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Ispon Taps Mba-Uzoukwu to Lead NCS

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The next president of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) may emerge from the software professional domain going by the strong endorsement of the candidature of Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, the former country manager, Microsoft Nigeria by Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (Ispon).

Ispon, the apex body of computer software and related services industry in Nigeria said that after series of productive deliberations, it has been acclaimed that there exists no better time than now for the Nation to concretely address her software challenge and to ensure that Software Nigeria is positioned at the helm of leadership of the affairs at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS).

According to Ispon, the immense contribution of software can be seen in virtually every sector of the economy; software can rightly be said to be the driving force of the global IT business, governance, education and industry.

Above all, it is fuelled by an explosion of ideas leading to creative thoughts and translated into solutions applicable in all aspects of our daily lives.

In endorsing Mba-Uzoukwu as the next president of the NCS at the next  national conference holding in Iloko, Osun State, July 24, Ispon said that emergence of professional software personality as the leader of NCS is long overdue, judging by its unwavering support to previous contributions to NCS affairs at all levels of engagement in the past 12 years.

Ispon also said that it has had expert contribution and wise counsel leading to several ground breaking and innovative ideas that have led to the advancement of the NCS in no small measure.

“Ispon, as a founding member of NCS and national advocate of software Nigeria at her recent council meeting has endorsed the personality of a seasoned software professional in the person of Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, the former country manager, Microsoft Nigeria for the esteemed office of the President of Nigeria Computer Society” the association said.

Mba-Uzoukwu , is presently secretary general of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria and as a Fellow of NCS and managing director of InfoGraphics Nigeria Ltd, has severally been recognized for pioneering many innovative solutions especially in multimedia technology as a strategic tool for business growth.

Through Microsoft best-practices, InfoGraphics was awarded two prestigious awards – the 2005 Microsoft Partner of the Year for Enterprise Solutions and Regional Partner of the Year (Nigeria/Ghana).

Global recognition inevitably followed with the Regional Winner, Microsoft Worldwide Partner 2006 Awards and most recently with Microsoft Worldwide Partner of the Year 2010 Award to consolidate its position as a foremost software design firm in the country and the leading Information Worker and Collaborative Portals solutions provider in West Africa.

Mba-Uzoukwu is also chairman of eShekels Nigeria,  an ICT research and market intelligence company and First Principles Consulting, a business process and automation firm.

He is on the board of several other organisations including Nigeria’s leading media monitoring agency, Content and Compliance Monitoring Limited (CCM).

Mba-Uzoukwu has served as a key adviser to governments on Information Ecology and Strategic IT e.g.

Member, Presidential Taskforce on Cybercrime and Cyber-Security. Member, Board of Trustees and Secretary, Technical Sub-Committee of the Nigeria Software Development Initiative (2006).

Technical Adviser , Inter-Ministerial Committee on Microsoft Africa Global Leaders Forum (2009). Member, National Software Policy Committee (NSPC) (2010).

Member, Ministerial Committee, National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy(2012).

Member, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Working Group on collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

Mba-Uzoukwu is a notable public speaker at numerous local and international events on a diverse range of topics including: “Software Process and Product Improvement” – 28th July, 2011, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) 10th International Conference, ITePED 2011 Abuja.

“Digital Media and the new Central Bank”, CBN 2013 Content Managers’ Retreat, Enugu. Financing The Development of  IT Local Content Product And Services Global Best Practices, e-Nigeria 2012, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Speaker/Facilitator, NNPC Strategy Review Retreat. Nicon Luxury. Abuja.  10th – 12th December 2010 Local Content in ICT Development in Nigeria, e-Nigeria 2012. The Creative Industry – an Exemplar of Innovation as a National Capability, The BOBTV Conference, Sheraton Towers, Abuja, March 2012.

 Interactive Media in an Era of Broadband -Capitalising on the Many Dimensions of Convergence for Explosive Growth”, The BOBTV Conference on New Media, New Ideas, New Possibilities, Sheraton Towers, Abuja, March 2011. considerations on digital media for a renascent Nigeria, BOBTV Conference Sheraton Towers, Abuja, March 2010.

Microsoft in Nigeria: Catalysing and Partnering to Build the New Economy; e-Nigeria 2008. Internet Governance – Where is Nigeria?, 27th November 2008,National Workshop On Internet Governance , National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja.

Mba-Uzoukwu has also in the past served variously as Chairman, NISE 2006 Planning Committee Organising Committee, Chairman, NCS Working Group on 2012 NCS -Shell Workshop Technical Committee Meeting, amongst others in addition to his current duties as General Secretary, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON).
He is a Fellow of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), a Council Member of the Institute of Software practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) and a member of Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).


