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How Winners emerge in Data Science Nigeria 2019 Intercampus Machine Learning bootcamp

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Kazeem Hakeem, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University and Obinna Onuoha, also a graduate of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, have won scholarship for their Master of Science (M.Sc) programmes at Stellenbosch University, South Africa courtesy of the Data Science Nigeria (DSN) intercampus Machine Learning BootCamp 2019 prize.

Microsoft (4Afrika) and BlueChip Technologies Limited, respectively, presented the awards to the duo at the grand finale held on November 23 at the University of Lagos (Unilag).

Data Scientists used to work predominantly in the tech industry at companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, and LinkedIn, but in the last few years, nearly every industry has begun to realize the value of utilizing their data in strategic decision-making.

The fields of telecommunications, banking, e-commerce, medicine, retail, construction, and transportation/mobility are all facing massive increases in their need for data scientists.

The supply of skilled applicants, however, is growing at a slower pace. Taking the bull by the horn, Data Science Nigeria (DSN) has rolled out a roadmap to raise 1million Data Scientists, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the next 10 years.

As part of this commitment to make Nigeria the Data Science Hub in the world, DSN launched the first Artificial Intelligence Book for Nigerian Primary and Secondary Schools at its 2019 AI Summit in Lagos.

DSN also conveyed the Intercampus Machine Learning Bootcamp with 26 international and 13 local experts on ground to tutor the 230 participants.

Rising Odegua won Retina-AI’s Best Postal Award; University of Lagos emerged AI School of the Year; Rising Odegua and Adeola Lawal won Terragon Group’s Mr & Miss Algorithm Awards.

Speaking to journalists immediately after collecting award, Kazeem said, “So, I started preparing early enough with the support of my Friend Obinna; who would always call and sent me materials to read. He was always there to follow up with me.

Sarah Adigwe receiving her prize from MainOne

 

 

“I have always wished to get a Masters Degree in Data Science or Artificial Intelligence. So, I am saying a big thank you to DSN”.

To Obinna, “Last year, I qualified for the bootcamp and got inspired. I went back to learn more. This year, the qualification process was crazy. To make it to the bootcamp, we had to build an algorithm to predict the staff that would get promoted for a particular company using data.

“During the bootcamp, we had a quiz competition and the top two students were picked and it happened that was one of them.

“I can’t really say this is how I feel because the whole thing is just overwhelming. The first thought that came into my mind was to call my mum”.

Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, convener, Data Science Nigeria, explained that the bootcamp was one of the means to harness talents and build a formidable Data Science community in Nigeria.

He said, “If we do not address AI capacity today, we may go into another cycle of what I call digital slavery because we do not have skills that makes us capable in developing solutions that solve our problem.

Cross section of tutors

“So this is the responsibility that we have carried out as data scientist and of course we are supported by many organization including Microsoft, Retina-AI, Softcom, Bluechip Technologies, MainOne, Carbon, Terragon, Axa Mansard. Facebook, Carbon, BigML and GRID3/Flowminder UK also sent in their expert”.

Continuing with the awards, Raheem Nasirudeen won Axa Mansards’ Best Participant in the Insurance Kaggle Competition prize while Sarah Adigwe won MainOne Best Female Data Scientist award.

The Chief Semantic Architect / Knowledge Engineer at Cymantiks Nigeria Limited, Mr. Emeka Okoye and Acting Director, Centre for Information Technology and Systems(CITS), University of Lagos, Dr Victor Odumuyiwa; the CEO & Co-Founder, Octave Analytics, Blessing Oladeji, and Bayo Aderibigbe, were among those recognised with ‘Industry Support Award’.

The CEO, Terragon Group, Elo Umeh while commending DSN for the efforts to harness talents in the ecosystem, said, “Essentially, it was very much important for us to participate in this DSN AI Summit and the bootcamp.

Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, Convener of DSN addressing the participants

It has been very rewarding for us because we have been able to see the great work going on at DSN. We thought it would also be a way for us to contribute to the growth of the industry.

As an emerging space in Nigeria there is a limitation of talents.

“So, at the DSN bootcamp a lot of talents have been identified and that is why Terragon Group is sponsoring two people to Tunisia; these are part of our efforts to support the talents grooming process to develop the ecosystem”

We see a great future for Africa – Microsoft 

On his part, Developer Audience Lead for Africa, Microsoft, Lawrence Muthanga said, “We see a great future for Africa. We have a lot of problems and data. What we lack are people who will sit in-between the two; knowing the problems and see the solutions from the data that are being created. With the skills that we have seen here, we are about to see a great change on the Continent”.

