Broadcasting
Lamide Johnson Joins KTN Global Alliance Africa as Country Lead
Lamide Johnson has joined the KTN Global Alliance Africa as Country Lead (Nigeria).
This is a six-year pioneer project co-funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Innovate UK which aims to promote job creation, inclusive growth and poverty reduction through knowledge sharing, skills building and opportunities to support businesses and innovations that can deliver scalable impact.
While speaking to Lamide about this appointment, Lamide said, “Joining the KTN Global Alliance Africa Programme is not only a strategic career move, but throughout my work with entrepreneurs and innovators in the past decade, I have found that partnerships leveraged by communities are the fastest way to build economic prosperity in Africa – this largely informed my decision to join the KTN.
“ I am excited about the work we’d do to support the development of Nigeria through partnerships, innovation and technology.”
Prior to joining KTN, his most recent appointment was as the Deputy Director at the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, an initiative by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS), where he was also Interim Country Director.
Lamide led the design and implementation of high impact initiatives and programmes including the COVID-19 Impact Survey; Nigeria’s first Intelligence Platform for Technology & Innovation in Nigeria; the iNOVO Acceleration Programme; the Future Females Business School Programme; the Developer Placement Programme; the Innovative Teachers Fellowship Programme; the African Angel Academy, amongst other programmes.
Lamide is also an ex-Ventures Platform staff member, where he served as the Chief of Staff to Kola Aina, and also as the Director of Partnerships and Engagement from May 2017 to March 2020.
With over 10 years of experience, designing, developing and implementing digital skills, entrepreneurship, investment readiness, policy and capacity building programs for startups and entrepreneurs creating solutions for Africa’s urgent problems, that promote job creation and provides access for communities, Lamide has undoubtedly been committed to accelerating innovation in Africa.
He is a Mandela Washington Fellow, also a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper.
He is trained in Business and Entrepreneurship from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Illinois, USA; and he also has a Master of Business Administration degree.
Aside from his passion in designing digital skills, policy and innovation programmes in Africa, ‘Lamide is a Storyteller and Author.
He is the Founder and Lead Faculty of The Storytellers Academy, where he teaches the art of compelling storytelling for African startups, brands, businesses, & social enterprises; nurturing young creative minds to tell the African story and connecting them to the vast opportunities in the content creation market.
He has authored four books, and his fifth book is due to be launched in December, 2021.
Broadcasting
NBC Knocks EFCC over Invasion Urban RadioFM in Enugu
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has expressed disappointment over the recent invasion of Urban Radio 94.5 FM in Enugu by the officials of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
NBC in a statement signed by Susan Obi, director, Public Affairs, said the action is regrettable, considering the impact of the broadcast media on the Society.
The Commission said that the invasion of the radio station by the EFCC is viewed as a violation of the professional ethics of Broadcasting especially on a live Broadcast.
The statement reads: “The National Broadcasting Commission received with dismay the invasion of Urban Radio 94.5 FM, Enugu, on Monday, October 14, 2024, by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) during a live Radio show, titled, PRIME TIME.
“The incursion, which was purportedly to arrest the programme’s presenter, Favour Ekoh, is viewed as a violation of the professional ethics of Broadcasting especially on a live Broadcast.
The approach for which the arrest was carried out is improper.
“This action is regrettable, considering the impact of the broadcast media on the Society.
While the NBC appreciates the efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in sanitising the country of financial crimes, NBC differs with the manner of approach deployed by the anti-graft agency which could have led to public disorder, disturbance, aggravated mass panic, and hysteria.
“The NBC, hereby, expresses heartfelt apologies to the listening public, the people of Enugu State, and the entire Broadcast Industry for the incident. NBC implores the general public, at this point, to be law-abiding, while the law takes its course.
“Media professionals are, also, enjoined to continue upholding ethical standards, while discharging their responsibility”.
Broadcasting
To realise the promise of AI in Africa, we need to make AI work for workers
By Zuko Mdwaba,
Just as generative AI continues to open opportunities for businesses in Africa to change customer experiences and increase revenue, the benefits for workforce strategies and employees can be significant.
Indeed, executive urgency to incorporate AI tools into business operations has increased seven times over the past six months, according to Slack research.
The AI-powered future of work isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about employee experience – and it promises to redefine everything from careers to culture. But to make this future a reality, AI has to work for workers. Businesses need to create a workplace where humans and AI agents work successfully side-by-side.
To help employees understand where they are on their AI journey – and leaders know how best to support them -Slack’s Workforce Lab identified five distinct AI personas in the workplace today.
The biggest group currently are ‘Maximalists’ (30%), who use AI multiple times a week to improve their work. Next are ‘Undergrounds’ (20%), those who use AI often, but are hesitant to share with their colleagues that they are doing so.
Whereas ‘The Rebels’ (19%) avoid using AI and consider it unfair when coworkers engage with these tools, Superfans (16%) are excited, but aren’t yet making the most use out of it at work. Observers (16%) have yet to integrate AI into their work. They are watching with interest and caution.
By not adopting AI now, companies and employees alike risk missing out on tangible benefits — from improving efficiencies, to overall performance and productivity, to wellbeing.
Empowering employees to leave repetitive tasks to bots, so they can focus on more meaningful work isn’t just good for employees, it’s also good for business.