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E-Business

Wema Bank Launches Second FGN-ALAT Digital ‘Skillnovation’ Cohort

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Wema Bank has launched the second cohort for the FGN-ALAT Digital Skillnovation Programme in partnership with the Federal Government to train and equip two million young people and 1 million MSMEs across Nigeria with relevant digital skills.

Since the launch of the first cohort in 2023, over 300,000 youths and business owners have leveraged the platform as a launchpad for their business and career success.

This cohort featured 100% virtual learning sessions through which participants from the 36 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were provided with self-paced online learning experiences.

As cohort 2 begins in the second quarter of 2024, the FGN-ALAT digital programme is officially transitioning to physical training sessions and the curriculum will cover key digital skills including software engineering, product management, business analysis, cloud computing and product design, among others.

This phase of the programme will be executed via FGN-ALAT digital hubs, which will be set up in the different states across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to ensure that every Nigerian can access the programme’s full benefits regardless of their location.

These hubs will be equipped with training and incubation facilities ideal for digital-driven learning, giving participants the opportunity to acquire marketable and transferrable digital skills and gain a competitive edge in the global digital ecosystem.

The FGN-ALAT digital hubs will be set up in phases and trainings will commence accordingly, starting with Borno  and Anambra State.

Wema Bank’s Executive Director of Retail and Digital Business, Tunde Mabawonku, emphasised the pivotal role of the programme in bridging the gaps in Nigeria’s macroeconomic landscape towards national development.

“We are unwavering in our commitment to supporting MSMEs and with the FGN-ALAT Digital Skillnovation Programme, it’s all about the bigger picture—which is why we have partnered with the Federal Government to augment the scale of this programme’s impact.

“By tailoring this programme to suit the needs of both entrepreneurial minded and professionally inclined Nigerians, we are not just arming SMEs for more efficient business management and growth, we are also equipping Nigeria’s workforce for increased productivity and the ripple effect will not only create more viable employment opportunities for Nigerians towards reduced unemployment and underemployment rates, but further drive economic growth and national development, boosting Nigeria’s position on the global playing field.

“The digital evolution is moving sporadically and by empowering our youth and MSMEs with in-demand digital skills, we are ensuring that Nigeria is not left behind as the world evolves.

“Beyond the intellectual resources and other non-monetary opportunities, we are going a step further to provide financial support for these participants in form of millions of naira in equity capital, soft loans and grants, to enable them put their learnings to practice and build sustainable streams of income that could help them become employers in their own right.

“I encourage you to take the big step forward in achieving your business and career goals by joining the programme. All you have to do is visit the website to register. This programme is completely free and there’s more than enough room for you. Your success is Nigeria’s success and as your unique journey unravels, our promise remains certain,” he said.

Referring to the programme as an eye-opener for all, Mariam Isah, a beneficiary of Cohort 1, said, “It’s almost unbelievable all I’ve learnt in one month virtual training.

“I started this training simply looking for a way forward for my business but I have unlocked secrets that are life changing not just in my business but in all aspects of life. I am so grateful for this rare opportunity, and I can’t wait to be a part of the cohort 2.”


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StarNews, Global Black Economic Forum Launch Business Competition In Partnership with MTN & USAID

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Africa’s leading video streaming platform, StarNews Mobile and the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), have announced a call for applications for the launch of their Business Competition in Lagos, Nigeria.

Held in partnership with MTN and United Nations Agency for International Development (USAID), the initiative will empower Nigeria’s most promising businesses that are classified as Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with invaluable investment and partnership opportunities from the USA.

Held over 10 weeks between April 8th to June 14th, hosted exclusively on the StarNews Biz Channel on the StarNews platform, this competition offers a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to showcase their ventures and gain national visibility.

With subscribers voting for their favourite candidates, the top 20 contestants will seize the spotlight and make their mark on the business landscape.

The StarNews Business Competition in partnership with GBEF delivers a unique opportunity for thriving Nigerian SMEs to access mentoring, funding, partnerships and socio-economic development tools through the Global Black Economic Forum.

With the prospect of securing cash prizes through StarNews worth up to NGN5,000,000, getting access to StarNews’s network of investors and the opportunity to gain national visibility by having their business on the StarNews web platform.

The top three winners will also receive coaching from GBEF’s Academy for Advancing Excellence and become part of GBEF’s ecosystem of global leaders committed to social and economic justice across the Black Diaspora.

Previous speakers at GBEF convenings from the entertainment sector include Wyclef Jean (Haitian Musician & Activist), Debra Lee (Former CEO of Black Entertainment Television – BET) and Ceci Kurzman (Founder of Nexus Management Group). Applications will close on April 5th 2024.

