The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen (OFR), has commended The Simba Group, a leading two and three-wheeler mobility-solutions provider in Nigeria, for the success of its Queen Riders program which has contributed to women’s empowerment and gender equity in the country.
The statement was made during the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration organized by Access Bank, recently in Lagos.
It would be recalled that the Simba Group initiated its collaboration with the Ministry in 2020.
Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen with Simba Group Managing Director Chief Vinay Grover at the Recently Held International Women’s Day Celebration in Lagos
It has since supported and encouraged the company’s efforts to enhance opportunities for underrepresented women to participate in the Nigerian commercial transport industry.
It has since received the Ministry’s Product Recognition Award “in recognition of the laudable initiatives to improve the wellbeing and livelihood of Nigerian Women and Vulnerable Groups”.
The Minister praised the company for its efforts in supporting women via the program, noting that they are in line with the government’s vision of empowering women across the country.
The Queen Riders Program provides training to women on vehicle riding and repairs, mentorship, and access to financing.
The program, which is built on four pillars of Opportunity, Development, Empowerment, and Independence, has successfully enriched the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of women across different parts of the country.
Simba Group Managing Director, Chief Vinay Grover, expressed gratitude for the Minister’s recognition and promised to continue to do more to support women’s empowerment, gender equity, and financial freedom.
In a statement released by the company, he said: “We are honoured to have received such positive feedback from the Hon. Minister. The Queen Riders program was established to support and empower under-represented women and we are grateful to the Minister and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for its guidance and encouragement. Furthermore, we understand the role the private sector plays in empowering women and will continue to drive forward these important initiatives.”
Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting Wednesday approved the phase 2 & 3, for the provision of free broadband in about 48 additional Higher Institutions, additional 6 markets and 20 Nigerian airports.
The project, TechEconomy gathered, will cost the sum of N24.20 billion.
The projects are equally distributed in 6 zones, according to Professor Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy who tweeted this using his verified Twitter account:
“@ProfIsaPantami attended the FEC meeting today, where he got the approval of 2 memos as phase 2 & 3, for the provision of free broadband in about 48 additional Higher Institutions, additional 6 markets and 20 Nigerian airports. The projects are equally distributed in 6 zones”.
The Minister later spoke to State House Correspondents, and confirmed thus:
“In each geopolitical zone, you have around three airports. In the south-west, we have Lagos and Ondo. For the south-east, we have Anambra and Enugu.
“For the south-south, we have Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom. For the north-central we have Abuja and Ilorin. In the north-west, we have Kano, Sokoto and Kebbi. For the north-east we have Yola, Maiduguri and Gombe.”
The minister said 43 institutions will benefit from the project.
In 2022, the council approved N17.4 billion for a related project across higher-learning universities, micro, small and medium enterprises across the country.
“So, this one is the second phase of the project. And in the first memo approved today, we have 20 airports, both domestic and international,” the minister added.
“And in addition, we also have 43 institutions of learning. So in total, 63 institutions are going to benefit and the price for this is N18.95bn.
“The second memo is for the provision of broadband to selected markets. Six markets are going to benefit from this and the price is N5.25 billion.”
Although details of the higher institutions are unknown as at the time of filling this report, however, TechEconomy can report that over 16 million passengers passed through Nigeria’s airports in 2022.
The total number of passengers that passed through Nigeria’s airports in 2022, increased to 16, 172, 433, higher than the 15 million passenger movement in 2021, according to statistics released by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Nigeria has 32 airports, 26 of which are operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and five of which are functional international airports.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airports, Abuja has facilitated the movement of 25.96 million passengers between January 2016 and December 2022, data from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also has shown.
The statistics showed that 12,931,396 domestic passengers were recorded on arrivals while 13,031,601 departed on domestic departures in the seven years.
In 2016, the airport had 3,264,233 passengers, comprising of 1,643,206 arrival and 1,621,027 departures, according to this report.
Broadband, particularly wireless broadband, is becoming increasingly indispensable to the interoperability of police, fire, health and other government entities that protect the public in both day-to-day and crisis situations.
This involves rapid disaster response systems, effective early warning and public alert systems, disaster preparation programs, remote security monitoring and backup systems for public safety communications networks.
Available statistics on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC’s) website, broadband penetration in Nigeria increased to 48.49% in February 2023.
In line with one of the pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), aimed at achieving a safer cyber space, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has thrown its weight behind the Avocats Sans Frontiers (ASF) France, on its move towards enhancing the digital rights in Nigeria, a project formally known as the e-RIGHTS, which also enjoys the support of the European Union.
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of NITDA, while welcoming the delegation led by Ivan Paneff in his office, affirmed that, regulations need to evolve just as technology is evolving in order to establish an enabling environment for the enjoyment of digital rights in Nigeria.
Inuwa expressed the alarming rate of risk and threat humanity is exposed to through the advancement of technology, noting that technology is manipulating and controlling everything; according to him, it has become the human compass.
He said, “Data are being gathered on our lifestyles and choices are being profiled by the search engine we employ on the internet. This in turn is used to project options for our further searches.”
He argued further that big techs are more powerful than sovereign nations which is a threat to democracy.
“When the former President of the United State of America Benjamin Franklin was asked after a convention, what kind of government was agreed on? he said, “call it a republic if you can protect it.”
“What he meant by republic is not the Republican Party ideology, because at that time there wasn’t the Republican Party, but republic from the Greek means of ideology which is against a group of people having unaccountable powers over others”, he added.
He further stated that today, big techs have an unaccountable power over us because of the data they accumulate to influence decisions and actions. He opined that cyberspace cannot remain an ungoverned space, they need to be regulated.
According to the DG, connectivity should be a right, not a luxury, because if you are not connected, you will be forgotten. Therefore, it is the right time to have all the digital rights or the e-Rights, which means the human right in the internet era.
He added that, “NITDA is focusing more on how it can provide regulatory instruments that will help increase accountability. This is why we have the code of practice for interactive platforms,” he said.
Earlier, Ivan Paneff, elaborated on the project stating that the e-RIGHTS project is aimed at promoting the rights of Nigerians in the digital space, harnessing opportunities, and addressing challenges provided by new technologies. With the expectations that the project will respond directly to the needs of Nigeria youths, activists, journalists, online news platforms, bloggers, social media influencers, human right defenders, and active citizens to have access to a free and open internet.
He further noted that digital rights are human rights that are applicable in the Digital Sphere. He agreed with the NITDA boss that government, businesses, and individuals must demonstrate utmost respect for Human Rights offline and online.
“The e-Right will provide a safe online platform for human rights defenders to report and monitor issues of digital right breaches including data privacy breaches, cyber threat, internet shutdown and threat to social media space and to ensure prompt response to cases reported” he added.
Ivan disclosed that the e-RIGHTS project will be implemented in partnership with Spaces for Change and Center for Information Technology Development (CITAD), and the action will take place in four (4) implementation areas including the Federal Capital Territory- Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Imo States.
Air Peace, an indigenous airline, will launch a historic direct flight from Nigeria to the State of Israel on April 20, 2023.
Air Peace is a private Nigerian airline founded in 2013 with its head office in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, the flag carrier and the largest airline of Nigeria and West Africa
The airline is also considering a three-times-a-week flight to Jeddah and Medina to make it easier for Nigerians to travel to the holy land for pilgrimage.
