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Championing Africa’s Sustainable Future Through Innovation and Exemplary e-waste Management
By Ayub Osman
Climate change is currently the most pressing global issue due to its devastating effects on all aspects of human life. Health and wellbeing, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems, and energy are all at risk of being affected by this global challenge.
There is, therefore, an urgent need for a radical shift; one that will help us reduce the impact of climate change.
While setting global targets and measuring progress at the United Nations’ annual Climate Conference of the Parties (COP), and the Biodiversity Conference are indeed great steps, it will take the concerted efforts of the private sector and governments, as well as advanced sustainable innovations, to shift the needle.
At Ericsson, we believe that Information Communications Technology (ICT) is a critical piece in this process and has a role to play in helping sub-Saharan Africa achieve its climate targets.
Our research on ICT’s potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 revealed that ICT solutions have a high potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15 percent.
We are keenly pursuing our ambition to reduce global warming by achieving a Net Zero emission status across our value chain by 2040. We have made steady progress, and we are confident that we will hit our first major milestone of cutting emissions by 50% in the supply chain and portfolio by 2030.
Ericsson strives to develop, sell and deliver hardware, software, services and solutions with excellent sustainability performance and contributes to the sustainable development of society. Our Enterprise offerings support other industrial sectors, such as energy, manufacturing, and transportation, in their transition towards a low-carbon economy.
We are also leading with technological innovations that will help reduce network energy usage.
These include solutions that allow operator networks to use as little energy as possible while handling the expected growth in data traffic and meeting the needs of both current and future 5G networks.
As we move toward 2025, Ericsson believes it is possible to scale up 5G, while simultaneously aiming to break the rising energy consumption curve.
We have streamlined our approach into three core elements; plan differently with a focus on a sustainable network evolution; deploy differently by effectively modernizing the existing network when scaling 5G; and operate differently by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation.
Our sustainability drive is backed by a strategy that ensures we take pragmatic steps to dispose of e-waste responsibly.
Equipment from the technology and telecommunications industries, in the end, becomes e-waste and contributes to global climate issues. If not properly disposed of, components in waste electronic equipment can lead to environmental consequences, such as an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to other environmental impacts including harm to biodiversity.
According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was generated around the world in 2019, and it is predicted that the annual generation of e-waste will reach 74.7 Mt by 2030.
Through our Product Take-Back (PTB) management program, we work with our customers to recycle waste electrical and electronic equipment in accordance with the law and high environmental standards.
We have decommissioned equipment at no cost to over 40 customers, covering 28 countries across Africa. Approximately 8,271 tonnes of waste electronic and electrical equipment was taken back from Ericsson’s operating countries from January 2012 to August 2022, of which approximately 98% was successfully recycled.
Additionally, we know that high reuse and recycling rates start with smart product design, so we make responsible material choices, increase our use of recycled materials, and design products that enable efficient recycling.
As global and business leaders, civil society groups, and scientists continue to tackle the climate change agenda, we must all understand our critical role in securing a sustainable and safer future for generations.
Thinking that environmental sustainability is another person’s responsibility will mean a complete failure. For me, this is a crucial lesson we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all responsible for our future.
Sustainability is a key component of our #AfricainMotion campaign, which we launched a couple of years ago to empower a sustainable and connected Africa. We will continue to enable sustainable growth, economic development and open opportunities for all across the continent. This is a promise!
By Ayub Osman is Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility at Ericsson
George Akume, secretary to the Government of the Federation, has raised alarm over the activities of a criminal syndicate allegedly cloning his voice and using it to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians with promises of Federal Government appointments.
George Akume, SGF
In a statement issued by Yomi Odunuga, his special adviser on Media and Publicity, on Thursday, Akume said the fraudsters have impersonated him in audio calls and text messages, targeting high-profile individuals and soliciting payments ranging from ₦5 million to ₦15 million in exchange for phantom political positions.
“From information available to the office, the fraudsters cloned the voice of the SGF, using it to solicit money in return for federal appointments,” the statement read.
The SGF further revealed that the scammers not only cloned his voice but also spoofed the phone numbers of other high-profile individuals to give credibility to their fraudulent scheme.
