Telecom
Nweke Urges FG to Honour Late Engr Olawale Ige
A call has been made to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy for the naming of the corporate headquarters of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) after the former pioneer Minister of Communications, late Engr. Olawale Adeniji Ige.
This call was contained in an address presented at the public unveiling of the latest industry book: Sagacity of a digital revolution by Remmy Nweke by the author, while welcoming guests to the event co-hosted with the 2022 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance Forum at the Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.
Nweke, who is also the Lead Consulting Strategist at DigitalSENSE Africa and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media group, the role of late Engr. Olawale Ige cannot be over-emphasised.
According to him, late Engr. Olawale Ige died on May 9, 2022 at the age of 83 years, and has since been buried on May 20 in Ogbomosho; deserved to be honoured even posthumously considering all his pioneering efforts within the telecommunications sector as indigenous engineer.
He recalled that late Engr. Ige as the former Director-General, Ministry of Communications who later became a Minister of Communications in 1990 and was reappointed a Minister to coordinate the Ministry of Transport, Aviation, and Communications in 1992; having earlier prompted the Military authorities to create the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which was established under Decree no. 75 in November 1992.
Pa Ige, he said, had between 1999 and 2010 served as a member of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the first Director of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Abuja. Engr. Ige was a member of the First World Telecommunications Advisory Group of the International Telecommunications Union with headquarters in Geneva and the pioneer chairman of Nigeria Internet Group (NIG).
“Born on 13th October 1938 in Lagos, he began his working career with Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation in Ibadan as Engineering Assistant in 1957 before proceeding to the United Kingdom to study Electrical Engineering in 1961.
“Upon his return to Nigeria in 1967, he began his working career with the Federal Ministry of Communications (Posts and Communications Department) as an Engineer and rose to become the first coordinating Director (Internal) NITEL and subsequently the General Manager, Long Distance Communications, NITEL in 1985.
“He started his consultancy practice in 1993 and was appointed a consultant on Regional African Satellite Communications implementation.
“In 1979, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his contribution to the growth and development of the country,” he said.
Further, he recollected that Pa Ige, had presided over various developmental initiatives and was in 2011 chaired the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet for Development (IG4D) and the first Internet Protocol version Six IPv6 Roundtable by DigitalSENSE Africa among others.
A minute of silence was equally observed in honour of late baba telecom, Engr. Olawale Adeniji Ige by participants at the 2022 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum with the theme: ‘5G: Enthroning Internet Governance for Digital Economy.’
The 2022 NDSF and public book unveiling was a twin event presided over by the President of Medallion Data Centre Limited and President, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, who was represented by Mr. Olatunji Suleiman with a keynote presented the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, represented by Engr. Abraham Oshadami, head of Spectrum Management at NCC alongside the Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Mallam Musa Balarabe, represented by the Lagos Zonal Director, Dr. Chibuike Ogwumike who led a delegation from NBC among others.
Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo reviewed the book: Sagacity of a digital revolution, while the chief unveiler was the chief executive of Amano Investments WA Limited and President, Mandilas International Trade Center, Lagos, Chief Anthony Amechi Okeke.
ntel, has officially moved away from its traditional voice and data business, unveiling a major transformation that will see it focus on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and technology-driven services.
As part of the consolidation process, ntel unveiled The Next Frontier, a transformation agenda planned to see the firm transform into an integrated digital infrastructure, connectivity and real estate enterprise.
Its new focus is a now BET Agenda – anchored on three growth pillars, Beam, Eden, and Titan and the drivers said that the strategy reflected ntel’s commitment to creating new opportunities through technology innovation, infrastructure development, and strategic asset optimisation.
The launch comes as ntel continues its journey towards regaining spectrum assets, while actively leveraging strategic partnerships to redefine innovation in the telecommunications industry and unlock new pathways for growth.
Built on the company’s BET Agenda – anchored on three growth pillars, Beam, Eden, and Titan – the strategy reflected ntel’s commitment to creating new opportunities through technology innovation, infrastructure development, and strategic asset optimisation.
The launch comes as ntel continues its journey towards regaining spectrum assets, while actively leveraging strategic partnerships to redefine innovation in the telecommunications industry and unlock new pathways for growth.
The company also showcased a portfolio of initiatives designed to strengthen its position as a future-focused infrastructure platform.
Under Beam, ntel announced the launch of WakaGo, a global e-SIM solution that delivers seamless connectivity for international travellers, alongside AirFibre, a high-speed fixed wireless broadband service designed to provide reliable internet access for businesses.
Under Titan, the company highlighted its growing infrastructure business focused on tower development, fibre connectivity, duct infrastructure, colocation services, and infrastructure sharing solutions that enable operators, enterprises, and technology providers to expand efficiently and sustainably.
A major highlight of the launch was Eden, ntel’s real estate development platform, which is transforming NatCom’s extensive property portfolio into high-value commercial and residential developments.
To further push its transformation, the company unveiled three flagship projects. They are Eden Place, a premium multi-storey commercial development in Lagos’ prime business district.
There is also Nova Place, a modern commercial development strategically located within Port Harcourt’s growing technology and business hub.
Terenna Court, a premium multi-storey residential apartment development in Abuja.
Together, these projects demonstrate ntel’s ambition to unlock the full potential of its real estate assets through strategic partnerships, innovative design, and long-term value creation.
