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IIBA-Nigeria, PwC Highlight Big Data Changing Business Analysts’ Role
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), (Nigeria), and the PwC have reiterated the need for business analysts to acquire the right skills and develop the right approach to leverage ever expanding concept of ‘BIG DATA’, to better enhance their organisations’ efficiency.
According to IIBA, the Business Analysts changing roles are evident in creating avenues for “stakeholders to understand the structure, policies and operations of an organisation and to recommend solutions that enable the organisation to achieve its goals”.
How Big Is Big Data?
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in 2011, 1.8Zetabytes, approximately 1.8 trillion Gigabytes of information were created worldwide; in 2012, the number reached 2.8Zetabytes and estimated to hit 40Zetabytes.
It is believed that 2.0Zetabytes of data is equivalent to 57million iPads.
Speaking at IIBA Nigeria- Lagos City Chapter, June 2015 meeting on the theme “The Enterprise Value of Big Data in Business Analysis”, Olusola Osinoiki, senior manager/ proposition lead, Enterprise Data Solutions, PwC, United Kingdom, said that the concept has become now pronounced following the emergence of cloud-based technology.
In live demo using World Beta technology to measure global data creation, he found that 74.8 billion active app sessions were recorded within an hour the IIBA meeting started.
According to him, in as much as the Internet will cause ‘disruptions’ in organisations and the society in general, the important of Big Data revolves around using right skills to harness accurate data to make informed decisions.
Meanwhile, a study by PwC tagged “Key Trends in Human Capital 2014: A New vision for Growth” told the story of a downturn with a very noticeable human capital impact that “those that had survived some harsh workforce cuts were left disengaged, with the youngest generation of workers suffering the most”.
“Today, the story is very different. The regions hit hardest are accelerating out of recession and organisations are focused again on growth. But the recovery has brought with it some familiar problems – low employee engagement, wage inflation in some markets and most importantly, skills shortages”.
In a similar study PwC found that availability of key skills and talents remains a priority for CEOs as 55% of them are determined to increase their headcounts in the next 12 months; 94% of whom are having robust diversity of strategy to place as a key step to solving their problems.
But, 73% of these CEOs are concerned about harnessing the right skills to drive growth, even as 64% CEOs fee their HR department is not well-positioned to address the changes required and opportunities for growth over the next 12 months.
How Big Data Change Business Analysis:
Taking a cue from the study, Osinoiki said that HR professionals and Business Analysts in Nigeria are expected to adapt to the new world of work as strategic workforce planning becomes a critical differentiator in organisations.
He said agility and business designs in organizations are data driven while business intelligence, IT, cloud computing, among others are impacting business decision making processes around the world.
To be more relevant in the new era, Osinoiki affirmed that Business Analysts must not shy away from “thinking of the impact of self service; turn unstructured data into actionable intelligence; turn structured data into applicable intelligence. The truth is that Big Data is not new. It has been with us, but the internet and mobile devices have revolutionised the concept. We must think and act fast to sure our relevance in our respective organisations and the trend will continue to grow”.
HR With The Power Of Data
“With the right skills; having access to a deep reservoir of ‘BIG Data’, provides an organisation with opportunities to gather ‘BIG Analytics’ for right decision making in terms of investments, delivering on business plans, keep abreast of regulations and diversifying processes to be in line with international standards”, the Guest Speaker said.
Speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek at the Forum, John Ojurabesa, director, Sponsorship and Marketing, IIBA Nigeria, said that the concept of Big Data has completely changed the way business are currently managed and indeed the solutions the Business Analyst provide.
He said that the advent of cloud-based technology has ushered in an era where organisations are able to store and utilisevast amounts of data at a fraction of the cost and manpower required in the past.
“Current estimates suggest that we are creating over two quintillion bytes of data every day and approximately 90 per cent of the data that exists today was created in the past two years.
“Businesses have to respond to this growing amount of data and its complexity which include new risks and challenges of openness and security and the need to respond with instant feedback publicly like on Twitter businesses need to adapt to.
“With the right skills, access to a deep reservoir of big data provides organisations with the opportunity to gather ‘Big Analytics’ which in turn can provide CEOs with ‘Big Insights’ into their organisations,”Ojurabesa said.
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) is a non-profit professional association which commenced in October 2003 with the purpose of supporting and promoting the discipline of business analysis.
Over the years, IIBA helps business analysts develop their skills and further their careers by providing access to relevant content.
