Invest in continent's development, Dangote urges African CEOs - ITREALMS

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Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, has called on African entrepreneurs, business leaders, and wealthy individuals to invest in the development of the continent, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at a recent event, Dangote emphasized that with the right investments, Africa has the potential to grow and compete globally.

CBN names new CEOs, EDs for Union, Keystone, Polaris banks - ITREALMS

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In pursuance of the dissolution of the board and management of Union Bank, Keystone Bank and Polaris Bank on Wednesday, January 10, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has appointed new executives to oversee the affairs of the banks in the interim, reports ITREALMS.

The acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mrs Sidi Ali, Hakama informed ITREALMS in a press statement that for the Union Bank, that Yetunde Oni has been named the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Mannir Ubali Ringim becomes the Executive Director.

BAT appoints new CEOs for NCC, NIPOST, NIGCOMSAT - ITREALMS

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... reappoints Kashifu, Olatunji

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) has approved the appointment of some new and returning Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said in a press statement available to ITREALMS that the new Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is Mr. Aminu Maida, who replaces Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta with immediate effect.

CEOs of ICT firms to make projections @Nigeria ICT Impact, awards - ITREALMS

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Distinguished chief executive officers of information and communications technology (ICT) firms and others will make bold predictions at the forthcoming Nigeria ICT Impact CEO forum in Lagos, as this will help governments at all levels make informed decisions.

The event will welcome the best of Nigerians and tech-savvy CEOs as they look into the future of the ecosystem on November 18, 2023.

5G loading: European CEOs endorse Electronic Communications Code

ITREALMS:

Some 35 European chief executive officers of leading telecommunications companies, have endorsed the Electronic Communications Code (LCC), describing it as an ambitious outline to Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy, reports ITRealms.

The group of CEOs and presidents in a press statement endorsed by all 35 CEOs and made available to ITRealms, noted they have been vocal supporters of the ambitions outlined in the Digital Single Market (DSM) Strategy.

They pointed out that Europe needs an environment that supports innovation, benefits consumers and enables increased investment in a competitive global economy. An indispensable enabler underpinning this ambition is the once-in-a-decade review of Europe’s telecoms laws, enshrined in the Electronic Communications Code (the Code). We write today to express our deep concern as to the status of the political negotiations among the European Institutions.

According to the original political and regulatory plans, the Code should be aimed at “incentivising investment in high speed broadband networks and achieving a consistent single market approach to spectrum policy and management”1. Success will be measured on whether we will collectively deliver increased levels of fibre roll-out and 5G to the benefit of European citizens and businesses.

ITRealms gathered that the telecoms companies signing this document have currently boosted their investment effort to €29.2bn/year in EU282 and we are the continental leaders in network roll-out and service innovation. However, if Europe is to match global competition and deliver on the Gigabit Society objectives, policy and regulatory conditions need to provide markets with ambitious pro-investment rules and increased certainty, moving away from interventionist regulatory dynamics.

“Today, unfortunately, there are no signals that the Code will deliver on its original ambition and support the investments required. On the contrary, there has been little progress on vital measures to facilitate 5G roll-out with stronger spectrum governance and longer license duration. The Code also falls short of supporting successful fibre investment models, which require strong incentives for co-investment and commercial agreements alike. Similarly, the Code fails to provide more space for innovation and consistent standards of consumer protection for equivalent services. What is more, analysts and investors are worried about additional ex-ante regulatory constraints in the field of so-called oligopolies and price regulation, while the European Commission originally proposed more regulatory certainty and better investment conditions,” part of the statement read.

They, therefore, called on the European Institutions to urgently address the shortcomings of the current debate by re-injecting the needed ambition into the process. Otherwise, even the existing EU Directives would deliver more predictability and certainty.

The Code should usher European citizens and businesses into the digital future, enabling the European Union to be in lead of the vigorous transformation we will experience in the next 10 years. We believe that European lawmakers should not accept a text falling short of the initial objectives. For this reason, no agreement should be given to any legislative measures delaying digital investment.

“We remain keen to continue engaging in the debate and we stand ready to support the European Institutions in restoring the initial spirit of the reform. Europe must not miss this defining opportunity to lead digital transformation and ignite growth,” they enthused.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Accenture warns CEOs who neglect intelligent technologies

ITREALMS:

Leading global professional services company, Accenture, has warned Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) who neglect to deploy intelligent technologies, saying they and their businesses risk missing major growth opportunities, reports ITRealms.

According to new research by Accenture released at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos made available to ITRealms, stressing there is stronger commitment that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could boost revenues by 38 per cent, and employment by 10 per cent by 2022.

The Accenture Strategy report, Reworking the Revolution: Are you ready to compete as intelligent technology meets human ingenuity to create the future workforce?, estimated that if businesses invest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and human-machine collaboration at the same rate as top performing companies, they could boost revenues by 38 percent by 2022 and raise employment levels by 10 percent.

ITRealms reports that collectively, this would lift profits by US$4.8 trillion globally over the same period, adding that for the average 'Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500 company), this equates to US$7.5 billion of revenues and a US$880 million lift to profitability. 

In addition, the Accenture Strategy report, revealed that both leaders and workers are optimistic about the potential of AI on business results and on work experiences, according to the study.

