Telecom
Konga Jara: 12 Lucky Shoppers Enjoy VIP Treatment, Exclusive Mentorship by Ekeh, Zinox Boss, Others
It was a weekend of excitement, filled with a huge dose of useful business success tips and powerful insights from a carefully selected cast of resource persons and spiced with loads of fun and surprises as Konga, Nigeria’s leading e-commerce giant hosted 12 lucky shoppers to an all-expense paid weekend with the Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh.
Spanning from Friday, February 10 through Sunday, February 12, 2023, the 12 participants had been exposed to a series of mind-blowing and exciting initiatives which commenced from their arrival and reception at the grand Lagos Continental Hotel and culminated in a lunch date with Ekeh at his residence in the heart of Ikoyi, Lagos on the final day.
Tagged Knowledge Weekend, the 12 selected participants had been rewarded with the exclusive mentorship programme with Ekeh, a Forbes Best of Africa Leading Tech Icon, after emerging from a random pool of shoppers drawn from the recently concluded Konga Jara promotion. Among the list of 12 lucky shoppers that graced the exclusive weekend event are Mrs. Molayo Jebutu, Mr. Joshua Emmanuel, Mr. Olanrewaju Ogunkunle, Mr. Henry Idugala, Mr. Adeyemi Oyewale, Mrs. Stella Ezeonwuka, Mrs Sonia Omatedjor, Mr. Chris Godwin, Mr. Soliu Saad, Mrs. Amaka Michael, Mr. Olatomide Idowu and Mrs. Maureen Okeke.
Following their arrival to a VIP treatment at the five-star Lagos Continental Hotel on Friday evening, the management of Konga had proceeded to surprise the guests with a welcome package delivered to their respective rooms, setting the tone for what turned out to be a weekend of delightful surprises and treats for the beneficiaries. A sumptuous buffet dinner soon followed suit, bringing a fitting end to proceedings for the day.
Saturday, February 11, 2023 opened with an intense aerobics session involving the guests in the hotel gym. This was supervised by a certified fitness instructor who put the participants through their paces. From there, the lucky shoppers were hosted to a smart breakfast in the hotel before being conveyed in a custom-fitted limousine bus to the imposing Yudala Heights on Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, venue of the day’s activities. From here on, it was a roller-coaster ride of extensive learnings as a rich faculty of resource persons took turns to deliver masterclasses for the benefit of the guests.
The highly interactive masterclasses cut across personal financial planning delivered by Okezie Akaniro, Senior Vice President, Konga Group and a finishing school expertly imparted by Managing Director, Task Systems Ltd., Mrs. Gozy Ijogun.
Also exciting the guests was a thought-provoking session on the link between discipline and goals/results presented by Dr. Anthony Oguike. A Mechanical Engineer by profession but an entrepreneur, innovator and a philanthropist at heart, Dr. Oguike is the the Founder and current Group Managing Director, The Future Concerns Group, a group of productive and well-respected companies specializing in corporate HSE and Oilfield Engineering Services within the Oil, Gas and Allied Industry.
Also featuring was Chief Operating Officer (COO), Konga Group, Dave Omoriege, who took the guests through the remarkable story of Konga’s rise to dominance in the Nigerian e-commerce space.
The high point of Saturday’s learnings was a much-awaited session with Ekeh, the Zinox Chairman, who exposed guests to the New Mega Wealth, a major topic of interest for the participants. Ekeh’s engagement with the guests formed the theme of further expositions on Sunday at his residence where the selected participants received additional insights on new/potential business ideas and success tips for navigating the pitfalls-ridden landscape of the contemporary business space.
Meanwhile, Saturday night heralded another surprise for the lucky Konga shoppers as they were treated to a VIP night-out at a high-brow lounge in Victoria Island. It was a time for the guests to make merry and unwind to premium entertainment, marked by choice wine and food in an atmosphere of utmost conviviality, fun and leisure.
With Sunday morning came breakfast in the hotel and a trip to Ekeh’s residence where a prayer session opened up the day’s proceedings. Thereafter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Konga Group, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh anchored a lively feedback session with the guests.
Afterwards, the concluding part of the direct engagement with the Zinox Chairman took centre stage, culminating in a special lunch date which featured meals recommended by a dietician. Before departure, the 12 lucky shoppers were treated to another surprise, with each of them receiving a high-specs tablet courtesy of Ekeh.
