General News

AnabelMobile is Simply a Smartphone-Okoye

Published

18 years ago

December 15, 2008

Kindly share this post

Nicholas Okoye, managing director/chief executive officer, AnabelMobile is a consummate professional. He has experience in the finance and international capital markets and has worked with Merryl Lynch, United States of America. Okoye was also head of Strategy at the Nigerian Stock Exchange and group executive director at Transcorp and acting chief executive at Nitel for a brief period

Why AnabelMobile
There were two major issues that informed this bold step – if you look at the telecoms industry in Nigeria and of course, Africa, you will find out that there are no local players in the devices and handsets space. It is dominated by international brands and I thought there was a need for a Nigerian appeal in that particular niche of the market space. Particular of interest was once I tried to set the date and time of one of my international brand phones but could not find Nigeria on their menu but every country in the world was there. That was very annoying to me that Nigeria was not recognized by any of these brands meanwhile, they dominate in our market place and make a lot of money from Nigeria. So, I felt that the only reason that is happening is because we are not doing it ourselves and rather than going out to preach to our people on the need to design our own phones and manufacture something that is designed for us with our own embedded technologies, music, aspects that refer to us; I decided we could do it ourselves and put everything together, went out and did it! In addition to that, we decided that within the phone space, it has to be Smartphones. Smartphones are otherwise known as pocket PCs. These are phones that are able to act like computers, so they run on computer operating systems – ours run on Windows Mobile. They have central processing units (CPUs) and chips just like any other computer, and you can actually do your work on the move as if it were your office. Our phones have power point – you can programme your presentations and deliver them from the phone. They also have Excel, Word, Notes, as well as e-mail – all the office software products that you need on the PC or a laptop; you have them on your Anabel Smartphone. So, this tells us that is the future of the telecoms industry – Smartphones – and that was what we felt Africans needed to embrace because you find out that there is a lot of talk about bridging the digital divide in Africa, getting African people to understand and use information technology, but it is much more difficult to train somebody in the village who is barely literate, on how to use a computer. It is quite easy to train them on how to use a computerized phone because most of them are already using phones; they understand phones; they make both local and international calls; grandmas make and receive calls in every village right now. If I were to give grandma a Smartphone, it would be easier for me to train her on how to use it as opposed to training her to use a computer. So, I believe that the future is Smartphones and that is why we went into this business.
Windows Operating System as for AnabelMobile
Windows was chosen after a healthy debate and deep scrutiny of all the operating systems that are available to tier-one manufacturers and new manufacturers like us. We chose Windows because it is the best. That is one reason. Another is that it is the most compatible with PCs. So if you actually want your phone and your PC to be synchronized, Windows Mobile gives the best opportunity to do that because 95 percent of PCs in the world run on Windows operating system. If you want to give people an opportunity to synchronize seamlessly with their handheld devices such as Smartphones, Windows would be an ideal product to do that. Having said that, it is the best operating system; it has very interesting and unique applications which customers enjoy – the Outlook connects your e-mails seamlessly with your office, as well as connects your regular e-mails like Yahoomail and Gmail. It also allows you to do active Live Messenger from your phone. It is a very unique operating system which I think we made a good choice on, and it has Microsoft’s support. For us as new manufacturers, to use untested software system might be more of a challenge. So, that informed our choice of Windows operating system.
Cost of the Devices
There is a price range for the four models of AnabelMobile phones. We have an entry model and the more sophisticated model. The entry model would come out at a price point of about N39, 000; and a price point of about N59,000 for the more sophisticated model. Note that these are not written in stone, they might be adjusted in due course. But, we would try as much as possible to push these phones in an affordable way; we are coming at a very competitive price point. For low income earners, there is the Microfinance Bank. You spread the cost of that phone over 12 months and it comes out to less than N3,500 per month. Now most of the folks in the village who are doing business would need a computerized phone to enhance their operations because the phone is not just about making calls. It can do much more. So if somebody in the village needs to have a sophisticated work tool like this for N39,000, then the Microfinance Bank has an opportunity here and we are going to be meeting with them so that they can support these people in the village to have these kinds of tools.
Capturing Nigerian and African Market
In terms of market share, our focus mainly is the customer. We are going to be a disciplined company; we are going to listen to our customers; we are going to ask them what they want and we will endeavour to deliver on their request. Now, we are setting up a special network site called myanabel.com where citizens of the Anabel community – those who have bought our products and those who feel an affiliation with Anabel brand – can join that community and communicate to us what they think, how we can improve, what we can improve on because nobody has monopoly of ideas. Whatever the customers come up with, once it is consistent and spread across the globe, we will implement those ideas and give customers what they want. We believe that when you focus on the customers, the market share is yours for the taking. So, rather than focusing on the market share, we will focus on the customers, and what they would do is vote with their cash; they will vote with their demand and the rest becomes history. Our prospects depend solely on the customer, if the customer is unhappy with our products, then of course, we will move in a different direction. If otherwise, then our prospects are bright. It is all about what the customer wants; the prospects are tied clearly to that customer approach. We are not going to run our company like some others have done – they come up with ideas and force them down the customers’ throat. We want the customers to tell us what they want and then, we would implement them if they are worth it.
AnabelMobile Factories
We intend to actually have a factory in Nigeria in the next 3 – 4years but that would depend to a large extent on the power situation in the country. We are dealing with an international brand and we cannot be manufacturing at a loss when other international brands are doing that cost effectively. In that case, we need to make sure that the conditions for manufacturing these kinds of products are good and the power situation has been taken care of. I expect it should be taken care of in the next 3 – 4years, so we are planning in that direction.
Introducing Affordability Models
We do intend to service different segments of the market. The market segment that we are focused on now is the businesspersons, the professionals and the sophisticated students. Those aspects of the market that require phones that are little more affordable (if you will) – we would be providing phones for them. They may not necessarily be Smartphones but they would be good feature phones, and we would create features that everyone would be excited about. We have people in our research and development unit in the U.S working on such solutions as we speak, and when those solutions are ready, we will be very happy to announce to Nigerians that we have been able to crack coming up with a feature phone, with the best features in the world at the most affordable price. So, we are working on that but I cannot give you the details of that, but I can tell you that it is something that will make the Nigerian populace and customers very excited.

