African ICT Foundation Rebrands, Seeks Nomination for New Board of Trustee

As part of its rebranding and re-engineering process, which began few months ago, the African ICT Foundation has begun the search for a new Board of Trustee to position the Foundation to meet its key objective beginning for 2019.

African ICT Foundation is an independent not-for-profit, and non-partisan empowerment and educational organisation whose mission is to formulate, evaluate, and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovations and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity and progress in the ICT ecosystem Africa.

According to statement issued in Lagos, South West Nigeria, by the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, the African ICT Foundation was established in 2009 to discover new opportunities in ICT that will have positive impact on the African economy, tackle attended challenges, and avoid potential pitfalls.

He disclosed that a key aspect of the rebranding is the inauguration of a new Board of Trustee to drive the affairs of the Foundation in the coming years, saying that the Foundation is rebranding for effective delivering of its objective hence the need for a new board.”

He said: “At inception it had as its board member: Dr. Samuel I. Ikiddeh – NNPC as Chairman, Engr. Emmanuel E. Ekuwem-Phd –Teledom group,(now SSG to the Akwa Ibom State government) . Engr. Lanre Ajayi – Former ATCON President and Pinet Informatics Ltd. CEO, Mr. Aliyu D. Ibrahim – (NCC), Dr. Olufunsho Olusanya, Rector,D S Adegbenro Ict Polytechnic Polytechnic, Itori Ogun state(Former ICT gateway Polytechnic, tori Ogun State) and Rev. Oke Omezi, Legal Practitioner and Pastor of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

Mr. Usman A. Rufai, Faculty of Science, Computer science Department ,University of Lagos, and Prof. Effiong Johnson- University of Uyo.

Bassey explained that the Foundation is poised towards providing policymakers in the continent with high-quality information, analysis, and recommendations they can trust.

While expressing confidence of the new Board of Trustee to meet the objectives of the Foundation, he promised that in all ramifications, it will adhere to a high standard of research integrity with an internal code of ethics grounded in analytical rigor, policy pragmatism, and independence from external direction or bias.

He stated that Africans can nominate respected ICT personalities who have made their mark and creating impact in Africa’s ICT ecosystem by visiting the Foundation’s website:africanictfoundation.org.

The Foundation, according to him, “will be led by a board of experts in the ICT industry in Africa and African descent that are internationally recognized in policy issues and have recognised footprint in the industry.”

He said the board will be a team of policy analysts and fellows includes authors and recognised experts in the fields of telecommunications, public policy advocacy, economics, tax policy, trade, privacy, cyber-security, and life sciences, among many others.

The board will run the Foundation through a secretariat based in Nigeria with other offices in Africa.

Upon inauguration of the board, which shall consist of the Chairman of the Board/President, Vice Chair/Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and representatives of other African countries, the board shall elect its officials.

Source: NigeriaCommunicationsWeek

MTN Executives to Resign as Telco Battles FG Fines

There are strong indications that some executives of MTN Group will exit the telecom firm in the next few months as the company battles to resolve its issues with the Nigerian government over the reparation and payment of tax claims worth $10.1 billion.

Bloomberg said quoted people familiar with the matter as saying Mr Herman Singh, chief innovation officer of MTN, is expected to resign to establish his own tech venture.

If this eventually happens, the exit of Mr Singh will come as Babak Fouladi, chief technology officer prepares to join Dutch telecommunications firm, KPN NV, in a similar role next week.

MTN confirmed Fouladi’s departure, which was announced by Rotterdam-based KPN earlier this month. Singh declined to comment.

The executives are leaving after a three-year period of considerable turmoil at MTN. A shock $5.2 billion fine in Nigeria in 2015 embroiled MTN in 10 months of negotiations and prompted a management overhaul. Then earlier this year, authorities in the West African nation announced another round of multi-billion-dollar demands.

The stock has halved over the period, valuing the carrier at 169 billion rand ($12.2 billion). That’s even as demand for data services in Africa booms and MTN expands in fast-growing services such as mobile money. The company agreed to a partnership with Orange SA last week to ease payments across the continent.
The shares declined a further 2 percent on Tuesday to 88 rand as of 1.13 p.m. in Johannesburg, the steepest fall in a week.

Rob Shuter, MTN chief executive officer was hired from Vodafone Group Plc two years ago in the wake of the first Nigeria penalty, which was eventually settled for about $1 billion.
Fouladi was lured from the same company later that year. Singh, formerly with MTN’s crosstown rival Vodacom Group Ltd., was appointed in 2015.

Stephen Van Coller, another high-ranking executive, left MTN at the end of August to take the helm of technology firm EOH Holdings Ltd. Originally hired as head of mergers and acquisitions, the former investment banker was moved to run digital services before quitting less than two years into his tenure.
MTN’s latest dispute with Nigerian authorities is over an allegation the company illegally transferred $8.1 billion out of the country and owes $2 billion in back taxes. While the transaction matter looks close to being wrapped up, with Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele saying he’s on “the verge” of announcing an amicable resolution, the taxation claim is still outstanding.