Equally, the report showed that 72 per cent of the 1,200 senior executives surveyed said that intelligent technology will be critical to their organization’s market differentiation and 61 per cent think the share of roles requiring collaboration with AI will rise in the next three years. 

While over two thirds, that is 69 per cent of the 14,000 workers surveyed said that it is important to develop skills to work with intelligent machines.

Accenture noted that yet a disconnect between workers’ embrace of AI and their employers’ efforts to prepare workers puts potential growth at risk. While a majority, that is 54 per cent of business leaders say that human-machine collaboration is important to their strategic priorities, only three per cent say their organization plans to significantly increase its investment in reskilling their workers in the next three years.

“To achieve higher rates of growth in the age of AI, companies need to invest more in equipping their people to work with machines in new ways,” said Mark Knickrehm, group chief executive, Accenture Strategy. “Increasingly, businesses will be judged on their commitment to what we call Applied Intelligence - the ability to rapidly implement intelligent technology and human ingenuity across all parts of their core business to secure this growth.”

The research, ITRealms reports, further suggests that there is a strong foundation on which to boost AI skills investment. Sixty-three percent of senior executives think that their company will create net job gains in the next three years through AI. Meanwhile, the majority of workers (62 percent) believe AI will have a positive impact on their work.

The report shows how pioneers are using human-machine collaboration not just to improve efficiencies, but to drive growth through new customer experiences. An online clothing retailer’s AI helps its stylists learn more about customers’ preferences so that they can offer a unique and highly personalized service. And a sports shoe brand set a new bar in customization and speed-to-market by aligning highly skilled tailors and process engineers with intelligent robots to design and manufacture in local markets.

“Business leaders must take immediate steps to pivot their workforce to enter an entirely new world where human ingenuity meets intelligent technology to unlock new forms of growth,” said Ellyn Shook, Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, Accenture. 

“Workers are impatient to collaborate with AI, giving leaders the opportunity to demonstrate true Applied Intelligence within their organization.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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News break: Buhari names Isa Ibrahim-Pantami new D-G NITDA, 12 others FDA CEOs

ITRealms:

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of new leadership for 13 Federal Departments and Agencies (FDA) of the Federal Government, including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), where Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim – Pantami has emerged as the new Director-General, reports ITRealms.

Confirming this, Monday evening, the Director of Press at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, told ITRealms that out of the 13 new leadership changes comprise four Director-Generals, five Executive Secretaries, a National Coordinator cum chief executive officer, a Managing Director, a chairman and a Federal Commissioner.

ITRealms also gathered that Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim – Pantami would take over from Dr. Vincent Olatunji at NITDA, who has been acting DG since last year when Mr. Peter Jack was sacked for alleged misconduct. ITRealms reports that until his appointment to head NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami was a professor of Computer and Information Systems at the Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia; and Chief Imam; Seeker of Justice; even as he is the author of ‘Orator & Conflict Resolution Student.’
Adebiyi also noted in press statement that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) would now be headed by Mr. Joseph Ari as the new Director-General; Nigerian Content Monitoring Board has Engineer SimbiKesiye Wabote as the Executive Secretary; Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) headship went to Executive Secretary, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor; New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)         National Coordinator/CEO, Princess Akodundo Gloria; Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) now has Executive Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Bobboi; Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority would have Managing Director as Umana Okon Umana. Also, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons now has a new Federal Commissioner in person of Sa’adiya Faruq; Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has new Chairman, Engineer UsmanAbubakar; Petroleum Technology DevelopmentFund (PTDF) Executive Secretary, Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) with the post of the Executive Secretary going to Yewande Sadiku.

Latest appointment at a glance:

S/N	ORGANIZATION	DESIGNATION	APPOINTEE
1	Industrial Training Fund (ITF)	Director-General	Mr. Joseph Ari
2	National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)	Director-General	Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami)
3	Nigerian Content Monitoring Board	Executive Secretary	Engineer SimbiKesiye Wabote
4	Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON)	Director-General	Aboloma OsitaAnthony
5	Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)	Director-General	Mamman Amadu
6	Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD)	Executive Secretary	Barrister Sharon Ikeazor
7	New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)	National Coordinator/CEO	Princess AkodundoGloria
8	Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF)	Executive Secretary	Alhaji Ahmed Bobboi
9	Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority	Managing Director	Umana Okon Umana
10	National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons	Federal Commissioner	Sa’adiya Faruq
11	Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC)	Chairman	Engineer UsmanAbubakar
12	Petroleum Technology DevelopmentFund (PTDF)	Executive Secretary	Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau
13	Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC)	Executive Secretary	Yewande Sadiku

Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops
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Pix: Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim-Pantami

1,000 young CEOs converge in Abuja

ITRealms

More than 1,000 Nigerian young Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) will converge in Abuja, August 3,4 for conference and exhibition, Mr. Moses Siasia, the Chairman, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) has said.

Speaking further, Siasia, who is the convener of the conference, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja and monitored by ITRealms.

According to him, young Nigerian entrepreneurs and business owners resident in Nigeria and in the Diaspora will participate in the event.

“It will challenge and empower entrepreneurship mentality amongst its participants; and thus enable them to create an economic revolution in Nigeria, or any part of Africa where their businesses are located.

“The conference will focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and its impact on the Nigerian and global economy.

“It is also expected to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to reflect on economic progress and prospects for strengthening business-to-business linkages across Africa,’’ ITRealms reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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