Kindly share this post

General News

Guinness Rewards Consumers with ₦17 Million in First Week of ‘Open for More’ Promo Draw

Published

3 hours ago

August 8, 2026

Chike Onwuegbuchi

Kindly share this post

Guinness Nigeria has officially begun rewarding consumers under its nationwide ‘Open For More’ National Consumer Promotion (NCP), with an impressive ₦17 million in rewards to 107 winners during the campaign’s first live draw held on July 31, 2026.

The inaugural draw instantly transformed the fortunes of consumers across the country, producing seven new millionaires, who each received ₦1 million, alongside 100 additional winners, who each walked away with ₦100,000. The milestone marks the beginning of a series of weekly live draws that will see hundreds more Nigerians rewarded throughout the promotion.

The seven ₦1 million winners are Marcus Barieepie, Ani Valentine Ogochukwu, Okafor Sochima, Taiwo Adebola, Zubair Rukayat, Oluwatobi Femi, and Ebubechukwu Okolo.

The live draw was conducted under the supervision of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to ensure transparency and fairness. Representatives of the commission present included Dr. Olubunmi Otti, Zonal Coordinator, FCCPC Southwest, and Mrs. Abosede Ogundeji, Surveillance and Investigation Officer.

Speaking during the draw, Ramanathan S, representing Guinness, said the promotion reflects the brand’s enduring commitment to celebrating and rewarding the consumers who have supported Guinness over the years.

“For decades, Nigerians have made Guinness a part of their milestones and celebrations. Today, we are proud to give back by putting ₦17 million directly into the hands of 107 consumers in our very first draw. This is only the beginning. Over the coming weeks, many more Nigerians will experience life-changing rewards as we continue to celebrate the loyalty of the people who have made Guinness part of their stories.”

He added that all weekly draws will continue to be streamed live across Guinness Nigeria’s official platforms, enabling consumers to witness the winner-selection process in real time and reinforcing the transparency and credibility of the promotion. He also encouraged eligible consumers nationwide to participate, noting that every valid entry presents another opportunity to win.

The ‘Open For More’ National Consumer Promotion offers consumers the chance to win ₦1 million every day, ₦100,000 cash prizes for 1,000 winners, and a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as the grand prize. Altogether, the promotion will reward consumers with more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes.

To participate, consumers simply need to purchase specially marked bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or Guinness Smooth, locate the unique code beneath the crown cork or can lid, and enter the code via the designated campaign platform.

With ₦17 million already won in its opening draw, the campaign is off to a remarkable start, reinforcing Guinness Nigeria’s commitment to rewarding consumer loyalty through transparent processes and unforgettable experiences that go beyond the product. Consumers are encouraged to look out for specially marked promotional packs and follow Guinness Nigeria’s official communication channels for updates, winner announcements, and details of upcoming draws.

Kindly share this post

General News

NITDA, UniAbuja Partner to Drive Tech Innovation, Research

Published

3 hours ago

August 8, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

Kindly share this post

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed readiness to deepen collaboration with Nigerian universities to promote research, innovation and technology-driven solutions to local challenges.

