Telecom
Zinox Partners Ebony Life in Raising Nigeria’s Next Generation of Creative Stars
Zinox Technologies Ltd, Foremost tech giant, has been hailed for its contribution to the creative industry in Nigeria, with the donation of its high-end laptops, desktop computers and other devices to the EbonyLife Creative Academy.
The donation was handed over by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, a futuristic Non-Governmental Organization dedicated to the promotion of quality education, practical entrepreneurship, wealth creation and healthy living.
Commending the donation of the tech devices, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EbonyLife Creative Academy, Mo Abudu,hailed the tech giant for its contribution, which she noted, would aid the faculty and students of the academy in their learning tasks.The appreciation comes weeks after the donation by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation and Zinox Technologiesto the academy last month.
In an Instagram post to thank the organizations, Abudu had said: “The EbonyLife Creative Academy is extremely grateful to @HP Nigeria and @Zinox Tech for their donations of laptops and computer systems for the use of our faculty and students.”
The EbonyLife Creative Academy is a state-of-the-art facility which is aimed at grooming the next generation of creative talents in Nigeria. The facility boasts eight well-decorated and fully equipped classrooms, two lounge areas for students, a sound room for audio lessons and other resources.
Situated in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos, the EbonyLife Creative Academy is focused on the training of entertainment professionals and beginners, such as actors, actresses, scriptwriters, film directors, producers, audio specialists and set designers to help them upscale their skills at no cost to them.
Meanwhile, the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, a personal foundation of the Zinox Chairman, Ekeh has quietly touched many lives through a long list of noble causes in various parts of Nigeria and beyond.
Among these are charitable works such as the donation of N100m to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East, donation of N50m to victims of the demolished Eke-Ukwu market in Imo State, scholarships to hundreds of indigent students across Nigeria to study both at home and abroad, digital skills acquisition trainings and up-skilling for young school leavers and the employed respectively, as well as the set-up of a N1.5bn revolving loan scheme for disadvantaged students and entrepreneurs of Imo origin, among several others.
Furthermore, the Foundation has also invested in education, provided medicare to the needy and consistently supported churches and other religious organizations.
During the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Leo Stan Foundation leveraged on staff of the various companies such as Zinox Technologies, TD Africa, Task Systems Ltd., Konga and others in the technology group to feed over 7000 families across Nigeria for two weeks.
The Foundation has equally supported state governments in in Lagos and other parts of the country through the donations of patrol vehicles to improve security, in addition to other contributions.
Telecom
TD Africa Empowers Nigerians with Sustainable Energy Solutions
TD Africa, a leading technology distribution company in Africa, has unveiled its Green Hero Initiative, a groundbreaking program designed to tackle Nigeria’s persistent energy challenges and promote the adoption of sustainable energy solutions.
This initiative underscores TD Africa’s commitment to advancing cleaner, more affordable energy alternatives for Nigerian households and businesses.
As the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise, the urgency for a shift to renewable energy has never been more apparent. Recognizing this need, TD Africa has partnered with global industry leaders Huawei and EcoFlow to introduce innovative renewable energy solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of Nigerian consumers.
“The Green Hero Initiative is more than just a product launch; it’s a commitment to a sustainable future,” said Chidiebere Nwabuko, Business Manager, Renewable Energy Solutions at TD Africa. “We’re empowering Nigerians to take control of their energy needs, reduce their carbon footprint, and enjoy the benefits of reliable, clean power.
“By partnering with global leaders like Huawei and EcoFlow, we’re bringing cutting-edge technology to the market that is not only affordable but also tailored to the specific needs of our customers and Nigerians across the country.”
Through the Green Hero Initiative, TD Africa is offering a variety of renewable energy solutions that cater to diverse energy needs. These solutions include the powerful Huawei ISite Power M, ideal for powering homes and small businesses, and Huawei ISite Power S, designed for commercial and industrial applications.
Additionally, EcoFlow’s portable power stations are made up of the River series and Delta series that attend to the needs of low and mid-range Nigerians and provide a convenient and clean energy source for residential homes, small and medium businesses and outdoor activities or backup power.
By promoting the adoption of renewable energy, TD Africa is committed to significantly reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for Nigeria. The company’s Green Hero Initiative is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
To ensure accessibility, TD Africa has made these solutions available through various online platforms. Consumers can conveniently shop for these products at justownitapp.com or KongaPlus via konga.com. Authorized partners of TD Africa can also access the range of offerings through the TD SuperApp at superapp.tdafrica.com.