The Israeli government confirmed the news, stating that the inaugural flight to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, would take place on April 20, 2023.
Brigadier General Miri Regev, Israel’s Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, who announced the news in Israel, said it would be a historic first, as there had never been a direct flight between the Middle East and Europe.
“Nigeria’s flag carrier Air Peace will begin operating direct flights to Israel for the first time, starting on April 20, the Minister of Transportation and Road Safety announced today (Sunday). Minister Regev today approved the aviation agreement signed between Israel and Nigeria and submitted it for government approval.
“The signed agreement will for the first time allow the airlines of each of the countries to operate regular flights at Ben Gurion Airport to several destinations in Nigeria, such as Abuja and Lagos. In the first phase, the Nigerian company (airline) will operate two weekly flights between Israel and Nigeria.
“So far, no direct flights have been operated between the two countries and the thousands of pilgrims who come to Israel every year from Nigeria have flown through Turkey or Ethiopia. The agreement will allow Israeli and Nigerian airlines to make direct flights between the countries and increase the number of pilgrims who come to Israel every year,” disclosed an Israeli embassy source.
According to Brigadier General Regev, Israel has begun to open new routes to connect the world, and Nigeria is one of the leading African countries with close ties to Israel.
“Recently we have witnessed a wave of new routes being opened to destinations all over the world, and I am happy to announce the launch of direct flights to Nigeria as well. Nigeria is one of the leading countries in Africa, and it maintains close ties with Israel in a wide variety of fields, along with the traffic of pilgrims who come to Israel to visit the holy places of Christianity. I welcome the opening of the new line and am sure that it will contribute to strengthening the business and cultural ties between the nations and between the governments,” she said.
Speaking, the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said that the airline is prepared for the inaugural and subsequent flights to the Holy Land, disclosing that it would begin with two flights a week and increase the frequency with time.
Onyema commended the governments of Nigeria and Israel, saying that they made it possible, breaking old barriers to make direct flight between the two countries a reality, adding that it is an indication of the strong relationship between the two countries.
He also disclosed that the airline has completed plans to begin three times a week flight service to Jeddah and Medina to make it easy for Nigerians who wish to travel for pilgrimage, adding that it is in fulfillment of the promise the airline made to Nigerians of connecting them to domestic destinations and the world.
British mathematician, Clive Humby, famously said in 2006 that “Data is the new oil.” Truly, companies of all sizes have drilled for and stored more and more data about their customers and business operations to drive performance and growth to reach their goals.
Today, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) demonstrated that it cannot be left behind in the new technological dispensation where data really calls the tune.
The 71-year-old showcased her understanding of this famous quote by Clive with the public unveiling of its innovative Education Statistics platform called EDUSTAT at the Nigeria National Headquarters, Yaba, Lagos.
EDUSTAT is an Artificial Intelligence driven platform designed by the Council in partnership with Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, an ingenious indigenous software company, to ease access to quality data and insights in the educational sector.
As this implies, EDUSTAT is an innovative educational statistics platform designed to leverage WAEC’s comprehensive and reliable database of over 50 million candidates who have been tested over the years.
Setting the ball rolling, Mr. Patrick Ehidiamen Areghan, the Head of National Office, WAEC (Nigeria), explained the rationale behind the launching of EDUSTAT.
“This innovation was done to take the edge off the manual access to data by stakeholders, improve the quality of service delivery and generate more revenue for the Council. WAEC Nigeria again leverages technology, detailed data analysis and insights, to establish itself as a leading light in the educational sector and a future brand by introducing this Educational Statistical Platform.
“As you all know, the new world is smarter and more instant. The access to statistical data analysis, its collation, interpretation and presentation cannot be different. Businesses and organizations alike need every edge and advantage they can get to improve service delivery, thanks to the rapidly changing markets, economic uncertainties, shifting political landscape, customer-focus, and even the global Pandemic, which have made statistical analysis more sought-after by researchers, for fact analysis and findings.
“The West African Examinations Council is committed to its mission of remaining Africa’s foremost examining body, providing qualitative and reliable educational assessment, encouraging academic and moral excellence, and promoting sustainable human resource development and international cooperation. In meeting the growing global demands for corporate organisations, sometimes, it takes just one individual to come up with an innovative approach that gives the organisation a competitive edge. Still, more often than not, it requires the collaboration of various teams and the combination of many different data sources.”
Mr. Areghan added that as an examining body that has survived the centrifugal forces of the colonial era and remains the foremost examining body in the West African Sub-region, with a vast and rich database, it has become expedient to completely migrate from the manual way of interpreting data to a more sophisticated and advanced mode of data interpretation through technology.
Why EDUSTAT is a win-win for the Education Sector
For many stakeholders, lack of quality data has led to inconsistencies and multiple data copies in education.
“For others,” Areghan said, “incorrect data and the absence of analytics have led to false facts resulting in bad decisions-making and loss of revenue, in some cases.
“WAEC identified these issues and sought to solve the problem through its new EDUSTAT product, which addresses poor infrastructure and the manual process of assessing educational insights and statistics”.
Benefits of EDUSTAT
The Head of National Office, WAEC, further explained that “The new product, EDUSTAT, is borne out of the desire to provide stakeholders, such as researchers, funding agencies, government institutions, school administrators and parents with a reliable platform that provides educational insights collected from multiple sources and delivered in simplified graphs, summaries, and dashboards which help them enhance their decisions”.
The core benefit of EDUSTAT platform is access to a comprehensive interactive Web Report.
“Also, the platform offers detailed and smart statistical insights into education and assessment dynamics, using historical and current data to provide detailed intelligence for stakeholders across the globe, in a smart and easily accessible manner. One of the key features of this platform is its ability to analyze data in real-time”, he said.
This means that educators can get immediate feedback on how their students are performing, enabling them to adjust their teaching strategies as needed. Additionally, the platform is designed to be user-friendly and customizable, allowing educators to tailor it to their specific needs and preferences.
“This platform results from years of research, development, and collaboration, and we are confident that it will revolutionize how data is accessed”, he explained.
He reminded stakeholders who gathered at the ceremony that education is one of the most important investments “we can make as a society. It is the key to unlocking opportunities, improving our lives and driving economic growth”.
“However, to achieve the best outcomes for our students, we need to be able to measure and analyze educational data effectively. This is where the EDUSTAT platform comes in”.
He said this new platform seeks to change views about data analysis by providing users with easy-to-use tools to analyze and visualize data.
Also speaking, Mr. Chijioke Ekeh, the Managing Director of Sidmach Technologies Nig. Limited, applauded the management of the West African examinations body for their foresight in identifying the need to democratize education data for the benefit of the regional education sector and economies at large.
He pledged Sidmach’s continued support to achieve greater heights in the sector.
During a demo session, Mr. Akintunde Opawole, the Product Manager at Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, said EDUSTAT offers a wide range of features that will benefit the user.
He collaborated on the statement by Mr. Areghan’s that the artificial intelligence-driven platform provides, for instance Government agencies, detailed statistics on student enrollment, graduation rates, and academic performance at various levels of government.
This information will help policy makers make data-driven decisions about education policy, funding, and program design.
