Telecom
AfICTF Calls for Technology Interventions in Healthcare
The African ICT Foundation, (AfICTf) has advocated for more information technology intervention to tackle the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic even as most part of Africa continues to ease several lockdown protocols instituted by African governments.
It also tasks start-ups on the need to define strategies that are adaptable to current realities and at the same time establish guidelines for the post COVID-19 period.
In a webinar hosted by the foundation on ‘Post COVID-19 Recovery Map for Africa’s MSMES’, Mr. Oludare Akinbo, member of the Board of Trustee (BOT), while speaking on the “Impact of COVID-19 on the African Health Sector and the way Forward”, stressed the need to encourage investors and other private donors to invest in health infrastructures in Africa.
According to him, the COVID-19 has created impact on the African health sector affecting health workers, the average Africans, infrastructure and finance as well as the patients.
Akinbo noted that there are already increased cost of care and heightened risk in the health sectors across countries in the continent noting that the sector needs infrastructure and financing.
While expressing concern about the heavy toll on healthcare providers as well as the increased cost of care and risk to health, Akinbo called for improved and collaborative healthcare financing including increased Investment on infrastructure and basic healthcare.
He disclosed that the pandemic has exposed the need for Pro Active Healthcare System and the need for good PHC in Africa.
Also speaking at the webinar, Racheal Orumor, second Vice President, African ICT Foundation, in a presentation, ‘Beyond COVID-19: African Startups Persistence Strategy’, urged startups to note that cessation of activities has been worrisome for most promoters, and they are unwilling to keep up with investment.
According to her, startups are facing many difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the crisis period is widening with its duration still indefinite.
To survive this period, she suggested for startups, a collaborative work and social interaction as key elements for the development of innovative ideas.
Orumor observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced team efficiency for start-ups, and that the crisis has made in-presence collaborative work to be suppressed or reduced while most non-tech startups are now faced with the decision of choosing the adequate and cost efficient soft tool.
She further noted that for start-ups, customer engagement is dropping, particularly in Africa were most of them depend on in-presence engagement with their potential customers and clients.
While describing the drop in customer engagement as a setback caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she also noted that for start-ups business, digital identity is still a challenge in Africa since trustworthiness is mostly established via physical contact.
Orumor who is also the Startup Innovation Consultant at the International Francophone Organisation and Chief Executive Officer of Soft Digital, Republic of Benin, disclosed that the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is creating new needs and forcing consumers to favour certain types of services over others.
She suggested that a start-up wishing to offer its services in this period of crisis must therefore adapt to doorstep delivery which has its own complexities that varies from one customer to the other.
According to her, these start-up guidelines and strategy for the post COVID-19 Covid-19 period are critical noting that “start-ups should consider offering more attractive terms for potential promoters such as angels investors or venture capitalists who have the capital to invest in the current environment.”
On how to find financial support during this crisis period, Orumor urged start-ups to look in the direction of institutions offering special COVID-19 loans and grants to help businesses in different countries.
She however said that criteria for getting funding approval may vary from country to country and that start-ups should contact designated institutions in their country for more information.
Dimension Data has said that the proceeds from its Series 1 corporate bond, will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
This followed the successful subscription of the corporate bond.
Recall that Dimension Data Limited said that it has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).
This sum marks the first tranche of a N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme announced earlier this year.
The bond programme was raised under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.
The company says the proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, managing director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the company has grown its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.
Today Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Ltd Group, one of the world’s leading technology companies.
As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Federal Government has announced that work will commence within weeks on a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network expected to connect every state, local government area and ward in Nigeria, marking what officials describe as one of the country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the progress of three flagship digital transformation initiatives being implemented by his ministry.
According to the minister, all resource mobilisation and contractual processes for the nationwide fibre project have been completed, paving the way for physical deployment.
“We’re now at the point where, in a few weeks’ time, we should start to lay those fibre, so people will start seeing us around the country deploying the fibre. This is going to transform Nigeria for good,” Tijani said.
He explained that the project would deliver fibre optic infrastructure to every geopolitical zone, state, local government area and ward, significantly expanding broadband access and improving the quality of internet connectivity across the country.
“This is a project where every state, every geopolitical zone, every local government and every ward in this country will be covered with fibre optic cables, which will transform the quality of connectivity,” he added.