At Salesforce, we prioritised four enterprise-wide solutions designed to help enhance goal-setting, automate daily tasks, find information faster, and streamline support — all while freeing up our employee success and IT teams to focus on more complex tasks.
Making AI work for workers requires leaders reimagining how they develop and train every part of their organisation. With perspectives and experiences of AI among desk workers varying so widely, a tailored approach to AI enablement is essential to setting every employee up for success.
Three key actions leaders can take to encourage AI adoption are: creating a culture of continuous learning, giving visibility to use cases of AI, and encouraging experimentation.
Clear permission, guidance and training are critical to fostering AI adoption. Only 15% of desk workers say they have the education and training necessary to use AI effectively.
Those who are trained to use AI are up to 19x as likely to report that AI is improving their productivity.
Sharing how others are using and benefiting from AI tools, and troubleshooting AI use cases, will help clarify AI norms and encourage more employees to share their own AI learnings.
Thirdly, the benefits of creating a trusted environment where teams feel supported to try new technologies are clear. Desk workers who feel trusted by their employers are 94% more likely to have tried AI for work-related tasks.
This explains why at Dreamforce 2024, Salesforce announced plans to expand access to skilling opportunities with free AI training for anyone.
The company will waive all fees for its paid instructor-led courses and credentialing through the end of 2025, totaling an anticipated $52 million investment.
To support these efforts, Salesforce will open new spaces at its San Francisco headquarters, including a pop-up AI Center for in-person community AI training courses, and dedicated floor for employees to skill up on AI tools and agents.
Salesforce’s new offerings will help skill up the workforce to address this AI skills gap and set up workers for success now — and in the future.]
Across the company, Salesforce is helping upskill its 72,000 employees by introducing global quarterly AI learning days to give employees hands-on time with the latest AI innovations.
As we build a culture of experimentation and encourage people to find ways to improve work with AI, we also have to change how we measure impact.
Rather than measuring productivity through the lens of activity or input metrics—such as time spent on a task, focusing on defining clear outcomes—such as customer satisfaction or developing new product offerings—will encourage employees to shift from mere busywork to using their time to be creative and employing whatever tools they have to achieve those outcomes.
As AI innovation and workplaces continue to change fast, employers must evolve to help employees — and ultimately their customers — be successful.
Ensuring employees collect different experiences, skills, networks, and expertise with AI will allow them to thrive in the AI-driven future.
Broadcasting
Ayra Starr to Perform First-Ever YouTube Live Concert in Nairobi
Grammy-nominated African music artist Ayra Starr will perform a special YouTube Live concert streamed globally from Nairobi, Kenya.
The event, produced in partnership with Raha Fest, will celebrate the release of her sophomore album, “The Year I Turned 21”, and will be available for fans worldwide to experience on her official YouTube channel.
Ayra Starr, who is known for her distinct melodies and soulful blend of Afrobeats and pop international attention with hits like “Bloody Samaritan” and “Rush”.
Her rise in the music world has been powered not just by her undeniable talent but also by platforms like YouTube, which have enabled African artists to connect with audiences globally.
This concert will offer fans an intimate experience as Ayra Starr will perform new tracks from “The Year I Turned 21” alongside other fan favourites.
The event will be livestreamed on YouTube, making it accessible to audiences all around the world, giving them the chance to be part of this special moment.
Fans, Mobstarrs, as she calls them will also have the opportunity to engage directly with Ayra Starr through the “Woman Commando” YouTube Shorts challenge, allowing them to create and share their own interpretations of her hit single.
Additionally, exclusive behind-the-scenes content will be captured, adding another layer of excitement to the experience, which will be shared on YouTube.
Nairobi, with its vibrant music scene, deep roots in African culture, and a youth population that adores Ayra Starr, was chosen as the perfect setting for this electrifying performance.
Ayra’s growing fan base across Kenya and East Africa makes the city a fitting backdrop for her first YouTube Live concert.
Speaking about the concert, Ayra Starr said, “Performing live is where I get to connect deeply with my fans, and I’m so excited to do this on a global scale from Nairobi.
“This album means so much to me, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone through YouTube.”
Addy Awofisayo, head of Music Sub-Saharan Africa at YouTube, shared, “We are thrilled to host this Ayra Starr’s YouTube Live concert in partnership with Raha Fest.
“YouTube is not just a platform for music, but a place where artists from all over the world can connect directly with fans, no matter where they are.
“We’ve seen African music grow tremendously on YouTube, and this concert is a continuation of that journey—bringing Ayra Starr’s incredible talent to a global stage.”
“Raha Fest is proud to partner with YouTube to present an unforgettable music experience with the sensational Ayra Starr! By merging Kenya’s bustling creative scene with global acts, we’re fostering a cultural exchange and positioning Kenya as a global destination for tourism and entertainment,” said Ashleigh Ali, chief executive officer, Raha Creative Kenya.
YouTube has always been a major force in promoting African music to the world. More than 70% of watch time on content produced by channels in Nigeria comes from outside of Nigeria, showcasing how YouTube has provided a global audience for African music.
The platform continues to be a key player in amplifying the voices of artists like Ayra Starr, who are shaping the sound of today’s music.
Fans around the world can tune in to watch the concert live on October 20, 2024, at 9 PM EAT on Ayra Starr’s official YouTube channel: YouTube.com/AyraStarr.
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