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Stakeholders Seek Early Adoption of Technology to Promote Economic Growth

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Participants at the Nigeria e-Government Summit 2020 have stressed the need for early adoption of technology and increased ICT infrastructure across the country that will promote economic growth and e-Government.

The summit, which was held at Sheraton Hotel in Lagos on Tuesday, and organised by DigiServe, had the theme : COVID-19: Impetus for Accelerated e-Government Adoption.

Mr. Muhammad Nami, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), who was represented by the Coordinating Director, FIRS, Mr. Femi Oluwaniyi, said the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it took the world by surprise, brought about the importance and need for technology adoption that would keep citizens in tune with the new normal, where meetings and conferences are now held online and government activities are more accessible online.

According to Nami, “There is need for early adoption of emerging technologies to improve governance and also improve the lives of Nigerians. Small businesses like Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), need to be empowered and government must begin to provide ICT infrastructure that could be leveraged by SMEs to further grow the Nigerian economy digitally,” Nami said.

He said FIRS was already at the forefront of technology adoption in providing seamless services for tax payers, through the e-Tax and other initiatives of the FIRS.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his keynote address, discussed the importance of technology in developing the Nigerian economy and e-Government across different states of the federation.

The governor who was represented by his deputy, Dr, Obafemi Hamzat, explained how the state is deploying 3,000km Lagos Metro Fibre cables in order to address the shortfall of broadband infrastructure in the state, designed to boost high speed broadband connectivity across the state. “Lagos State will continue to provide leadership for the adoption of relevant technologies that will enhance e-Government and Information Technology (IT) infrastructure spread across the state,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Mr. Lanre Ajayi​​​​​​​, Executive Chairman, DigiServe Network Services, and convener of the e-Government summit, said: “Technology evolution has made it easy for government service delivery and no government can survive effectively without technology application. Nigerians therefore need technology to leverage e-Government services.”

According to Ajayi, there would be detailed communique that would come from all deliberations at the summit that would assist government in making its services easily assessable online.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Pro. Umar Garba Danbatta, who joined the summit from Kano through a virtual conference, said NCC would continue to deepen broadband penetration across the country to enhance high speed broadband connectivity. According to him, as at September this year, NCC increased broadband penetration to 45.43 per cent, up from a paltry six per cent broadband penetration in 2015.

“Telecoms subscription has reached 205 million and internet subscription has reached 150 million , with over 80 million Nigerians having access to high speed internet access. But in all of these, effective security must be put in place to guard against associated risks, which can affect e-governance, if not checked. NCC is therefore working hard to address cyber insecurity through the establishment of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), in collaboration with other agencies, to deal with cyberattacks,” Danbatta said.

The Secretary to the State Government of Akwa-Ibom State, Dr, Emmanuel Ekuwem, who represented Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, gave instances how the state government is leveraging technology to provide healthcare and education services across the state. “Through technology, the state was able to establish remote healthcare services, where medical practitioners attend to patients in remote locations of the state, without physical contact. The same goes to the education sector where the state is leveraging technology to promote online education in the state,” Ekuwem said.

Highlights of the summit were the discussions from different panel sessions around e-Government and critical success factors in specified countries that were represented at the summit; The role of government agencies in advancing national e-Government plan; Domain name, Data Centre and Co-location, among others.


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E-Business

Allison, BHM Partner to Host ‘Africa Breakfast Convos’ @UNGA79

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Africa stands at vital crossroads, balancing intricate geopolitical challenges while taking advantage of promising economic opportunities. With the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announcing 73 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in Africa worth more than $53 billion in the last year alone, according to the World Economic Forum, and significant growth in technology, renewable energy, and healthcare sectors, across the continent, Africa is poised for remarkable progress.

In light of these developments, Allison, a globally renowned communications consultancy, and BHM, Africa’s leading public relations firm, are joining forces to co-host an exclusive breakfast event on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York City.

The “Africa Breakfast Convos,” set for Friday 27 September 2024, at the World Trade Center, will convene business and public sector leaders from various African nations, representing key sectors such as telecommunications, finance, entertainment, government, technology, and trade.

With 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population under 30 and projections indicating that one-fifth of the global population will be African by 2030, the continent’s youthful demographics are drawing significant international attention.

This exclusive gathering aims to showcase Africa’s immense potential for economic growth and development while emphasising the continent’s role in achieving sustainable development goals.

The event will feature panel discussions, keynote speeches, and networking sessions exploring various aspects of the African narrative: big business, technology, pop culture, creative economy, soft power, and geopolitics. It will serve as a platform to highlight expertise and innovation on the continent.

Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa, at Allison, stated, “The ‘Africa Breakfast Convos’ represents a unique opportunity to bring together influential voices and decision-makers from across Africa and beyond.

