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New Economy Will Be Driven By ICT-Okoye
Nicholas Okoye is the managing director of Anabel Mobile Group, a mobile platform, mobile technology and mobile device manufacturing company. He worked in the United States as a stock broker and as a financial adviser/financial consultant before relocating to Nigeria. In Nigeria, he was the head of strategy at the Nigeria Stock Exchange where he helped to redesign the strategy for mobilizing investment in Nigeria. From there, he joined the National Corporation of Nigeria Plc as operating officer and was the acting managing director of Nitel for about 2 months. Okoye later look some courses at London Business School after which he set up Anabel Mobile Group. He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi
Role of Anabel in the Nigerian Economy
Anabel is a mobile platform, mobile technology and mobile device manufacturing company. We have invested in providing solution for the citizens, government, for business to be able to take advantage of the revolution in mobile technology. We have done this in three ways, one is that we have designed and manufactured cutting edge devices which are smart devices using smart applications, and they are devices that are data enabled, which means you can connect to the internet via Wi-fi connectivity and you can share documents using the device.
The device has four levels of connectivity, one being the voice connectivity, the second one being the Bluetooth, the third one, the bing, so you can bing documents between phones in very short distance while the fourth one is the Wi-fi internet. Even if there is no GSM service, you can use the Wi-fi to make voice calls or use Wi-fi to connect to the internet and browse or share documents.
The fifth one is GPRS, an edge which again is provided by the networks. Those are the kind of devices that we specialize on. To really enhance the use of devices, we have realized that innovation needs to come in for Nigerian users to be able to interact with one another, and we have chosen therefore to be the market leader and the innovator in creating mobile mobility platform, so that we can bring people together for them to communicate using our platform and linking devices together on our mobility platforms. We are working with organizations, for instance, an organization might choose to link all its files together on one platform. People can chat among themselves, communicate, share documents and instant message each other, working within an environment, so that becomes closed Virtual Private Network. Those are the kind of network and platform Anabel specializes on and we have provided that as our niche in the Nigerian economy. In addition to that, we are able to support companies, institutions with mobility campaigns for a company that might choose to run a campaign for its customers. For instance, a bank or a manufacturing firm selling sweet, rice, noodles and what have you, wants to reach its customers directly, and do not want to put an advert in the newspaper or on radio or TV, they can come to us and we create a mobility campaign which goes directly to customers using our mobility platforms. That is an area that is very exciting; we are doing it for political parties, companies and so on. We also allow for mobile cameras, we are building mobile cameras platforms and getting groups in different parts of the country to come together under our mobile cameras initiative to interact and do business. Those are the areas where we have created a niche and those are the places we believe we will enhance and serve the Nigerian economy.
Does the Application Require Specialized Handsets?
A lot of them require our specialized handsets. However, we have developed the application to also work on Nokia Symbian, which is Nokia’s operating system. We have also developed it to work on Google’s Android and it is not going to be exclusive. However, because we are a technology company, we are saying we can develop for other devices as well, so if you want to buy the software, we can sell that and if you want the software with the device, we can provide that as well.
Relationship with Anabel USA
We first started in the United States of America. I still have a team of designers and innovators in the US supporting whatever innovation we are doing here in Nigeria, but we felt that we must start business in Nigeria as the mobile world is changing very fast. I felt there is need to bring those innovations to Nigeria and through Nigeria penetrate into the rest of Africa before we take on markets in the US and UK. Again, it is still our company, based in Washington DC. But, we have chosen to come here first, rough it out, get learning experience in Nigeria, help Nigeria to tap to the rest of the world as far as mobile innovation, mobile applications are concerned and then we will be able to take that and branch out to the rest of Africa and hopefully the rest of the world.
Anabel Entertainment
The search for princess Anabel is a reality show/ beauty pageant which we expect to come up at the end of the year to the first quarter of next year. It is expected to choose a beautiful princess who will come out from Nigeria. We will go to every corners of the country to find a girl who is beautiful, enchanting, educated, intelligent, sophisticated that we can showcase to the rest of the world. The African woman and her image should be that of an intelligent, well rounded young woman who understands style, beauty, fashion and can rub shoulders with the best in the world. Once we finished with that competition, we will take her to the international community, take her on speaking tour of Europe and the United states and give her an opportunity to redefine the image of Nigerian women.
