Soludo congratulates Mark Okoye as pioneer MD South-East Dev. Commission - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has congratulated Mr. Mark Okoye on his confirmation by the Senate as the pioneer Managing Director of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) after a rigorous screening, reports ITREALMS.

In his goodwill message, Governor Soludo described Mr. Okoye's appointment, following his nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as an attestation to his exceptional leadership capabilities and dedication to public service, qualities he abundantly demonstrated while serving as the MD/CEO of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) and previously as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in the state. 

Nigerian Guild of Editors lament state-of-the-nation, elevates Egbemode to acting president

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The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) concluded its 2nd quarterly Standing Committee Meeting of the year on Friday, July 8, 2016 in Abuja with songs of lamentations, just as they elected Mrs Funke Egbemode, the Managing Director/Editor in Chief, Telegraph Newspaper, as the Acting President, reports ITRealms.

Egbemode’s elevation follows the recent appointment of else-while president, Garba Deen Muhammad as the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

ITRealms also reports that NGE in a six point communique noted with dismay that the economy is largely in a bad shape showing signs of recession, as statistics of unemployment is worsening while the future looks bleak. It therefore urges the Federal Government to take urgent steps to revitalise the economy in the area of job and wealth creation in order to alleviate the suffering of the masses.

The Guild equally condemned in strong terms the vandalism of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region and called for dialogue by creating avenues to engage the various agitators in order to address their concerns and urged the agitators to embrace dialogue.

The Guild also noted with concern the increasing spate of kidnapping across the country and calls on the new Inspector-General of Police to come up with more proactive measures to curb the menace.

“It, however, commends the gallantry of the Nigerian military in its fight against terrorism in the north east and the recovery of territories from the insurgents and urges government to pursue the anti-terrorism fight with more vigour until peace is fully restored to the troubled area,” the statement signed by the duo of acting president, Funke Egbemode and General Secretary, Victoria Ibanga, decried.

Further, the Guild expressed concern over the pathetic living condition of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and called on government, corporate organisations, individuals and international agencies to come to their aid.

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ATCON elects Teniola president, gets new exco

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The Managing Director of Internet Solutions Nigeria Limited, Mr. Olusola Teniola, has been elected new president of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), reports ITRealms.

Teniola is leading other executive members including Engr. Tony Nwosu as first Vice President; Mr. David O. Roberts – 2nd Vice-President; Mr. Mike Ofili – National Secretary; Mrs. Aderonke Adeyegbe – Treasurer; Mr. Ike Nnamani – Coordinator Telephone Operations and Mr. Hyacinth Anucha – Coordinator Value Added Services.

ITRealms reports that the elections of the new exco were unopposed. 

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Teniola expressed appreciation for the successful and peaceful process and commended members for their support.

The immediate-past president, Engr. Lanre Ajayi has since handed over to the newly elected exco while the election followed the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Wednesday, May 11^th 2016 at Protea Hotel, Ikeja-Lagos.

ITRealms also reports that the inaugural meeting of the Telecoms industry Advisory Council was recently held and the council elected Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande as the Chairman and Dr. Emmanuel Ekwuem, MD/CEO Teledom Group as Vice Chairman.

The outgoing President, ITRealms gathered was received a “National Outstanding Leadership” and “Commander of Nigerian Students” awards from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The former ATCON president, confirmed that membership of the association has grown to 115.

ITRealms further recalls that during the tenue of Ajayi, ATCON made some progress including hosting training on migration from IPV4 to IPV6, AFRINIC and was sponsored by the NCC, Internet Solutions, Medallion Communications to name a few.

Ajayi pointed out that the NEC of ATCON paid visits to some of its members, a total of about seven members which included Swift Network, Visafone, IHS, Airtel, Etisalat, Natcom among others.

However, the auditor’s report was read by Mr. Olusegun Abraham, from Abraham Shalom and Co, and was adopted.

Vincent Okoli/GEE

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Coker, CFA, Obadare, 47 others honoured @Beacon of ICT Awards 2016

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The Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has honoured 50 deserving nationals and organisations at this year's Beacon of Information & Communications (BoICT) awards 2016, including the Managing Director of Rack Centre, Ayotunde Coker, and Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr, reports ITRealms.

While the award for the Man of the year went to the MD, Rack Centre, Mr. Coker; ICT Software Personality of the year went to John Obaro, MD, SystemSpecs; ICT Journalist of the year went to Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr. 'CFA' presenter, Tech Trends on Channels TV., Wale Obadare and Seyi Akindeinde represented Digital Encode and received the award for Cybersecurity company of the year. At the end of the night, there were over 50 winners in different categories.

The event hosted at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, saw who-is-who in the telecom industry was chaired by chairman, Open Media Group, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who challenged government on the need to make the required investments and policies that will help deepen broadband penetration.

In his BoICT lecture, Mr. Coker stressed the importance of data centres to the growth of any modern economy and the need for local businesses to store sensitive data locally.Stressing that the opinion will have massive and positive effect on the GDP of the country.

Most of the awardees were elated and promised to keep working towards the growth of the ICT industry in the country.