For schools, the platform offers student-level data on academic performance, attendance, and demographic information.
This data can be used to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses within the school and inform decisions about how to improve student outcomes. Institutions such as universities and colleges can also benefit from the platform by accessing data on enrollment and academic performance of their students. This information can be used to identify areas where additional resources are needed to support students and improve overall performance.
Similarly, the platform provides researchers with a comprehensive and intuitive way to track and analyze educational statistics. It is designed to be accessible to educators at all levels, from classroom teachers to school administrators and policy makers.
With this platform, you can easily track student progress, identify areas of weakness, and make data-driven decisions to improve outcomes for all students.
Users of WAEC EDUSTAT can log on to https//.waec.edustat.ng to sign up, select parameters, select their preferred method of report generation (Summaries, Charts, Maps, Trends), make payments, download and use the content for personal / official purpose.
WACE and its partner, Sidmach Technologies, received accolades from stakeholders who gathered at the launch.
Wema Bank Plc, a leading innovative bank in Nigeria, has opened application entries for the fourth edition of its tech talent discovery and nurturing project for young Nigerians, Hackaholics 4.0.
The bank’s Executive Director, Digital and Retail Business, Mr. Tunde Mabawonku, announced the opening of entries for the project, stating that Hackaholics is at the heart of the bank’s innovative project for start-ups, just as it redefined experiential banking with ALAT.
Hackaholics 4.0 is focusing on building finance beyond technology, with entries expected to come up with innovative solutions to solve non-finance issues such as government, agriculture, gender violence and how to promote entertainment, among others.
The bank plans to engage 10,000 tech entrepreneurs, produce 5,000 solutions, create six pitch centres, and have almost one million footfalls during the course of the Hackaholics 4.0 campaign.
Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, he bank’s Chief Digital Officer, said the bank has successfully disrupted the digital banking ecosystem by producing the first digital bank and creating a unique experiential banking with ALAT.
The bank aims to become an ecosystem of platforms, a hub for fintech and other players, and move to the next phase of digital unbundling.
The Hackaholics programme began in 2019, and its scope and teaching have since been expanded.
Mr. Babatunde Mumunii, Wema Bank’ Chief Transformation Officer, said the bank has been involved in creating solutions that solve society’s problems, leveraging the skills of young people to drive innovation.
According to the Banks’ Head of Innovation, Solomon Ayodele, six universities would be covered this year as against three last year.
The universities are Babcock University, Lagos State University (LASU), University of Abuja (UniABUJA), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Federal University of Tech, Akure (FUTA), and University of Lagos (UNILAG).
L-r: Chief Digital Officer, Olusegun Adeniyi; Divisional Head, Brand People, and Culture, Ololade Ogungbenro; Executive Director, Digital and Retail Directorate, Tunde Mabawonku; Head Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility, Abimbola Agbejule; Head Of Innovation, Solomon Ayodele; Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer;Head Brand and Marketing Communications, Mabel Adeteye, and Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer, Babatunde Mumuni, all of Wema Bank Plc, at the launch of ALAT Hackaholics 4.0 press conference held yesterday, Tuesday 14th, March, 2023 in Ilupeju, Lagos.
“We would partner with Microsoft garage, AWS for start-up (Amazon) and Endeavour Africa in facilitating incubation sessions. Applicants should submit entries containing the name of their solution, vertical, summary of their solution, competitors, target customers, team formation, capital investment management, and leadership,” Solomon added.
The world daily empties into America to chase the American Dream. Even Nigerians do. But there is also the Nigerian Dream. One man who epitomises this is tech mogul, Leo Stan Ekeh.
At a time when the fad was to study in Europe, Asia or the Americas and tarry there to make a career in one’s area of calling, Ekeh, after his educational pursuit in Asia and the United Kingdom, returned to Nigeria to start a business from ground zero; from practically out of nothing.
It was both a risk and a gamble. But patriots are redoubtable risk-takers. Most men and women who dare are those driven by patriotism, self-belief and nationalistic fervor. They believe both in themselves and in their environment: community, county or country.
They see a bright future where others see glum and doom. They are usually dreamers who would not mind to inconvenience themselves to create the future they have envisioned. Such persons abound in the global tech space. Some just can’t wait for the future to happen.
They are in a hurry to make the future happen. It’s the forte of innovators. Some even drop out of school to create the future only they can see. And they have made a success of entrepreneurship in their chosen fields.
The list of such successful school drop outs in the global tech agora is a noble cast dripping with names like Bill Gates, Mack Zuckerberg, Paul Allen, Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, Steve Jobs, Craig McCaw, etcetera. Add to this list, Africa’s Leo Stan Ekeh who had to abandon his postgraduate studies in the UK to return to Nigeria to innovate a digital future for the workplace including the media ecosystem. The difference between these icons and Ekeh is that while the rest started out and flourished in the United States and the advanced West where ease-of-doing business, electricity, general infrastructure and ready-made human capital abounded, Ekeh left the comfort of Europe to return to Nigeria in the mid-80s to pioneer a startup in an environment that has nothing but all the factors that would made an enterprise suffer still birth.
Today, over three decades after returning from UK to start his Nigerian Dream, Ekeh has not only proven that a Nigerian Dream truly exists and is attainable, he has become the patriot and nationalist who at a every twist in his country’s transition to digital socio-economic and political economy, shows up with both the solution and the seasoner. From a mere type-setting office, he has grown his start-up into a global tech conglomerate, earning the trust of mega tech giants in the mould of Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Acer, Samsung, among others.
But this little tribute to Ekeh as he marks his 67th birthday on Wednesday, February 22, is not about his ability to turn adversity to advantage, or build start-ups to scale-ups. It’s about his interventionist roles in the deepening of digital Nigeria’s socio-political cum economic ecosystems. Doubtless, it may have been painful for young Ekeh to abandon his postgraduate studies and posh life in the UK to return to Nigeria with all the uncertainties. But what was pain to him has become gain for Nigeria.
In a matter of days, Nigerians would be heading to the polls to elect a new president and members of the National Assembly. It is Nigeria’s first election with fairly advanced digital enhancement called the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
The introduction of BVAS has its history in the first ever digitization of the nation’s voter register through the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machine in 2007 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The DDC machine, a brainchild of Ekeh, thus became the forerunner of digital democracy in Nigeria. It paved the path for the introduction of card reader technology as a means of voter accreditation.
To his credit, Nigeria successfully conducted the 2007 and 2011 general elections deploying the technical backbone provided by Ekeh’s Zinox Group. It’s obvious that what drives him is the passion to build a knowledge-driven nation and re-brand the African continent, not the dainties of cash and materialism. Ekeh is the undisputed champion of Nigeria’s digital democracy.
In a matter of weeks after the general elections, Nigeria would be undertaking yet another census, 17 years after the last headcount in 2006. This time round, it will be different. Branded a ‘digital census’ by President Muhammadu Buhari, the digital component of the 2023 population and household census is being provided chiefly by Ekeh’s Zinox Technologies. Such interventions at moments of national challenges has earned Ekeh a reputation as the ‘Tech Conscience’ of the nation.
