E-Business
Medallion Wins Best ICT Clearinghouse @ BoICT Awards
Telecommunications infrastructure servicing company, Medallion Communications Limited has been adjudged the best ICT Clearing House of the Year, at the Beacon of Information and Communications Technology Awards, organized by Communication Week Media, in Lagos on Saturday at Eko Hotel & Suites.
Reacting to the award, Ikechukwu Nnamani, Chief Executive Officer of Medallion Communications Limited, said as a company, it is exciting because receiving the award goes to show the ICT industry recognizes Medallion’s contributions to the industry, which reports says is presently contributing 10 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
“We are happy for the awards we got at the Beacon of ICT event. It is a testament that the industry has continued to recognize the work we do and the contribution we are making to the industry,” he said on the side-line of the awards night that attracted several industry stakeholders.
Ikechukwu, who was also adjudged the ICT Enterpreneur of the Year, admitted the award is also a call for more effort from Medallion so that the company, touted as Nigeria’s Telecom House will be recognized and win future awards. “The award tells us that people are watching and are appreciative of the effort we have been putting into making the Nigerian telecom industry more vibrant and efficient.
It also shows that hard work has its rewards so we will keep working hard and adding value to the telecom industry in Nigeria,” he assured.
Speaking on the ICT Enterpreneur of the Year award, Ikechukwu noted that Entrepreneurship is not for the fainthearted, stressing that people see the glory when you are successful but don’t see the pain that leads to that success.
He urged young entrepreneurs to put in the extra effort and be positive at all times, despite some unanticipated challenges along the way, saying at the right time, their projects will be successful.
He also addressed the recent suspension of the interconnect license of Medallion by the telecom regulator based on allegations of involvement on call masking. Engr Nnamani indicated that the issue of the suspension is a most unfortunate one. “The suspension is one that should have never happened in the first place,” he said.
While confirming that the suspension has been lifted by the telecom regulator, Ikechukwu rejected the allegation of call masking, which the reason was given by the regulator for the suspension.
His words: “We totally rejected that, since we knew we were never involved in call masking. It was practically impossible for us to be involved since we do not bring in international traffic into the country and all the calls we terminate on other networks was sent to them as we received it from the originating network.
“It was therefore shocking and strange that the regulator would accuse us of call masking and even went ahead to suspend our interconnect license. However, we believe in the rule of law and the telecom industry in Nigeria operates under the guidelines of the Nigerian Communication Act 2003.
The Act stipulates that when an operator disagrees with any determination made against it by the Regulator, you have the right to appeal and ask for a review of the decision and most importantly, you have the right to demand that you be given written reasons why you were punished and the evidence against you so you can properly respond.
In the event that you do that and there is still no agreement between the Regulator and the operator, the operator has the right to seek redress in the law court. In our case we wrote to the Regulator asking for evidence against us that indicates we were involved in call masking.
No evidence was presented to Medallion indicating we were involved in call masking. I am glad to report that following our appeal of the suspension the Regulator has lifted the suspension against Medallion and we are now able to run our interconnect business.”
He added that he is glad the issue was resolved without Medallion needing to take the Regulator to court, which was to be its next line of action iin the case that the company’s request for review of the decision was not positive in line with the provisions of the Communication Act 2003.
Medallion Communications has the most interconnected peering point in West Africa, with over 83 service providers, including all GSM, LTE, CDMA operators, Fixed Wireless and Fixed line operators connected to its infrastructure.
E-Business
NITDA, NIMC Partner for Seamless Data Exchange Capabilities
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystems and secure seamless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
NITDA, which made the announcement on its X handle, said that the collaboration was to further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,
During the meeting, Kashifu Inuwa, director general of NITDA, and Bisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, with some management staff of both organisations, discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of public-key infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up.
This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives and is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks.
E-Business
Expert Urges FG to Harmonise NIN, BVN to Tackle Crimes
Noble Ajuonu, head, Sydani Technologies Ltd., has urged the Federal Government to harmonise National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to tackle crimes and insecurity in the country.
Ajuonu made the call at a media roundtable, organised by Sydani Group in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable focuses on driving sustainability through a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s key development areas.
Ajuonu said that Nigeria could overcome its security challenges and pave the way for a safer, more secure future for all Nigerians by embracing technology and implementing practical solutions,
“We need to harmonise data, prioritise seamless integration of databases like NIN, BVN, and security agency records, establish clear protocols for data sharing and access, with robust safeguards against misuse,’’ expert said.
According to him, the unified data pool will empower intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
He also called for investments in smart surveillance, intelligent video analytics software, training of personnel in data analysis, interpretation of data in real-time to combat crimes.
“There is need to implement a legal framework for call interception in criminal investigations, with strict oversight to prevent abuse, encourage community cohesion, training of tech savvy security personnel with tech-enabled tools.’’
Ajuonu also urged the government to address infrastructure deficit in technology, saying that technology was all encompassing to address insecurity.
“According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of December 2023, only 104.2 million Nigerians had been enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN).’’
Ajuonu added that over 122.2 million citizens left uncaptured for NIN were people in rural areas where enrolment centres, digital services were limited.
“Most crimes are being perpetuated from rural communities and this lack of comprehensive identification creates a gap where elements not captured in the national database can constitute public nuisance, crimes.
“There is the inadequacy in the integration of NIN, BVN and Voters Identification Number (VIN).
“Advanced call interception and analysis tools, used successfully in other countries, could provide invaluable insights into criminal networks and operations but infrastructure is lacking,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Petgrave, the Agricultural Expert, Sydani Group, called for empowerment of smallholder farmers with access to finance and training to enhance productivity.
According to Petgrave, Nigeria requires policy reform and institutional strengthening to improve agricultural practices and embrace digital agriculture solutions to address food insecurity.
Mr Akolade Jimoh, another expert of the group on health, advocated for expanded community-based health insurance programmes for rural and underserved areas.
Jimoh added that the country needed to encourage Public Private Partnership to revolutionise products design and quality improvement on health services.
E-Business
Konga launches Infinix Brand Week with Incredible Deals
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce group, is thrilled to announce the launch of amazing deals at its Infinix Brand Week. Infinix, a leading global smartphone brand known for its innovative products and cutting-edge technology promises exclusive discounts and special offers on select smartphones, marking an exciting milestone in the realm of online shopping.
Shoppers can expect nothing short of extraordinary deals on a wide range of Infinix products, all available exclusively on the Konga online platform. With discounts of up to 30% off, this partnership between Konga and Infinix aims to redefine the shopping experience for tech enthusiasts across Nigeria.
Konga Brand Week has become synonymous with excitement and unbeatable deals, and this year’s edition is no exception. In addition to exclusive discounts on Infinix smartphones, shoppers can explore a diverse array of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more.
“At Konga, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible,” said Rita Ohaedoghasi, VP Marketing at Konga. “The Infinix Week during Konga Brand Week allows us to continue delivering on that promise by offering incredible discounts and special offers on some of the most sought-after smartphones in the market.”
To stay updated on the latest developments and exclusive deals during Konga Brand Week, shoppers are encouraged to connect with Konga across all platforms, including social media and the Konga website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to score big savings and elevate your tech game with Infinix and Konga.
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