Other headaches for MTN include problems extracting cash from Iran, its third-biggest market, after U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated sanctions against the country. The carrier has also come under pressure to list country units on local stock exchanges, with Uganda the latest to link a share sale to license renewals.

Source: NigerianCommunicationWeeks

TELECOMNLC Pickets MTN, Others for Maltreating Workers

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said that it picketed the corporate headquarters of MTN and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), because of their anti-labour activities and inhuman treatment of workers.
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, president of NLC, said that the action was planned to coincide with the International Day for Decent Work; adding that the labour movement must fight hard, henceforth, to ensure decent work ideal was established and followed in Nigeria.
The NLC president, who regretted the high level of anti-labour practices in the two organization and others across the country, stated that casualisation of workers by multinationals and other indigenous companies is a crime against humanity and will be resisted by labour.

Citing the case of NTN Nigeria, he pointed out that while the company is refusing unionisation, its counterpart in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana are unionised and they have better working conditions.

He said the congress has received several complaints about the anti-labour practices in these companies.

Wabba said “We have identified two organisations, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board where casualisation has been on and workers have been denied the rights to unionise among other issues.

“Secondly is MTN. Every three months, they sack the workers and give them a new contract. This is not acceptable, our laws does not accept that, and those workers need to be liberated.

“We need to tell them that they need to respect international labour laws, they need to also respect our own labour laws but importantly, they must respect human and trade union rights.

“Workers have dignity, workers are not slaves and therefore, all workers must be treated with the best of attention. Injury to one is injury to all. Injury to the workers at MTN and AEPB is an injury to all Nigerian workers.”

Wabba said: “In South Africa, MTN workers are unionized all by the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU), their affiliates from the telecommunication sector. Same with the one in Kenya and that of Ghana, our question is why should the MTN workers in Nigeria be the people that will be treated worse?

“This campaign is a global strategy endorsed by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) all over the world that we must stand up for MTN Nigeria workers and they must have their rights, they must also have a condition of service that is commensurate with MTN workers in South Africa, in Kenya and the other parts of the world.

“Why should there be a difference between the condition of MTN workers here in Nigeria and what obtains elsewhere around the world”.

He, however, warned that labour would come back to picket MTN outlets nationwide if these issues were not tackled.

‎He added: “We have tried to engage the management, and we have mutually agreed that a process of dialogue to discuss this issue and also to discuss the issue of MTN workers in Nigeria in general will take place and that they are going to revert back to us in the next one week and then the process of dialogue. The whole idea is making sure that Nigeria MTN workers should not be second class workers when compared to other MTN workers around the world.

“We must insist that they must continue to work in dignity, they must continue to work in honour and therefore, they are not be enslaved. We have told them very clear that the corporate headquarters is in Lagos and so this is a starting point and we will be ready in the near future if this issue is not addressed, to actually picket MTN offices all over Nigeria because we have done that in the past and we thought that MTN workers deserve a better deal.

“If we need a revisit, certainly we will be there, if we need further step to expand the scope of coverage of this action we will do it. If we are going to need the support of our other counterparts from Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa, ITUC global will give us a signal and we will do a global campaign to actually address the issue”.
Wabba who led the picketing, earlier at the corporate Headquaters of AEPB and MTN gave the management one month to address the anti labour practices, or the congress would return to picket the organisation.

Source: Nigeria Communicationsweek

Five Key Things Investors Are Looking For In A Startup

It is a known fact that entrepreneurs bootstrap when starting out because of limited finance. This is one of the main reasons why less than 50% of them survive the first five years in the market.

To take your startup to the next level, entrepreneurs are regularly searching for venture capitalist and investors to invest in their businesses. Of course, startup investors desire innovative companies to invest their monies. However, they won’t drop a dime if they do not see the following things highlighted by Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, in your startup.

Strong Leadership Teams
To secure startup investor funding, show that you have smart, strategic, and successful leaders. You must show the competency of both your company founders and leadership team. So, endeavour to leverage your leadership team’s professional experience for increased investor interest in your startup.

Clear ROI
Return on investment (ROI) is the time needed to recoup the initial expenses invested in a business. Most startups aim to achieve this within the first one year of operations, but in certain sectors, it takes considerably longer due to high entry costs and low-profit margins. Would-be investors are aware that quite a number of startups that receive venture funding are unable to immediately make returns. As such, they want to see some real evidence that within a particular period, they will begin to get these returns.

Consumer Interest In Your Product
Investors want to know that your product has a future in the marketplace. So, the onus is on you to show them proof that it has a market niche of its own and consumers are interested in your product.

