Telecom
Ayeni Adekunle BHM Boss Named as Social Media Week Lagos panelist
Ayeni Adekunle, Founder/CEO, BHM Group is set to join other notable names as they explore issues relating to how entertainment and consumer experiences have helped shaped the African narrative from a positive perspective at the forthcoming Social Media Week Lagos this February.
Ayeni will be joined on the panel by Advertising guru, Steve Babaeko; Comedian, Basketmouth; Channel Manager, MTVbase, Solafunmi Oyeneye and Talent Manager, Ernest Audu.
They will be discussing “Music, Content & Consumer Experiences Changing The African Narrative” during the session that will be hosted by MTVBase presenter, Folu Storms.
The panel discussion, sponsored by Viacom International Media Networks Africa, the parent company of MTVBase, popularly known for promoting African music and entertainment is expected to explore how the Nigerian entertainment industry is expanding on the global stage.
Since starting BHM, Ayeni has worked with some of the biggest brands in the Nigerian market and has also been invited to speak at various conferences and workshops including Lagos Business School, Pan African University, PRCAN, APRA Mauritius, The Network Conference, British Council, The Dangote Group, Creative Enterprise among many others.
He has also served as a consultant to various multinationals in Nigeria including Nigerian Breweries, MTN, MultiChoice, Viacom International Media Networks to name just a few.
In 2015, he founded the digital communications and content marketing agency, ID Africa, following up in 2017 with the consumer tech product, Plaqad, a content exchange platform providing opportunities between marketing professionals and business owners, web and social media platform owners in an easy, affordable marketplace.
In 2018, the group launched Africa Creative Foundation (ACF), a not-for-profit organisation set up to drive the actualization of its dreams for the industry.
Ayeni also founded Nigeria’s premiere online entertainment platform, NETng, as well as the umbrella entertainment conference for Nigeria’s creative sector, Nigerian Entertainment Conference -NECLive.
Speaking on his nomination as a panelist, Ayeni said, “I look forward to exploring the discussion around new technology and the disruption of the consumer media industry, especially in the face of changing perception, where consumer experiences are helping to shape the new narrative.”
Also speaking on the upcoming event, Convener of Social Media Week, Toby Daniels said, “The stories we tell, consume and share have the potential to shape who we are and what we become.
“The number of social media users worldwide in 2018 is 3.2 billion, up 13 percent year-on-year.
“By 2020 almost 5 billion people will be connected. Given its scale, social media has become the world’s most influential storytelling platform.
“Whatever form they take, the stories we tell through social media have the power to reach and influence more than 60% of people on the planet.”
Social Media Week Lagos is an annual week-long conference, and the focus for 2019 is “STORIES: With Great Influence Comes Great Responsibility”.
The event will feature a central stage for keynotes and panels, multiple rooms for workshops, masterclasses and presentations, and an area dedicated to co-working, networking and interactive installations.
Telecom
Catholic Bishops Raise Caution on Use of Artificial Intelligence
Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the Archbishop of Owerri has raised caution on the deployment of Artificial Intelligence.
Ugorji called for a balance that prioritises human welfare alongside technological progress, mindful of ethics and morals, as well as risks such as job displacement, threat to world peace, spread of falsehood through propaganda, manipulation of the human person, and privacy concerns through advanced hacking and deepfakes.
The clergyman raised the concern during the ComWeek Public Lecture in Abuja on Artificial Intelligence, noting that the exclusive use of technology in religious formation, pastoral care, and education has enhanced theological knowledge, accessibility and mission of the universal church.
Keynote Speaker at the event, Father Anthony Akinwale, deputy vice chancellor of Augustine University Lagos, dismissed the speculations that the intellectual roles of humans will be replaced by Artificial Intelligence, explaining that AI relied on humans to function and did not have a mind of its own to choose to or not to obey commands with which it was programmed.
Akinwale further cautioned that AI should be solely used for the common good of mankind and not for destructive purposes.
Most Reverend David Ajang, chairman on Social communication of the Catholic Bishops Conference, called for a reflection on the power of communication as a divine gift, “one that holds the potential to bridge divides, enlighten minds and unite hearts in the pursuit of truth and common good”.
Telecom
9mobile Refreshes Its MoreBusiness ComboPak with Additional Benefits
9mobile, Nigeria’s customer-centric telecommunications company has refreshed its ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ offerings with additional benefits to enable new and potential customers enjoy more value on calls, data, SMS and CUG for their Businesses.
The ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ product offering is a flexible and customizable plan with an array of add-on services. The plan gives customers benefits of extra cost-saving tariff within the bundle, and 100% bonus data upon repurchase of select bundles.
With the update, 9mobile customers on this plan will also enjoy free incoming calls while roaming on select networks in the following 10 countries: UK, UAE, South Africa, Kenya, Spain, Egypt, France, Germany, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia when they recharge ₦5,000 and above in a month.
A further benefit of the plan is the ‘Add-on solutions’. With this, companies and institutions will enjoy seamless business operations’ continuity and optimization through Close User Group (CUG), Fleet Tracking, Cloud PBX, Cloud Services, and Device Financing. Others are International Call Bundles, Roaming Bundles, and Special International Destinations Calling.
