General News
NCC, Other Stakeholders Extol NITRA @ Inauguration
The inauguration of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) was a move that will engender faster industry growth through collaboration with industry stakeholders on different fronts in and outside the country.
This was the position of the Nigerian Communications Commission and other industry stakeholders and supporters of NITRA including the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Nigeria Internet Group (NIG); and the Nigeria Internet Registration Associations (NIRA), Electronic Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN) at the official inauguration of the association held at the Function Room of Sheraton Hotels and Towers, in Ikeja, Lagos at the weekend.
Other industry players that supported the NITRA inauguration include the Zinox Computers, Computer Warehouse Group; MTN Nigeria, Visafone, Signal Alliance, Globacom, Resourcery, Teledom International, Airtel, Samsung, Cisco and Ericsson, JSP Communications, The Quadrant, Xlr8, as well as Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, among others.
Speaking at the NITRA inauguration, Dr, Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman of the NCC, said the formation of NITRA was strategic to proper coordination among journalists for driving ICT development.
Juwah, in a keynote address on ‘Broadband Penetration: Opportunities for Business Growth and Sustainability’ underscored how broadband is accelerating growth in every facet of the economy.
The NCC boss, who was represented by Engineer Bako Wakil, assistant director, Technical Services, however, stated that the Commission solidly identifies with the vision and mission of NITRA.
He said: “Let me first congratulate you for being able to coordinate this event which is a culmination of your efforts in forming better platform for effective coverage of the industry. It is also heart-warming that your vision is to drive ICT Development through your mission to ensure ethical accurate, regulators and other key stakeholders for sustainable development of the ICT industry.
“We can say that we already share a common aspiration with these ideals as have been expressed and we promise to continue supporting NITRA as a critical stakeholder in the industry.”
While describing NITRA as a good platform which ICT journalists can leverage to contribute meaningfully to the industry, Dr. Emmanuel Ukuwem, chairman of the occasion, said it should be run selflessly toward the realization of its mission and vision.
Mr. Lanre Ajayi, ATCON’s president, and Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON’s chairman, who expressed their readiness to work with NITRA leadership, advised the association’s leadership to be transparent in its activities to members.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Emma Okonji, president of NITRA, said the decision to inaugurate NITRA was borne out of the need to create an industry-wide awareness about the association and to formally unveil its activities to the industry stakeholders.
Highlighting what the mandates of NITRA would be, Okonji said as critical stakeholders in the ICT industry, NITRA would continue to play our role of keeping the government and its agencies on their toes by assessing their performance in terms of policy formulation and implementation with a view to ensuring that ICT continue to be a major contributor to the nation’s economy.
“This is in line with our cardinal role as journalists, as contained in the Section 22 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, which states, inter alia, that “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to….uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
“It is NITRA’s belief, therefore, that the extent to which we, as journalists, recognise this constitutional role bestowed upon us and allow it to reflect in our daily account of activities in the industry reportage both from the government and private sector perspectives, the better for the industry as whole.
”While carrying out this important role, we would also continue to seek strategic collaborations, where necessary, with industry stakeholders in moving the industry forward, by championing its course for the good of the industry,” he said.
The NITRA President added that NITRA shall not hesitate, from time to time, to issue position statements on burning industry issues and make such positions known to the government for possible considerations and, by extension, implementation.
Established in November 2013, NITRA is the umbrella body of all ICT journalists in Nigeria, cutting across the print, broadband and online media.
The association has a vision to drive ICT development through a mission of ensuring accurate and robust reportage and deepening collaborations with industry stakeholders and the regulators for a sustainable development in the ICT industry.
NITRA is an affiliate of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) has urged courier or logistics service providers to register with the service or face the wrath of the law.
Dr Chris Ashiedu, state postal manager, Enugu State, made the call while speaking on Tuesday at the ongoing 36th Enugu International Trade Fair.
The 10-day Fair, which kicked off on April 4, is themed: “Developing Nigeria Industrial Sector/SMEs for Economic Advancement and Global Recognition”.
Ashiedu said that any company or venture who failed to register as well as their workers would also be liable to legal sanction of fines, imprisonment or both.
He said that NIPOST had so far registered 29 courier/logistic service providing companies or ventures in Enugu State, while hunting for others operating under hiding.
According to him, we are succeeding in pushing to get them notwithstanding that they are dodging NIPOST officials but we are determined to get every courier/logistic service provider in Enugu State under our regulatory control and guidance.
Ashiedu said that the Agency was already developing a technological App to track those operating in the secret and get their locations.
He said: “NIPOST is a Federal Government agency constitutionally charged with the regulation and licensing of all courier and logistics services in Nigeria.