The same national digital intervention was enacted by Ekeh between October 5 and 17, 2003, when Nigeria hosted the 8th All Africa Games codenamed COJA 2003. That same year, Nigeria hosted the 18th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The event held in Abuja between December 5 and December 8 during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Again, Ekeh’s Zinox powered the event to the pride of both President Obasanjo and other Africa heads of government present.
The feat was repeated in June 2006, in Banjul, capital of The Gambia which hosted the 7th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Africa Union (AU). The event which held from July 2 to 5 was powered by Nigeria’s Ekeh. It bears restating that Ekeh’s Zinox has also executed major projects offshore in Guinea Bissau and the Arab nations through partnerships, a testimony to its technical competence and capacity to compete at the global turf.
At 67, Ekeh is still listlessly innovating solutions, creating armies of digitally-savvy Nigerian and African youths through the many tech capacity-building hubs across campuses in the country and growing partnerships with state governments in Nigeria and other Africa nations’ governments to engender a culture of e-governance.
As he marks his birthday, he would be remembered as one man who proved beyond any doubt that there is a Nigerian Dream.
He has become a role model for teeming youths who should now look to his path and business model to draw inspiration. He has proven that despite the mounting odds including insecurity, lack of infrastructure and dearth of skilled human capital, Nigeria can still carve a huge niche in the global ICT marketplace.
On this auspicious occasion, let me join the horde of humanity to say Happy Birthday to our Chairman and pathfinder.
Olaoye, an ICT enthusiast and analyst, writes from Lagos
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 87 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected so far in preparation for the upcoming general elections.
This was revealed by INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu at the inaugural briefing for the 2023 elections in Abuja on Thursday.
A breakdown of the figures revealed that Lagos has the most PVCs collected, with 6,214,970. Kano comes in second with 5,594,193 and Kaduna comes in third with 4,164, 473.
He stated that the current voter register contains over 94 million voters, but that the Commission will continue to clean it up using technology in the future.
According to him, of the number, 93.3 percent have collected their PVCs while 6,259,229 cards — which is 6.7 percent of PVCs — are still uncollected.
Summary of the Registered Voters ahead of the #NigeriaDecides2023 election;
✓ Number of Collected PVCs = 87,209,007
✓ Number of Uncollected PVCs = 6,259,229 collected
The INEC chairman further revealed that a total of 1,642,385 polling units and collation center agents of political parties will participate in the elections.
He also disclosed that the Commission has fully recovered from the recent attacks on her facilities in some states.
He raised concerns about vote buying but was hopeful that the vices will be dealt with. He stated that voters are not allowed to go to the voting cubicle with their phones.
Noting that all materials have been distributed to states, he said the sensitive materials are currently being delivered to local government areas. He said that nonsensitive materials were deployed two months ago.
The INEC chairman reiterated that 240 polling units do not have voters, but added that the staff who will be deployed for the elections has been trained.
He assured that the commission will closely monitor staff behavior and will sanction anyone who jeopardizes the process.
Yakubu also stated that the Commission is pleased with the BVAS’s performance following a mock accreditation exercise a few weeks ago. He also stated that backup technicians for the BVAS were deployed for the election.
According to Yakubu, the purpose of the daily briefing is to keep stakeholders informed as events unfold in the run-up to and during the election.
The Federal Government has been encouraged by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to implement monetary and fiscal policies to control inflation.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the headline inflation rate for January 2023 increased by 0.47 percent to 21.83 percent after edging up a few basis points in December 2022.
In a statement, LCCI Director-General Chinyere Almona said that growing inflation has made life tougher for Nigerians, especially at a time when multidimensional poverty has reached record levels with 133 million people living below the poverty line.
According to LCCI, while the monetary authority keeps hiking rates to beat inflation, the supply side should also be explored with the same vigor, stating that, other monetary and fiscal policies should be equally deployed to tame inflation.
“The sustained rise in the general price level in recent times has caused some weakening in purchasing power. This is coming at a time when multidimensional poverty has climbed too high with an unprecedented 133 million Nigerians living below the poverty line (NBS).
“The impact of rising inflation is far-reaching. It distorts fixed interest rate payments for recipients and payers alike, leaving in its trail of disruptions and dislocations in the economy.”
The statement noted that the CBN should also check the extent of its monetary financing of the federal government through ways and means.
Nigerians are eager to make a decision on who will lead their country for the next four years as the general election day approaches.
One key observation is that the news and social media have been dominant with chatter about the major Presidential contenders, even though they are not the only ones running.
Hardly would one see a major discussion on the other candidates contesting for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives where laws are made and the president is checked.
And this leaves a huge gap on the identities of these candidates, and the abilities of the citizens to make educated choices.
The very same holds true for the House of Assembly, Governorship, and Sub-national elections. About 11 states of the Federation are holding the governorship elections, but again, not many are aware of the states and the candidates.
Nigerians have benefited less from this practice than they have from it. While these contenders remain hidden behind the shields of their political party, Nigerians have a right to know who is running for parliamentary seats, and what advancement they are willing to bring.
This is why Orodata Science and Open Cities Lab created the MyCandidate portal, which allows Nigerians to learn more about every candidate across all levels and states. The platform has two main components; ‘Locate me’ and ‘Address search’.
Users are able to leverage their location, state, or local government to discover a list of all the candidates contesting in their area and be informed. With the “Locate me” button on the website, the result is instant.
However, with the second feature, a user only needs to start typing the name of their local government and a list will appear, from which they can make a selection to see a list of candidates for all tiers of elections.
MyCandidate includes an embed code, a segment of HTML code that enables users to insert the website’s content into another website. You can copy and paste this code onto any website that accepts HTML.
This embed code can be used by online media, civil society, and other institutions to add MyCandidate to their own websites and provide this data to their own communities.
Orodata science is renowned for enhancing the way people and organizations use data to address pressing societal issues and advance progress. This project aims to bridge the information gap between voters and candidates while also assisting journalists and civil society groups in their efforts to monitor each candidate’s development following elections.
MyCandidate Nigeria is an open-source platform and relies on the extensive data provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and verified information sourced from the media. In addition to giving crucial details about each candidate, it also gives access to the Google search engine for more data.
The program lead, Uche Oti, believes that bringing the same initiative before the elections in Nigeria will have an impact on voters’ knowledge and enable them to make better decisions about who deserves their votes. MyCandidate, which was piloted by Open Cities Lab in South Africa, saw great success, according to Uche Oti.
“In order to be heard at the 2023 general elections, MyCandidate Nigeria is a crucial tool.
All individuals are urged to embrace this platform and make an educated decision regarding who will serve as their leader for the ensuing four years. Citizens can feel confident in their voting choices with MyCandidate Nigeria because they have the knowledge and resources needed to make an informed decision ” he said.
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Savings Bond received a total subscription of N45.135 billion between its inception in 2017 and 2022, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO).
FGN savings bond which was specifically designed to encourage retail investors, performed well across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The FGN Savings Bond is a product introduced by the DMO in March 2017 to allow retail investors to participate in the FGN securities market and promote financial inclusion.
Patience Oniha, Director-General of the DMO, stated this on Tuesday in Lagos, during the unveiling and demonstration of the Securities subscription portal at a stakeholders meeting.
Oniha said the portal was created to make subscriptions to various FG securities easier, particularly for retail investors.
