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Local Equipment Suppliers Should be Encouraged – Okafor
Edwin Okafor is managing director of Adimo Electronics Limited – suppliers of telecommunication equipment.
A consummate entrepreneur with skills in electrical and telecom installations and networking engineering, Okafor decried low-patronage of indigenous firms in the thriving telecom business in Nigeria. He spoke to funmi ilesanmi.
What is Adimo?
We are into sale of networking equipment. We sell fibre optic cables and other equipment. We give private telecom operators the needed fibre backbone support.
The whole world is going fibre and Nigerians now enjoy telecommunication services. A lot of people now have internet in their homes and a lot of new things are happening.
With competition, tariffs are coming down and people also have easy access to internet services. A lot of private operators are investing in communications and it is no longer a mono-industry as it was in the days of Nitel.
You can see private operators giving internet access to people on their phones and they can browse the internet anytime, anywhere unlike before when we go to business centres to browse.
So the business is booming with our population advantage and thus, Nigeria can compete in the global telecom space.
Ghana had telecommunication services before Nigeria but we have surpassed Ghana by all standards. Nigeria’s telecommunications market is even growing at a faster pace than South Africa’s’ and by this we can compete globally because the business is here.
Adimo operates from two locations – Port Harcourt and Lagos; we are making plans to open a third office in Abuja.
Fibre to Home
Fibre to home is good but we do not have good roads here in Nigeria and if you must lay fibre, you lay it along the road side or make a path for it.
There is what the Lagos State Government calls Right-of-Way (RoW) and you must get this approval before you can lay fibre. In Ikoyi and Victoria Island, many people are connecting fibre to home because there is a laid down path where fibre can be laid but you cannot compare Victoria Island to Ajangbadi in case you want to lay fibre to home.
They might want to construct a new road and definitely the fibre must be pulled out. For example, the road construction from Orile to Mile 2; when the road was being constructed, all the fibres on the road were pulled out.
The Lagos State Government has created a link where these fibres will be channeled when constructing new roads.
The government created a very good channel for fibre on the newly constructed Bode Thomas road with very good manholes.
That is the way it is done in developed countries. They give space for fibre to home in case other communications links need to come in.
Challenges
The challenges are enormous. One is getting right of way to lay cables.
Secondly, some operators we supply fibre cables and other equipment delay in making payments. After supplying these operators with equipment, it takes them about one and half year to make payments.
They keep telling you that there is no cash flow but the banks do not want to hear that, the interest rate keeps running.
There was a time they wanted to pass a bill between the supplier and the buyer because they will give you an LPO that they will pay in 30 days.
This means that when you supply the equipment, you will be paid in 30 days but they do not meet up with this payment plan.
After supplying the equipment, it takes one and half ears for payment to be made.
That is our major challenge in terms of payment.
When you go to them for your money, they tell you no cash flow but the bank is not interest in that, your interest rate is running.
Private operators need to help us by maintaining the 30 days payment plan.
Another challenge is that indigenous companies seldom get jobs directly. Nigerians prefer colour-skinned people (that is, white men) to their country men.
Subsequently, jobs are preferentially given to Indians, Lebanese and other foreign companies.
For example, I saw a Chinese man slicing at Mile 2 but this is the kind of work our people should do.
We need to encourage our people not foreigners.
This makes our people lazy. After the jobs are given to them, they in turn come to us for one thing or the other and at the end of the day when you check the profit margin; it is nothing to write home about.
Again, if we travel abroad to their countries they cannot give you such jobs to do in their countries but they can do that here in Nigeria. This is unfair.
The government needs to encourage us; private operators also need to encourage us. In a networking business like ours, it is no hide and seek game.
Before these jobs are given to foreigners, verification need be done to ensure there are no indigenous companies with capacity.
You bring a calibrated paper, you bring a certificate of the equipment you use and if it is certified, the job should be given to indigenous companies.
Immediately the job is done, a series of test should also be carried out to determine if the job was well done. For example, if you slice a cable and it gives you high DB loss, there is no way you can manage it.
Definitely, you must know what gave you that high DB loss.