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Pix: Mr. Lanre Ajayi, ATCON president presenting CFA with his award.

Kazaure reiterates Galaxy Backbone drive for digital Nigeria

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The Managing Director and Chief executive officer (CEO) of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Mr. Yusuf Kazaure, has reiterated the commitment of the infrastructure company to drive the Nigeria’s digital development, reports ITRealms.

Speaking at the 14^th Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) Summit 2016 which held in Abuja recently, Kazaure said that the determination of the company under his watch is to attain emerging market leader on the African continent.

“We are fully conscious of the need to be in the vanguard of Nigeria’s digital growth especially within the public sector. Over the years, we have made significant investments in human and technological resources based on our vision to be the leading enabler of digital inclusion in Africa” he said.

Kazaure told the audience at the summit that harnessing Africa’s digital growth was a key challenge facing African leaders, both in government and business, hence, there was the need for high-level dialogue that would draw attention to the nature of decisions and actions necessary for the digital transformation of the continent for a better future.

He, therefore, challenged policy makers, regulators, service providers, solutions providers and ICT experts on the continent to leverage the huge investments already made in ICTs to innovate and induce organic growth in Africa.

Kazaure pointed out that Galaxy Backbone Ltd, established in 2006 currently has over 350 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) connected to its 1-GOV.Net in over 4,000 office locations nationwide, thus making it the largest single network ever-developed in the public sector in Africa.

“It is even more noteworthy that Galaxy Backbone’s 1-GOV.NETinitiative – a common network infrastructure platform - was benchmarked on global best practices and the company emerged in the 2013 United Nations Public Service Award as 1^st Place Winner for “Promoting Whole-of-Government Approaches in the Information Age” for its 1-GOV.NET initiative," he said.

Further, he confirmed that the UNPSA award was a validation of Galaxy’s vision to be the leading enabler of digital inclusion in Nigeria and on the continent.

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SystemSpecs delivered on TSA mandate – John Obaro

ITRealms:

The Managing Director of SystemSpecs Limited, Mr. John Obaro, has declared that his team using its Remita platform has delivered on its mandate as far as Treasury Single Account (TSA) deal with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and by extension the Federal Government is concerned, reports ITRealms.

“We’re glad and proud that we have delivered,” he declared in response to the controversy surrendering the Senate intervention which claimed that subsisting 1 per cent charge on transaction was enormous.

He also said that the TSA project goes beyond revenue collections and extends to payments, accounting information exchange and update.

This is he said, in addition leverages on “full real-time integration with Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), integration with the national financial services ecosystem enabling payers across multiple platforms, 24/7 user support for 50,000 FGN TSA users of Remita platform, among others.”

Electronic collections (e-collections) schemes anywhere in the world, he said, are a product of negotiations based on scope and complexity of tasks involved.

Therefore, Obaro explained that the subsisting 1 per cent charge eventually agreed by the CBN, banks and SystemSpecs at the commencement of the project was considered a good starting point which could be reviewed based on emerging realities.

“This much is a clear and integral part of our contracts with the CBN,” he said.

 

Obaro lamented that the resounding success of the TSA project has obviously attracted attention from different quarters which may include those benefiting from the old pre-TSA order, competitors who lost out in the selection process, un-informed or under-informed commentators, among others.

 

“In it all, we have always been and will remain fully committed to the full resolution of any issue surrounding the commercial component of our contract in the overall larger national interest,” he assured.

He, however, commended the Senate for its avowed commitment to preserving the national interest, the government for entrusting such a significant national IT project to an indigenous firm, and numerous Nigerians who continue to objectively analyse issues and encourage SystemSpecs, particularly during these times.

 

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Pix: Managing Director of SystemSpecs Limited, Mr. John Obaro,

Breaking News: Bharti Airtel names Ogunsanya CEO, Nigeria, Ghana

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The management of Bharti Airtel in Africa has named Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel operations in Nigeria and Ghana, reports ITRealms.

Airtel also said that with this change, effective April 1, 2016, the Managing Director of Airtel Ghana, Lucy Quist, will now report to Mr. Ogunsanya.

ITRealms gathered that Bharti Airtel recently announced the top level changes for its Africa operations, noting that the new structure would further enhance the level of empowerment and enable faster decision making as well as speed to market.

Also, the latest structure saw to the elevation of Mr. Christian de Faria, who was formerly the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for Airtel Africa, to the position of Executive Chairman, Airtel Africa.

Christian de Faria, would in this new role continue to support the vision of Airtel Africa and lead all matters relating to legal, regulatory affairs, shareholders as well as Mergers and Acquisitions.

In a related development, Raghunath Mandava, who was the Director – Customer Experience India & South Asia, has now been elevated to Chief Operating Officer, Airtel Africa.

He is expected to relocate to Nairobi and take full responsible for the commercial operations.

Chairman, Bharti Airtel, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, said “Christian has done an excellent job by streamlining the operations, strengthening the leadership teams across Africa while enhancing the image of Airtel brand across Africa.”

Mr. Bharti said, he believes they have a strong platform to accelerate our journey towards profitability and market leadership and the new cluster based organisation design will provide an enabling environment to the teams.