Ms. Oniha claims that the portal will make it simple for subscribers to subscribe to various FG securities. She stated that various stakeholders in the sector would be present at the event to demonstrate the portal.
“Participants will include distribution agents and other key stakeholders involved in the issuance and processing of FGN securities. The forum is an opportunity to engage directly with the DMO and other parties on any concern they may have on the portal,” added Ms. Oniha.
She also stated that the portal would allow for the seamless remittance of investor subscriptions as well as the validation of account details for timely coupon payments.
MTN Foundation (MTNF) has over the years consistently made efforts to give back to society through various initiatives focused on youth development and empowerment.
One of these initiatives is the MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project, where MTN Foundation assessed the need to strengthen academic performance in public secondary schools, by improving learning outcomes of key science subjects.
If you are still wondering what exactly the initiative is or who it is for, keep reading!
Here are five things every young Nigerian should know about the MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project.
1. What is MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project about?
MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project is an initiative of the MTN Foundation. It was conceived to strengthen science and technology education through the remodelling of Science Labs in public secondary schools.
Throughout the years, the Foundation has donated laboratory furniture for students and teachers; installed modern science and technology equipment for each of the laboratories, and provided one year of supply of consumables consisting of materials, chemicals and reagents.
2. It is for Science & Technology Students:
The initiative has a simple focus, it is designed to improve teaching standards and learning outcomes of key science subjects such as physics, chemistry and biology, in public secondary schools.
MTN Foundation, through the Science & Technology Laboratory Project has successfully implemented various science laboratory projects in more than seven public schools, across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
3. In its second phase:
The MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project is currently in its second phase, with four secondary schools emerging recipients – Government Secondary School Owerri, St Augustine College, Igbuzor, St. Aquinas College, Akure and Queens College, Lagos.
In 2013, the first phase of the MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project began with the renovation of 22 science laboratories spread across six geopolitical regions.
The beneficiary schools were selected following rigorous assessment of Expressions of Interest (EOI) by their state Ministries of Education to the Foundation.
4. Supports Government efforts
The MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project is one of MTN Foundation’s initiatives designed to complement Government’s efforts around youth development through the renovation of science labs in public secondary schools.
5. Focus on creating value
This initiative is highly commendable because it not only provides science laboratories and school materials, the Foundation also facilitates training for the school teachers and lab attendants, in order to provide comprehensive user-training to the students.
Home to more than 200 million people, Nigeria is well known as the largest and most youthful country in Africa – but did you know that, by 2050, Nigeria’s population is expected to nearly double, reaching 377 million people?
Of this number, young people will account for roughly 70% of the population. This youth bulge presents a serious challenge to overcoming poverty and inequality in Nigeria, with demand for jobs expected to skyrocket while unemployment remains the reality for many Nigerians.
To prepare for this demographic shift, young Nigerians must look to innovation and entrepreneurship as both a viable career option and a step towards creating jobs and new opportunities for their communities.
But this is no easy path and young entrepreneurs tend to lack the knowledge, resources, training and network needed to be successful. It is therefore critical that we recognise the important role that young people play in creating the Nigeria of the future – and it begins by giving them a platform to be seen.
In doing so, below are ten inspiring Nigerian youth innovators from Ekiti State to watch out for in 2023 as the country moves towards creating a better tomorrow:
1. TechHead Nigeria
TechHead Nigeria is a one-stop shop for automated household devices, bringing endless possibilities to homes with the help of Artificial Intelligence (Al) and an ecosystem of smart devices.
This idea was born out of a passion for engineering and modern technology. To the team, while AI is still in its developing stages, and as every day sees new innovations and devices emerge, the technology is ready to be commercialised for home-use and TechHead aims to ensure that Ado Ekiti and Nigeria are not left behind.
2. ORMD Datalab
ORMD Datalab is a company trading in memes – an AI-powered mobile application that uses automated algorithms to create memes and humorous captions, including videos, graphics, animations, fliers, and any graphics from any event or situation, and shares them with your friends for view.
Users can also trade their memes for money and any intellectual property they create using ORMD Datalab’s AI algorithms.
3. Gigsdev
Gigsdev is building an innovation and technology incubation centre (a “technology village”) where innovation can be fostered in Ekiti State. They want to provide 24 hours of uninterrupted electricity and internet connections for continuous and unbroken research and development for innovators and computer technology personnel.
In doing so, the village hopes to be an enabling environment for mentorship and solution incubation with locally sourced raw materials.
4. Motivar
Motivar is a social enterprise focused on solving the distribution problem of digital skill training and education, especially for young people with limited access due to their financial or social situation.
Launched in 2014, the company seeks to provide learner-support services and be the easiest way for students to find, start and complete digital courses. The team of five has just completed the first of four stages of their pilot, with the idea to distribute the service via software products and community centres.
5. The Health City
The idea behind The Health City emerged from a survey the team conducted, which showed that more than 70% of respondents take care of the majority of their sexual-related health issues on their own or with the help of their friends. This inspired the team to develop a chatbot on their website for the Nigerian youth to speak with a doctor about their sexual health concerns for free.
The Health City had to place restrictions on this chat box due to the overwhelming demand, which inspired them to develop a complete solution. For a fee, the youth can access a variety of sexual health services, including virtual consultations, referrals for physical services (including lab testing and pharmacies), and read accurate sexual health information via a health blog.
6. RISE
The Rice Inventory Storage and Exchange (or RISE for short) is a commodity storage system that issues electronic receipts to people storing their goods on the premises. These receipts can then be traded between farmers or buyers and later redeemed when taking goods out of storage.
This is all in an effort to support farmers in their post-harvest stage by giving them access to storage facilities and harvest protection products, such as Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) storage bags and chemicals like Actellic Super. In the future, RISE also hopes to provide farmers with access to short-term loans and create opportunities for smallholder farmers to store their paddy for a longer time before selling, thus generating maximum revenue on their produce.
7. Raising Royals
School curriculums are often criticised for not focusing enough on the non-academic elements of raising a child – so to address this issue, Raising Royals is using internet-based communications technology to provide non-academic lessons to young people across the county.
Focusing on topics such as leadership, financial education, sex education, resilience and character, the idea behind Raising Royals was born from the belief that more could be done to better prepare students for life ahead, with the team committed to realising this mission.
8. Solarify Africa
Solarify Africa is an inclusive youth-led organization with two unique missions: To eradicate energy poverty across rural communities and institutions of learning in Nigeria, and to provide secondary school students with access to the internet, tech gadgets, educational software and pieces of training to bring the education system into the 21st Century.
This vision was triggered by the initiative of the former Governor of Ekiti State (Mr Ayodele Fayose), who provided the team with laptops, internet access and software while they were studying at Ekiti State Government College.
9. wRide
wRide is a transport innovation which creates a better bike transportation system in Ekiti State using digitization and data science. In the next three years, wRide wants to see Ekiti bike transportation system digitized and corporate.
10. SafeBuy
Safebuy is a digital marketplace that connects farmers, vendors and customers looking for a quick and dependable platform to buy, sell and trade fresh produce. This is all in an effort to improve the visibility of food-providers by giving users a space to browse all of their regular items, order them for same-day delivery, and pay for them in a safe and affordable manner.