Speaking at the unveiling of The Next Frontier, Soji Maurice-Diya, managing director/chief executive officer, NatCom Development and Investment Limited (trading as ntel), described the initiative as far more than a business transformation strategy.
According to him, it represents the company’s commitment to building an integrated ecosystem that connects people, empowers businesses, drives digital inclusion, and creates sustainable economic value for Nigeria.
Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Nigeria, has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s future workforce with a high-impact virtual masterclass designed to equip young people with the practical skills required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The Initiative, held to commemorate World Youth Skills Day 2026, themed “Skills for a Shared Future – The NextGen Advantage,” presented a platform on which experienced Airtel professionals provided mentorship and coaching to undergraduates, interns, and recent graduates for the current realities of formal work environments.
Organised on the auspices of the Airtel Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), by which staff donate their time and expertise towards social programmes, the 90-minute virtual masterclass, which was attended by over 400 undergraduates and young professionals, extended the reach of the Foundation’s education and youth development programmes.
Speaking on the initiative, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, said investing in young people remains one of the most impactful ways to build Nigeria’s future economy.
He said, “The future of work is changing faster than ever before, and success will increasingly belong to those who are equipped with the right skills, the right mindset, and the confidence to adapt. As an organisation, we believe that empowering young people with practical digital and professional capabilities is an investment in Nigeria’s future competitiveness.
Through our Employee Volunteer Programme, our people are sharing not just knowledge, but real industry experience to help shape careers, unlock opportunities, and prepare the next generation to lead in a digital world.”
Unlike traditional career seminars, the masterclass adopted an interactive learning model that offered participants the option to select specialised breakout sessions aligned with personal interests and career aspirations.
In his keynote remarks titled The Next Gen Advantage, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Adeniran, noted that the future will be shaped by the skills to transform great ideas into impactful solutions.
He summed up the pathway to a future-ready career into five actions, namely learning continuously, solving problems, building a digital reputation, embracing Artificial Intelligence, and developing human skills.
“Technical knowledge remains important, but employers today are equally looking for adaptability, collaboration, communication, digital confidence, and the ability to learn continuously,” he said.
In the first general session titled Your Network is Your Net Worth, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, Director, Human Resources and Administration, Airtel Nigeria, charged attendees to build character. The second general session themed Your Money, Your Future, delivered tips on budgeting and financial discipline was facilitated by Olakunbi Osigbesan, Head, Treasure, Smartcash PSB.
Following the general sessions were five breakout rooms, in which attendees were offered curated guides designed to develop contemporary workplace competencies.
The first session, Digital Transformation and Growth, led by Oyebowale Akideinde, General Manager, Digital and Innovation, Airtel Nigeria, presented a mechanism to leverage digital platforms for visibility and opportunity creation.
The CV Clinic and Interview Masterclass, which was led by Chidera Okoye, HR Outsourcing Lead, Airtel Nigeria, discussed practical recruitment strategies, including applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly CVs, and the STAR interview framework.
A third session on Communication and Personal Branding, delivered by Sam Adeoye, Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, focused on value presentation, executive communication, and earned visibility, built on “V.I.R.A.L.”, a mnemonic device created for the attendees by the facilitator.
The programme also featured a dedicated session titled AI as Your Superpower, presented by Ezenwa Agbanusi, IT Governance Executive at Airtel Nigeria, in which participants discussed prompt engineering and AI-powered tools for enhanced learning, creativity, and workplace performance.
Corporate Social Responsibility Lead at Airtel Nigeria, Victoria Ndu, led the fifth breakout room on Emotional Intelligence, with a guide on building a high emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) for improved workplace and business performance.
By connecting future professionals directly with industry experts, the company continues to support the development of a workforce equipped to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy and contribute to shared prosperity.
U.S. ride-hailing giant Uber has agreed to acquire German food delivery company Delivery Hero in a deal valued at €12.7 billion ($14.6 billion), marking one of the largest transactions in the global food delivery industry.
Uber
The companies announced the agreement on Thursday, with Uber offering €41.50 per share for Delivery Hero, a Berlin-based company that has grown into one of the world’s largest online food delivery platforms.
Despite the announcement, Delivery Hero’s shares declined by 0.5 per cent in Frankfurt trading to €37.90.
Founded in 2011, Delivery Hero operates in more than 60 markets across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
The company has expanded beyond traditional restaurant delivery services into quick commerce, providing rapid delivery of groceries and other consumer goods.
Under the agreement, Uber will acquire Delivery Hero’s operations in 50 markets globally.
As part of the transaction, U.S.-based investment firm SSW Partners will acquire Delivery Hero’s businesses in 14 additional markets where the German company and Uber currently compete. The transaction is valued at approximately €1.4 billion.
Delivery Hero Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Niklas Östberg, said the partnership would strengthen the company’s long-term growth by combining its local market expertise with Uber’s global technology and delivery platform.
“Uber’s global mobility and delivery platform and our shared commitment to innovation make this the right partnership to build on Delivery Hero’s strengths in local food delivery and quick commerce,” Östberg said.
Uber Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, said the acquisition would expand the company’s delivery operations while creating new opportunities for merchants, consumers and delivery workers.
“A merger would extend affordable, reliable delivery to many millions more people in some of the world’s most dynamic economies, while creating more opportunities for merchants and couriers,” he said.
Delivery Hero’s management has unanimously recommended that shareholders approve the offer.
The companies said the transaction remains subject to shareholder approval and regulatory approvals, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.
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