Thus, the Director, Sponsorship and Marketing, IIBA Nigeria, encouraged other Business Analysts in the country to join IIBA Nigeria, adding that, “When you join IIBA, you become part of a global network of Business Analysts practitioners, and have access to a range of valuable benefits.
“Joining demonstrates your commitment to professional development, and unlocks access to a range of networking and development opportunities, learning opportunities and discounts”.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced its readiness for the capital market with an Initial Public Offer (IPO) now in the final stage.
Mr. Olugbenga Oluwaniyi, chief finance and investor relations officer (CFIO), NNPC, stated this at a consultative meeting with partners at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, on Thursday.
He said the move aligned with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
He said NNPCL was currently engaging with prospective partners in an exercise tagged: “NNPC Ltd. IPO Beauty Parade” in line with capital market regulations before the commencement of the IPO.
According to the CFIO, the aim of the IPO Beauty Parade is to assess potential partners and determine in what ways they could be of support to the company.
He listed the areas of partnership required to include Investor Relations, IPO Readiness Advisors, and Investment Bank Partners.
He said the company with the best offer in terms of project partnership would be selected for each of the three categories.
The PIA provides for NNPCL to list its shares in the capital market in line with the provisions of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990.
Federal High Court in the Bwari Judicial Division has thrown out a case of fraud filed against the Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, his wife, Chioma Ekeh, and 11 others.
Femi Falana and Leo Stan Ekeh
This is the umpteenth time.
The latest is the dismissal of the suit by Justice Akpan Okon Ebong of the FCT High Court, who struck out the case filed by Mr. Femi Falana SAN, purporting to act on a fiat donated to him by Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, attorney general and minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, against Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Technologies, and 12 others.
The other defendants are Mr. Chris Eze Ozims, Oyebode Folashade, Charles Adigwe, Obilo Onuoha, Agartha Ukoha, Anya O. Anya, Femi Dosumu, Nnenna Kalu, Admas Digital Technologies Limited, Technology Distributions Limited and Zinox Technologies Limited.
In the suit No. FCT/HC/CR/985/24 filed in November 2024, Falana, on behalf of his client, Benjamin Joseph, the CEO of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, an Ibadan-based computer firm, filed charges against Ekeh, 9 other individuals and 3 companies before the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly diverting N162,247,513.80 being payment for laptop supply contract at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Headquarters which Technology Distribution Ltd (now TD Africa), the biggest tech equipment distributor in sub-Saharan Africa supplied on behalf of Citadel in 2012.
However, in the certified true copy of the judgment dated March 20, 2025, Justice Ebong ruled as follows: “It is my conclusion based on the foregoing that this charge (No. FCT/HC/CR/985/2024, Federal Republic of Nigeria v Leo Stan Ekeh and 12 ORS) constitutes a gross abuse of court process and is liable to dismissal. I accordingly hereby dismiss it.”
Before arriving at his judgment, which has put the final nail in the coffin of a case that other courts had also dismissed in the past as dead on arrival, Justice Ebong considered the outcome of previous cases and petitions filed by Mr. Joseph, none of which was in his favour.
Justice Ebong said: “One intriguing aspect of this matter is that none of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of the nominal complainant’s (Mr. Joseph) numerous petitions has found merit in any of his allegations against the defendants. When called upon before Senchi J. (Justice Danlami Z. Senchi) to prove his said allegations to the court, he failed to turn up in court. One then wonders on what premise he wants to maintain this campaign of persecution against the defendants.”
Previous judgments on the matter had established that rather than being the culprit, Ekeh and the 12 others were actually the victims of a failed money diversion scheme plotted by Mr. Joseph and Citadel.
When contacted, one of the defendants, Mr. Chris Eze Ozims, a lawyer, said: “This ruling truly reflects our consistent position on the allegations, and it is good that we have been vindicated, once more, by a competent high court.”
He asserted that the judgment of Justice Ebong was consistent with the position of the defendants and in tandem with the rulings of other judges who had previously adjudicated on the same matter.
Mr. Matthew Burkaa SAN, chief counsel to the defendants, described the judgment as a victory for integrity and the rule of law.
Court papers showed that Falana’s suit was based on the same claims that various courts had dismissed in the past as falsehood and baseless. The case arose from a contract between Citadel and Technology Distributions Limited over the supply of computers to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a project fully funded by Technology Distributions and has no bearing whatsoever with Zinox and its promoter, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh.