There is nothing like our people do not know the job. Telecommunications has been in Nigeria for a while and does it mean that for this number of years we have not trained someone who can slice cable?
Does it mean that for more than 10 years we did not train people who can do the job locally? That means we do not know what we are doing.
The banks are also not helping matters; the interest rate is on the high side.
To borrow money from Nigerian banks is as if you want to pluck the moustache of a live lion and this is causing us setbacks.
Before we started doing business in Nigeria we went to so many banks to help us but none of them agreed.
We were only able to get financial support from abroad and their interest rate is low compared to that of Nigerian banks.
Future of Telecommunication Equipment Supplies
That the 2010 World Cup and London 2012 Olympic Games were watched on the internet was the work of fibre optic cables and its high configuration switches. The whole world is going fibre now and it is being done fibre to home.
It is an emerging technology in Nigeria, many companies do not know about it, only multinationals know about it but a time will come when everyone will know about it.
There was a time when only Nitel lines were in use, nobody knew everyone would later carry about three phones.
Then some digital lines were bought for as high as N120,000, some analogue lines N60,000 while the 090 which was a mobile line was about N40,000 but this new technology is just unfolding, many people need to be enlightened to know that this is real.
Manpower Development
We outsource training of our engineers.
Young people troop in here daily in search of jobs, I encourage them and direct them to our training partners and if they excel at the training, both the technical aspect and the theoretical aspects, we can easily employ them.
There is what we call ‘contract staff,’ after the training we employ them as contract staff and if there is work to be done, we engage them.
We have both permanent and contract staff.
We make sure our contract staff do not stay idle. When we do not have jobs sometimes, we tell them to assist some other people who have jobs to be done.
There is no employment out there and young people want to work because the universities graduate thousands of students yearly.
Government and Patronage of Local Enterprise
Government should mandate these foreign companies to employ our people. For example, at first it could be 50 per cent indigenes to 50 percent foreigners but these foreigners when they work for the first six months, remove 20 per cent of them and fix 20 of our people.
When they work for one year, remove five percent of the foreigners and add your own people. That way our people can be gainfully employed.
That is a high diplomacy of how to go about it. But these foreigners after agreeing to this term employ 50 percent of our people but after the first month, these people are laid off and replaced with foreigners citing reasons of non performance.
How can a Chinese man slice cables when our people can do this.
The money is not coming from the foreigners, it is our money but this money is going to foreigners. We need to benefit from the money because it is our money.
9mobile has appointed Ina Alogwu as its new Chief Digital and Innovation Officer (CDIO), marking another significant step in the company’s business transformation agenda.
In his new role, Alogwu will be responsible for guiding the development and execution of 9mobile’s long-term strategy across the entire digital and technology ecosystem, including new technologies, digital platforms, and business models while nurturing a culture of innovation within the organization.
His appointment demonstrates 9mobile’s firm commitment to driving digital transformation and enhancing its innovative capabilities to better serve customers and stay ahead of market trends.
Alogwu is a visionary leader and seasoned strategist with nearly two decades of transformative experience in digital commerce, mobile payments, and technology ecosystems, making him an invaluable addition to 9mobile’s leadership team.
He has a proven ability to identify emerging trends and harness them to develop and execute groundbreaking digital products and strategies. His expertise spans product innovation, data strategy implementation, and agile business transformations, all of which have delivered significant and sustainable results across diverse industries and regions.
He joins 9mobile from ARM Holding Company, Nigeria, where he was the Group Director, Digital Transformation and spearheaded innovation initiatives, implemented a robust data strategy, and managed venture-building programmes that supported numerous African tech startups.
His very distinguished and diverse professional journey also includes an impactful tenure at Interswitch Limited, where he held roles such as Group Head, Verve Digital, and Group Head, Payment Processing. In these roles, he led the creation of groundbreaking payment platforms and digital solutions across West and East Africa.
Earlier in his career, Alogwu held roles at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a Training Specialist and worked at Integrated Business Strategies as a Business Analyst.