NITDA, UniAbuja

NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stated this when the management of Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), led by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, paid a familiarisation visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Abdullahi said stronger collaboration between NITDA and tertiary institutions was essential to building a robust innovation ecosystem, developing practical skills and positioning Nigeria for technology-driven economic growth.

He stressed the need for increased investment in research, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud computing.

“We need to invest more in in-depth research with universities to build a robust research ecosystem that will help us develop solutions.

“Research will focus on harnessing AI, IoT, blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud technology, among other emerging technologies, to improve our lives and grow our digital economy,” he said.

The DG described universities as critical talent factories required to achieve Nigeria’s digital transformation aspirations.

“NITDA has a vision to make Nigeria a digitally empowered nation. You (UniAbuja) are the talent factory, and we cannot achieve our vision without talented Nigerians.

“The only way to achieve that is by working with institutions like yours. So, we need to build talent,” he said.

Abdullahi also advocated the integration of AI education across disciplines in tertiary institutions, saying students needed practical digital skills to remain relevant in the evolving world of work.

“We can work together to explore ways of introducing AI across the board as a general study course in tertiary institutions.

“Elements of AI should be included in every field of study to equip our students with the hands-on skills for navigating the real world,” he said.

According to him, NITDA is already collaborating with key education sector stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education.

He said the agency was also working to promote digital literacy programmes across all levels of education to ensure that graduates acquire skills relevant to industry requirements.

Earlier, Fawehinmi said the university’s visit was aimed at seeking NITDA’s partnership and support in strengthening digital infrastructure and technology-based training at the institution.

He expressed appreciation for NITDA’s contributions to the Digital Geoscience Centre at the university.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university was willing to collaborate with NITDA on joint research, capacity-building initiatives and innovation programmes capable of contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

“We could go into partnership with you to provide data, collaborative engagements, staff exchanges and joint research hubs, so that we can produce high-level human resources.

“The university is committed to serving as a strategic academic partner to NITDA by providing academic expertise required to advance your national digital transformation initiatives,” he said.

The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen the link between academic research and industry needs while creating opportunities for technology innovation, skills development and practical solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

Kindly share this post

General News

Meta Hit With $567m US Court Order Over Alleged Harm to Children

Published

3 hours ago

August 8, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

Kindly share this post

A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million to address the alleged harms caused to young people by its social media platforms.

Meta

The ruling by Judge Bryan Biedscheid came in the second phase of a landmark trial concerning the impact of Meta’s platforms on children and teenagers.

The judge said $420 million of the amount would be dedicated to treatment services for young people, while the remaining funds would support awareness and prevention programmes, screening services and other related costs over the next five years.

The latest financial order comes on top of $375 million in civil penalties awarded against Meta in March after a jury found that the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

During the second phase of the trial, prosecutors asked the court to order fundamental changes to Meta’s platforms, including measures to reduce addictive features, improve age verification and prevent child sexual exploitation through stronger privacy settings and increased oversight.

The court subsequently ordered Facebook and Instagram to introduce banner notifications and informational screens explaining their safety features, recommended practices and tools for addressing inappropriate comments.

The platforms must also regularly display the information, while an educational campaign in New Mexico will be subject to review by the state.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the ruling sent a clear message that technology companies could be held accountable when their product designs knowingly exposed children to risks.

“Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online,” Torrez said in a statement.

Meta said it would appeal the ruling.

“We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” the company said.

The company said it remained confident in its record of protecting teenagers online and would continue to defend itself against what it described as claims that misrepresented the facts.

On age verification, the court said federal children’s privacy laws restricted Meta’s ability to apply certain verification tools to children under 13.

The court cited the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which limits the collection of personal information from children under 13.

Rather than imposing a blanket age-verification requirement exclusively on Meta, the judge ordered the company to continue improving its age-assurance tools in New Mexico.

The tools include the use of artificial intelligence to estimate users’ ages based on signals such as their social connections and the type of content they post and consume.

Meta was also ordered to attempt to develop a dedicated model for predicting whether users are under 13 within the next two years.

Additionally, the company must request proof of age from Facebook and Instagram users in New Mexico whom it estimates to be under 13.

Where Meta determines that a user is under 13, or under 18 but cannot determine a specific age, it must treat the user as being under the applicable age threshold until the user verifies their age.

The court further ordered Meta to partner with schools or a child-safety organisation to establish a reporting portal through which school officials can flag users suspected to be under 13.

Meta must also delete personal information it has collected from users under 13 and submit progress reports twice a year detailing its compliance with the court-ordered measures.

The ruling comes as Meta faces thousands of lawsuits from families alleging that children have been harmed by social media use.

The company is also preparing for another trial in California amid the growing litigation over the impact of social media platforms on young people.

Kindly share this post