Transparency
Transparency is important to increase investor trust in your business. No startup investor wants to enter a deal when they do not feel like they have all the facts. Be open and honest about the state of your business, the challenges you are facing and how you plan to surmount them.

Growth potentials
Investors do not want a company that will be stagnant. They want to invest in startups that will thrive and eventually provide a return on their investment. Therefore, your business should be built with scalability and growth in mind.

Maiden Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards Nominees

Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Instinct Wave have launched this year’s edition of Telecoms Executives and Regulator Forum (TERF) and the maiden edition of Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards (NTITA).

TERF, scheduled to hold on the 10th of November at the Lagos Oriental Hotel is the biggest and the most important forums for regulators and policy makers in Nigeria ICT sector.

The Awards, NTITA holds at the same venue on the 11th of November.

In its fifth year, TERF has not failed to attract high-level participants from regulatory authorities and technology stakeholders; TERF is an excellent forum for discussion on common policy and regulatory issues in the telecom and technology sector.

The forum will provide stakeholders with the understanding and knowledge of current policies, regulatory best practices, information on emerging issues and chart the way forward in proving an enabling and sustainable environment for the growth of the most important sector in Africa.

In the same vein, Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards promises to be a memorable one and the gala night will excite the industry in a fashionable manner.

The reputable awards under the umbrella of ATCON and powered by InstinctWave, Africa leading B2B event organizer promises to showcase excellence in the technology and telecom sector.

Winners will be announced to an audience of Nigeria’s most influential ICT and business decision-makers at a sumptuous evening of fine dining and entertainment.

According to Mr Akin Naphtal, CEO Instinct Wave, the Forum and Awards will bring together exceptional brains that have in one way or the other contributed excellently to the growth of telecom and technology Nigeria.

“If you are an award winner, there is no better place to gain an endorsement of your success and highlight your company’s achievements, he added.

Mr Olusola Teniola, president of ATCON, said the awards are billed to recognise and reward organizations and individuals at the forefront of innovation in the sector. According to him, NTITA has been designed to re-define how excellence in the ever growing ICT services in Nigeria is recognised and motivation is needed when we want to aim higher as a country.

“If we keep honouring innovation and excellence we will be surprised that there will be an unprecedented growth not only in this sector, but generally. Our industry is on a fast lane and Africa needs to catch up with the developed nation as quickly as we can” he added.

The night will also provide an exceptional opportunity for stakeholders to network, entertain clients, and reinforce relationships with partners and reward staff with exceptional performances.

NTITA has an independent panel of industry experts as judges, will recognize organizational performances, products and services, innovations, executives and management teams, women in ICT, and successful deployed CSR initiatives.

Shittu Commends EU-Nigeria Business Forum Support To ‘Digital Agenda’

Mr. Adebayo Shittu, the minister of Communications, has said has expressed delight with the support the country has received from European Union- Nigeria Business Forum with regards to digital transformation.

According to the minister, the government of Nigeria has been conscious of the role ICT can play in national development and has therefore been committed over the last 15 years to ensuring that ICT facilities and services are expanded rapidly.

Shittu made the remarks during his keynote address at the 6th European Union-Nigeria Business Forum 2017 held on Thursday at the Eko Hotels, Lagos, adding that the Nigerian ICT sector today is one of the fastest growing despite the economic recession and contributed 9.8% in GDP in 2014 alone.

“Globally ICT has become a veritable tool for advancing growth and economic diversification in countries, even those that are not endowed with natural resources. ICT has changed the way people communicate, learn, and conduct businesses. A World Bank econometric study carried out in 2009 showed that every 10% increase in ICT investments generates a 1.38% increase in GDP”.

Speaking further on the significance of ICT, the minister “In order for the ICT sector to supplement or replace the oil and gas sector, we have put in place strong policy frameworks which favour the sector. We want the ICT sector to be the cash cow for our nation. The success of Local Content drive in the telecom and ICT in Nigeria would accelerate the progress of the sector.

“Nigeria is also using ICTs to build a more inclusive society. Our broadband initiatives, which are being implemented across technologies and at various level of governance, are in line with union’s priority of bridging digital bridge and providing broadband for all. Nigeria is committed to a sustainable ICT environment at a global level, as well as within its national boundaries”.

He said the Nigerian government is addressing the issues of investment in ICT infrastructure, and ICT education and regulation in order to build on the successes of this digital revolution.

Shittu commended the EU-Nigeria Business Forum, organizers of the Forum for its unflinching commitment towards transforming economies of developing and emerging to Digital Economy, stressing that the theme of the conference ‘Youth as an Engine of Broad-based Economic Transformation’ is apt and timely, because it brings attention to a segment of the Nigerian population that should have been increasingly contributing to the economy of the country.

