General News
600m Africans Lack Electricity-Heutinck
Eric Heutinck, general manager, MAGHREB and West Africa, Royal Philips Electronics is a consummate salesman. Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Heutinck in this interview said that ‘‘Quality LEDs offer part solutions to some of the key issues we face today, including energy crisis, climate change, resource scarcity, safety in our cities and an enhanced sense of health and wellbeing. He spoke to peter ugwu.
An overview of Philips Cairo to Cape Town Road Show
Philips’ Cairo to Cape Town road show, with a stop over in Lagos, was focused on efficient energy solution and as at today we have the most reliable and cost-effective solar LED lighting solution for outdoor lighting purposes.
Royal Philips Electronics is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation.
As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity.
Philosophy behind Solar LED Project
Apparently, LED lighting can deliver very high energy efficiency, long life, and excellent quality of light, design flexibility, controllability and colour – all of which are essential to creating solutions which will improve lighting.
In fact, Philips’ prediction is that by 2020 about 75 per cent of the global lighting market (value) will be LED based, a figure derived from both current sales data and we think about around future trends.
But this still leaves a huge installed base of much older less efficient lighting solutions which are a considerable and unnecessary drain on our resources.
The facts and figures supporting a rapid switch to LED lighting are that lighting currently consumes an average of 19 per cent of global electricity production and the great majority of this current lighting is based on older less efficient technologies developed before 1970.
A full switch to the latest LED lighting would provide very significant energy savings of up to 80% in many applications and an average of 40 per cent for all lighting.
For Africa this equates to approx $10 billion per annum in running costs, or 50 million tonnes of carbon or the equivalent output of 35 medium sized power plants.
In most cases it is a simple switch to make and it should also be noted that more than three quarters of all lighting is in the commercial and industrial world rather than the home.
Interestingly, many global initiatives are currently being taken by companies, governments and NGO’s to speed up the rate of switch.
The rate of adoption will also depend on other factors such as further cost price reductions, the speed of investment and basically how persuasive , the quality end of the lighting industry is in creating awareness and getting the world to switch.
Why Focus on Africa
Philips has global presence, however Philips market intelligence shows that out of 1.6 billion people that lack access to electricity worldwide, 600 million of them are in Africa. The continent with population density of about 1.2 billion is piqued by such uneven access to electricity following debility posed in electricity generation, distribution and transmission.
The results come from a global research study undertaken by Philips into the effects of a switch to more energy efficient LED lighting and are based on Philips internal market figures.
Managing Large Market
It is important to note that we have reached a tipping point in the development of high quality light emitting diodes (LEDs) where this exciting new technology can now be used for general lighting in almost all applications.
Quality LEDs offer part solutions to some of the key issues and opportunities we face today – the energy crisis, climate change, resource scarcity, safety in our cities, productivity in our offices, and an enhanced sense of health and well being to name but a few.
So, the first step we have mapped out is the road show, which will afford the people ample opportunity to get first hand information across to Nigerians on the product. In essence, the road show is our awareness campaign.
Secondly, we will constitute pilot projects in Nigeria and solidify our contact with the government to see outline benefits inherent in the solution and take up demands.
What Spurred the Project?
Well, what is on the mind of Philips is to improve peoples’ lives.
If you take a look, in Nigeria there are a lot of people without electricity, and even others that have access to electricity don’t enjoy it to the fullness, probably due to increasing costs and power cuts, so what Nigerians will need is a cost-effective and efficient electric supply solution.
With our new solution, people can save up to eight per cent lighting. Same time, if there is no electricity grid; it takes a lot of money and time to do that. But in this solution you don’t need the grid.
Impact on Peoples Lives
It is very incredible how it will improve peoples’ lives because one can imagine how the communities go dark as from 7pm, but with a project like this, children can play longer and even study, meetings can hold, while businesses continue.
It will also help municipal authorities create more livable urban environments by applying new, future-proof LED lighting solutions to enhance city lives.