“We clamped down on all unregistered courier and logistics service companies or providers last month in Enugu, and we will keep on chasing them until they do what the law demands.
“We will also compel them to do their annual re-registration.
“It is made easier for them since NIPOST has categorised courier/logistics services into international, national, regional and state and bulk of the couriers/logistics fall into state category to pay very less for registration and annual re-registration.”
The manager explained that any movement of item, be it food or even fruit on a motorised equipment (vehicle or motorcycle) from one location to another in terms of delivering is doing courier service.
General News
Sofia Zab, PalmPay CMO Highlights Strategies for Driving Digital Payment Adoption in Africa
At the recent Tech Unite Africa 2025 conference in Lagos, PalmPay’s Chief Marketing Officer, Sofia Zab, shared valuable insights on accelerating the shift from cash to digital payments in Africa, as the company introduced its latest innovation: the PalmPay Debit Card.
During a panel discussion, Zab addressed the critical barriers hindering digital payment adoption encountered by PalmPay when the company launched in Nigeria: reliability and cost. She noted that in 2019, many Nigerian consumers and merchants avoided digital payments due to frequent transaction failures and high fees.
To overcome these challenges, PalmPay developed a robust infrastructure ensuring a 99.95% transaction success rate and pioneered a user-friendly model with zero rated bank transfers, fee-free bill payments and cashback rewards.
“Once users experience the benefits, they don’t want to return to cash,” Zab stated. “The key to shifting consumer behaviour is making digital payments more convenient, more rewarding, and less stressful than using cash.” As consumers adopted cashless payments, they began seeking out merchants that would accept payment with transfer, driving digitisation in retail payments organically.
Zab also highlighted PalmPay’s inclusive approach to building a cashless ecosystem, especially in areas with unreliable internet access. Beyond its smartphone app, Nigerians can transact through PalmPay’s nationwide network of mobile money agents, who are equipped with multiple devices and SIM cards from various providers and can transact on behalf of users if a particular network is experiencing an outage.
In 2024, PalmPay went a step further by introducing a USSD code (*861#) for users without data access, and with the new PalmPay Debit Card, its customers now have another access point and can withdraw cash from ATMs or point-of-sale terminals when digital transactions are not feasible. “For us, the key is about meeting people where they are, rather than waiting for the perfect infrastructure to arrive”, Zab emphasized.
In alignment with its mission to drive financial access, PalmPay unveiled the PalmPay Debit Card at the conference. Developed in partnership with Verve, Africa’s largest domestic card scheme, the card offers zero maintenance fees, easy in-app application with nationwide delivery, and integration into PalmPay’s full suite of financial services – including cashback, merchant rewards, and high-yield savings. This initiative marks a significant milestone in PalmPay’s evolution into a comprehensive digital banking platform.
With over 35 million users on its smartphone app and a MSME network of 1.1 million agents and merchants across Nigeria, PalmPay continues to build one of the continent’s most dynamic fintech ecosystems, dedicated to redefining digital banking to be more personalised, comprehensive, and accessible to everyone.
In line with the 2025 World Health Day theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” QNET has reiterated its dedication to enhancing maternal and neonatal health, particularly in emerging markets.
The global direct-selling company has spotlighted its wellness and nutritional products, which it says are designed to address key health challenges in underserved regions.
Statistics from the World Health Organization show that 287,000 women died due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications in 2020, with 95 percent of these deaths occurring in developing countries.
UNICEF reports further underline the severity of neonatal mortality, with 2.3 million newborns dying within the first 28 days of life in 2022, accounting for nearly half of child deaths under five globally.
Many of these fatalities are linked to preventable causes such as infections, poor nutrition, and complications from unsafe drinking water.
Biram Fall, Regional General Manager for QNET Sub-Saharan Africa, underscored the significance of maternal and neonatal health as a foundation for societal well-being. “The foundation of a healthy society starts with the well-being of mothers and their newborns,” he said.
Among the company’s health-focused products are EDG3 Plus, a glutathione precursor blend aimed at enhancing cellular repair and immune function, and HomePure Nova, a seven-stage water filtration system that addresses the issue of unsafe drinking water—a major contributor to maternal and infant morbidity.
Local stakeholders have also lauded QNET’s efforts, highlighting the potential impact in Nigeria, where maternal mortality rates stand at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to World Bank data.
As public-private partnerships gain traction in addressing health gaps in sub-Saharan Africa, QNET’s initiatives have been positioned as a complementary solution to overstretched health systems, aligning with the global goal of “Good Health and Well-Being” under the Sustainable Development Goals.
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