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Nigeria Needs Broadband Connectivity – Van Schalkwyk
Jacques Van Schalkwyk, general manager Sub-Saharan Africa at Intel Corp has emphasized the need for government to pay attention to broadband connectivity by making sure that the right regulatory environment is put in place with the right spectrums and bandwidths being allocated. He said also that the right policies should be made around education.
Schalkwyk, observed the hunger and high desire for the adoption of new technologies in Nigeria and said Intel as a matter of fact is ready to collaborate a lot more with both the private and public sector in a bid to jointly tackle some of the big issues than what had been seen in the past. Looking at it from the usage models perspective, Schalkwyk said “you will observe that this is also evolving. For instance, media delivery over the Internet is becoming a reality.”
“Nigeria is increasingly becoming a more focused usable society as well for people to communicate with relatives abroad or business people to exchange ideas. But there are some challenges like credit systems being in state of instability. However, there is somewhere to go. In general, I think the feedback I am getting is that the latest technologies are being implemented; there is really the intent for that change to happen. And people are striving step by step forward to drive change”, Schalkwyk disclosed
Speaking on competition, he said mobile is going very fast and that mobile technology market will continue to grow. The overall growth even in a fairly tight environment and the available market according to him is becoming impressive and promising. He said this year was a particularly tough year everywhere in the world but, there have been good signs of recovery, even in Nigeria believing that the growth and transformation are as a result of the adoption of technology all over the world.
Van Schalkwyk explained Intel’s involvement in corporate social responsibility and said there is a component of corporate social responsibility in Intel as it is essentially a company that is concerned about the well-being of the communities where it operates. At the same time, he said if you look at the activities they are involved in, you notice they are drivers for ICT adoption and growth. “At the end of the day, ICT adoption means more PCs being sought. So I think it is creating the man and also doing the right thing. It is good business because it has to do with human development.” he said.
Keeping afloat in the era of economic recession, Schalkwyk foresees demand especially in the consumer market coming back worldwide saying there are two drivers of this new development. First, according to him are the new users coming to the Internet, and that is what we mean by connecting the next one billion people; people who never owned laptops before, who are buying new laptops into their homes.
Another component, he said obviously is a very fresh market. There are a number of reasons for people to do that which are hinged on usage models, the process in demand behind those usage models. Just look at the digital camera for instance; every year new cameras come with higher mega pixels. Video conferencing is becoming a reality. People are skyping. We shall continue to see new people come into the Internet. We shall continue to see new usage models evolving for that niche technology. Intel will continue to invest in future technologies.
How do you react to Intel’s domination of the market?
We certainly do not see ourself intensely dominating but we do compete rather fairly. And as we drive new technologies, we want to be leaders, help in developing communities and continue to sponsor programmes that will encourage and promote technology adoption.
How committed is government in all of these partnerships?
Like every other place in the world, government has so much money to spend at any given time. Everybody would want to have a government that is rich enough. With my experience in Nigeria working with the government, it is not deliberate for the government to delay in the adoption of technology. One area I think we have to look at and which needs attention and acceleration, is broadband connectivity. We should make sure that the right regulatory environment is put in place and that the right spectrums and bandwidths are allocated. We should make sure too that the right policies are made around education. Those are some of the challenges that cannot be tackled overnight.
How successful is the Computer for All Nigerians initiative (CANi)?
CANi is successful and continues to run; I can’t be specific about the volumes behind it. The programme is up and running. But I don’t think that should be an indicator of the slowdown within technology adoption because we see a share of our business which was traditionally a government thing shifting; and of course the revenue shifting towards the consumer. At the end of the day, the CANi products will end up in the hands of the consumer.
At the time CANi was launched, there were no PC retail shops in the country but all that has changed now as you can now see retail shops selling PCs. This you couldn’t see about four years ago. It has now become a consumer market. And if that is the end result then, CANi has done a good job.
Intel is always upgrading its products, why is this so?
Technology has increased in performance and the price over the years has actually dropped. Certainly, new technologies have benefited the consumer. The reason why we are still in business is because we bring out new technologies. Companies who do not innovate, who do not maintain leadership, how can they expect competition, which is the core of business? And there is a specific need for that evolution. There is an absolute need to continuously innovate.
Sir Stanley Amuchie, chief operations and information officer, Fidelity Bank Plc has been named “Outstanding Banker of the Year” for his incisive record of digital transformation in the financial sector.
Sir Stanley Amuchie,
He was crowned at Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Lectures and Awards, held at the weekend in Lagos.
Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Lectures and Awards, is an annual, highly respected event in Nigeria’s technology sector organized by Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.
The awards recognize and celebrate organizations, public authorities, and individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to digital transformation and ICT growth across the continent.
Amuchie bagged “Outstanding Banker of the Year” according to the organizers for being one of Nigeria’s most accomplished and sought-after financial executive and technocrat.
He graduated as a First-Class student in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Benin and holds a Master’s degree in Corporate Governance from Leeds Beckett University in the UK.