Solving local challenges

CEO, BlueChip Technologies Limited, Kazeem Tewogbade, explained why they are supporting DSN thus, “…we care about creating awareness. If you start early (from the University) to gain knowledge, the better of you becoming a specialist. So, if you come to the industry it will be easier for us to bring you in.

“Data Science is an ‘application technology’. In other words, you can apply it in any human endeavour like climate impact, banking, telecoms, even in government, either to optimise or improve the system.”

Speaking on why MainOne rewarded the ‘Best Female Data Scientist, the Company Product Manager, Mojide Aluko, said, “MainOne is a believer in developing the capacity of young Nigerians. MainOne believes that one of the greatest potentials Nigeria have is her people. With a population of about 200 million we understand that these people will be the wealth-builders of the nation.

Emo-Umeh-l-presents-Mr.-Agorithm-award-to-Rise-Adegun-support-by-Dr.-Adekunmbi-scaled

“Therefore, we need to develop the capacity of these people, especially the girl-child because MainOne also recognises that empowering a woman is a means to improve the family and the society at large.

“We are happy to associate with Data Science Nigeria (DSN) because we have seen the strives they have achieved in a matter of years”.

DSN is the fastest growing and the most organic, energetic Data Science Community- Retina-AI

The CEO, Retina-AI, Dr. Stephen Odaibo gave an assessment of DSN growth, describing them as fastest growing and the most organic, energetic Data Science Community in the world.

In his words, “So, in terms of Data Science Nigeria, I came in from Houston and have been involved with the team for a while, and in my assessment, DSN is the fastest growing and the most organic, energetic Data Science Community in the world. It is also a very organised, clearly focused idea in terms of the roadmap.

Cross section of participants

“The growth recorded has been strategic. Now, with the launching of the book on AI and python programming for elementary and junior secondary school students in Nigeria by Olubayo Adekanmbi, it is the first in Africa and one of the reference books in the world; only India and China have similar books in the past.

“That shows you that this is a movement in the right direction and when you look at the people the pre-qualification challenge that was done last year with 530 registrations, it is an exponential growth compared to 200 of last year.

“The impacts will continue to grow, especially with the AI invasion.

The data scientist role has evolved over the years. Ten years ago, the job title “data scientist” had just emerged, although companies had been working with data long before then.

Today, data scientists are doing the work of data analysis, management, and visualization, combined with statistics, engineering, and project management. Massive quantities of data are readily available, and data scientists can use machine learning models and statistical tools to draw inferences from the data.

 

 

 


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MTN Nigeria Debuts Game-Changing CPaaS Platform at NextNow Forum

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L-R: Febisola Oyeniyi, General Manager, Enterprise Sales, MTN Nigeria; Omotayo Ojutalayo, General Manager, Business Development, Enterprise Business, MTN Nigeria; Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head, Enterprise Segment, MTN Nigeria and Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head, SME Segment, MTN Nigeria, during the MTN NextNow Business Forum.
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At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.

L-R: Febisola Oyeniyi, General Manager, Enterprise Sales, MTN Nigeria; Omotayo Ojutalayo, General Manager, Business Development, Enterprise Business, MTN Nigeria; Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head, Enterprise Segment, MTN Nigeria and Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head, SME Segment, MTN Nigeria, during the MTN NextNow Business Forum.

Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface.

This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.

During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention.

These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.

Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”

The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences. They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.

The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.

The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.

The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.

As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.


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NCC, REA Move to Power Telecoms with Renewable Energy

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have teamed up to develop an initiative that will reduce the $350 million annual spending on diesel by telecom operators in Nigeria.

NCC, REA Move to Power Telecoms with Renewable Energy

According to a press statement  by Nnenna Ukoha, acting had of Public Affairs, NCC, this collaboration will focus on deploying renewable energy solutions to support telecom infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

To that end, the two agencies have inaugurated what they called NCC–REA Collaboration Committee, aimed at deploying renewable energy solutions to power telecom infrastructure across the country.

According to the State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2025 by the Africa Finance Corporation, telecom operators in Nigeria consume more than 40 million litres of diesel every month, costing them over $350 million annually.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Communications Commission has formally inaugurated the NCC–REA Collaboration Committee, marking a pivotal step towards advancing Nigeria’s digital and energy inclusion objectives by developing modalities for the deployment of renewable energy to support telecom infrastructure in Nigeria.”