Commenting on the development, Nneka Owolabi, Director Enterprise Business, highlighted the telco’s unwavering commitment to ensure customers and subscribers enjoy premium customer experience, and wholesome value for their subscription on the 9mobile network.
“At 9mobile we have proven time and again that premium customer experience is important for us. It is the essence of our operations. That is why we have reintroduced the ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ for customers and subscribers, particularly businesses to enjoy value for their loyalty to us, and upscale their businesses”, he said.
Owolabi also stated that the ComboPak combines all business needs in one affordable bundle with cheaper voice calls, data subscription, SMS, and CUG, saying “It’s a ComboPak offering that keeps you, and your business stay ahead of trend”.
“What 9mobile ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ does is to create and sustain an ecosystem where people, in this case, customers and subscribers, and businesses run systematically with a combination of our tools efficiently. This is certain to revolutionize the way Nigerians communicate, stay connected, and transact businesses effectively”.
Subscribers to ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ plan will enjoy unique voice calls, SMS & data.
The service allows flexibility to move across packages based on your needs. For ₦1,000 ComboBasic bundle cost, customers will dial *246*4*33# to enjoy 60k/MB Browsing, 12k/sec in bundle calls, 12k/sec out of bundle calls, ₦2.60/SMS, and CUG; while for ₦1,000 ComboValue bundle cost, customers will dial *246*4*30# to enjoy 700MB, 30 National call minutes, 11k/sec out of bundle calls, 10 National SMS, and CUG.
For customers with ₦2,000 ComboPremier bundle cost, all they need to do is to dial *246*4*33# to enjoy 2.1GB, 60 National call minutes, 11k/sec out of bundle calls, 25 National SMS, and CUG. Customers subscribing to ₦5,000 ComboBlack bundle cost will enjoy benefits of 7GB, 300 National call minutes, 11k/sec out of bundle calls, 25 National SMS, and CUG.
The unique value adds on the ‘MoreBusiness ComboPak’ plan for customers also includes: Bundled Plans – for customers to enjoy flexible and customizable plans with an array of add-on services, and extra cost saving tariff within bundle.
Unlimited Add-ons – this is Add-on solutions – include CUG, Fleet Tracking, Cloud PBX, Cloud Services, Device Financing, Shared Data, International call bundles, Roaming Bundles, and Special International Destinations Calling, for customers.
This is in addition, to free data offer which is a 100% bonus data upon repurchase of select bundles.
Convenience has been embedded into the ComboPak plan for Subscribers also to check account balance by dialling *310#, and data balance by dialling *323#, while migration or opting out of the plan is absolutely free.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria’s Uto Ukpanah Named Global Corporate Secretary of the Year
MTN Nigeria’s Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, is the first ever winner of the “Global Corporate Secretary of the Year” award by the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA). She was honoured with the award at an event on April 23rd, 2024, in Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia.
The CSIA Global Awards was instituted to recognise the efforts of corporate secretaries and governance professionals that not only impact their organizations but also international platforms. Of the three main award categories- Global Corporate Secretary of the Year, Rising Corporate Secretary of the Year and Governance Professional of the Year, Uto was awarded the Global Corporate Secretary of the Year for her hard work, diligence and professionalism by a distinguished jury of expert practitioners and thought leaders in the corporate governance field.
Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria congratulating her on the recognition said, “At MTN, we understand the critical role strong governance plays in driving sustainable growth and fostering trust among stakeholders. Uto’s exemplary leadership underscores our commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency. We are proud of Uto’s commitment to corporate governance. She deserves the recognition.”
Ukpanah, the pioneer winner of this award has worked with MTN Nigeria for over 18 years. She is a corporate lawyer with extensive experience in company and commercial law. Her contributions in developing sustainable corporate governance structures in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors have been instrumental in fostering transparency and ethical business practices.
Ukpanah’s dedication to ethics and corporate social responsibility advisory services has positioned her as a respected leader in the industry, driving positive change and setting high standards for corporate excellence. This is seen in her active participation on the ‘Code of Corporate Governance Committee,’ ‘9to5 Woman,’ ‘Bankers Committee on Corporate Governance’, among others.
- News3 days ago
Nigeria Seeks Alliance with Sweden to Strengthen Digital Economy
- Telecom2 days ago
Nigeria May Re-introduce Telecom Tax to Obtain new $750m World Bank Loan
- Telecom3 days ago
Google and African Union Partner to Launch #DiscoverMyAfrica
- E-Financial3 days ago
CBN Orders Banks to Charge 0.5 Percent Cybersecurity Levy
- E-Financial2 days ago
Agama, New SEC Boss Goes Tough on Illegal Trading
- News1 day ago
Binance Alleges Request of $150m Bribe by Some Nigerian Officials
- News2 days ago
What We Can Learn from Africa’s Small Business Success Stories
- Telecom1 day ago
SIM Boxing, And the Unboxing of Crime Syndicate