Safety Perspective
Well, it is Philips’ product and by implications it fulfilled all the European and African regulations. First of all, it is a low voltage system, so no risk.
And the LED aspect shows it has low power consumption mechanism.
The solar powered solution does not require any grid to function. That is new Solar Gen2 offers a highly energy-efficient LED solution which is superior to any conventional lighting and allows for a lamp post spacing of up to 50 meters, much wider than with other solutions, while at the same time complying with stringent EU road lighting standards (ME3).
By charging street lighting during the day, Solar Gen2 can also supplement the capacity of the conventional electricity grid. The Gen2 Philips solution also has an entry level range of good value with low medium and high lumen packages ranging from 1500lm to 6000lm.
And the construction is done in such a way that the charging and discharging of the battery happens in a smart way so as to maximize battery life and it can dim the light levels when required based on a self learning intelligence and a history log.
Employment Benefits
If you are considering building a system like this, you will need engineers. For instance, an estate may decide to go for this, you will also need engineers’ capacity to achieve the plan and by that employment is being made available to the people.
And in consideration of the need to have a local assemble in Nigeria, we will still need people to work with.
Challenges
I think the biggest challenge for the government currently is to give everybody power supply.
And there is such a big demand for power supply that is why you have power cuts. So, there will be no complication.
Also the government will be happy to see a platform to reduce the level of power consumption, because it will give room for further projects. And we are currently running a promotion as means to reach out to the people.
Ghanaian authorities have arrested 93 Nigerian nationals over alleged involvement in internet fraud and immigration violations, as the West African nation intensifies its crackdown on cross-border cybercrime networks.
The arrests followed an intelligence-led raid by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on six houses in Devtraco Estate in Accra believed to be operating as a hub for online fraud.
In a statement, GIS spokesperson Maud Anima Quainoo said the suspects comprised 91 men and two women and were arrested during a coordinated operation targeting a suspected cybercrime ring.
“This operation targeted six houses at Devtraco Estate where officers rescued 73 victims who had reportedly endured severe abuse and torture at the hands of the suspects,” said Quainoo.
Authorities said the victims were later repatriated to Nigeria.
Investigators recovered equipment suggesting a well-organised cybercrime enterprise. Items seized included 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, 17 television sets, counterfeit US dollar notes and fake gold bars, along with household appliances believed to have supported the group’s operations.
Preliminary investigations indicate that some suspects entered Ghana through unauthorised border crossings, while others allegedly overstayed the 90-day visa-free entry period available to citizens of Economic Community of West African States countries.
The arrests are the latest in a growing list of cybercrime crackdowns in Ghana, highlighting the country’s struggle to contain increasingly sophisticated digital fraud operations.
In January, Ghanaian authorities arrested 53 Nigerians suspected of cybercrime and rescued 44 individuals believed to have been forced into online scam operations. In December, separate raids in Greater Accra led to the arrest of dozens of suspects linked to internet fraud syndicates.
Ghana has become a target for criminal networks running schemes such as romance scams, sextortion, online investment fraud, impersonation and mobile money scams. Victims are often recruited through fake job offers or promises of overseas opportunities before being forced to operate scam accounts targeting victims in Europe, North America and Asia.
Authorities have also uncovered cases involving digital gold trading scams, where fraudsters lure victims with fake mining investments or counterfeit gold deals.
The presence of high-speed internet equipment, including routers and satellite connectivity tools in previous raids, has further highlighted how cybercrime syndicates are leveraging advanced technology to expand operations.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC) in Lagos on June 25, 2026, spotlighting technology’s role in Nigeria’s development ahead of the 2027 elections.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
The high-level colloquium, themed “Leveraging Technology for Development in Nigeria, 2027–2031: Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda,” anchors WACC 2026 under the banner “Reworking Nigeria Progressively into the Digital Economy with Emerging Digital Tools.” Organized by Knowhow Media International, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa since 2004, the event also features the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy 2026 Recognition Ceremony.
