2019, she lost two finals, and yet she kept at it. Don’t give up. On the path to success are many failures, Serena lost and won.

Fourth, you can’t win it all. Serena wanted to beat the record of Magareth Courts of the most grand slams of 24 titles. She was stuck at 23, an impressive record. Always reach for the sky; not making it will not define you

As the match ended yesterday, I asked myself, “What is it that I need to recommit it to with dedication and focus?” We may not win the grand slam, but we can set our own goals and achieve it. Like Serena, I am ready to ‘evolve’.

You, especially my young friends, don’t waste your youth; it will speed past, and you will wonder what happened. Focus, commit, grow, and evolve. You owe it to yourself.

We are personally responsible for our future.

Osita Chidoka
September 2022

 

OBI CUBANA ADVISES YOUTH ON BUSINESS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS

OBI CUBANA ADVISES YOUTH ON BUSINESS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS

 

 

 

In a country that has shown high level of unemployment, there has always been need for youth to be a labor employer and doing this is strictly by creating a small business. Having said tjis, one of Nigeria’s biggest employer of labor in the hospitality and tourism space, Obi Iyiegbu known as Obi Cubana has advised the youths on the best way to go about this.

 

In his social media page, Facebook specifically the clubbing mogul said that today let’s talk about “The power to open doors” So, in the course of life journey, a lot of “doors” seem impossible to be accessed because they are “shut”

Meanwhile, those “doors” also are way too easy for some people to open! Now here is the trick!!!People must need people to be able to transact their businesses, people must need people to be able to exist!!!No business grows without people, so we all need people in our lives!”

He added that No “door” is actually really shut because of You, but shut “doors” can be opened effortlessly by you depending on how you go about life. People shut their “doors” to the world because they also need to protect themselves from disappointments, being taken advantage of, being taken for granted, for security…..etc!A lot of people have been given opportunities and access to people, and they messed it up in such irredeemable ways that others may be denied same opportunities.:

He concluded by saying “To open some seemingly shut “doors” you must let your yes be yes! You should try as much as possible to bring integrity to the table as your powerful tool of negotiation and access to shut “doors” You may disappoint people thinking you may not need them anymore, only to realize that you still need them in the future! The world is really a small place……Have an amazing week ❤️ #mondaywusdombyobicubana#Okpataozueora1″

Obinna “Obi” Iyiegbu (born 12 April 1975), commonly known as Obi Cubana, is a Nigerian entrepreneur and businessman who chairs the Cubana Group.

 

Anthony Emeka Nwosu