Dr. Valentine Obi, founder and group chief executive officer of eTranzact Global was at the weekend in Lagos honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for pioneering end-to-end card and digital payments at the 12th Beacon of ICT Distinguished (BoICT) lecture series and awards.
The BoICT Lecture series, widely regarded as the most prestigious annual event available in the ICT industry in Nigeria, is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global information and communications technologies map.
And the awards are the Oscars of ICT Awards.
Dr. Obi was honoured for his contributions to Nigeria’s economy particularly in the electronic payment sector.
The event attended by over 80 chief executives of top companies in Nigeria had as it chairman Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and CEO, Medallion Limited; and Mr. Bimbo Abioye, second vice president, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), among others.
Muhammed Rudman, president of Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) and chief executive Officer of IXPN and chair IPV6 Council of Nigeria, delivered the keynote address with the theme “5G: Exploring New Frontiers for Superior Service Delivery”
At the event, Dr. Obi was recognized as a champion for African Innovation in Technology and for establishing eTranzact businesses in Ghana, Cameroun, Nigeria, South Africa, United Kingdom.
Dr. Obi, a tech-entrepreneur, is also the founder and architect of XCEL Inc, the newest challenger bank in London, United Kingdom.
XCEL enables users to open a full UK Bank Account (Sort Code and Account Number) in less than five minutes, with complete UK regulatory compliance of KYC and AML (Anti Money Laundry) processes embedded.
XCEL African roadmap is well on its course with some countries already signed on.
Dr. Obi, is also the founder of KYIARA, the first Factoring technology platform in Africa.
Kyiara, provides all the stakeholders in the factoring sector cost saving, convenience, secure but transparent means to conduct factoring business within the continent.
He has an extensive experience in Information Technology sector and has served in various capacities both locally and internationally as a project director of various IT projects, including World Bank assisted projects in different countries.
In 2003, Dr. Obi became the first African to receive the coveted Computerworld Honors Gold Medal of Achievement in San Francisco, USA, for innovative and visionary use of information technology to produce and promote positive, social, economic and educational change.
By this, his work is listed in over 150 libraries around the world, including Harvard, etc.
In January 2008 his company received “The Most Innovative Product of the Year” award from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Other awards received includes: 2012 Best Mobile Payment Initiative Award in South Africa; 2014 Mobile Payment Solution of the Year Award by LEAD Africa, etc.
Just after AfCFTA was signed off by the African head of states, Valentine was one of the two Nigerians appointed to the Advisory Council of African Trade Gateway (ATG) by Afreximbank in Egypt.
ATG is a vehicle for accelerating intra-African trade and ultimately support the attainment of the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
ATG recognizes the critical role digital technology will play in facilitating intra-African trade, boosting access to trade finance and diversification of African trade from commodities to manufacturing and services.
Our role in the Council, is to provide advice and guidance on the strategic ATG roadmap.
In addition to his love for technology and applications, Dr. Obi is also involved in the development of the educational sector, he is a pioneer member of the Board of Regents of Covenant University and a lecturer at the Word of Faith Bible institute, WOFBI.
As one of his give back to his community, he started JIL Foundation with his wife, to help the education of the less privileged around his sphere of influence. He is a Provincial pastor with the Living Faith Church Worldwide, a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) / World Presidents Organization (WPO) and a member of the Institute of Directors (IOD), Nigeria.
Dr. Obi holds a Doctorate degree from International School of Management, Paris, France.
He also holds an MBA from Instituto de Empressa, Madrid, Spain and an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, Boston, USA
mber of National Payment Technical Committee.
