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Nigeria Needs Concrete Plans to Leverage International ICT Partnerships- ATCON

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The success of local content drive in the telecom and information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria would accelerate the progress of the sector, according to Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

However, the Association believes that the possible way forward for the country to gain on international partnership is by drawing up comprehensive short and long-terms plans of engagements.

Mr. Olusola Teniola, president of ATCON made the remarks during a presentation at the recent Indo-Africa Expo (IT and Telecom Summit) held in Lagos, adding that ATCON noted since the inauguration of the Office of the Nigeria Local Content (ONC), there has been very little or no noticeable activity to drive the guidelines that were published back in 2013.

He said, “ATCON would like NCC and ONC to come up with concrete short and long-term implementable plans in partnership with India.“Establishment of ICT Park: The Nigerian Government should encourage India should pool managerial and technical resources together for the establishment of an ICT Park in Nigeria. The ICT Park would be given the mandate to encourage the production of some ICT inputs like switches, router, and mobile phone repairs/assembly with some of our ATCON members that are already active in this space.

“Educational Policies must be Refocused: Today in Nigeria, the number of people who want to study science related courses are small (and in most cases reducing) in relation to students who want to study commercial or social science related courses”.

The trend painted above, Teniola said, can never solve the country’s challenges, “therefore, we need to begin to redirect the focus of students on the need to study science related courses. The Federal Government should make studying of science courses interesting by providing a conducive learning environment and state of art laboratory equipment for students with a view to encouraging local content policy.

“Government should Increase the Budget of ICT The Federal Government should begin to focus more on other alternative means of generating income and their focus should be on increasing government spending and budget allocation to funding the ICT sector for the purpose of making its products and services exportable, thereby allowing it to contribute to our foreign earnings.

“Enactment of Appropriate ICT Policies: In order for the ICT sector to supplement or replace the Oil and Gas sector, strong policy frameworks which favour the sector must be put in place. It should be emphasized that the petroleum industry which used to be the cash cow for our nation (from a foreign exchange earning perspective) is not doing so well right now and this is a global issue.

“Already several countries in more advanced economies have declared that from 2030, use of hydrocarbons to run their vehicles will be significantly reduced or stopped”.

He said that the direct implication of this is that Nigeria may not be able to finance her budget without resulting to further government borrowing.“ICT can as a matter of fact serve as the new cash cow for the country provided the right polices are put in place.

“ATCON would like to use this opportunity to seek the cooperation and strategic collaboration with India to organize some important local content driven programmes that would accelerate our local content with respect to the ICT sector.

“We are certain and confident that with all these proposed interventions we have shared and solutions being put in place, we can safely say that the ICT sector will contribute more significantly to our nation’s GDP with India’ support”, the ATCON President said.


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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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