This reaffirmation came during the Sustainability Table Discourse Series (STS) themed “Sustainability in Action: Scaling the Impact of a Thriving Future to Achieve the SDGs,” where industry leaders, policy makers, and private sector players converged to discuss the role of collaboration, innovation, and circular economy models in achieving Nigeria’s sustainability goals.

Representing Kazeem Oladepo, senior vice president and chief operating officer, IHS Nigeria, Gimba Mohammed, director, of Government and External Relations, delivered the keynote address titled “Sustainability in Action: Scaling Impact for a Thriving Future Through Sustainable Telecommunications Infrastructure – A Provider’s Perspective.” 

In his remarks, he emphasized that sustainability remains central to IHS’s operations and long-term strategy.

 “Sustainability is at the heart of who we are. It is embedded within our corporate values and reflected in every aspect of our operations, from powering sites sustainably to nurturing the communities we serve and promoting sound ethical practices throughout our business,” he said.

He further highlighted Project Green, describing it as an IHS Group initiative and a key step in the company’s carbon reduction roadmap.

“Through Project Green, IHS Towers continues to prioritize alternative energy sources to reduce dependency on diesel. Across our markets, we have reduced diesel consumption by nearly 50 million litres, and in Nigeria fitted over 6,000 power sites with hybrid energy solutions, and connected almost 4,000 sites to the grid,” Gimba noted.

In addition to its clean energy initiatives, IHS Nigeria has made significant strides in community and environmental development. These include planting 4,000 trees across eight states, installing solar streetlights in underserved communities, and collaborating with Green Hope Africa to launch the Climate Action Superheroes (CASH) initiative, an educational program aimed at empowering students to become climate ambassadors.

The company’s efforts in e-waste management were also highlighted, following its partnership with the Electronic Producers Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON).

“We trained 214 participants, including collectors and regulators, and supported the establishment of 69 waste collection centers across six states and the FCT. Our goal is to drive sustainable waste management practices through advocacy and strategic collaboration,” Gimba said.

During the panel session, Ghaith Al Hasan, Director, Engineering and Design, IHS Nigeria, elaborated on the success of Project Green and the importance of strong partnerships in achieving scale.

“Our experience has shown that the right partnerships, technologies, and maintenance structures are essential for sustainability. Today, IHS operates renewable energy systems across more than 10,000 sites in Nigeria, demonstrating what is possible when innovation meets commitment,” he stated.

Adding a regulatory perspective, Grace Majekodunmi, principal environmentalist scientist and Regulatory Specialist, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) spoke on the circular economy model being adopted across Nigeria’s manufacturing sectors.

“Producers must now take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products, from production to disposal. The Extended Producer Responsibility framework ensures that manufacturers adopt cleaner technologies and minimize waste,” she explained.

Representing the agricultural sector, Aisha Raheem-Bolarinwa, chief executive officer, Farmz2U discussed the role of technology and collaboration in building climate-resilient value chains.

“We don’t have a production problem as much as we have a distribution problem. Technology can enable resilience, but without hard infrastructure and supportive policy, farmers cannot access the full benefits,” she noted.

From a financing and investment standpoint, Adaobi Nnorukah, Investment director, ARM-Harith Infrastructure Limited, highlighted the importance of early engagement with equity partners to secure climate infrastructure funding.

“Successful climate projects require institutional investors at the table from the start. Early collaboration helps identify and manage risks, ensuring projects remain bankable and sustainable,” she said.

In concluding his keynote speech, Gimba reaffirmed IHS Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to sustainable growth and partnership.

“At IHS Nigeria, we are deliberate about scaling impact through sustainable infrastructure. Our mission is to ensure that our assets not only connect people digitally but also empower them environmentally, economically, and socially,” he concluded.

It brings together thought leaders, inventors, innovators, and other key players in the technology sector, making it one of the most significant gathering spots on the globe.

Over 10,000 investors from across the world attended the GITEX Global 2022 event, which also provided entrepreneurs with over 25,000 leads for investment meetings and partnership opportunities.

In previous years, participants would have had to travel to Dubai to compete in the tournament for a chance to win $200,000 in funding and a mentorship prize.

But on the 12th of May 2022, the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), in partnership with the Lagos State Government (LSG) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), organized the pitch event in Lagos at the Eko Innovation Centre.

The judges at the pitch event were; Akeem Hassan, Technical Assistant to Lagos State State Governor on Innovation and Technology; Tunbosun Alake, the special adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Technology; Segun Cole, Co-founder Fund the Gap Alliance; Amos Udok, Representative NITDA; Ireayo Oladunjoye, Head, of Startups Lagos state employment Trust fund; Oguntade Adeseye, Unit head, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship ONDI, and Olorunnisomo Olaoluwa Co-Founder, Seedbuilders Innovation and Foundation, which had about twenty-seven (27) startups pitch their ideas.

Two Nigerian technology start-ups, Paddy Cover and Pricepally.com emerged winners and received from Dubai World Trade Centre an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai to compete in the tournament for a chance to win $200,000 in funding and a mentorship reward.

The two winners, Paddy Cover and PricePally, will be joined by thirteen (13) additional teams for a complete, all-expenses-paid opportunity to compete in GITEX, making the total delegation from Lagos State fifteen (15) startups, the largest in the history of the Lagos State Government.

The list of the thirteen (13) additional startups includes: truQ, Quadloop, and Imperial EdTech, which are the second, third, and fourth-place finishers in the GITEX Lagos State pitch session; Wellness Health Technologies, D’Aggregate, and LiveBic, which are currently enrolled in the EIC acceleration program; AppZone, Kodobe, Farmz2U, Cdial, RxAll Inc, Curacel, and Evolvestack.

Five (5) out of the fifteen (15) startups supported by the Lagos State Government advanced to the semifinals of the competition. Paddycover, Pricepally, LiveBic, Wellness Health Technologies, and Evolvestack are the startups.