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Marketplace Africa Meets Nigerian Tech Company Boosting Digital Inclusion
In the latest edition of Marketplace Africa, Wale Ajisebutu, CEO, 21st Century Technologies, talks about how building digital infrastructure in Nigeria is top of mind for his company and how partnering with tech giants can grow the region’s wider economy.
“Data is generated and consumed and is increasing in an exponential rate. We want to play a key role in the fourth industrial revolution in this part of the world.”
Ajisebutu ventured into telecoms after a chance encounter, “I decided to go into telecoms by chance. I had a discussion with one of the richest men and he said, it will be good if I can adopt technology to solve problems in Nigeria. That was 25 years ago.”
21st Century is an infrastructure company providing services to the top 1000 companies in Nigeria, with the objective to solve critical industry problems for industries and create motivated talent and skilled workforce.
“Poverty in this part of the world is now defined by access to technology, technology instead of geography. What we want to do is to make technology available to everyone in this part of the world. That’s part of the training. If you train them, they have access to technology, you can lift them out of poverty.”
Ajisebutu describes what it takes to have a successful Nigerian business, “There’s no challenge anywhere especially in Nigeria where you can do anything to make a difference.
“The opportunity is there for you. If there is no power, you generate your own power. If there is no water, you invest in whatever facilities you need to get water. If you do the right thing in Nigeria, the sky will be the limit.”
Having invested heavily in all facets of technology, from 5G deployment to supporting GSM operators in Nigeria, the company is modernising and making sure that the platform is able to meet all customer requirements.
21st Century Technologies’ has just opened an academy with one vision – to train ten million Africans in the next ten years. The surrounding ecosystem includes funding and partner universities such as Schneider University and Oracle university.
“Data is generated and consumed and is increasing at an exponential rate. We want to play a key role in the fourth industrial revolution in this part of the world,” says Ajisebutu. In the upcoming months, the company will continue to build infrastructure.
“One of the things that we are planning to do is to launch our own satellite so that we can reach as many people as possible in Africa and ensure that they have access to technology,” he says.
He concludes by saying, “I’ll be very happy in hundred years’ time if 21st Century Technologies continues to solve problems for the industries, whatever problem comes, because that’s the reason why we were created – to provide services and to continue to solve problems. We’re evolving to solve bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger problems in future.”
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Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
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As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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