Affordability of Anabel Devices
We have a wide range of devices that are very affordable. All our devices are data enabled devices that can connect to the internet. Even as you connect to the internet, we have devices that are as low as N7, 000 to N8, 000 and are internet enabled devices and then as high as N70,000, N80, 000 and N100, 000 depending on the budget of the individual and the company. If your budget is constrained and you want a device that can connect to the internet, we give you the budget friendly device. If you want to carry sophisticated application as if you are carrying your computer in your pocket, then you can go for the high end device which can do everything a laptop can, which means that your laptop really is in your pocket.
Support
We are extremely committed to support and services, so we have an ultra modern support centre in Lagos and Abuja and we hope to open in different parts of the country. For our software application, which we will start launching by the last quarter of this year, we will be giving a 24- hour unlimited support, which means that when we are working with you, we are working with you forever. For the hardware, we give one year warranty, from that one year period you can always come back and we can sort out whatever challenges you have. Even after that, you can still come back and you might be charged but we are continuously servicing and supporting our customers.
Coping with Operating Environment Challenges
I think the major challenge is not really getting people to change because people realize that information and communication technology is the future and Nigerians have realized that our major constraint has been infrastructure and infrastructure is coming on. You can see that MainOne has launched and I believe Glo1 will soon launch, so we are getting connected to rest of the world. A lot of bandwidth will be available in Nigeria over the next few months, so infrastructure is being addressed. Our challenge is power but a bigger part of the challenge is education. I believe very strongly that Nigerians’ problem is education not power. Power is just a part of the challenge. If we don’t have an educated workforce, an educated population, we cannot compete with the rest of the world and we will keep lagging behind. If you go and talk to the recent graduate coming out of school, they don’t know anything. It is a big challenge getting educated people, people who understand where we are going in order to take advantage of opportunities available in the market place. Nigeria’s challenge is education and if our leaders don’t address it, we are doom bound because right now, we have a poorly educated workforce, with a very poorly educated young people coming out of school. Some of them cannot write letters, some cannot speak English, this is very sad. I think as the government is declaring an emergency on power, we should also have an emergency on education. I am very passionate about that because I have seen the rot that is in the system, our young people are not well educated at all. Having said that, I believe the new economy will be driven by information and communications technology, there is no question about it. Go and check companies that have been most successful around the world, it has been companies that have geared towards information and communication technology. The richest people in the world are people who have anchored their businesses or their innovations on ICT. It is not the oil and gas merchants. Go and check the Fortune 500 and Forbes 400, you will see that most of the rich people in the world are not oil and gas people. They are people who invented software. People like Bill Gate, people like Paul Allen, People like Steve Jobs of Apple, these are the people who are running the world as far as successful entrepreneurs are concerned. The future does not lie in oil and gas, it lies in technology and that is what I think the young people should embrace, I also want to encourage parents to get their children to study mathematics, study ICT, these are courses that are going to drive the future of the world economy.
Grey Markets
We have experienced that, it is a big problem in Nigeria and I think it behooves on both the Nigeria Copyright Commission and Consumer protection agency to step up to their responsibilities. We are adhering to all the rules; we have been certified by the Nigerian Communication Commission. Our devices have been certified by the Standard Organization of Nigeria. We follow all the rules, we get all the certificates, we pay all the fees and somebody who does not do any of those will just come in and start selling at half the price and then you will think that is the price; meanwhile, you have not subjected yourself to any of the rigorous inspections, government fees and so on that those of us who have been operating legally have been subjected to. So it is very difficult to do business in an environment like that. It behooves on government to protect those of us who have chosen to follow the rules, and who have chosen to subject to the rigorous type approvals from the Nigerian Communication Commission, from the Standard Organization of Nigeria and so on that we should be protected from grey market. We believe that if you do periodic rates- let those who are selling at lower prices prove that they have been tested. Sometimes, you buy a device and it does not last you one week and is giving some of the brand names a bad name. But because of the price, consumers will buy, they are attracted by the low cost and those things will not last up to two weeks. It is better for you to pay a N100 extra and have a device that will last you five years with one year warranty than buying something N100 or N200 cheaper and it will last for a week and by the next week you will need to buy another one. We need to educate consumers but the government also has a role to play.
Vision
In the next 5 years, Anabel Group will be a dominant player in Africa, with eyes on the rest of the world. Anabel has positioned itself as a leading light in the mobile application, mobile telephone, smart devices and mobile platforms. Over the next five years, we would have created a sophisticated mobile platform across the length and breath of Nigeria in various areas of endeavours, be it health, education, commerce and business, investment and so on. We know that we would be able to enhance the lives of Nigerians with those platforms, with these innovations which we are driving the market with.
