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30% National Broadband Penetration by 2018 Achievable-Johnson

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Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, has reiterated that implementing a national broadband strategy and roadmap that seeks to increase broadband penetration from 6% to 30% in the country by 2018 is achievable.

Johnson made the remark during a presentation at the Pat Utomi Center for Values and Leadership celebration of the ICT sector, adding that ensuring 3G/LTE Wireless Broadband Coverage to 80% of the population; Fixed broadband to 16% of population based on fibre by 2018; Minimum download speeds of 1.5 Mbps; Open Non-Discriminatory Access; Facilitating increased investments in ICT infrastructure; Spectrum auctions; Regional Infrastructure (fibre) Companies (Infracos); Smart States initiative (to reduce cost of infrastructure deployment) are part of top priorities set by the Ministry.

She added that through Universal Service Provision Fund, issues related to critical national infrastructure, particularly at the rural areas, are been tackled.

In Connect Nigeria initiative, government wants to speed up the building out of communications infrastructure so that all of Nigeria has access to good quality and affordable, high-speed telecom and internet services.

Also, with Connect Nigerians initiative, the Ministry is working to, “Ensure that Nigerians have affordable and convenient access to devices and have the capacity to use them; so that all Nigerians can share in the benefits of ICTs.

Lower the barriers to entry and increase the participation of Nigerian companies in the ICT sector; and stimulate job creation in the industry, form part of the policy thrust.

Specifically, she said, mobile money is currently mostly used to buy airtime; it however has the potential to serve as a platform for drawing more people into formal financial services

Backing up the claims with statistics, Johnson said that, “More people in Nigeria have a mobile phone than have a bank account. 75% of adults living in urban areas and 39% of them living in rural areas have access to a pre-paid mobile phone. 18 Mobile Money Operators registered in Nigeria; since commencement of operations: Approx. 1m subscribers; About 67,000 registered Agents and Over 11million transactions of over $600 Million have been conducted.

She admitted that whilst uptake has been initially slow, improving infrastructure, fine-tuning of legislation and increasing confidence in product by consumers will result in significant acceleration.

Analysis shows that a significant proportion of payments in Nigeria are cash based.

Total payments are estimated at US$695bn per annum; Cash accounts for over 90% of transactions in terms of volume, and about 60% in total value.

Bank transfers and cheque payments combined make up less than 0.5% in terms of volume and approximately 38% in terms of value.

Other digital forms of payment are increasing in volume, however they currently make up only about 2% in value.

Most payments (in terms of value) are between businesses and persons (B2B, B2P, P2P).

Government payments however have high potential to change the payment landscape of the country.

Cash transactions are expensive, risky and promote insecurity in the financial system and country.

Government is therefore implementing policies to increase the adoption of digital forms of payments.

The Minister said that, ICTs are at the heart of the success of such policies with infrastructure for the delivery of services, applications for management, security and adoption of services.

Although the situation is improving, currently 35 million adult Nigerians (about 46%) are financially excluded.

Adoption of products and services not supplied by deposit money banks has contributed the most to reducing exclusion (i.e. the “formal other” category).

Johnson was optimistic that Nigeria’s positioning in the growth story of the global ICT industry is improving and strategic hence successes achieved in several sub sectors are worth celebrating but key initiatives are still a work in progress.

“Delivering an ICT environment that is ‘enabling’ for consumers and engages more Nigerians at a high level will only be possible through creative partnerships and collaborations,” she added.


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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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