News
Beta Computers Host NPC Census 2023 Task Force in Lagos
In compliance with the President’s Executive Order on local content adoption in all Federal government’s projects, a high powered delegation from the National Population Commission, NPC, at the weekend visited BETA Computers factory in Surulere, Lagos.
The task force on the 2023 census included three Federal Commissioners, the Director General, four directors, two other managers and led by Hon Federal Commissioner, Dr Clifford Zirra.
The visit to the BETA’s factory in Lagos was coming on the heels of the NPC’s commitment to fully comply with the President’s Executive Order on local content adoption in all Federal government’s projects.
After the welcome address by BETA Computers Managing Director, Will Anyaegbunam, the company’s board Chair, Mr Isaac Orolugbabe in his speech while commending NPC team for the visit, stressed the need for the commission to promote the development and growth of all the certified indigenous computer manufacturers so as to avoid a monopoly.
He added that “ while government monopoly is bad, private monopoly is worse as competition will lead to more benefits and reduced cost to consumers”.
In his response, the leader of the NPC team, Dr Zirra stated that the need to visit BETA’s factory which is one of the three indigenous computers manufacturing companies certified by the government for her local content development programmes, is to see for themselves local PCs assembler’s facilities to ensure that they are partnering with the right company that has the capacity to deliver on their orders timely.
He confirmed to the board and management of BETA, in the presence of pressmen and stakeholders that were on hand to cover the auspicious visit that “the Commission is on the verge of making history with the conducting of the very first digital census in Nigeria and possibly on the African continent by April 2023”.
He revealed to the delight of all that they have conducted several successful pre counts and now gearing up to deliver same success during the main 2023 census based on digital technologies using international standard mobile devices.
The NPC team was taken on a tour of the factory by BETA’s team led by the MD, Will Anyaegunam who explained in details the operations with great emphasis on the high quality of the company’s SPEEDSTAR brand of computer devices.
He stated that SPEEDSTAR was acclaimed by the regulatory bodies as the best quality device of all the indigenous brands in several government projects, including the 2018 N-Power project that was funded by the Bank of Industry and managed by the Office of the Vice President.
During the factory tour, the NPC team extensively engaged the BETA team on production and funding capacity.
Anyaegunam while responding reminded them that two commercial banks had earlier written to them on their behalf that they are ready to fund NPC orders for the 2023 census exercise.
On production capacity, the MD confirmed that between BETA’s factory in Lagos and her associated partners’ factories in Nigeria, has the capacity for over 150,000 devices within 12 weeks of NPC orders.
On after sales support questions, the BETA’s MD confirmed that the company has partners in all the major cities around the nation that provides support service for her devices.
He stressed that the company and her partners hold buffer stocks of devices for replacement of any faulty devices to ensure minimal operational down time on any faulty device.
After the extensive factory tour, the DG, Mr, Tellson Osifo while addressing the team gathering noted that they were impressed with what they have seen and heard.
He added that ”they can see that there is indeed local content taking place here” He assured that they were not only favourably disposed to partnering with BETA on just the 2023 census as a one off thing, but also on their continuous enumeration program that will be on-going thereafter.
He stressed NPC’s commitment to the development of local content in IT to provide gainful employment for Nigeria’s teaming youths.
Hon Darlington Okereke, a federal commissioner in the NPC team stated in his speech that the commission was committed to delivering a controversy free census with no room for mistakes which is why they opted for a digital census and to use technology.
He added that “. we are happy to get these devices in Nigeria. If we get them in Nigeria, why go outside? That will amount to capital flight. We need this money in Nigeria rather than flying it outside this country!”
The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) have agreed to a new strategic partnership aimed at driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness.
Led by its National President and Chairman of the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, a high-level NACCIMA delegation visited the TETFund headquarters in Abuja today.
The team was received by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, during what both parties described as a milestone engagement.
Discussions during the meeting focused on collaborative initiatives including entrepreneurship development, support for the green economy, commercialization of academic research, industry–academia synergy, and skills development to better equip graduates for the evolving demands of the labour market.
A key outcome of the meeting was the mutual agreement to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and establish a NACCIMA–TETFund Joint Technical Committee that will oversee the implementation of agreed initiatives.
Both sides also expressed commitment to developing additional partnership frameworks that will bolster Nigeria’s competitiveness and economic resilience.
Also present at the engagement, Prof. Umar Bindir lauded the collaboration, highlighting the need for structured, long-term partnerships between academia and the private sector to generate practical solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
Arc. Echono, in his remarks, praised NACCIMA’s leadership in promoting enterprise and innovation, and reaffirmed TETFund’s readiness to work closely with the Organized Private Sector to foster research, innovation, and economic transformation.
This collaboration positions NACCIMA as a key driver of national development, helping to bridge the gap between education, enterprise, and policymaking, while empowering young Nigerians and strengthening the foundation of the country’s knowledge economy.
PalmPay, a digital banking platform, in partnership with Nigeria’s telecom giant, Glo, is celebrating winners in the ongoing PalmPay & Glo Recharge. The exciting campaign, which kicked off on June 19, 2025, will run until August 23, 2025, rewarding loyal customers with fantastic prizes and exclusive bonuses.