The minister added that the theme aligns with the Ministry’s mandate and forthcoming Africa Union and EU summit later this year.

“Your Excellency, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the theme for this forum couldn’t have been more opportune than now when the nation is striving to digitize the economy by defining the role of youth in economic transformation by leveraging ICTs. Riding on ICT has become expedient as traditional approaches are failing to reverse the unemployment trend. The present Administration has acknowledged ICT as being integral to growth and sustainable development. ICTs are reshaping the world”, he said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed Asks Set Top Box Manufacturers to Give Nigerians Multi-Purpose TV 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture has challenged the manufacturers of Set Top Boxes/Decoders in the country to produce a multi-purpose television set that will help in transforming the TV experience of Nigerians.

The Minister spoke in Calabar on Thursday when he commissioned the ultra-modern Digital Set Top Box manufacturing plant, owned by the Gospell Digital Technology.

He said the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in the country is aimed at giving Nigerians a total television viewing experience that will transform their lives and change TV viewing forever.

”I have continued to reiterate, and the quality of the service we launched goes to confirm, that our objective is not to just move Nigerians from analogue to digital in a simple technical sense, but to improve the viewing experience and give them increased variety of channels and services.

”The average home today – in order to have access to the various types of entertainment – will require a television, a Set Top Box and a VCD/DVD player. This era is about to end. I am challenging the industry to move to one device in the home – the television. Give us a TV with a built-in decoder and the requisite middle-ware inside it, being able to access Nollywood releases with or without the internet, and with a remote control that can convert the TV into a computer.

”And please not for the rich, but for every Nigerian home. With that we will have succeeded in the reduction of the cost of access to television, information and education,” he said.

The Minister hailed Gospell Digital Technology for building the country’s largest electronic manufacturing and assembly plant, saying the investors and the managers of the manufacturing plant have exhibited absolute confidence, ”first in the future and economy prosperity of our beloved country, and of course in the Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme.

The plant, situated in the Calabar Export Free Trade Zone, has the capacity to produce 2.4 million Set Top Boxes annually, and has already provided 500 jobs.

”Going by its achievements in so short a time, the company’s vision of becoming the leading manufacturer of household electronic video, home entertainment and electrical appliances in Africa is very much within its reach,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

Also present at the commissioning were the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Senator Suleiman Adokwe; Senator Shehu Sani, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mala, Is’haq Modibo Kawu.

Source: Nigerian Communicationsweek.

ZIMBABWE: POTRAZ UPDATES TELECOM LICENSE SCHEME TO HOST VIRTUAL OPERATORS

In an interview with The Financial Gazette , Gift Machengete, the Director General of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), revealed that the public body is in the process of To update its national telecoms licensing regime to enable a new type of telecom operator – virtual mobile network operators (MVNOs) – to integrate the market. According to the head of the telecoms regulator, this regulatory review aims to stimulate innovation and competition that will boost the national telecom market.

“We believe that MNOs and MVNOs will not only compete in the marketplace, but will also create an innovation and service offering that is very customer-focused. This would result in lower tariffs in the country , ” said Gift Machengete. Currently, the national telecom market is played by Econet Wireless the leading mobile operator, NetONe and Telecel, the public companies.

A virtual mobile network operator, according to the World Telecommunication Code, is a communication service provider that does not have the physical network infrastructure through which it provides its services. It relies on the infrastructure of a mobile network operator (MNO) which holds the physical network infrastructure and with whom a commercial agreement has been established. The MVNO buys from it a large volume of services that it will resell to retail at its own rates.

Source: Agence Ecofin

NCC Raids Optical Disc Pirates in Port Harcourt

Operatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) recently carried out antipiracy raids on suspected pirates of optical discs with the arrest of five (5) suspects in Garrison and Igwuruta areas in Port Harcourt.

Mr. Augustine Amodu, Director of Enforcement, NCC, who disclosed this in a report at the Commission’s headquarter in Abuja said One thousand and four (1004) DVD disc plates and a Laptop all valued at two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N250,000) were seized from the suspects.

Mr. Amodu noted that the suspected pirates specialize in pirating Nigerian DVD films and duplicating multiple films on a single DVD. He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Iyenemi Obene Briggs, Tony Charles, Ezechibuike Waveman, Ezekiel Victor and Paul Eze respectively.

The enforcement raid which was carried out after strategic planning and surveillance was executed with a team of Copyright Inspectors in collaboration with some officials of Music Owner’s Right Association of Nigeria (MORAN) backed up with Armed Policemen.

Meanwhile the arrested suspects were granted administrative bail while investigation continues.

The Director stressed that the Commission remains undeterred in the fight against piracy and assured right owners of its commitment to proactive enforcement and prosecution as it carries out its mandate of protecting copyright works in Nigeria.

Source: Nigeria Communicationsweek