“We’re excited to again facilitate meaningful dialogue during the United Nations General Assembly when Africa is a focus and we are collectively working towards collaboration driving sustainable growth and social impact across the continent.”

Femi Falodun, Executive Director, BHM, added, “This event underscores Africa’s position as a land of opportunity for investment and collaboration.

“By showcasing the continent’s dynamism and potential, we aim to foster partnerships that will contribute to shared prosperity and sustainable development.”

The “Africa Breakfast Convos” aligns with UNGA79’s theme while focusing on Africa’s potential as a driver of global progress.

“It emphasises the role of business in driving sustainable development, the importance of public-private partnerships, and the opportunities for collaboration with Africans in the diaspora.


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Privacy Protection is Now Right of Citizens —Olatunji, NDPC Boss

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Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has stated that it is now the right of citizens for their privacy to be protected.

Privacy Protection is Now Right of Citizens —Olatunji, NDPC Boss

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner. NDPC

Olatunji said this when he received a group of international data protection experts from Somalia who were on a study tour to explore Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem and its unique models.

Nigeria and Somalia are meant to exchange ideas on the protection of data, with the East African nation eager to learn what their West African counterparts are doing to keep the privacy of their citizens safe.

“It is a digital age and the protection of the privacy of all citizens of the world is paramount,” he said during the meeting held in Abuja.

“It’s now the right of all citizens for their privacy to be protected. That’s why all countries across the globe are putting in place those measures to ensure that they have their enforceable data protection rights and also put in place data protection authority to ensure that they enforce the law of data security.

‘In Nigeria, we recognise the need to protect the privacy of our citizens as it is enshrined in the 1999 constitution.”

Speaking earlier, Jamal Mohammed, Somalia’s ambassador to Nigeria, advised the delegate from his country to go home with the message that Nigeria has everything the war-torn country needs to develop. He pleaded with the NDPC DG to help his country in the area of data privacy and security.

“I’ve been here for three years now. Everything Somalia needs is in Nigeria in terms of knowledge and in terms of experience. I’d like you to take this message to Somalia,” he said.

“Don’t go to any other places. So, you’ll get anything you need in Somalia. However, in my stay here, I faced two challenges.

“The number one challenge was to convince Nigerians about Somalia. They have a phobia about Somalia. The same thing with Somalians.

“I’ve tried to convince Somalians to come to Nigeria but now they’ve got an opportunity.”


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TD Africa Opens Cross-Border Licensing Opportunities To Microsoft Resellers

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In a bid to unlock new growth and profitability opportunities for businesses of all sizes, TD Africa has pulled wraps off its fully automated Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) platform.

Through this innovative automated portal, Microsoft’s indirect resellers can now resell Microsoft licenses in 47 African countries and enjoy security, profitability, increased productivity, collaboration, and flexibility, courtesy, TD Africa.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the automated CSP solution which streamlines the licensing process from customer onboarding to license provisioning, eliminates manual tasks and reduces turnaround times, thus, allowing businesses focus on delivering exceptional customer value while maximising their revenue potentials.

Read Also: TD Africa partners ZTE for quality and affordable smartphones

With competitive pricing and a comprehensive suite of Microsoft cloud products, businesses of all sizes now have access to a compelling solution to expand their reach and drive digital transformation.

The advantages of the platform which include: seamless license provisioning, competitive pricing, expanded reach, enhanced efficiency, and comprehensive product suite, make it an ideal choice for businesses seeking to capitalise on the growing demand for Microsoft cloud solutions on the continent.

Tobe Mbaneafo, Head of the Microsoft Business Unit at TD Africa, said that TD Africa is elated to introduce the A to Z automated CSP platform.

His words: “We are excited to introduce our Automated CSP platform as a game-changer for businesses looking to expand their operations across Africa.

“By providing a seamless and efficient solution for selling Microsoft licenses, we are empowering our partners to capture new opportunities and deliver exceptional value to their customers.

“This platform is a testament to our commitment to driving digital transformation and supporting the growth of businesses across the continent.”

Read Also: MTN Nigeria, Microsoft Partner on Cloud Data Hosting Solutions

To make the process stress-free, TD Africa has developed a user-friendly platform (csp.tdafrica.com) to among other things, enable businesses register and verify their account effortlessly, access a personalised dashboard for managing customer records, add tenants, select products, make payments, explore a comprehensive product catalogue with competitive pricing, make secure payments directly on the platform, and benefit from automated license provisioning after successful payment.

The tech distribution giant’s automated CSP platform is the future of cross-border business, offering unparalleled efficiency, scalability, and profitability.

Existing Microsoft partners can leverage this groundbreaking platform by registering at  https://csp.tdafrica.com/auth/signup.

 


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