Telecom
Zoho Declares 50% Growth in Nigeria, Partners StartupSouth to Empower Startup
Zoho, a global technology company, on Friday announced that it grew by 50% in Nigeria in 2022. The company, as part of its Zoho for Startups programme, has also partnered with #StartupSouth, an organisation that works towards the development of startups from South and South-East Nigeria.
Zoho will also be providing its contract management solution, Zoho Contracts, free for three months to help businesses improve compliance to the Nigeria Data Protection Law.
These announcements were made on the sidelines of Zoholics Nigeria, the company’s annual user conference, held at Lagos.
“Our growth is a direct result of Nigerian businesses embracing cloud technology, especially unified platforms, to digitally transform and build resilience to adapt to challenging market conditions.
“Zoho’s unified technology stack, built from the ground up, allows us to meet such transformation needs of businesses with robust solutions that deliver consistently seamless user experiences at unbeatable value,” said Ali Shabdar, Regional Director, MEA, Zoho.
Zoho’s growth in Nigeria is primarily driven by adoption of Zoho One, the operating system for business, and Zoho Workplace, a unified enterprise collaboration platform.
Additionally, Zoho CRM Plus (unified customer experience platform), Zoho Books (accounting software), and Zoho Desk (helpdesk software) are the other top-selling products in the country.
Zoho also grew its partner network by 22% and more than doubled its employee count in 2022 in Nigeria to reinforce its local presence and better serve the customers.
“Our transnational localism strategy of being locally rooted while staying globally connected is also key to our growth in Nigeria as we are able to serve our customers directly with our locally hired teams in Lagos.
“Zoho is also one of the few vendors in Nigeria today that continues to provide their offerings in Naira, thereby protecting businesses from the fluctuating dollar rates, and ensuring that enterprise technology remains accessible to businesses of all sizes.
“Our partnership with #StartupSouth, and the special offer on Zoho Contracts, are further steps that underscore our commitment to serve the business community in the region,” said Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head, Zoho Nigeria.
Partnership with Startup South
Zoho has partnered with #StartupSouth through its Zoho for Startups programme. As part of this partnership, startups associated with #StartupSouth, which are new customers for Zoho, can avail Zoho Wallet credits worth ₦ 470,000.
This credit can be used to purchase or upgrade any of Zoho’s 55+ products, including Zoho One, the operating system for business, over a period of 360 days. Zoho One offers a unified platform that brings together over 50 Zoho products from CRM to HR management.
The startups will also receive training to help them leverage Zoho’s products for their growth and in a way that they can easily scale.
“One of #StartupSouth’s goals is to provide startups associated with us easy access to comprehensive tech solutions that offer great value, are easy to use, and have the capability to grow with the businesses as they scale.
“We are happy to partner with Zoho, as they offer a wide range of business apps that can empower startups to quickly digitalise most of their business areas in one go and streamline and unify their operations for better management and holistic visibility.
“With this partnership with Zoho, we are looking forward to helping budding businesses by removing access barrier to enterprise technology,” said Uche Aniche, Convener, #StartupSouth.
“Through the Zoho for Startups programme, we intend to onboard as many startups as we can and be a part of their entrepreneurial journey right from the start. Keeping in mind Zoho’s vision and mission on ‘serving the underserved’, we carefully choose whom we collaborate with.
“I am glad to be partnering with #StartupSouth whose passion and focus on supporting the startups is very much in sync with the ethos of our programme.
“Nigeria is one of the hotbeds in Africa for entrepreneurs to thrive and innovate,” said Kuppulakshmi Krishnamoorthy, Global Head, Zoho for Startups.
He also noted that the firm has created Zoho Contracts to help businesses improve compliance with NDPC regulations.
He said “The Nigerian Data Protection Law came into force earlier this year. NDPL mandates all businesses to ensure that their contracts include provisions for data security and breach notifications, third-party vendors adhere to NDPA standards, and international contracts fulfil the criteria for cross-border transfer of personal data.
