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Global ICT Policy Community Meets for Top International Regulatory Event

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Some 400 senior international policy makers from the world’s information and communication technology (ICT) regulatory authorities and leading tech companies are meeting in Gabon this week to discuss the best strategies for promoting digital inclusion and harnessing the enormous growth potential of emerging economies and developing markets.

The world’s largest specialized gathering of ICT policy specialists from the public and private sectors, ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) is designed to stimulate in-depth peer-to-peer debate, knowledge sharing and exchange of best practice among regulators, Chief Regulatory Officers of private companies, government policy analysts and other key ICT stakeholders.

Hosted by Gabon’s Autorité de Régulations des Communications Electroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) under the patronage of President Ali Bongo Ondimba, the event is taking place at Libreville’s Stade de l’Amitié from 9-11June.

The theme of this year’s symposium is ‘Mind the Digital Gap – Regulatory Incentives to Achieve Digital Opportunities’, with key topics on the 3-day programme including mobile payments; network sharing models; taxation and the digital economy; the ‘Internet of Everything’; regulation and broadband uptake; and ways regulation can help promote accessibility for all.

ARCEP is partnering with ITU to host the symposium, which is officially chaired by ARCEP President Mr Lin Mombo.

This morning’s opening ceremony welcomed a number of distinguished guests including Gabon’s Minister of Justice, Séraphin Moundounga; the Minister for Digital Economy and Postes, Pastor Ngoua Nneme; Jean-Francois Ndongou, President of the National Council and of Communication; and Abdoulkarim Soumaila, Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union.

ITU Secretary-General Mr Zhao said a strong and flourishing ICT ecosystem will be essential to meeting socio-economic development targets including the new Sustainable Development Goals, which are expected to be agreed by the international community in New York in September.

He also stressed the importance of nurturing ICT-focused small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which can leverage strong global demand to become major contributors to the national economy.

“Given the right tools and encouragement, today’s youngsters can become tomorrow’s ICT entrepreneurs, creating tech start-ups and providing the ICT skills that can help countries grow a flourishing new business community of small- and medium enterprises focused on ICT goods and services,” said Mr Zhao.

The symposium’s opening Leadership Debate, ‘Funding an Inclusive Digital Society – From Infrastructure to Data’ featured top-name speakers including GSR-15 Chairman Lin Mombo; Bocar Ba, Chief Executive Officer, Samena Telecommunications Council; and Christian de Faria, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Africa. The debate was moderated by Brahima Sanou, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), which organizes the symposium every year.

“All countries need not just a solid base of ICT infrastructure, but the appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks to foster investment and innovation,” said Mr Sanou. “ITU is dedicated to facilitating information exchange to help regulators and policymakers around the world navigate the multidimensional challenges posed by the convergence of infrastructure, services and service providers.”

As ICT networks and services become ever-more pervasive, traditional regulatory approaches are proving too limited to meet new challenges. Infrastructure convergence, multi-play bundled services and issues such as data privacy, cybersecurity and equality of access are combining to make for a highly complex regulatory landscape.

In his opening address, GSR-15 Chair Lin Mombo said, “I am very pleased to say that, thanks to the enlightened vision of His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, the country has embarked on a vast programme of modernization and construction of telecommunications infrastructure and broadband in order to achieve full connectivity of the country in the near future.”

GSR-15 continues until Thursday 11 June, culminating in a series of regulatory Best Practice Guidelines. Outputs from the meeting will also be incorporated into ITU’s annual regulatory report, Trends in Telecommunication Reform.

The essential voice of industry is brought in through the Global Regulators-Industry Dialogue (GRID), where both public and private sector participants have the chance to debate pressing challenges, such as how to best meet exponential demand for capacity and high-speed connectivity.

The Pre-event Programme on 8 June opened with seminar organized by the GSMA entitled ‘Driving Mobile’s Future: Efficient Spectrum Management for Investment and Growth, followed by a luncheon roundtable led by the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) on the topic of ‘Satellites and the Connected Ecosystem: Enabling Efficient Global Solution’.

A dedicated meeting of private sector Chief Regulatory Officers was held in the afternoon to facilitate discussion and information sharing among telecommunication service and technology companies, and frame debate during the symposium itself.

ITU also hosted a special meeting of Regulatory Associations, where delegates had the opportunity for discussion, information exchange and bridge-building to promote better and more active cooperation between Regulatory Associations around the world.


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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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