Bosun Tijani attributed the progress in the digital economy to a series of reforms approved by President Tinubu, including the designation of digital infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation measures sought by industry operators.
“I think our sector has been extremely fortunate. Mr. President has given us quite a number of things that the sector has been demanding for a long time. Whether it’s the Critical National Infrastructure designation for all digital infrastructure, the slight adjustment in tariff, or the tax harmonisation, these are reforms the industry has long requested.
“I think it’s probably the sector that is most appreciative of this government because when we came in, the sector was contributing between 16 and 18 per cent to our GDP, but today it is tracking close to 21 per cent. That represents significant growth,” he said.
The minister noted that the reforms had also improved the financial performance of major operators in the telecommunications sector.
On efforts to bridge the digital divide, Tijani disclosed that the government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to provide network coverage for more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in underserved communities without access to telecom services.
He said the President had approved the project after months of capital mobilisation and planning.
“Today we’re at a point where, before the end of the year, we’ll also start to deploy close to 3,700 towers. It’s taken a lot to put this project together and raise the required capital, but we are now ready to begin deployment around October,” he said.
The minister also announced that Nigeria would officially launch an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, a move he said would place the country among a select group of nations operating an advanced digital addressing system.
“Nigeria will be amongst maybe 10 or 15 countries in the world with an alphanumeric postcode. It’s the latest design in postcode systems, where we can identify every property in this country. We’re hoping to launch that on the 1st of October,” he said.
Tijani explained that the new system would assign a unique address to every property nationwide, enhancing logistics, accelerating e-commerce, improving emergency response and strengthening public service delivery.
“Inability to locate places comes at a cost. You can imagine what this will do for e-commerce. It means goods can now be delivered in record time,” he said.
He added that integrating the postcode system with existing government identity databases would improve security and make public services more efficient.
“Our alphanumeric postcode is unique because it allows us to assign a unique address to every property. In many countries, such as the UK, postcodes cover clusters of buildings. What we are introducing will uniquely identify every building, and that will be a game changer for Nigeria in terms of security, commerce and public service delivery,” the minister stated.
Telecom
Treepz Partners with CMS T&M to Digitize Public Transportation for Millions of Lagos Commuters
Treepz has officially announced a strategic partnership with CMS Taxi & Motor Nigeria Limited (CMS T&M) to modernize public transportation through digital technology to ensure cashless, transparent and more efficient commuting for passengers across CMS – Ajah routes.
The partnership brings together Treepz’s transportation technology and CMS T&M’s decades of experience moving passengers.
By integrating Treepz’s digital mobility platforms into CMS T&M’s operations, passengers will enjoy a faster, safer and completely cashless payment experience, while the transport operators gain access to real-time operational insights, digital ticketing and improved revenue management.
Speaking on the partnership, Johnny, Co-Founder of Treepz, said: “Public transportation is the backbone of every thriving city. Our mission has always been to use technology to make commuting easier and more efficient for everyone.
“Partnering with CMS T&M represents another important milestone in digitizing public transportation in Nigeria and empowering operators with the tools they need to scale sustainably.”
He added: “By replacing manual ticketing and cash collections with digital systems, we’re creating greater transparency for operators while delivering a better everyday experience for commuters.”
Also commenting on the partnership, Andrew Akhigbe, Managing Director of CMS T&M, said: “CMS T&M has proudly served Lagos commuters for decades, and innovation has always been essential to our growth.
“This partnership with Treepz allows us to embrace modern technology that improves operational efficiency, enhances accountability, and delivers a more convenient travel experience for our passengers.”
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by both organizations to accelerate the digital transformation of Nigeria’s transport sector while improving the quality, reliability and accessibility of public mobility.
Treepz continues to expand its footprint across Africa by providing technology solutions that help transport operators digitize their services and deliver better customer experiences.
Beyond public bus operators, the company also powers mobility solutions for businesses, educational and religious institutions as well as governments seeking smarter transportation systems.
As Lagos continues to evolve into one of Africa’s largest smart cities, partnerships like this demonstrate how technology can reshape urban mobility, making transportation more connected, efficient and accessible for millions of commuters.
Visit website: https://www.cmstaxiandmotor.com
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