“In case of non-compliance, businesses risk the loss of consumer trust and potential legal action, apart from a potential fine of up to ₦10 million or 2% of annual gross revenue.
“With Zoho Contracts, businesses can create contract templates with new/revised clauses for NDPA compliance, use analytics to quickly identify existing contracts with a specific clause, anonymise counterparty data on request, and track and monitor their contractual obligations with reminder alerts”.
Telecom
Instagram Unveils Teen Accounts with Built-in Parental Control & Privacy
Instagram is overhauling the way it works for teenagers, promising more “built-in protections” for young people and added controls and reassurance for parents.
The new “teen accounts” are being introduced from Tuesday in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
They will turn many privacy settings on by default for all under 18s, including making their content unviewable to people who don’t follow them, and making them actively approve all new followers.
But children aged 13 to 15 will only be able to adjust the settings by adding a parent or guardian to their account.
Social media companies are under pressure worldwide to make their platforms safer, with concerns that not enough is being done to shield young people from harmful content.
UK children’s charity the NSPCC said Instagram’s announcement was a “step in the right direction”.
But it added that account settings can “put the emphasis on children and parents needing to keep themselves safe.”
Rani Govender, the NSPCC’s online child safety policy manager, said they “must be backed up by proactive measures that prevent harmful content and sexual abuse from proliferating Instagram in the first place”.
Meta describes the changes as a “new experience for teens, guided by parents”.
It says they will “better support parents and give them peace of mind that their teens are safe with the right protections in place.”
Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly viewed content about self-harm and suicide on Instagram before taking her life aged 14, told the BBC it was important to wait and see how the new policy was implemented.
“Whether it works or not we’ll only find out when the measures come into place,” he said.
“Meta is very good at drumming up PR and making these big announcements, but what they also have to be good at is being transparent and sharing how well their measures are working.”
Teen accounts will mostly change the way Instagram works for users between the ages of 13 and 15, with a number of settings turned on by default.
These include strict controls on sensitive content to prevent recommendations of potentially harmful material, and muted notifications overnight.
Accounts will also be set to private rather than public – meaning teenagers will have to actively accept new followers and their content cannot be viewed by people who don’t follow them.
Telecom
GSMA MWC Kigali 2024 to explore role of connectivity in driving socio-economic growth across Africa
GSMA MWC Kigali will return to the Kigali Convention Center from 29-31 October 2024.
MWC Kigali, Africa’s largest and most influential connectivity event, will convene powerful innovators and political leaders from across the entire continent, geared towards driving the digital economy forward and enabling socio-economic growth.
MWC Kigali will deliver a range of keynotes and panel sessions hosted by industry thought leaders and leading enterprises, focussed around the four event themes: Connected Continent, The AI Future, FinTech, and Africa’s Digital DNA.
Recently confirmed speakers include Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar; Amini’s Founder & CEO, Kate Kallot; the GSMA’s Director General, Mats Granryd; the ITU’s Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin; Lelapa AI’s CEO and Co-founder, Pelonomi Moiloa; MTN Group’s FinTech CEO, Serigne Dioum; Republic of Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Hon. Paula Ingabire; Take Back the Mic’s CEO & Founder, Derrick Ashong and, Wi-Flix’s CEO, Louis Manu.
For the first time in Africa, the GSMA Ministerial Programme will be hosted at MWC Kigali, marking a new chapter in the commitment to advancing the digital agenda in Africa.
The programme will convene the most influential telecommunications leaders from across the African continent to discuss policy and regulatory topics key to the region.
The Mobile for Development (M4D) team will once again play a central role at the event, driving innovation in digital technology to reduce global inequalities. M4D will host the ‘Mobile for Development Theatre’, a dedicated space for keynote sessions, panels, and discussions.
Themes will range from AI for impact and humanitarian innovation, agriculture and climate, to digital inclusion and gender.
Also returning this year is the Mobile Money Leadership Forum, which will explore key trends and innovations in mobile financial services.
The MWC Kigali keynotes will cover some of Africa’s most pressing digital connectivity issues.
Keynote 1 will discuss how digital technologies are driving socio-economic development in Africa to address the continent’s unique challenges.