Speaking about the appointment, 9mobile CEO Obafemi Banigbe expressed confidence in Alogwu’s ability to lead the company’s innovation efforts, saying, “Alogwu’s broad professional background makes him the perfect fit for our innovative and business transformation journey as he joins a team of recently appointed senior business leaders to drive this process and the next phase of our growth.
“His role is crucial for navigating today’s fast-paced digital environment. And he has been entrusted to lead the charge in harnessing new technologies, driving digital transformation, and ensuring the company remains adaptable to change, which is integral to fostering innovation and positioning 9mobile as a forward-thinking leader in its industry.”
The New CDIO said, “I’m delighted to join 9mobile and collaborate with the CEO and the leadership team on the innovative initiatives already in progress.
As we navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape, I’m eager to leverage my expertise in digital strategy, technology, and innovation to drive 9mobile’s mission to deliver exceptional customer experiences and achieve our strategic objectives.”
Alogwu’s academic credentials further underline his readiness for this role. He holds an Executive Master’s in Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership from IE Business School, Madrid, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business from Emeritus Institute, in collaboration with MIT and Columbia Business School.
He also completed the Senior Management Program at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, and earned a BSc. in Geology & Mining from the University of Jos, Nigeria.
His education is further enriched by certifications in Product Management, Lean Six Sigma, and Strategic Innovation, equipping him with a robust foundation to drive innovation, lead digital transformation, and achieve business excellence in competitive landscapes.
His ability to combine academic knowledge with practical expertise has positioned him as a trailblazer in the digital commerce and technology sectors.
Beyond his technical expertise, Alogwu is adept at cultivating and managing strategic relationships with global multilateral organizations and financial institutions, leveraging these partnerships to unlock profitable opportunities. He has consistently demonstrated excellence in leading multicultural teams and navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments to deliver transformative outcomes.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), has signed agreement with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) with the aim of enhancing data protection within the insurance sector.
According to NAICOM, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has as its objectives training and capacity building in the area of providing training to enhance awareness and skills in data protection, establishing privacy clinics by setting up specialised clinics to address data protection concerns and provide guidance.
NAICOM said other objectives of the agreement include conducting compliance activities, regularly monitoring and enforcing compliance with data protection regulations, promoting awareness in the area of educating insurance companies on the importance of data protection and the benefits of adhering to best practices.
Developing data protection guidelines through creation of specialized guidelines for insurance institutions to ensure they are equipped to handle data protection responsibilities effectively.
NAICOM said the collaboration marked a significant milestone in safeguarding the personal data of insurance policyholders and promoting trust in the insurance sector.
The commission said to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement, an implementation committee would be established. The committee, the commission said, would comprise of representatives from the two agencies, as well as other key industry associations, including the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB).
Businesses worldwide are increasingly embracing mobile advertising services, allowing them to connect with potential customers directly on their smartphones and engage with them more effectively.
This trend is rapidly gaining momentum, and companies in Nigeria are also taking part in this shift.
Every day, more Nigerian businesses are seeking the most efficient strategies to reach their target audiences and convert them into loyal customers.
MTN Nigeria is redefining digital advertisement with MTN Mobile Ads. With a rich customer base of 79.5 million subscribers in Nigeria, MTN Mobile Ads continues to help businesses reach millions of customers nationwide.
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Targeted marketing
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Diverse advertising formats
This service supports several advertising formats including targeted SMS, marketplace listing on the MyMTN app, display banners, and Rich messaging services (RCS) across both mobile and web platforms. This versatility allows your business to customize your marketing strategy to suit different audience preferences and increase engagement opportunities.
Data-free solutions
MTN Mobile Advertising provides data-free solutions. That means users can view your Ads with or without data. This feature significantly increases engagement rate as it allows your business connect with customers who may have been avoiding ads to save their data.
Cost-effective
With MTN Mobile Ads, you can choose an advertising plan that suits your budget. This flexibility allows businesses to enjoy the benefits of advertising without overspending.
As competition in businesses increase, the need to make advertising a crucial part of your marketing strategy cannot be over-emphasized.
MTN’s Mobile advertising services are the most result-oriented strategy your business should engage in so you can have the same opportunities your competitors may have.
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