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Kaspersky Discloses Fraudulent Campaigns Targeting Students and Educators
As the international back-to-school season starts, Kaspersky’s cybersecurity experts have detected a significant surge in fraudulent activities. Cybercriminals exploit academic topics, launching sophisticated phishing campaigns.
However, Kaspersky experts warn that this year, the campaigns have become more targeted, specifically aiming to steal personal data from students, educators, and administrators in the educational sector.
Fraudsters are increasingly leveraging data collection forms on platforms like SurveyHeart.com, a questionnaire like Google Forms, to carry out scams.
In one such scheme – a phishing attack that targets students at Neumann University in the U.S. – victims receive a notification claiming they are using two different Microsoft school emails across various university portals.
To prevent their Office 365 account from being deactivated, they are asked to complete a survey requiring sensitive details such as their name, phone number, university email, and account password.
Another scam uncovered by Kaspersky experts involves fraudsters creating fake giveaways that promise students a chance to win various high-end gadgets useful for education, from iPhones to iPads and laptops.
To enter these enticing contests, victims are asked to provide personal information and indicate their preferred laptop model.
Additionally, individuals are prompted to share a link to a prize-draw page with 15 contacts via WhatsApp. While the prospect of winning a valuable item like a laptop is the lure, there’s a hidden catch: the so-called winners are told they must pay for the delivery of their prizes. This demand for additional payment is a clear red flag that the giveaway is a scam.
The offer may seem tempting, but the combination of an unusually generous prize and the requirement to cover delivery costs is a telltale sign of fraudulent activity.
“These scams go beyond immediate data theft and could lead to more serious, long-term consequences,” cautions Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kaspersky.
“If attackers gain access to private school information, such as class schedules, it could be exploited for doxing, stalking, cyberbullying, or even identity theft. It’s essential for students to be vigilant and cautious when responding to such suspicious notifications.”
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CAA Launches SOS Webinar Series to Unveil Climate Action @Subnational Level
Climate Action Africa is proud to announce the launch of Scorecard of States (SOS) Webinar Series, set to debut on Thursday, 26 September 2024, with the theme: Unveiling Climate Action at the Subnational Level. This initiative is a crucial step in advancing climate resilience and fostering eco-conscious communities across Nigeria, focusing on the pivotal role of subnational governments in driving climate action.
As Nigeria continues to take proactive steps towards addressing climate change, the recent 2024 Climate Governance Performance Ranking report has spotlighted the diverse performance of Nigeria’s 36 states. Notably, Lagos, Gombe, and Ebonyi have emerged as top performers, demonstrating significant progress in institutional arrangements and project implementation. While these successes are commendable, they also highlight the ongoing need for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation to further enhance climate action at the state level.
The SOS Webinar Series by Climate Action Africa is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, policy influence, and stakeholder engagement. Through this series, we aim to showcase and discuss the climate change and sustainability initiatives of Nigerian states, explore the challenges they face, and promote innovative solutions that can inform and influence climate policies at the subnational level.
This webinar series will run for a year, with government representatives from 3 different states appearing as speakers every month. Each session will focus on the unique climate challenges and successes of four states, fostering a comprehensive understanding of subnational climate action across Nigeria.
Why This Matters
The Scorecard of States is not just a discussion series; it is a vital mechanism for driving climate action where it is needed most — at the state level. Subnational governments are at the forefront of implementing climate policies that directly impact local communities. This series, through highlighting state-level initiatives, sharing successes and challenges, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, will contribute to a more resilient and sustainable Nigeria.
Upcoming Event Details
The first series is scheduled to hold as follows:
Date: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Time: 2:00 PM WAT
Duration: 90 minutes
Format: Zoom Webinar
Keynote Address: Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga – Director, Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress Division, UNFCCC.
Participating States: Abia, Kano, and Ekiti.
Panelists: Chris Ike – Director, Climate Change Department, Abia State Ministry of Environment; Umar Saleh Anka – Director, Environment and Climate Change at Kano Watershed, Erosion and Climate Change Management Agency KN-WECCMA, Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change; and Akinola Babatunde Peter – Director, Climate Change and Nature Conservation, Ministry of environment and natural resources Ado ekiti Nigeria.