Expressing their gratitude to the management of Konga for the weekend treat, the guests took turns to heap praises on the e-commerce brand, while also hailing the Zinox Chairman for sparing time from his schedule to personally mentor them.
‘‘I am so excited. It’s been a very beautiful and amazing experience and I am grateful to Konga for the opportunity. By and large, my experience from this event cannot be quantified,’’ said Mr. Ogunkunle, one of the participants.
Another participant, Mr. Henry Idugala was effusive in citing the engagements with Ekeh as a major highlight. ‘‘We got to hear from one of the great captains of industry first-hand on his own personal values, principles and even some advice that we can take to ensure that we live the best life,’’ he disclosed.
Also speaking was Mrs. Ezeonwuka. ‘‘I consider it a privilege to be honoured by Konga with this all-expense paid weekend. Wonderful! It was extremely wonderful. I had value added and I am so happy. I look forward to this again and again.’’
The winners were selected randomly from shoppers who participated in the recently concluded edition of the Konga Jara promotion which ran from Tuesday December 13, 2022 till Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The mentorship programme, an initiative of Konga Kares, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Konga Group, is part of efforts to empower budding entrepreneurs with the right business success tips and strategies to create new wealth in the 21st Century.
Samsung Electronics has laid off hundreds of employees in its United States consumer electronics business as part of a headquarters relocation from New Jersey to Texas, amid mounting pressure on its mobile and home appliance divisions.
The South Korean technology giant said Samsung Electronics America (SEA) would relocate its headquarters to Texas, a move affecting 739 positions in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
The company said most affected employees had been offered relocation packages, while others were laid off.
In Plano, Texas, about 100 employees, including workers in Samsung’s mobile division, were also dismissed, according to a source familiar with the development.
Samsung said the relocation could lead to workforce changes involving employees unable to relocate and the restructuring of certain functions to align with business priorities.
Documents cited by Reuters indicated that affected employees were informed on June 30 of an enterprise-wide workforce reduction that would have a significant impact on staff.
Several employees also disclosed their departures through posts on LinkedIn, including senior sales and marketing executives based in Texas and New Jersey.
The layoffs come despite Samsung’s semiconductor division recording strong growth driven by rising global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
The company recently projected a 19-fold increase in second-quarter profit, supported by booming AI-related chip sales, and announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in expanding chip manufacturing.
However, Samsung’s consumer electronics business continues to struggle with higher semiconductor costs and increasing competition.
Its mobile division is expected to record its first-ever operating loss as it faces stiff competition from Apple, while Chinese brands, including TCL and Hisense, continue to gain market share in the television and home appliance segments.
Industry observers say the contrasting performance highlights Samsung’s growing reliance on its semiconductor business as consumer electronics revenues weaken.
Samsung denied reports of a broader global restructuring, insisting there was no company-wide overhaul of its consumer products division.
According to the company, relocating its U.S. headquarters is intended to improve collaboration and strengthen operations within Texas’ expanding technology and AI ecosystem.
Texas has increasingly attracted major technology companies due to its lower taxes and business-friendly environment, with firms such as Tesla and Oracle also relocating significant operations to the state.
Samsung already operates semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Texas, alongside its mobile operations hub in Plano.
As of the end of 2025, Samsung Electronics employed about 11,770 workers across the United States, including staff in its semiconductor business.
Meanwhile, Samsung SDS America, the company’s IT services affiliate, has also notified authorities that 179 positions could be affected by the relocation of its North American headquarters, although Samsung said the move was unrelated to layoffs or corporate restructuring.
Telecom
NCC Urges African Unity Ahead of ITU 2026 Conference, Calls for Stronger Telecom Collaboration
Nigerian Communications Commission has urged African countries to adopt a unified and technically coordinated position ahead of the 2026 International Telecommunication Union Conference, saying stronger regional collaboration is essential for the continent to influence global telecommunications and digital economy policies.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the African Telecommunications Union Conference Preparatory Committee meeting.
Maida said Africa must strengthen cooperation to shape global telecommunications and digital economy policies, noting that the two-day meeting was expected to produce greater continental alignment ahead of ITU 2026, establish practical collaboration mechanisms between conferences and sustain Africa’s technical participation in ITU processes.
