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Only Technology will Change the Nigeria Story – Ekeh, Zinox Boss

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Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman, Zinox Group, has boldly declared that technology will disrupt several spheres of the Nigerian economy in the next 10 years, claiming that no one has the capacity to stop the coming wave of positive technological disruption.

 

Consequently, he has urged Nigerians and mostly the youths to take advantage of this positive digital disruption and add impetus to the brand Nigeria on the global map.

 

“It is now between our competence, our commitment and God to lead other nations of the world.

 

“This is a century of quality wealth driven with knowledge and conscience and powered by technology. We have no reason not to scale with over 200m ambitious people from birth,” he declared.

 

Ekeh gave this charge in a world-class tech speech delivered at the 2019 Annual Lecture Series of foremost advisory and corporate commercial entity, Alliance Law Firm.

 

The classy event with the theme – Leveraging Technology to develop and rebrand Nigeria – was held at the prestigious Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, November 26th 2019.

 

In attendance was Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe who chaired the occasion.

 

Also in attendance was foremost blogger and media entrepreneur, Linda Ikeji; MD/CEO, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwutan; former DG/CEO, NOTAP, Engr. Umar Bindir; GMD, Mojec International Holdings, Chantelle Abdul; Deputy CEO, Payment Tokens, Interswitch, Mike Ogbalu, and many CEOs and Senior Management executives from the financial, shipping, technology, legal, entertainment and educational sector, to mention a few.

 

Ekeh, arguably Africa’s most renowned technology guru, was the Lead Speaker. He described the event as one of the best ever organised in Nigeria in recent times because of the quality and content of the event.

 

Continuing Ekeh said,alreadyevery sector of our economy is experiencing the impact of technology, be it the electoral system, health care delivery, agriculture, banking, transport, education, hospitality,governance, entertainment, housing and including the way businesses are run in Nigeria.

 

“Today, Nigeria is moving closer to e-voting. Also, you will observe that post-election litigations have dropped considerably.

 

“In fact, we are down by about 41 per cent today. Once we migrate to e-voting fully, anyone who loses an election will have no need to go and contest it in court.

 

“This is the power of technology. Technology does not lie. This is why I chose to go into it as a profession, he disclosed.

 

The serial digital entrepreneur, who spoke extempore, drew extensively from his personal experiences in a speech which attracted a standing ovation.

 

He argued that rebranding Nigeria must begin with critical investments in the nation’s human capital.

 

Ekeh urged Nigeria to borrow a leaf from a country like India which presently accounts for some of the leading brains driving the world’s major tech conglomerates.

 

“When I studied for my first degree in India many years ago, I had written a paper titled – India: An economy waiting to happen.

 

“I have been proved right today. Although the country experienced serious economic hardship, it did not prevent them from investing in education.

 

“You will find that the average Indian holds a Ph.D. in about three different disciplines and maybe a Master’s degree in four disciplines.

 

“So, when you employ him, you are getting maybe a Medical Doctor who is sound in Engineering, Agric-Economics, Business Management and more.

 

“While they were incubating, they kept on upgrading their citizens knowledge base by reducing school fees affordable even to the poorest citizens, waiting for an opportunity.

 

“When the ICT opportunity emerged, they took it. If the Indian President recalls all Indian nationals today for a two-week break, the entire world will feel the pain. Indians are at the helms of affairs of the world’s most valuable companies including Microsoft, Google, Apple and many others today.”

 

Ekeh, himself a global advisor to Microsoft, went on to encourage the audience not to lose faith in Nigeria. He affirmed that things are changing for good.

 

‘Today, we have a Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy,’ he noted.

 

Further, he counselled the Federal and state governments to take that decision now to invest about $10bn to provide quality digital infrastructure in Nigerian schools at all levels and finance school fees for indigent students nationwide.

 

“When I encounter people who say things are worse today, I just laugh. You must remain positive.

 

“Entrepreneurs are known to be positive people. I am an example of the Nigerian miracle but I disciplined myself from day one as someone born in a trust economy.

 

“When I returned to this country over 30 years ago, I was worth less than $10,000.

“Within three months of returning to Nigeria, I was privileged to have met people like General Theophilus Danjuma, the Awolowo family and others who patronised me and in the first six months, I hit over $4.5m balance sheet size.

 

“I wouldn’t have achieved this if I had decided to remain in the UK, as I was being advised then by those who saw no future for Nigeria in technology.

 

“It is important to note that though my customers did not really understand what they were buying, I did not betray them. This century is a century of trust and those that cannot be trusted have no financial capacity to scale.

 

“Things are even better today. The current generation of kids are knowledge-driven and technology-powered. They will delete many of the so-called billionaires in Nigeria today within the next few years. That is the era we are currently in.

 

“A very good example of this is Konga which is run by my son and his colleagues. A few months after we acquired Konga, Naspers – the previous owners – which invested $32m in TenCent sold off two per cent of its stake for $9.8bn.

 

“Today, Naspers’ remaining 28 per cent stake in TenCent is worth $133bn. If the whizkids at Konga choose to put Konga up for sale today, we have an idea how much it will attract. Nigeria with our growing quality population is headed for greatness,’ he submitted.

 

Ekeh, who disclosed that Nigeria’s wealthy class must re-distribute their wealth or stand the risk of using it to destroy their children, also called for the empowerment of indigent children.

 

According to him, children of poor parents are imbued with a mindset of disruption and greater discipline and fear of God, even as he affirmed that these are the ones that will place Nigeria on the map of globally recognised nations in the very near future. We can not continue to manipulate them for too long,’ he concluded.

 

The event also witnessed the launch of the Doing Business in Nigeria manual.

 

Chief Host of the event and Managing Partner, Alliance Law Firm, Uche Val Obi (SAN) affirmed that the publication drew on the firm’s vast advisory experience and their status as notable contributors in the IMF/World Bank Doing Business publications.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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