Broadcasting
Lanre Olaniyan Steps Down as MD of Omnicom Solutions
Lanre Olaniyan, one of Nigeria’s leading telecom executives, has stepped down from his position as the Managing Director of Omnicom Solutions Limited after 14 years of managing the company’s affairs.
Lanre Olaniyan, Omnicom Solutions Limited
Confirming the news on Monday, May 16, 2022, Olaniyan explained that contrary to the usual expectation, he did not quit the company but only decided to step aside to focus on other interests.
“I’m still part of the Omnicom team, and I only stepped aside as the MD. Knowing that I have given my best to Omnicom, I believe the stage is set for someone new to run the company and take it to greater heights while I sit on the board and give advisory support.
“I am still involved in the business; I am aware of its activities, and I continue to lend my know-how and industry influence to enable the growth of the organization” he explained.
Known for his private lifestyle, he further revealed that his decision to step aside had been reached for a while due to several reasons but was only made official in March 2022, describing the development as the latest good news from his over 15-year career in the Nigerian telecom sector, and expressing gratitude to God for the many successes the company achieved under his leadership.
While stressing that the company would remain focused on its vision, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) alumnus also provided a brief insight into its history.
“Omnicom is my brainchild; I came up with the idea in 2007, and I invited some of my friends to join me, and since then, I’d been the managing partner responsible for the day-to-day operation of the business. I like to see this new development as part of our growth as individuals and as a business,” he opined.
Olaniyan led Omnicom Solutions from its startup years into a multibillion-naira company with several projects in Nigeria and across the West African subregion, as revealed during its 10th anniversary in 2018.
“In the subsector where we work, we are one of the biggest. Pre-Covid, we had more than 500 staff, and even during-covid, while everybody was downsizing, we were hiring more, and we never stopped working throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I have poured my ideologies about how a company should be into Omnicom, and they have given us amazing results.
“Omnicom grew from a four-million-naira company to a multibillion-naira company, and I think we have done a lot already. Now, the company can only go higher and get bigger, and I believe I have built the foundation for that to happen.,” he said.
On his next move after Omnicom, Olaniyan said: “I am involved in many projects and other ventures, and some of those ventures need attention. They need nurturing, just as I did for Omnicom. So those are what I will be dedicating my time to, moving on.”
Mr. Olaniyan says he is passionately working on a tech solution that will help the Nigerian economy retain the foreign exchange that many of its over 48 million SMEs spend on retail software developed in other countries.
“We have created a solution that can help them do the same thing, better than those applications would do, and we are confident that business owners will find it as useful as we believe they will,” he added.
With a background in Electrical Engineering, Olanrewaju Olaniyan is also an alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin, where he got a Postgraduate Degree in Data Science and Business Analytics.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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