“Preparation is not a procedural step; it is the place where coherence is built,” he said. “Africa must prepare together, work together and arrive at global forums with solutions that are both coherent and technically compliant.”
He said the committee would review the ATU’s activities between 2023 and 2026 and prepare agenda items, resolutions, decisions and recommendations for the 18th Conference of the Union.
According to him, while the forthcoming ATU conference will determine the direction of the continental body, the ITU conference will shape global telecommunications leadership and priorities.
Maida stressed that Africa’s influence at international forums would depend less on the size of its delegations than on the quality of its preparation, the coherence of its positions and consistency in advancing them.
He identified spectrum management, artificial intelligence governance, data protection, universal access, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure development as priority areas requiring stronger collaboration among African countries.
“No administration can address these challenges effectively in isolation. Our regulatory cooperation must therefore become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalised,” he said.
The NCC boss also called for greater support for African experts to participate actively in technical discussions where international standards and frameworks are developed.
“Our objective in Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities,” he added.
He commended the leadership of the African Telecommunications Union for strengthening the coordination of Africa’s positions at the ITU and other international platforms.
Maida reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the ITU process through technical expertise, regulatory experience sharing and peer learning among African administrations.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, described the meeting as critical to advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
He said the committee’s recommendations would provide the foundation for decisions at the forthcoming ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries and expressed confidence that the deliberations would strengthen the union’s capacity to promote inclusive and sustainable digital development across the continent.
“As we navigate an era of rapid technological advancement and digital innovation, the importance of collaboration among member states has never been greater,” Gagare said.
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the ATU, John Omo, said the Conference Preparatory Committee plays a vital role in processing documents and proposals ahead of the main conference to enable member states to adopt common positions.
Omo disclosed that the union’s membership had increased from 49 to 52 countries, while associate membership had risen from 50 to 56, with 18 African academic institutions now participating in its activities.
He said the ATU had recorded progress in broadband development, satellite communications, spectrum coordination, internet governance, rural broadband, standardisation and digital infrastructure resilience.
However, he expressed concern over irregular financial contributions by some member states, warning that predictable funding remained essential for implementing the union’s programmes effectively.
Omo added that the forthcoming conference would elect members of the Administrative Council and a Secretary-General for the 2027–2031 tenure.
He commended the Federal Government, the NCC and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for hosting the preparatory meeting, which brought together representatives of African countries, academia, sector members and development partners to discuss the continent’s telecommunications and digital future.
News
NITDA Communications Director Hadiza Umar Named in 2026 PR Power List, Graces Glazia Magazine Cover
Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director of the Corporate Communications and Media Relations Department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has been officially recognised as one of Nigeria’s top public relations professionals in the prestigious 2026 PR Power List.
The definitive annual list, compiled by GLG Communications in partnership with The Guardian, was unveiled to commemorate World PR Day.
It celebrates 50 outstanding professionals within Nigeria and the diaspora whose strategic communication strategies have significantly shaped organisations, influenced public discourse, and advanced the profession over the past 12 months.
Adding to the momentous milestone, Mrs. Umar was hit with a major surprise at the exclusive PR Power List Soirée and Awards ceremony held at the Alliance Française in Ikoyi, Lagos, where she was unveiled as a front-cover personality for the Glazia Magazine PR Power List Special Issue.
The double recognition highlights her exceptional distinction and impact in public sector communications and narrative management.
Speaking on the dual achievement, Mrs. Umar expressed profound gratitude for the honours, describing the magazine cover appearance as a breathtaking surprise.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be recognized on the 2026 PR Power List and to feature on the cover of Glazia Magazine alongside other exceptional industry titans,” Umar said.
“This milestone is a testament to the enabling environment and visionary leadership of the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, which has allowed us to strategically drive the narrative of Nigeria’s digital economy and technological innovation.”
Mrs. Umar, a highly respected corporate communications strategist, holds professional fellowships in the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (Chartered), the African Public Relations Association (APRA), and the Institute of Corporate Administration (CICA).
Under her supervisory role, NITDA’s media relations have consistently projected national information technology frameworks, start-up support frameworks, and digital literacy initiatives, to position Nigeria competitively on the global stage.
The 2026 PR Power List selection process involved a rigorous, independent evaluation led by a distinguished international jury.
The organisers noted that the class of 2026 represents professionals raising the standard of strategic communications and introducing new ideas to the industry.
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