While still in its development stage, SafeBuy is on track to deliver a roadmap this year with all the essential features and start its journey towards becoming a leader in the Nigerian market.
To support the growth and scalability of these youth-led innovations, Innovate UK KTN – through their Global Alliance Africa project – has partnered with the Lagos Business School’s Enterprise Development Centre to upskill their entrepreneurial expertise and provide them with pitch training ahead of the opportunity to showcase their unique ideas to a global platform of innovation investors, advocates and enablers.
Danbatta recently bagged Vanguard’s Regulator of the Year Award
Professor Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was at the weekend in Lagos, decorated with the 2022 Regulator of the Year Award at the prestigious 11th Edition of the Vanguard Personality of the Year Award where men and women who have distinguished themselves as achievers of excellence in their various fields of endeavours were honoured.
By now, Danbatta’s award cabinet must need an expansion because of the numerous recognitions the EVC has garnered for his effective regulatory achievements through cutting-edge initiatives, especially during his first five years in office during which Nigeria’s telecom sector has shown spectacular landmarks.
At the glamorous ceremony at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Vanguard Newspaper Limited, the organizers of the event, commended the EVC’s initiatives which have strengthened the role of the telecommunications sector as a major contributor to the growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as telecoms investment inflows from $36 billion in 2015 to over $70 billion.
Danbatta also spearheaded a campaign to improve Nigeria’s broadband penetration from the paltry five percent at the time of his appointment to about 30% in 2018. The EVC is currently among those leading the charge for the realisation of the new national broadband penetration target of 70 percent by 2025 since his reappointment in office in 2020.
While presenting the award, Chief Abiola Dosunmu, the Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos, said Danbatta was eminently qualified and deserving of the distinct recognition conferred upon him.
Other eminent Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in professional excellence and service to humanity in the private and public sectors were conferred with various categories of awards at the event including the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote who won the Personality of the Year Award.
Other awardees include the Kwara State Governor, Abdulraham Abdulrazaq and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde who were present and decorated and the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello Koko who won the Public Sector Icon of the Year.
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa was represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Barrister Kingsley Burutu Otuaro while Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem.
Distinguished guests at the event were the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande; the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management of the NCC, Adeleke Adewolu; some other members of the Board as well as Management and Staff of the Commission.
Reasons for Danbatta’s recognitions/awards
A cursory look at some key achievements of the Prof Umar Garba Danbatta as EVC of the NCC, from 2015 till date, shows a clear demonstration of the Nicholas M. Butler’s famous quote: “Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.”
1. Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 1:
On assumption of office in 2015, Prof. Danbatta rolled up his sleeves! His articulation of Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) for the fiscal years 2015-2020 after due consultation with industry stakeholders, became the pillar upon which the industry is standing today.
The SVP focuses on an 8-Point Agenda, whose diligent implementation has significantly improved the growth of the sector and the sector’s contribution to national GDP from 2015 till date. They are;
Facilitate Broadband Penetration, Improve Quality of Service, Optimize Usage and Benefits of Spectrum, Promote ICT Innovation and Investment Opportunities, Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership, Empower and Protect Consumers, Promote Fair Competition and Inclusive Growth and lastly, Ensure Regulatory Excellence and Operational Efficiency.
Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2:
As a follow-up and based on the need to take the Commission to greater heights, the NCC facilitated the development of a new Strategic Vision Plan which was unveiled on September 7, 2021. In developing the new SVP (2021 – 2025), we have taken Cognizance of the several notable advancements in the Nigerian telecommunications industry within the last five (5) years, as well as the current global realities.
These realities, all of which have been incorporated into the New SVP 2, include the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s strategic plan (2020 – 2023), the Commission’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030 for a digital Nigeria, the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020-2025 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the Federal Government.
The new SVP 2021-2025 has five visions namely: Organizational Renewal for Operational Efficiency and Regulatory Excellence; Facilitate the Provision of Infrastructure for a Digital Economy which fosters National Development; Promote Fair Competition, Inclusive Growth, Increased investment and Innovative Services; Improve Quality of Service (QoS) for Enhanced Consumer Quality of Experience (QoE); and Facilitate Strategic Collaboration and Partnership.
2. Contribution to National GDP and other statistics:
The telecoms industry has remained a major contributor to our national economy with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry contributing 18.94% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as at the second quarter of 2022, according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). From this, telecommunications sector alone currently contributed 15% to GDP as of second quarter, 2022 up from 8.5% in 2015 when Danbatta came on board.
Today, the active telecom subscribers have grown significantly to 218.6 million from about 400,000 aggregate telephone lines in the country as of 2000, on the eve of liberalisation.
This represents a teledensity of 14.7 per cent. Basic Internet subscriptions grew from zero ground to 152.9 million currently while broadband subscriptions stand at over 88.2 million, representing a 46.24 per cent penetration as of November, 2022.
3. Telecom Investment Inflow:
From less than $500 million investment in 2001, the investment profile in the nation’s telecommunications sector hit $38 billion in 2015 when the current EVC (Prof. Umar Garb Danbatta) assumed office and has further surpassed $70 billion currently.
Other major Industry Statistics:
Today, active telecoms subscribers have grown significantly to reach 208 million from about 400,000 aggregate telephone lines in the country as at 2000.
This represents a teledensity of 109.47%. Basic Internet subscriptions grew from zero ground to 152 million currently while broadband subscriptions stand at 85 million, representing a 44.49% penetration as at July 2022.
4. InfraCos Project to deepen broadband penetration:
Increased the number of licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCo) from 2 in 2015 to six. The InfraCos are to deploy broadband infrastructure, on a wholesale basis, in the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. However, funding portion and the entire InfraCo Framework is currently being reviewed to keep it in line with the current economic reality.
5. Reduction in the cost of data:
There has been a reduction in data by well over 75% from $11.15 in mid-2014 to $2.78 at the end of 2019.” – Source: a study by Research ICT Africa’s (RIA’s) 1GB Basket Statistics. The average cost of data now has come down to around N500 from N1000 per Gigabyte of data, considering the fact that most operators now offer 2GB of data for N1000.
6. Spectrum Revenue generation for Government: NCC, under Danbatta’s foresight and leadership, was the first telecoms regulator to embark on trial of 5G technology in West Africa. After a rigorous process, the NCC conducted the auction of 3.5Ghz spectrum to deploy 5G network in December 2021 where MTN and Mafab Communications emerged as the winners.
From the auction, the NCC raked in over $500 million which was remitted into the FG’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), as prescribed by law.
On September 18, 2022, MTN held a commercial launch of its 5G services in Lagos while Mafab has also launched commercially in Lagos and Abuja. Also, the Commission has issued the third 5G spectrum licence to Airtel Nigeria, following its meeting the requirements in the Information Memorandum (IM).
This is in addition to the revenue earlier generated by the Commission between 2015 and early 2020, wherein the Commission had remitted N344.71 billion to Federal Government’s CRF from spectrum fees and operating surplus.
The NCC, under prof. Danbatta, also embarked on spectrum auctions, re-planning, re-farming to optimise the usage of the scarce resource, especially as facilitated by the SVP 2015-2020 and also in the SVP 2021-2025.