Call for Sponsors and Partners
Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available to support this impactful initiative. We invite organizations, businesses, and stakeholders committed to climate action to join us in making this series a success.
Partnering with us will enable you to play a key role in advancing climate resilience across Nigeria, gaining visibility among a diverse audience of policymakers, climate action leaders, researchers, and community stakeholders.
For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or partnership discussions, please contact: [email protected] .
Join us for this impactful event as we pave the way for enhanced climate action across Nigeria.
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FBNQuest Asset Management ABC of Investing
Whether your dreams include buying a home, starting a business, or traveling the world, sound financial management is the key to turning these dreams into reality.
Personal finance is the comprehensive practice of managing your money in a way that aligns with your financial aspirations and goals.
This multifaceted discipline includes a variety of activities such as budgeting, saving, investing, and planning for retirement. Each of these components plays a crucial role in ensuring your financial stability and growth.
Budgeting in personal finance is the process of creating a plan to manage your income, expenses, and savings. It involves deciding in advance how you will allocate your money to cover various needs and goals.
Here are some key points about budgeting, Income and Expenses, Spending Control, Savings. Creating a budget can give you more control over your finances and help you achieve both short-term and long-term financial stability. Do you have any specific goals or areas you’d like to focus on in your budget?
Savings refers to the portion of your income that you set aside and do not spend immediately. This money is typically reserved for future use, such as emergencies, large purchases, or long-term goals like buying a house or retirement. cash idling in a savings account becomes wasteful because it loses purchasing power to inflation over time.
Instead, cash not tied up in an emergency should be placed in something that will help it maintain its value or grow, such as investments.
Investing is the act of allocating money into financial assets or ventures with the expectation of generating a profit or income over time. Investing can be a powerful tool for growing your wealth, but it’s important to understand the risks and do thorough research or consult with a financial advisor.
Planning for retirement in personal finance involves preparing financially for the period in your life when you will no longer be working full-time.
The goal is to ensure you have enough money saved and invested to maintain your desired lifestyle after you stop working. It’s never too early to start planning and seeking advice from a financial advisor can be very helpful.
Keep in mind that managing personal finances is an ongoing journey, not a single destination. The financial landscape is always evolving, and it’s crucial to stay informed and adaptable.
Continuously educating yourself about new financial strategies and adapting to changing circumstances will help you navigate this journey successfully. By doing so, you can ensure that your financial decisions are well-informed and aligned with your long-term goals.
Here are few steps to aid your journey into sound personal finance management.
- Access your Financial Health
Financial health refers to the overall condition of your financial situation, encompassing all actions that impact your monetary affairs. It’s important to recognize that everyone’s circumstances are unique, so it’s essential to tailor your assessment to your personal needs and goals. Financial health includes various aspects, such as:
- Cash Balance: A growing cash balance indicates positive financial health.
- Expenses and Debt: Monitor your expenses and debt, such as credit cards, mortgages, and loans. Aim for minimal fluctuations in expenses.
- Savings and Net Worth: Assess your net worth—whether it’s positive or negative. Consider your savings, investments, and assets available for current or future use.
- Investment Returns: Strong returns on investments contribute to financial health. Diversify your investments for stability.
To improve your financial health:
- Assess your net worth Pay down your debts
- Create a budget you can stick to Build an emergency fund
- Understanding Investment basics
An investment involves using capital in the present to increase an asset’s value over time. It’s the act of allocating resources (usually money) with the expectation of generating income, profit, or gains.
When making an investment decision, an individual must consider some key factors; investment objective, risk and return, liquidity need and investment duration.
- Investment Objective
An investment objective is a set of financial goals that guide an investor’s decisions regarding their investment. The objective of the investment defines the goal of an investment.
It could be Increasing the value of your investment over time (Growth), generating regular income from the investment (Income), Protecting the initial investment from loss or a combination of more than one.
Understanding your investment objective helps in creating a tailored investment strategy that aligns with your personal finance goal.
- Risk and Returns
In personal finance, risk refers to the potential for losing some or all your investment. When considering risk, it’s important to understand both your willingness and ability to take risks. These two concepts help determine your overall risk tolerance.
Willingness to Take Risk
This is your personal comfort level with taking risks. It reflects your attitude and emotional response to potential losses and gains.
Some people are naturally more risk-averse, preferring safer investments, while others are more risk-tolerant and comfortable with the possibility of higher losses for the chance of higher returns.
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