News
Okere @ WEF, Lists Benefits of NgREN
Austin Okere, founder of CWG Plc and Entrepreneur in Residence at Columbia Business School (CBS), New York, spoke on the Digital Advantage Panel anchored by Nielsen Bronwyn of CNBC Africa at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China in early September.
Speaking alongside Rich Lesser, global CEO & President of the Boston Consulting Group, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, CEO of Tata Consultancy Services, Mitchell Baker, Executive Chairwoman of the Mozilla Foundation, and Maurice Levy, Chairman and CEO of the Publicis Groupe on the role of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and the importance of Computer Science on future employment trends, Mr. Okere threw light on the transformative Nigeria Research and Education Network (NgREN) project which his company, CWG, collaborated with the World Bank and the Education Ministry in Nigeria to deliver earlier in the year.
The project, the first of its kind in West and Central Africa, covers the 27 Premier Federal Universities in Nigeria and their over one million students and staff, providing high definition telepresence capabilities for real-time collaboration, voice over internet protocol (VOIP), and shared access to research content and joint experimentation projects. Subsequent phases will extend to over 500 other Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, and cover over 20 million people.
On the question of technology and needed regulation, Austin’s view is that legislation will always lag technology because of its innate manual and iterative nature and having to chase rapid innovation in technology.
He believes that in the future, physical stores shall only be for brand enticement and ‘look & feel’, while most purchases shall be made online.
Mr. Okere averred that business models based on the arbitrage of information such as travel agencies shall be disrupted and disinter mediated in favour of business models based on creativity and knowledge value add to information, such as software design, big data analytics and Ecommerce enablers such as Google and Alibaba.
He added that in today’s world, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can have access to the hitherto technology advantage enjoyed by larger companies, by leveraging technology solutions available through cloud computing, and spreading capital costs through subscription payments.
He counseled governments to invest in the critical ‘last mile’ infrastructure that enables Broadband access to homes and offices to further boost inclusive growth, noting that there is a correlation between pervasive Broadband Access and the GDP growth of a country.
When asked about financial inclusion and business expansion into emerging markets, Austin’s views were that the new frontiers for business expansion following saturation in the developed markets were Africa and Latin America. He however cautioned against wholesale importation of western business model templates into these emerging markets given the different geographies, peoples and cultures. He counsels local partnerships to explore the immense opportunities in a mutually beneficial manner.
On financial inclusion and the widely popular M-PESA mobile banking system in Kenya, Mr. Okere explained that the model has not quite taken off in promising markets such as Nigeria because of the model adopted in Kenya where the initiative is telecom operator led. He expressed deep scepticism about the ‘largest bank’ in the country being outside of the supervisory purview of the Central Bank, since telecom operators are rather regulated by the Communication Commission.
He favours a bank led model, which is slow in taking off because the banks are just learning the ropes in agent recruitment, a critical pillar in the value chain and the forte of telecom operators.
He however, believed that the recent launch of the national identity card project in Nigeria will significantly boost financial inclusion in the country, since the cards, with biometrics and financial transaction capability (in conjunction with MasterCard), shall be carried by over 130 million Nigerians; far more than the subscribers on M-PESA, which stands at about 15 million as at June 2014.
The WEF Champions meeting which holds annually in China and also known as the ‘Summer Davos’, attracted over 2,000 delegates comprising global industry captains, top academia, heads of states and top government functionaries to the city of Tianjin for two days from September 10.
It will be recalled that CWG was named a WEF Global growth Company in May 2014 at the WEF Forum at Abuja in recognition of her phenomenal growth, global corporate citizenship, executive leadership and impact on the competitive landscape of the ICT industry in Africa.
Acknowledging the company, David Aikman, Managing Director and Head of the New Champions at the World Economic Forum, remarked that “CWG Plc is a dynamic group with clear potential to shape the future in its relevant business sector and so is a perfect fit to our GGC community”.
The Forum was opened at a colourful event by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Professor Schwab Klaus, Founder and Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
The premier assured the international business community in China that they would not be selectively targeted in the ongoing industrial reforms in China, while announcing a healthy GDP growth of 7.6% and the creation of an additional 10.4 million jobs in the eight months to September.
Professor Schwab thanked the Government of China for their continued hospitality to the WEF community and assured of the reciprocity of the global business community through increased investment in the Country.
This year’s Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture will focus on Governance, Standardization and cybersecurity in artificial intelligence era.
The lecture which will herald Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards (ABoICT Lecture 2025) hold on May 24, 2025 at Four Points by Sheraton and will be delivered by Prof. Adewale Obadare, Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode – Cybersecurity and GRC Expert.
The sixteenth edition of the award ceremony according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek the organizers of the event, “is a special edition to recognise and celebrate organizations and individuals in the ICT industry that have contributed to the growth of the sector.
“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this special edition, tag: ‘ICT Growth Edition 2025’ he said,”.
He added that, an AI governance framework outlines policies, principles, and practices to guide the ethical and responsible development and deployment of AI technologies, ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness.
“In the AI era, cybersecurity faces both new threats and opportunities, as AI’s capabilities are used by both defenders and attackers to launch sophisticated attacks and defenses.
“This requires a proactive approach, including AI-powered security tools, robust data security, and ethical AI development, emphasizing real-time monitoring, threat intelligence, and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals and AI researchers.
“Artificial intelligence transforms cybersecurity by automating responses to risks, detecting unusual activity, and even foreseeing possible dangers before they occur.
“While AI has various perks, such as better efficiency and faster risk identification, it also has challenges. Without proper oversight, these systems can be misused or make errors. Strong governance and ethical frameworks ensure AI technologies are used responsibly and effectively.,” he said.
The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished (ABoICT Lecture 2024) is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.
The lecture series however is reserved for distinguished achievers in the ICT sector.
Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, founder, Hyperspace & NeuraL AI and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; among others.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and president of Dangote Refinery, has insisted that the ‘cabal’ in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is still fighting against the success of his 650,000 barrels per day plant.
Aliko Dangote
Dangote disclosed this, according to Semafor, a global news platform, at an investor forum in Lagos at the weekend.
He said, “For a very, very long time, those that have made a lot of money from government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria were the ones trying to sabotage the $20 billion worth of refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos.”
He further stressed that “those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country.”
However, Dangote was confident that the battle between him and the groups would be won, priding himself on being a long-time fighter.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 percent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he was quoted.
Recall that Dangote Refinery kicked off the sale of petrol in September 2024, which had led to a significant drop in fuel imports into Nigeria.
In May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy during his inauguration speech.
Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has welcomed the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCT) upholding the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Inc. by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement signed by its President, Mal. Kabiru A. Yusuf, and General Secretary, Mrs. Angela Emuwa, NPAN described the ruling as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to enforce digital accountability and protect the rights of its citizens.
“The decision affirms the importance of compelling global digital platforms to adhere to Nigeria’s laws and respect the rights of users,” the association said.
NPAN noted that the fine, resulting from a 30-month investigation spanning 2021 to 2023, was imposed due to Meta’s alleged unauthorized data sharing and discriminatory practices affecting Nigerian users.
The association also emphasized that Nigeria’s regulatory action aligns with global trends, citing similar penalties imposed on Meta in Europe, as well as actions against other tech giants such as Amazon, TikTok, Google, and Apple.
As an advocate for media freedom and fair digital practices, NPAN reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring fair remuneration for publishers in the evolving digital landscape.
It further urged sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society, and industry players to strengthen Nigeria’s digital regulatory environment.
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