Telecom
Call, Data Tariffs Will Increase – Nigerian Minister, Tijani Declares
Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has announced that telecom tariffs in Nigeria will soon increase, but not by the 100 percent proposed by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).
Following a stakeholders’ meeting with the MNOs in Abuja on Wednesday, Tijani confirmed that consultations and engagements are ongoing, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will soon approve and announce the new tariffs to the public.
“You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariffs. They are requesting for 100 percent tariff increase. But it will not be by 100 percent; the NCC will soon come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it. We want to strike the balance as a government, to protect our people, but also protect and ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly,” Tijani said.
He emphasized the importance of regulating the telecommunications sector to ensure its growth and sustainability. Tijani also stated that the Federal Government would no longer leave infrastructure investments solely to private companies, as they tend to invest only where they can see short- to medium-term returns.
“We will not want this conversation to just be about tariff increase. What the world is talking about today is meaningful connectivity, people want to have access to quality service. A part of it that the consumers may not be aware of is the investment that needs to go into the infrastructure that is used to deliver these services,” he added.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, explained that the stakeholder meeting was focused on ensuring the sustainability of the industry. He confirmed that a 100 percent tariff increase was unlikely and that ongoing discussions would determine the final percentage, with an official announcement expected within a week or two.
“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagements that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two,” Maida said.
He also mentioned that the NCC had implemented several tools and instruments to ensure compliance with service quality standards and urged MNOs to adopt simpler pricing models to help consumers better understand charges.
“We are moving away from the regime where you will have a main rate, then you will now have a bonus which is at a different rate. It makes it often complicated and difficult for Nigerians to actually understand what they are being charged for. There is this agitation that the MNOs are stealing our data,” he added.
The CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, represented by Airtel’s media spokesperson Femi Adeniran, defended the proposed tariff adjustments, citing rising operational and capital costs.
“The economic realities of rising operational and capital costs necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments. This is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the sector while unlocking significant benefits for Nigerian consumers,” Balsingh stated.
Telecom
Banigbe, 9Mobile CEO Emphasizes the Need for Significant Investment in Infrastructure to Ensure Quality of Service
Obafemi Banigbe, 9mobile CEO, has added his voice to the ongoing discussion on the proposed tariff hike, highlighting the telecom industry’s critical role in Nigeria’s economic growth.
He said “The telecom industry is a critical enabler of economic growth, but we are facing unprecedented challenges. We must find a balance between affordability and sustainability to ensure the industry remains viable and continues to provide quality services to Nigerians. The current situation has not achieved that balance, which is why we are having this conversation about sustainability,”
According to him, the industry is facing significant challenges, including macroeconomic headwinds, rising operational costs, and declining profitability. He emphasized that these challenges threaten the industry’s sustainability and ability to invest in infrastructure and quality of service.
“As you can imagine, both our capital and operational costs have risen dramatically, mainly because many of these costs are denominated in foreign currency or indexed to it, while our revenues are in local currency.
For instance, the Naira, which was previously around 400 to 450, has now officially surpassed 1,500—representing a nearly 350% increase in just the past two years.
This foreign exchange devaluation has caused our costs to surge. Even though the industry is seeing growth in top-line revenue, the increase in local currency revenue has not kept pace with the rising cost base,” he explained.
Banigbe’s comments come as the telecom industry continues to navigate the complexities of the proposed tariff hike. While some stakeholders have expressed concerns about the potential impact on consumers, others have argued that the hike is necessary to ensure the industry’s long-term sustainability. The telco chief said that if the sector does not remain viable, customers will not receive the services they expect.
Drawing from 9mobile’s experience, he pointed out that a lack of investment in recent years has led to a decline in service quality, causing customers to switch to competitors that offer better quality.
He stressed that this situation poses a significant threat to the industry’s sustainability.
“What we are saying is that every business must generate enough revenue to cover its costs and allow for reinvestment into the business. If we fail to generate sufficient revenue, we will have no choice but to borrow, either from shareholders or the capital market.
“Over the past two years, this is what many of us have been forced to do. However, this is not sustainable in the long term, as it will eventually become impossible to continue borrowing without a clear plan for repayment.”
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