Since the promo commenced, users have won prizes ranging from Oraimo Earbuds to Infinix Hot 40i.
The ongoing weekly campaign has recorded 20 winners, which include:
- Michael Emmanuel from Lagos emerged as the winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Perpetual Amos, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Semiu Adekunle Abegunde, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Josiah Oluwasegun Adewale, winner of an Oraimo Earbuds
Michael Emmanuel from Lagos recounted his experience as the lucky winner of the Infinix Hot 401 as he couldn’t hide his excitement. He noted, “I am so excited! I didn’t even expect it. I received a call while I was sleeping, informing me that I’d won, and I went live immediately to confirm it was real. I’ve been using PalmPay for about two years now, and winning this is such a great feeling. I’ll keep using PalmPay, and I encourage everyone to recharge their Glo line on the app; you could win too.”
The campaign, which is in its last week, has winners revealed every Friday during a live raffle draw streamed across PalmPay’s social media channels. The campaign gives customers the chance to get amazing prizes, including an iPhone 15 Pro, an Infinix Hot 40, and many other exciting rewards. Users also enjoy up to 6% cashback when purchasing Glo airtime or data via the PalmPay app.
New Glo data subscribers who have not signed up for a plan in the past 90 days will also receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the promo period.
How to participate:
- Download the PalmPay app.
- Link your Glo number in the app.
- Purchase airtime or data via PalmPay; every transaction increases your chances of winning.
- Join the live draw
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has said that the telecommunications sector in Nigeria is once again on a strong growth trajectory.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON
Engr. Adebayo stated this over the weekend on the side-lines of the unveiling of Nigeria’s first Digital Museum, an initiative that preserves and showcases the nation’s history and cultural heritage.
He commended IHS Towers for spearheading the project, describing it as another clear demonstration of the industry’s commitment to the Nigerian project. He noted that by investing in the preservation of Nigeria’s past while building the infrastructure of the future, IHS has set a remarkable example of corporate citizenship.
Speaking on the state of the telecoms sector, Engr. Adebayo said: “After addressing sustainability concerns earlier in the year, we are now witnessing significant new investments in the sector: the highest we have seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of ALTON are optimising networks, building new sites to meet rising capacity demands, upgrading existing infrastructure, and migrating more sites from old radio links to high-speed fibre connections.”
He further noted that Tower Companies (TowerCos) are enhancing security across telecom sites to mitigate against vandalism and theft. “Removable batteries and generators are now fitted with trackers to trace stolen items, and we strongly advise the public to desist from buying equipment suspected to have been stolen from telecom sites,” he cautioned.
Engr. Adebayo also highlighted ongoing capacity development within the sector: “We are training and retraining our workforce to adapt to emerging technologies. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set strict service level requirements, and we are committed to not only meeting but surpassing them. Though network optimisation may occasionally cause service disruptions, we appeal to the public for understanding as these efforts will ultimately deliver a much-improved user experience nationwide.”
On industry governance, the ALTON Chairman expressed delight at the inauguration of the new Board of the NCC, chaired by Mr. Idris Olorunimbe.
“We are very excited about the appointment of Mr. Idris. His reputation as a man of excellence precedes him. Working with the competent and visionary Executive Management Team led by the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, and the other Executive Commissioners, we are confident the sector is set on the right path to sustainability and growth. The new Board will strengthen the remarkable progress already achieved.”
Engr. Adebayo further welcomed the rebranding of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) from 9Mobile to T2, describing it as an important milestone for the industry.
“EMTS is a very important member of ALTON, and we are pleased to see their rebirth as T2. This rebranding enhances investor confidence and underscores the value of collaboration. It assures the public that there are good times ahead for our industry, and we are very excited about what the future holds,” he stated.
Turning to issues of Right of Way (RoW), Engr. Adebayo stressed that investments can only thrive in enabling environments:
“The digital train is moving very fast. States that create hostile conditions for telecom operations risk being left behind. We will not continue to solicit endlessly for cooperation. Where deployment is unwelcome, investments will move to more supportive neighbouring states, and citizens of unfriendly states will inevitably suffer limited connectivity. We urge all state actors to partner with us so that no one is left behind in this rapid transformation.”
On the issue of multiple taxation, Engr. Adebayo commended the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the Presidential Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform Committee, for its ongoing reforms. Engr. Adebayo described the reforms as a pivotal step toward streamlining Nigeria’s tax system and eliminating the burden of multiple taxation. He highlighted the positive impact on small and medium-sized businesses, noting that the changes will promote entrepreneurship, attract investment, and foster a more business-friendly environment.
“We eagerly await the commencement of the implementation in January 2026. We are confident that the over 56 taxes and levies currently borne by our members across various jurisdictions will soon become a thing of the past.”
Engr. Adebayo concluded by appreciating all industry stakeholders and reaffirming ALTON’s commitment to the Nigeria project:
“The transformation we are witnessing in our sector has not been experienced in recent years. We thank the leadership of the NCC for their commitment, we congratulate and welcome the new Board under the leadership of Mr. Idris Olorunimbe, and we look forward to even greater milestones ahead.
The industry is on the march again, and together, with the support of the public in protecting our critical infrastructure, there is no stopping Nigeria’s telecommunications sector as a driver of national economic stability and growth.”
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