The inauguration ceremony, held on Friday, at the NCC Headquarters in Abuja, was presided over by Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, NCC.

Maida was joined by Abba Aliyu, managing director of the REA, along with senior executives and committee members from both organisations.

Speaking at the event, Maida described the collaboration as a timely and strategic alignment of national priorities.

He noted that bridging the connectivity and power gaps in rural areas remains critical for Nigeria’s growth and development.

He highlighted that the demand for digital services and connected communities creates an opportunity for renewable energy to play a crucial role.

Maida further emphasised that the partnership goes beyond infrastructure; it is aimed at driving inclusion, reducing inequalities, and fostering shared prosperity.

“Whether it is powering a base station or enabling a child to access digital learning, this partnership has the potential to transform realities and bring opportunity closer to the people.

“This initiative is about more than infrastructure, it is about driving inclusion, bridging inequalities and creating the conditions for shared prosperity,” he was quoted in the statement.

He also noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to ensure no community is left behind in Nigeria’s energy and digital transformation.

Aliyu, representing REA, expressed confidence in the transformative potential of the collaboration.

“This partnership will unlock sustainable development opportunities for millions of Nigerians, especially those in areas lacking traditional infrastructure,” he said.

He further emphasised that the collaboration would address both energy and connectivity gaps, benefiting those who are currently underserved.

The newly established NCC-REA Collaboration Committee will work to co-develop and implement integrated solutions that leverage renewable energy to power telecom sites.

The statement noted that the committee will also focus on sharing geospatial data to improve planning, aligning funding frameworks, and tracking the socio-economic impact of the project through clear performance indicators.

 


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NCC Approves MTN, 9Mobile Roaming Collaboration Deal

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has announced the execution of a national roaming agreement with Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9Mobile), a move that signals a major milestone in Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape.

NCC Approves MTN, 9Mobile Roaming Collaboration Deal

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry’s regulatory authority, has approved the three-year deal, which allows 9Mobile subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN Nigeria’s extensive network infrastructure across the country.

The agreement, effective immediately, will significantly enhance connectivity and user experience for 9Mobile customers, particularly in areas where its network coverage is limited.

By leveraging MTN’s expansive infrastructure, 9Mobile can now offer improved service reach and reliability, without duplicating capital-intensive investments in network deployment.

In a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public, MTN Nigeria described the arrangement as a strategic collaboration that underscores its leadership in fostering innovation, industry cooperation, and operational efficiency.

The company emphasized that the initiative aligns with the NCC’s broader objective of promoting infrastructure sharing to improve telecommunications services nationwide.

“This agreement represents a significant step in our commitment to driving industry collaboration, improving customer experience, and supporting the NCC’s vision of a fully connected Nigeria,” said Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria.

“Delivering the scale required for telecommunications services in Nigeria requires strong collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and long-term investors. This agreement demonstrates what we can achieve when we collaborate, and we are delighted to announce it today after months of groundwork.”The national roaming deal enables subscribers from 9Mobile to access voice and data services through MTN’s network in areas where the former lacks adequate coverage.

This marks the first such large-scale, cross-network roaming arrangement between two major operators in Nigeria, setting a precedent for future cooperative efforts in the telecom industry.

MTN Nigeria highlighted that the agreement contributes to more effective use of telecommunications resources, reduces infrastructure duplication, and accelerates the expansion of mobile broadband access across underserved regions.

It also supports both operators’ sustainability objectives by maximizing existing investments and reducing the environmental impact of deploying overlapping network facilities.

“This strategic collaboration is yet another first in the country by MTN Nigeria and marks a significant milestone for the sustainability of the telecommunications industry,” the company stated.

“By enabling national roaming, MTN Nigeria is contributing to a more effective use of telecommunications resources and accelerating efforts to expand connectivity across the country.”

The agreement is expected to benefit not just subscribers and operators but also regulators and investors who have consistently advocated for policies that promote shared infrastructure and efficient capital utilization in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Uto Ukpanah,  company secretary, MTN Nigeria, affirmed the company’s ongoing dedication to initiatives that create shared value.

“MTN remains committed to fostering innovation and partnerships that create sustainable value for all stakeholders while promoting digital and financial inclusion nationwide,” she noted.

With the successful rollout of this agreement, the telecoms industry is expected to see improved service delivery and expanded access to quality mobile services, especially in rural and semi-urban communities. The collaboration sets a benchmark for future inter-operator partnerships and reinforces the importance of regulatory support in advancing national connectivity goals.

 

 

 

 


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