7. Quality of Service:
NCC has consistently addressed the quality of service delivery through effective monitoring of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and development of KPIs for 3G and 4G to enhance quality of service experience for telecoms consumers.
8. Promotion of Research &Development: The NCC, under Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, created the Research and Development Department (R&D) of the Commission in 2016 in order to synchronise the various ongoing research activities and other development projects being carried out by the Commission; and to to promote innovations in the industry. NCC has committed over N500 million into R&D between 2016 and 2022, as research grants to the academia, startups and as endowment of professorial chairs to drive innovations and local contents development in the telecoms sector.
9. Major disputes resolution:
In 2016, Danbatta’s intervention led to the reduction of the Ground Fee Rate imposed on IHS by Ogun State government from N370 million down to N120 million, leading to the unsealing of 47 Base Transceiver Station (BTS).
In 2017, NCC’s intervention led to the waiver of N221 million RoW fee for MTN in Kano. Also, in 2018, Danbatta’s intervention in Kogi helped in the unsealing of 20 BTS hub sites.
10. RoW Reduction:
Reduction in Right of Way to fast-track telecoms infrastructure deployment through the Engagement of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) et al.
11. Prioritising Consumer issues and strengthening Consumer protection:
Declaration of 2017 as the Year of the Consumer with Consumer-centric initiatives aimed at protecting the rights, interests and privileges of the consumers.
Introducing the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code for consumers to stop cases of unsolicited marketing messages on their respective networks. Around 30 million activations till date from 500,000 in 2015.
The Commission created a second layer complaint toll free line, 622 for consumers to escalate complaints to the level of the Commission.
Issuance of major Directions to MNOs and revision of other regulations guidelines:
Issuance of Directions on Data roll-over, Forceful Subscription of Data Services and value-added services (VAS), Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code, etc.
The NCC has also produced the Revised Consumer Code of Practice Regulations at a Public Inquiry. The draft regulations area being concluded for publication in official Gazette. The Commission has also constituted an inter-agency committee against electronic frauds to protect the consumers. Tackling and nipping in the bud call masking/refiling which is anticompetitive and considered a threat to national security
The Mobile Devices Management Systems (DMS) initiative was started, in collaboration with other agencies, to prevent negative effect of influx of substandard devices into the country.
12. Strengthening Industry Corporate Governance:
The NCC commenced a regime of voluntary compliance to mandatory compliance to the Code of Corporate Governance for Telecoms Sector issued in 2016 to drive down overall corporate management risks and enhance business prosperity and corporate accountability.
Development of ‘Service Delivery Timeliness’ in NCC’s effort to implement the Executive Order (EO) 001 of 2017 to promote ease of doing Business. This is to drive investment promotion in the telecoms industry.
Ensuring the successful listing telecoms companies on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). i.e. MTN listing on the bourse is keeping the capital market bullish.
Development of Regulations on Television White Spaces (TVWS) to extend affordable broadband services to rural, under-served and unserved areas in the country.
Danbatta’s successful completion and inauguration of the NCC’s five-storey building, now named the Communications and Digital Economy Complex located at 1253 Cadastral Zone, Mbora District, Abuja. The project had been abandoned for a long period for lack of funds to complete the massive structure. The building is now being put to effective use to drive regulator excellence.
Regularising Commercial Satellite Operations for Increased Access across the country. A number of satellite companies have been given landing permits in Nigeria and their full rollout will help in bridging existing digital gaps across the country.
The NCC, under Danbatta, asides several other interventions since 2015, embarked on such projects Wireless Internet Cloud, Laptop Project, Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centres project and ICT Park project- All these are aimed at enhancing digital access across the country.
The Commission, in 2021, created the Center for Computer Security Incident Response (CSIRT) with the overall mandates to ensure continuous improvement of processes and communication frameworks to guarantee secure and collaborative exchange of timely information while responding to cyber threats within the sector. The NCC CSIRT is the Commission’s industry-specific intervention, whose objectives are aligned to the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) published by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The NCPS requires each sector to establish a computer incident response team provides requisite services to the stakeholders and players within each sector. Since its establishment November, 2021, the CSIRT has churned out a lot of cybersecurity advisories to alert consumers on identified cyber vulnerabilities while the Centre has also diffused similar information from Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT). The essence of CSIRT is to ensure adequate protection for telecom consumers against cyber threats while online.
13. ICPC ranked NCC as Ethically-Compliant Regulatory Agency. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is the most ethically compliant and integrity-driven regulatory agency of the year, according to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). In its recent report titled, ‘Ethics Compliance and Integrity Scorecard (ECIS)’, the anti-graft agency surveyed 352 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
L-r: Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission, during the presentation of an ambassadorial badge for entrenching a culture of anti-corruption in the communications industry to Danbatta in Abuja.
Brands in Nigeria experienced a lot of challenges in the past year. They faced difficult business environment, unstable policies and several economic issues.
Despite the economic downturn, some brands have found ways to cope with the present realities to create value for Nigerians.
It is on this note that Plexus Media Interlinks, an integrated marketing communications firm, compiled the list of the most performing brands of the year in 2022.
The firm, which understands the value of brands, included players in the financial services, information technology, education, consumer goods, oil and gas, professional services, among others on the list, taking into cognisance their media presence, media exposure and overall impact across the country.
Top 10 Performing Brands in Nigeria for 2022
Below are the Top 10 Performing Brands in Nigeria for 2022
1. Afrinvest
Afrinvest
Afrinvest West Africa, one of the foremost investment organisations, is a financial advisory holding company with a focus on Nigeria and West Africa. It is active in four principal areas: investment banking, securities trading, asset management and investment research.
From the third quarter till the end of 2022, Afrinvest was the most performing brand in the media by virtue of its dominant presence across all media platforms. It also achieved various milestones, including the launch of a new subsidiary, Afrinvest Securities Limited, a new logo signifying its new brand identity as a digital investment bank, and celebrated its 27th anniversary.
Afrinvest Securities combines the experience, expertise, infrastructure and network of Afrinvest for the purpose of delivering award-winning capital markets, corporate finance, asset management and research services to investors and institutions operating across Nigeria and abroad.
In October 2022, the leading investment banking holding company launched Afrinvest Sparkle, to create more value for institutional investors, active investors and the general public.
Its equity fund was also ranked the best-performing for 2022. Achieving all these shows resilience, innovation, consistency and, of course, a sparkling track record.
2. Optimus
Navigating uncharted territories is one of Afrinvest’s strongest suits, and it accomplishes this through innovation and creativity. With almost a three–decade history of pioneering innovation in the Nigerian investment banking sector, it unveiled its new financial digital platform, Optimus – a financial technology solution by Afrinvest designed to provide financial freedom for Nigerians. It combines banking, wealth management and brokerage requirements into one simple and secure platform, thereby simplifying investment and creating wealth.
With Optimus, customers get access to intelligent financial insights from experts with a wealth of experience to help individuals make informed financial decisions now and in the future. The fintech platform helps Nigerians invest their funds in the best investment portfolio types across the world.
Afrinvest, already transforming Nigeria’s investment banking sector, is set to improve the digital banking space and become Africa’s preferred digital investment bank in the coming years with Optimus.