With over two decades of experience, he is currently the executive director/chief operations & Information Fidelity Bank Plc.
Amuchie started his career at Arthur Andersen, Lagos, Nigeria (now KPMG Professional Services) in September 1995 where he rose to the level of a Senior manager before exiting the organization in February 2000 to work in the banking industry.
He had earlier been the General Manager/Group Zonal Head, Zenith Bank Plc. Prior to this position, he was in Financial Control & Strategic Planning Department of the Bank from February 2000 to May 2018 where he rose to the rank of Group Chief Financial Officer of the Bank.
In addition to his then responsibilities, he was a Director of Zenith Nominees Limited, a global Custody Subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc.
He was at various times in-charge of the co-ordination of the Group’s Foreign Operations and Real Estate Operations.
Prior to the Bank’s election to operate as a Commercial bank with foreign authorization, he held the following positions in the subsidiaries of the Bank; Chairman – Zenith Securities Limited; Director – Zenith Trustees Ltd, Director – Zenith Bureau De Change Ltd.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), and an
Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Banker’s of Nigeria (HCIB).
He has attended various local and foreign Leadership courses in institutions like
Insead Business School in France and Harvard Business School in USA. Currently, he is an Executive Director Chief of Operations and Information Fidelity Bank PLC.
He is the Founder/President of The Goodlight Foundation.
Pan-African talent accelerator ALX is expanding its footprint and shifting to a fully self-paced learning model to train and integrate young Africans into the workforce, as the global economy reorganises around artificial intelligence (AI).
Partnering with the MasterCard Foundation, the technology training provider and career accelerator designed to equip African talent, says it enables learners to access tech training for $5 a month.
It emphasises a shift in demographics saying that by 2035, more young Africans will enter the workforce annually.
ALX notes that its model has graduated 347,100 learners, with 63% finding employment within six months. Women represent over half of all graduates. To increase flexibility, the organisation emphasises that learning is now entirely self-paced.
“Learners progress through modular blocks, earning credentials as they go, ensuring that the training fits around their existing responsibilities,” says Shana-Michelle Rabonda, Chief Operating Officer of ALX.
Rabonda adds that global employers are taking notice: “We are building a direct pipeline to the global digital economy. When companies look for elite tech talent, they are looking at Africa.”
Due to this demand, firms such as Absa, Stanbic Bank, MTN, and KPMG now employ between 50 and 180 ALX graduates each. Meanwhile, community entrepreneurs have created over 60,100 jobs through AI startups like Signvrse and Edulga.
With Africa’s AI market projected to grow to $16.5 billion by 2030, ALX operates alongside competitors like Moringa School and GoMyCode to secure mindshare.
“With the right skills and networks, young Africans can seize these opportunities,” Rabonda emphasises. “Africa’s youth should not just be consumers of AI; they should be creators shaping innovations that will define the global economy.”
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the advertisement of a winding-up petition filed against telecommunications service provider, Swift Network Plc, over its alleged inability to settle a debt exceeding N115 million.
The order followed an application filed by Optics and Wireless Limited through its counsel, Bimbo Adebayo-Ogunlaja, urging the court to permit the publication of the winding-up petition instituted against the company.
In the petition, Optics and Wireless Limited alleged that Swift Network Plc is indebted to it in the sum of N115,482,302.88, being the outstanding payment for network devices supplied to the telecommunications firm since April 2024.
The petitioner is also seeking the payment of N70,530,062 as accrued interest arising from a loan facility allegedly obtained to finance the transaction between both parties, as well as general damages for breach of contract.
According to court documents, the dispute arose from a series of transactions carried out between April 2024 and February 2025, during which Swift Network Plc, through its procurement officer, allegedly requested the petitioner to manufacture and supply various network devices based on purchase orders issued by the company.
The petitioner stated that payment for the supplied items was expected either immediately after delivery or within 30 days of supply, but alleged that Swift Network repeatedly failed to honour the agreement despite receiving the products.
Optics and Wireless Limited further claimed that it became apparent after the final order for servers in April 2025 that the respondent was either unwilling or unable to settle the accumulated debt.
The petitioner also informed the court that its solicitors, Messrs Zionla Legal Practitioners & Solicitors, subsequently issued a statutory notice of demand dated December 11, 2025, demanding payment of the outstanding sum and accrued interest.
According to the petitioner, all efforts to recover the debt proved unsuccessful, adding that the situation has exposed the company to serious financial challenges and possible legal action from the bank that allegedly granted it the loan facility used to execute the supply contracts.
Optics and Wireless Limited argued that Swift Network Plc is insolvent and unable to meet its financial obligations, urging the court to wind up the company in line with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act and the Winding-Up Rules.
Among the reliefs sought, the petitioner asked the court to order that Swift Network Plc be wound up by the court and that any voluntary winding-up process involving the company should continue under the supervision of the court.
Justice Lewis Allagoa subsequently adjourned the matter till July 10 for further hearing.
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