“These scammers attach bank account details to messages sent to victims and request them to send their CVs to cloned emails,” Odunuga added.
The statement noted that the fraudsters have been operating through both traditional bank accounts and fintech mobile wallets, complicating efforts to trace the financial trails.
Distancing himself from the illicit scheme, Akume stressed that appointments to Federal Government boards and parastatals are transparent and not for sale under any guise.
The statement noted, “Senator Akume emphasized that the appointment processes for Nigerians into boards and parastatals are transparent and verifiable, urging individuals not to pay any money in expectation of securing a position.”
The Office of the SGF confirmed that it has notified relevant security agencies, urging members of the public to report suspicious calls or messages to law enforcement.
“The Office of the SGF strongly advises Nigerians to report the activities of these fraudulent people to the authorities while taking all precautionary steps necessary to avoid being victims of th
Ola Olukoyede, executive chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has denied claims that he compelled Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to step down from his role.
Bayo Ojulari,
The allegations stemmed from an August 2, 2025, online publication which alleged that Olukoyede and Adeola Ajayi, director general, Department of State Services (DSS), pressured Ojulari into signing a resignation letter during a closed-door meeting in Abuja.
The report also suggested that Ojulari was interrogated over his purported links to Olatimbo Ayinde, British-Nigerian oil mogul, who is reportedly close to key figures in the present administration.
In a follow-up story, the news outlet further claimed Ojulari was later invited to the Presidential Villa, where First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu reportedly opposed his resignation.
Responding to the allegations, Dele Oyewale, spokesman, EFCC< issued a statement on Wednesday on behalf of the Commission, noting that Olukoyede, through his legal counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), described the publications as defamatory and injurious to his integrity.
“The publications and the imputations conveyed by them are so damning and cannot be ignored or treated with levity,” the statement quoted.
Olukoyede denied any suggestion that he was acting at the behest of Ayinde or that his actions were influenced by external political figures.
A letter addressed to the editor of the publication, signed by Olumide-Fusika, reiterated the gravity of the claims and insisted on corrective measures.
“He, therefore, demanded that the medium acknowledge your wrongdoing, expressly admit that what you published and imputed against my client are false, apologise for it unreservedly and retract and pull down the stories from your newspaper website and social media handles,” the statement added.
Olukoyede said the story portrayed him as “someone that has betrayed and subverted public trust by submitting the authority of his public office and trust as Chairman of the EFCC to the dictates and directives of one Olatimbo Ayinde.”
Labelling the report as entirely fabricated, Olukoyede demanded an official apology and complete removal of the story from the outlet’s digital platforms within 48 hours.
PalmPay reinforced its commitment to data protection and youth empowerment with a ground-breaking partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to launch the Youth Data Protection Awareness and Training (YDPAT) Program, which is targeted at equipping over 1,000,000 Nigerian youths digitally over 3 years.
The training program, commissioned last week at the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre in Abuja, will focus on providing youths with the right knowledge and skills required to navigate the digital landscape safely. With over 70% of the Nigerian population consisting of youths, this is an important move to foster trust, security and youth-focused innovation.
Speaking at the launch, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, commended PalmPay’s partnership in the actualisation of the program and described YDPAT as a bold step toward building a digitally literate and security-conscious generation.
In his words, “This is about building a privacy-first generation, one that is inclusive, future-facing, and globally competitive.” He also emphasised the low awareness of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023 and the critical shortage of certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs), despite over 500,000 data controllers operating in the country.
This position was equally supported by PalmPay’s Managing Director, Mr Chika Nwosu, who stated how data protection is as important as innovation in tech. He noted that PalmPay integrates privacy into every stage of its product development, ensuring that user information is safe.
Beyond ensuring data protection, PalmPay is committed to empowering young Nigerians with real opportunities for growth, with mentorship and internship placements for top-performing participants. It has led several youth-oriented initiatives, including the Purple Woman campaign, and Passing the Baton CSR for thousands of youths and women in urban and rural communities.
With a drive to achieve nationwide digital literacy, PalmPay is championing campaigns in Northern Nigeria, with more activations planned across various states.
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