E-Business
Roden, ding Boss Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Mark Roden has been named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014. Mark is Founder & CEO of ding*, a company which enables people from emerging markets working abroad to send top-up directly to the mobile phones of their family and friends back home.
Mark was presented with the award at a gala dinner in Citywest Hotel on Thursday night by Mike McKerr from Ernst & Young.
“I am absolutely delighted and completely overwhelmed. It’s been an incredible journey growing ding* to where it is today and this is great recognition of all the hard work and dedication put in by everyone at ding* over the past 8 years. I’m grateful to so many people who have played a part in this achievement but special thanks must go to my wife and family who have remained so incredibly supportive over the years,” said Roden.
In addition to being selected as overall winner, Mark Roden was named International EY Entrepreneur Of The Year winning the international category in recognition of the global nature of the network he has built with ding*.
John Purdy of Ergo, a leading consultative IT services partner to corporate and enterprise organisations, picked up the award for EY Industry Entrepreneur Of The Year; while Terry Fox of bespoke paper cup manufacturer, Cupprint, was named as the EY Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year.
Speaking of his fellow finalists, Mark commented: “It’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know so many terrific individuals throughout the process; it shows how innovative we can be here in Ireland.”
Also recognised at the ceremony was Peter Sutherland Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and former Attorney General of Ireland who received The Special Award given to a person who has make a profound contribution to Ireland.
Speaking of the EY competition as a whole, Mark praised Ernst & Young on their fantastic programme and commented on the other finalists: “The whole experience has been fantastic. Beyond getting to know inspiring individuals, being part of the programme has really put ding* and all the companies involved on the global map.”
Established in 2006, ding* has built an unrivalled global network and is connected to 300 mobile operators in 130 emerging markets with a reach of 3.5 billion phones.
People can send top-up to these phones on www.ding.com, the ding* app and in 500,000 retail locations around the world.
The real power is in what a topped-up mobile phone means to individuals in emerging markets. ding* leverages the power of the mobile which not only helps people stay connected to loved ones, but also allows them access to data and a wealth of information at their fingertips. To date, ding* has sent over 80 million top-ups all from advanced technology built in Dublin.
“I am truly commitment to our vision of connecting billions of people through the power of mobile top-up. It is extremely rewarding to receive this sort of acknowledgment from such an incredible group of people.” Said Mark.
E-Business
Expert Urges FG to Harmonise NIN, BVN to Tackle Crimes
Noble Ajuonu, head, Sydani Technologies Ltd., has urged the Federal Government to harmonise National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to tackle crimes and insecurity in the country.
Ajuonu made the call at a media roundtable, organised by Sydani Group in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable focuses on driving sustainability through a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s key development areas.
Ajuonu said that Nigeria could overcome its security challenges and pave the way for a safer, more secure future for all Nigerians by embracing technology and implementing practical solutions,
“We need to harmonise data, prioritise seamless integration of databases like NIN, BVN, and security agency records, establish clear protocols for data sharing and access, with robust safeguards against misuse,’’ expert said.
According to him, the unified data pool will empower intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
He also called for investments in smart surveillance, intelligent video analytics software, training of personnel in data analysis, interpretation of data in real-time to combat crimes.
“There is need to implement a legal framework for call interception in criminal investigations, with strict oversight to prevent abuse, encourage community cohesion, training of tech savvy security personnel with tech-enabled tools.’’
Ajuonu also urged the government to address infrastructure deficit in technology, saying that technology was all encompassing to address insecurity.
“According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of December 2023, only 104.2 million Nigerians had been enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN).’’
Ajuonu added that over 122.2 million citizens left uncaptured for NIN were people in rural areas where enrolment centres, digital services were limited.
“Most crimes are being perpetuated from rural communities and this lack of comprehensive identification creates a gap where elements not captured in the national database can constitute public nuisance, crimes.
“There is the inadequacy in the integration of NIN, BVN and Voters Identification Number (VIN).
“Advanced call interception and analysis tools, used successfully in other countries, could provide invaluable insights into criminal networks and operations but infrastructure is lacking,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Petgrave, the Agricultural Expert, Sydani Group, called for empowerment of smallholder farmers with access to finance and training to enhance productivity.
According to Petgrave, Nigeria requires policy reform and institutional strengthening to improve agricultural practices and embrace digital agriculture solutions to address food insecurity.
Mr Akolade Jimoh, another expert of the group on health, advocated for expanded community-based health insurance programmes for rural and underserved areas.
Jimoh added that the country needed to encourage Public Private Partnership to revolutionise products design and quality improvement on health services.
E-Business
Konga launches Infinix Brand Week with Incredible Deals
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce group, is thrilled to announce the launch of amazing deals at its Infinix Brand Week. Infinix, a leading global smartphone brand known for its innovative products and cutting-edge technology promises exclusive discounts and special offers on select smartphones, marking an exciting milestone in the realm of online shopping.
Shoppers can expect nothing short of extraordinary deals on a wide range of Infinix products, all available exclusively on the Konga online platform. With discounts of up to 30% off, this partnership between Konga and Infinix aims to redefine the shopping experience for tech enthusiasts across Nigeria.
Konga Brand Week has become synonymous with excitement and unbeatable deals, and this year’s edition is no exception. In addition to exclusive discounts on Infinix smartphones, shoppers can explore a diverse array of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more.
“At Konga, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible,” said Rita Ohaedoghasi, VP Marketing at Konga. “The Infinix Week during Konga Brand Week allows us to continue delivering on that promise by offering incredible discounts and special offers on some of the most sought-after smartphones in the market.”
To stay updated on the latest developments and exclusive deals during Konga Brand Week, shoppers are encouraged to connect with Konga across all platforms, including social media and the Konga website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to score big savings and elevate your tech game with Infinix and Konga.
E-Business
Study Reveals Software Programmers to make Full Use of AI Code Assistants
Gartner predicts that by 2028, 75 percent of enterprise software engineers will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) code assistants, up from less than 10 percent, currently.
According to a Gartner poll of 598 global respondents conducted in the third quarter of 2023, 63 percent of organisations are now testing, deploying, or have previously implemented AI code assistants.
AI code assistants provide for more capabilities than only code development and completion, notes the research firm.
According to Gartner, the use of AI code assistants can lead to higher work satisfaction and retention, resulting in lower turnover costs.
Philip Walsh, senior principal analyst at Gartner, comments: “Software engineering leaders must determine ROI and build a business case as they scale their rollouts of AI code assistants.
“However, traditional ROI frameworks steer engineering leaders toward metrics centred on cost reduction. This narrow perspective fails to capture the full value of AI code assistants.”
Gartner notes that software engineering leaders must “reframe the ROI conversation from cost reduction to value generations”.
Walsh adds: “Calculating time savings on code generation is a good place to begin building a more robust value story. To convey the full enterprise value story for AI code assistants, software engineering leaders should connect value enablers to impacts, and then analyse the overall return to the organisation.”
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