It will be recalled that Mr. Joseph had lost the case and its adjunct suits at different courts in the past. In his petition to the police in 2013, police authorities discovered that Mr. Joseph provided false information to the police, prompting the Inspector General of Police to charge him for false information in charge no.CR/216/16.
In another case filed by the EFCC in his instance against his partner, Princess Kama, in charge no. FCT/HC/CR/244/2018, Honorable Justice Danlami Z. Senchi of the FCT High Court (as he then was) dismissed as false all the allegations made by Benjamin Joseph, and imposed the sum of N20 million as damages against him for false petitioning in relation to these same allegations.
Earlier court papers showed that Joseph, in his statement on oath in suit No:LD/4335/2014 in the High Court of Justice, Lagos State, dated June 28, 2019, averred that his company, Citadel, did not execute any contract with FIRS and that he was not aware that a contract had been awarded to Citadel.
In his deposition under oath, Joseph claimed that Citadel “did not at any time execute any contract for the FIRS and neither did the 2nd defendant (Princess O. Kama) who is its agent in respect of the contract it bid for with the FIRS deliver/release any documents to the Claimant (Citadel) indicating that the contract it bid for, or any other contract was awarded to it by the FIRS or any other body.”
However, a letter from the FIRS addressed to the chamber of Afe Babalola & Co dated February 11, 2014 (FIRS/PD/GDS/2559) and signed by one Idrissa Kogo, Head Legal Department, stated: “Contrary to your client’s claim that they knew nothing about the execution of the contract awarded to them and that they did not receive any payment for the execution of the contract, our record reveals otherwise.
“Your client instructed FIRS through a letter dated December 13, 2012, to deal with Princess O. Kama (Your client’s agent) in relation to the contract. Through three separate letters dated December 20, 2012, your client instructed FIRS to pay to the client’s account with Access Bank plc. Please note that FIRS acted in compliance with your client’s instruction and with due diligence,” the FIRS letter stated.
The FIRS letter was a response to inquiry by Afe Babalola Chamber, lawyers to Citadel Oracle Concept Ltd and its MD, Mr. Benjamin Joseph, at that time.
The current charges filed by Falana on the basis of a fiat from the Attorney General is the third in a row as Mr Joseph had earlier filed charge no.CR/469/2022, which was struck out by Honorable Justice C. O. Oba of the FCT High Court, by an order dated November 8, 2022.
Determined to push through with his case, Mr Joseph filed the same charges before Honorable Justice A. S. Adepoju of the FCT High Court, and the charges were, once again, struck out by the Honorable Court on March 19, 2024, with Honorable Justice Adepoju holding that: “This matter was brought in dead, extinct and should be confined into the dustbin of history…I hold that the instant suit is an abuse of the process of court, and it is hereby struck out accordingly.”
Nigeria is to phase out solar panel imports to promote local manufacturing and advance Nigeria’s shift towards clean energy, according to Uche Nnaji, minister of Science and Technology.
Uche Nnaji, minister of Science and Technology
Nnaji who spoke at the unveiling of the NEV T6 electric buses in Abuja, stated that the decision aligns with a presidential directive prioritising local content in science, engineering, and technology.
He highlighted Nigeria’s capacity to produce its own solar panels, with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) playing a key role in local manufacturing.
He projected that as domestic production grows, more households and institutions would transition to off-grid solar power solutions.
“We have lithium in abundance here in Nigeria, so Mr. President is already taking action. We are adding value to our raw materials. The lithium we have here will be processed and used as batteries for these vehicles,” Nnaji said.
Addressing the country’s power challenges, the minister revealed that the government is developing mini-grid solutions to provide reliable energy for hospitals, institutions, and homes.
“If you look at our budgets, we have what is called mini-grids all over the place. In less than three or four months, you will start seeing our hospitals and institutions being powered by solar,” he stated.
Nnaji emphasised that the government’s approach focuses on sustainability and environmental protection.
“Again, we are saving the environment; we are putting in place non-carbon emission infrastructure. So, we are creating power everywhere. It is not about using diesel, it is not about using PMS, it is not about generating the kinds of power that will pollute the environment.”
He pointed out that NASENI and private companies have already begun producing solar panels locally, making it feasible to discontinue imports.
“With NASENI here, you know that we have panels. It has a factory that has started producing solar panels, and other private individuals are also producing solar panels as we speak.
“So, all we need to do is, even through science and technology, through our Presidential Executive Order No. 5, we will stop all these importations of solar panels.
“We will support our local industries to grow, and very soon, most houses will go off-grid. Personally, I have been off-grid for over three years, and it is working.”
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