Keynote 2 will focus on the transformative potential of AI, including how it can drive sustainable and inclusive growth across Africa.
Keynote 3 will see speakers explore the rapid evolution of Africa’s Fintech landscape and the technologies impacting investment opportunities.
While Keynote 4 will explore how the evolving content landscape is allowing African content creators to be heard and celebrated globally.
An agenda of GSMA Summits will be hosted during the event, inviting industry leaders and policymakers to discover the issues affecting enterprises in areas from network security to diversity in tech:
The Security Summit will tackle the most pressing security challenges mobile network operators face today, in the context of a rapidly evolving cyber risk landscape.
The Digital Summit will explore the digital economy’s potential in Africa, exploring how digital technologies and policy reform can drive significant socio-economic growth in Africa.
The AI Summit will cover both the vast potential and the associated risks of AI technologies in Africa, as the technology’s prevalence grows in the global economy.
The 5G Summit will address the barriers preventing the technology’s widespread adoption and ways to unlock its potential for both enterprises and consumers.
The Diversity for Tech Summit will focus on the urgent need for greater disability inclusion in Africa’s tech sector, ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.
MWC Kigali is held alongside the Africa Health Tech Summit and FEWA (Future of Education and Work in Africa), offering an in-depth exploration of connectivity challenges and opportunities in the health and education sectors.
We are proud to have the support of our stellar line up of sponsors, exhibitors and event partners, including Africa CDC, Africa Union, Huawei, inABLE, MTN, the Republic of Rwanda, Smart Africa and ZTE.
For more information, follow our updates on the MWC Kigali Press Zone or visit www.mwckigali.com.
Accredited media are invited to register here for a complimentary pass, which is required for access to the press centre.
Telecom
APRA commiserates with Nigerian, Cameroonian governments over massive devastating floods
African Public Relations Association (APRA), the umbrella body of public relations practitioners and professionals in Africa, expresses deepest sympathy to the Governments and people of Nigeria and Cameroon over the overwhelming floods ravaging the countries, particularly the recent flooding in Borno State and other parts of the Northeast zone in Nigeria, as well as in Cameroon’s Far North Province, with severity in the city of Yagoua, the capital of Mayo Danay Department.
APRA laments the occurrence of the distressing floods caused by the collapse of a dam in Maiduguri, and in Mayo Danay after torrential rains.
In both instances, the floods have resulted in the death of many people, displacement of persons, and unprecedented in its upsetting of the ecology.
APRA notes with grave compassion and serious concerns the impact of the floods on markets and by implication livelihoods in Maiduguri and environs as well as the reported escape of wildlife, including snakes and other lethal reptiles after the flooding partially destroyed a zoo.
In Cameroon, over a hundred primary and secondary schools are affected as well as livestock, infrastructure and livelihoods.
In these incidents, we are faced with humanitarian crises and, therefore, really concerned about the recurrence, just a month after the collapse of Arba’at Dam in Sudan that equally caused deaths and displacement of persons in many communities.
APRA is determined to work with all governments, institutions and other stakeholders within and outside the continent to address communication management on climate change and other topical issues central to securing livelihoods, improving quality of life and enhancing growth across sectors in Africa.
Just two months ago, APRA leaders met with other stakeholders within the Association to announce the institutionalization of committees to act on specific challenges of African people. One of these teams focuses on the African Union and Related Linkages.
Through that committee, APRA plans to leverage its observer status with the African Union and to engage with appropriate councils of ministers to enhance communication management that will transform many sectors in Africa.
APRA is united behind the aims of the governments and peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon to find solutions to the humanitarian crises attending the disasters.
The central governments of these countries, the subnational governments in Borno State and Far North Province in Nigeria and Cameroon respectively, and other local and international stakeholders are commended on their responses to the crises to bring succour to those affected by the floods.
On behalf of all members, the Executive Council of APRA hereby sends sincere condolence to those who lost family members and friends, and wish the displaced, the injured as well as those whose livelihoods have been affected a speedy recovery.
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