Speaking on the competition’s launch, Guy Kamgaing, Founder and CEO at StarNews Mobile, says “The StarNews Business Competition is a passion project close to our hearts at StarNews Mobile.

It’s about discovering the most promising business entrepreneurs and creators in Nigeria, opening up global opportunities for them and providing them with the resources and tools to achieve their goals.

By partnering with MTN, USAID and GBEF, we want to be a platform of empowerment for these SMEs by helping them give back to the communities that are supporting them.”

According to the US Embassy and Consulate for Nigeria, over 80% of Nigerian startups are incorporated in the United States and more than 60% of venture capital funding in Nigerian startups accounted for by the US.

In 2023 alone, Nigerian startups raised a total of $398mn however, this signalled a 66% funding decline compared to 2022 due to the global economic downturn, reinforcing the massive need for a fresh injection of capital and business support for Nigeria’s emerging SMEs.

Alphonso David, President and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum notes that, “Our partnership with StarNews Mobile is a critical resource as we continue to build the collective strength of entrepreneurship across the Diaspora.

“Building a sustainable ecosystem of Black entrepreneurs in the United States and across the African continent is essential to create a future that makes economic opportunity and economic freedom a reality for all.”

A sister company to ESSENCE, GBEF advances its work by convening global summits and conferences, bringing together world leaders, business leaders, entrepreneurs, celebrities and civic leaders to address the most challenging problems facing our communities.

GBEF’s Academy for Advancing Excellence facilitates workforce and leadership development strategy, addressing the talent pipeline & employee lifecycle, providing leadership development & coaching, and conducting institutional assessments & research.

GBEF also develops and implements economic and social justice policy recommendations with partners ranging from civil and human rights organisations to government entities and corporations that advocate for economic opportunity, social justice, and health equity through thought leadership, advocacy and litigation.

Launched in 2017, StarNews Mobile empowers African content creators with the unique opportunity to monetize their work through a subscription model, boasting over 4 million subscribers and a thriving community of more than 120 content creators.

With a strong presence across six countries including Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire, Congo, Benin and Ghana, the platform has also established key partnerships with major telecom operators such as MTN and Orange.

To-date, StarNews Mobile has secured over $8mn in funding with its most recent raise – a $3mn pre-Series A funding round in October 2023 – led by Janngo Capital with participation from French football players Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jules Koundé and Mike Maignan.

 


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Companies Invest More than $100,000 Yearly to Upskill their Cybersecurity Teams – Study Reveals

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Over 70% of businesses pay more than USD $100,000 for additional training annually to keep skills of their cybersecurity employees up to date, a recent global Kaspersky study has revealed.

However, the surveyed companies also highlighted that there was a lack of relevant courses covering new challenging spheres in the educational market and stated that training does not always bring them the expected result.

In its recent study ‘The portrait of the modern Information Security professional’, Kaspersky examined the topic of the global cybersecurity staff shortage, analysing the exact reasons businesses lack cybersecurity experts, and identifying the ways they evaluate and upskill their cybersecurity workforce¹.

According to the research, companies are investing significant amounts in upskilling their cybersecurity teams: 43% of organisations globally say they usually spend between $100,000 and $200,000 per year on information security courses, while 31% even invest over $200,000 for training programs. The remaining 26% state they usually pay less than $100,000 for educational initiatives².

However, cybersecurity practitioners also note that the educational market is struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing industry and fail to deliver the necessary training programs on time.

Survey results for the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa (META) region shows that the scarcity of courses covering new challenging spheres (48%) was the main problem for those searching for cybersecurity training.

50% of respondents from the META region also stated that trainees tend to forget what they learned because they had no opportunity to apply newly acquired knowledge, therefore the courses were useless to them.

The need for special training pre-requisites such as coding and advanced mathematics, which were not specified at the pre-registration stage were also problematic for 37% of practitioners from the META region.

“With a constantly evolving threat landscape, businesses should continually improve the skills of their cybersecurity personnel in order to be well prepared for sophisticated cyberattacks.

“Developing high-profile specialists within the company and building internal expertise can be an effective strategy for organisations that aim to retain existing employees and allow them to grow professionally, instead of constantly hunting for new candidates and checking their professional backgrounds and practical skills.

“For organisations served by Managed Service Providers it is also important to maintain a pretty high level of expertise internally and use the same language when discussing the scope of services and Service Level Agreement with them,” comments Veniamin Levtsov, VP, Center of Corporate Business Expertise at Kaspersky.


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