Yilwatda, a technocrat, engineer, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and ex-Resident Electoral Commissioner, will outline the APC’s Technology and Digital Economy Blueprint as a pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The address targets stakeholders in ICT, telecom, fintech, infrastructure, and the private sector to align politics with digital growth—vital as the sector now drives over 18% of Nigeria’s GDP.
Strategic Platform Amid 2027 Elections
With polls looming in January 2027, the colloquium fosters non-partisan policy dialogue to boost economic modernization, job creation, digital inclusion, and youth engagement. Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa praised Yilwatda as “a scholar and seasoned technocrat” whose public service bolsters Nigeria’s digital shift.
Elite Audience Drives Action
Expected attendees include:
CEOs of ICT/telecom firms (network operators, data centres, ISPs)
Financial leaders (banks, fintechs, insurtechs)
Regulatory heads and government officials
Professional association leaders (ICT, engineering)
Digital education CEOs, venture capitalists, startups, and academics
This group shapes Nigeria’s digital agenda, turning vision into outcomes.
Governors Invited as Key Partners
State governors receive special invitations as guests and partners, emphasizing sub-national roles in digital infrastructure and inclusion. Benefits include:
Pitching state priorities to investors during sessions.
Positioning states for digital infrastructure, smart governance, skills, and entrepreneurship.
Networking with ICT/telecom leaders for PPPs.
Media visibility via coverage, interviews, and platforms.
Profiling in the Nigeria Digital Economy Report 2026.
Exclusive events like the industry colloquium, awards, and leaders’ lunch.
Knowhow Media CEO Olusegun Oruame said governors’ involvement will spur jobs, infrastructure, and prosperity.
WACC’s Enduring Impact
Over two decades, WACC has linked policy with innovation. Dr. Sola Afolabi, WACC Chairman, highlighted its role in elevating political voices for Nigeria’s growth.
Knowhow Media International leads Africa’s tech intelligence via events and publications.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ufoma Joseph Immanuel, Managing Director of Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited, before Justice Mojisola Dada at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and forgery involving $1.5 million.
The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement issued Wednesday, naming both Immanuel and his company as defendants.
The EFCC alleged that between April 2022 and October 2023, the defendants induced Adebisi Adebutu of R28 Holdings Limited to invest $1.5 million in purported petroleum ventures, including “Cash and or Capital Cost in Chappal Petroleum Development Company Limited” and shares in Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited.
Count one states: “UFOMA JOSEPH IMMANUEL and INTERMEDIATE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED… with intent to defraud, induced Adebisi Adebutu… to deposit the total sum of $1,500,000… on the understanding that R28 Holdings Limited will be reimbursed the investment amount, paid a development capital fee of $2,250,000, and allotted 22.4% shares… which representation you knew to be false.”
Count two accuses Immanuel of forging a “TERM SHEET” purportedly executed by Sherrif Oluwo and Olaniran Osotuyi to facilitate the fraud between April 2022 and April 2025.
Immanuel pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel Babatunde Sonoiki sought a trial date and remand in INTERPOL custody pending investigations. The court heard allegations that defence counsel Oluseun Awonuga, SAN, assaulted colleague Emenike Mgbemele on March 2 while serving processes.
Awonuga raised a preliminary objection citing a Federal High Court order barring EFCC arrest, but the prosecution argued it applied only to a prior civil case. Justice Dada adjourned to May 7, 2026, for ruling, ordering Immanuel remanded in INTERPOL custody before transfer to a correctional centre for bail hearing.
This case underscores EFCC’s intensified fraud crackdown. In January 2026, businessman Wilson Opuwei and Dateline Energy Services Ltd. faced charges over a $550,000 scam involving fake Dual Purpose Kerosene allocation.
In March 2026, Obiajulu Emeka Emmanuel received a one-year sentence, N1 million fine, and property forfeiture for an $850,000 fraud at Lagos High Court.
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