3. Willie Obiano
For our pick of personal brands, Willie Obiano stands out as an icon. In the first half of 2022, the accomplished politician, banker and technocrat was a media sensation. As one of the performing governors in Nigeria before his tenure ended on March 17, 2022, he became the first and only governor to successfully build an oxygen production plant in the region. The largest oxygen plant in the South East, the facility has changed the state’s health sector.
Not only were his audacious achievements the talk of the nation, he also survived the malignant media attacks on his person and administration.
Remarkably, he kept his cool and let his achievements as a democratically elected governor speak for himself. These historic achievements cut across security, education, health, agriculture, industrialisation, trade and commerce, transportation, among others. Countless road projects and industries were completed, including the renovation of schools and primary health centres across the state.
Under Obiano, Anambra was declared one of Nigeria’s safest states in the federation. This was after successful efforts in organising Nigeria’s first international conference on security. He established a Court of Appeal in Awka, the state capital, making legal services easily accessible to the citizens.
Further, he created a Small Business Agency and funded 10,000 cooperatives, micro-enterprises and artisans while also providing operating capital to 3,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.
Having achieved all these, among many other milestones, little wonder he’s fondly called ‘Akpokuedike’, which literally means a dependable protector. Among his peers, he is described as ‘a genius with numerous achievements’.
4. Central Primary School, Obioma
Another media sensation in 2022 was the 85-year-old Central Primary School, Obioma, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. The timeworn school was renovated and remodelled by the Group Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa, Prince Ike Chioke.
This was the first renovation since its establishment in 1937 by the missionaries. The school got a new building and modern learning facilities, including electronic library, computer laboratory, solar-powered systems, as well as modern tables and chairs. Buildings in the school also received a facelift.
New equipment and academic materials were donated to the school and dilapidated infrastructure was refurbished. The school was commissioned by the wife of Edo State Governor, Betsy Obaseki, and the wife of the Deputy Governor of Enugu, Cecilia Ezeilo. The renovation of CPS, Obioma, was one of the most talked about educational projects in the media.
5. UBA
UBA
With multiple awards over the years, Africa’s global bank, United Bank for Africa Plc. continues to distinguish itself in the financial service industry. The first of its many 2022 highlights was the performance in terms of profitability. The tier-one bank recorded a 12.6 per cent increase in its profit before tax, which stood at N85.7bn for the first half of 2022 from N76.2bn in the same period of 2021.
The bank’s financial results show that it recorded double-digit growth across key income lines, as well as significant progress in the contribution from its subsidiaries.
UBA Foundation was recognised as a leader for its veritable Corporate Social Responsibility projects at the 10th anniversary of the Marketing Edge Brands and Advertising Excellence Awards in Lagos.
The CSR arm of the bank is committed to the socio-economic betterment of its host communities, focusing on development in areas of education, environment, economic empowerment and special projects. Its education initiative has been changing lives for over a decade, granting numerous individual scholarships.
In addition, the highly impactful projects of the UBA Foundation such as the yraly National Essay Competition, Read Africa, Each Teach One, Food Bank, among others, are being cascaded across Africa to reach more people every year.
6. Interswitch
Interswitch is an African-integrated payments and digital commerce company headquartered in Lagos. Founded in 2002 as a transaction switching and processing company with national focus, the organisation has achieved success in the financial technology sector.
The company’s vision for the fintech space is to deepen financial inclusion through its innovative products and solutions.
It received the 2022 Fintech of the Year award hosted by the African Bankers Association. It also received the ‘Best in Delivering Impactful Organisational Values’ award at the 2022 edition of the ‘Best Companies to Work For’ awards, organised by the global research and consulting firm, Great Place to Work.
The recognition is a demonstration of the tech firm’s dedication to creating an enabling environment that fosters employee growth and team collaboration, which in turn boosts the company’s overall performance.
7. Pocket by Piggyvest
Pocket by Piggyvest
One of the biggest success stories of 2022 was the Pocket App by Piggyvest. Pocket, formerly known as Abeg, is a payments app, which rebranded itself as Pocket by Piggyvest, a social e-commerce platform.
The rebrand, which reflects its ambition to expand its services from money transfers to a social commerce app, and reinforces its push into a social commerce market, is estimated to reach $23.8bn by 2028 in Nigeria alone.
The Pocket by Piggyvest app secured its Approval In Principle from the Central Bank of Nigeria, for its mobile money licence, making it Nigeria’s first social commerce platform to secure CBN’s AIP for Mobile Money Operator licence.
It also dominated all media platforms as the lead sponsor of the 2022 Big Brother Naija reality TV show, where its awareness increased its user base from two million in 2021 to nearly four million by the second quarter of 2022.
8. Access Holdings
Access Holdings
Access Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Holdings Plc., established in 1989, is a leading full service commercial bank operating through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 17 markets and over 52m customers.
The financial institution offers banking products and services for the retail, private, corporate and institutional and non-institutional sectors.
Access Holdings financial results, as at mid-2022, posted gross earnings of N591.803bn for its 2022 half-year results, representing a growth of 31.42 per cent year-on-year.
In its unaudited half-year financials submitted to the Nigeria Exchange Limited, the bank also made significant improvements across Key Performance Indicators.
In the course of the year, the company also embarked on a CSR project to impact over 90,000 youths across Nigeria. The project, entitled Project LEAD, acronym for Leadership, Enterprise and Academic Development, in partnership with Revamp Africa Foundation, commenced in 2022.
9. Dangote Group
Dangote Group has been a household name for decades. Founded in 1981 by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the group has performed exceedingly well over the years. The organisation moved into manufacturing in the 1990s, starting with textiles, moving into flour milling, salt processing and sugar refining by the end of the decade. The company moved into cement production, growing rapidly into other African countries.
Dangote Cement is one of the subsidiaries listed on the NGX, with its market capitalisation accounting for almost 20 per cent of the total capitalisation of the Exchange.
The group has been described as a significant player in fuelling Nigeria’s economic transformation, and it is no surprise that they are on this list. It ventured into oil and gas in 2016, with an estimated investment of $12bn. The project team hit a major milestone, recently, when it installed the world’s largest crude distillation column for top tier refining operations.
Aside the achievements, Dangote Group maintained a strong media presence and top-of-mind awareness, emerging a top performer last year.
10. Leadway Assurance
Leadway Assurance Company, one of the foremost Nigerian insurance corporations headquartered in Lagos, is another brand that performed very well in 2022.
Established in 1970 by Sir Hassan Odukale, it commenced business in 1971 as a direct motor insurer. It expanded into other areas until it became a composite company underwriting both life and general insurance business.
Decades later, the company is still standing strong, entering new territories and providing more value to its numerous customers.
Leadway Assurance’s investment income for 2022 amounted to N17.2bn, compared to 2021, which stood at N10.7bn, translating to an increase of 61 per cent.
The organisation restated its commitment to sustaining its CSR to enhance socio-economic growth in the country by sponsoring several health campaigns.
The year ended on a high note for Leadway, as it gained more popularity in the media by sponsoring the ‘Stacked December’ show, with A-list artistes, Wizkid and M.I, whose massive fan base sold out venues for the event.
Verdict
These brands displayed resilience, innovation and determination to succeed. The future is, indeed, bright for these top performers.