“The appointment of Raghu will help leverage the platform and sharpen our market focus and strengthen the innovation pipeline. We remain fully committed to Africa and will continue to invest in the growth of our operations. I wish Christian, Raghu and the operating teams the very best for their new roles,” he said.

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Pix: Segun Ogunsanya, Airtel CEO for Nigeria, Ghana

Zeta-Web MD advises ISPs to be proactive

ITRealms:

The Managing Director, Zeta-Web Nigeria Limied, Mrs. Jumoke Ogunmodede has advised dying Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to wear their proactive cap, reports ITRealms.

In an exclusive chat with ITRealms at the weekend, Mrs. Ogunmodede said the market is dynamic with its own peculiar challenges, and urged ISPs to put on their thinking cap in order to survive.

Reacting to the fact that most of the mobile network operators (MNOs) in the country are now offering Internet Service, she pointed out that those whose core business is Internet Service provision, must devise another unique means of standing out and that is the stand of Zeta-Web.

She revealed that Zeta-Web has since recognised its customers as partners in progress and works with clients to keep them in business with avalanche of business solutions.

Zeta-Web, she said, offers customers fast and reliable Internet solutions which tend to boost business significantly and thus, cost effective to do business with her company.

 “We also deploy the most advanced technology solutions and services for our clients and for business growth and continuity, while ensuring all their goals and objectives are achieved seamlessly,” Mrs. Ogunmodede assured. 

Zeta-Web, she said, has three major subsidiaries that ensures all aspects of its business processes are handled on a single platform for clients.

These, she listed, to include Zeta-Web Nigeria Limited - the Internet Service Provider  (ISP), it has Zeta-Web Business Solution and Zeta-Web Contact Centre.

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Pix: Managing Director, Zeta-Web Nigeria Limied, Mrs. Jumoke Ogunmodede

CWG plc names Agada CEO, Okere EVC

ITRealms:

Erstwhile Chief Technology Officer of the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc, Mr. James Agada, has been promoted to the post of a Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group Plc (CWG), reports ITRealms.

The CWG Board of Directors, ITRealms report disclosed this in a press statement made available to our newsroom, notifying all stakeholders and the general public of changes in the Company’s executive management.

As said by the board, Mr James Agada, formerly the Chief Technology Officer of the Company is now appointed the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company.

ITRealms reports that Mr Agada is a highly innovative and versatile technology expert who holds both a first class degree and a Master’s Degree in Electronic Engineering, with specialization in Digital Systems, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also holds an MBA from the International Graduate School of Management (IESE), Navara, Spain and prides himself with vast experience in consulting, software development, implementation and support. He was pro tem president, Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Computer Society, and was conferred with the “Titans of Tech Merit Award” in 2013, by Technology Africa. Prior to his appointment as the Company’s MD/CEO, Mr. Agada was responsible for the Company’s research and development unit. He was also the Executive Director overseeing the Company’s former software division, ExpertEdge.

Reacting, Mr Agada expressed appreciation to the Board of Directors of CWG for the confidence reposed on him by way of the latest elevation, asserting “I know the times are difficult and the challenges are many especially given the business performance of the company in the last few years.

Our first task is to return CWG Plc to sustainable profitability this year. We will be taking tough decisions to reduce our costs. We will also be investing to grow profitable business. Maintaining this balance between cost reduction and the needed investment for growth will be the big tasking effort that is facing us. I assure you of my commitment to put in my utmost best to ensure CWG Plc returns to a growing profitable path” he said.

Mr Kunle Ayodeji has also been appointed as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Ayodeji is a seasoned professional with enormous experience in the fields of banking, financial consulting and private equity. Prior to his joining CWG, Mr. Ayodeji was an Investment Principal with Aureos Capital (“Aureos”) and later became an Associate Director with The Abraaj Group (“Abraaj”), where he was instrumental in the investment of over US$45 million of Abraaj Funds. Before joining Aureos in 2007, Mr. Ayodeji was a Senior Consultant with KPMG Nigeria where he was involved with the valuation, due diligence and feasibility studies for various corporations and state governments. He also worked with Triumphbank Plc in Lagos, Nigeria. 

Mr. Ayodeji had been a member of the Board committees of both the Company’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (where he was the pioneer Chairman), as well as the General Purpose Committee, before he joined CWG in March, 2015 as Executive Director, Finance and Operations. Mr. Ayodeji holds a B.Sc. in Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria and an MBA from University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

ITRealms further gathered that Mr. Austin Okere continues as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Company. Mr. Okere who founded the Company, previously filled the role of the Executive Vice Chairman in addition to his role as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Okere is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Columbia Business School (CBS), New York, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria, and also serves on the World Economic Forum Business Council on Innovation and Intrapreneurship, Board of National Competiveness Council of Nigeria, and the Initiative for Global Development (IGD) will continue to contribute enormously to the continuous growth of the Company through his wealth of knowledge in the ICT industry and Entrepreneurial development.

To strengthen the finance function of the Company, Mrs. Obianuju Ejeh-Nnabuife has also been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer. She has enormous experience in the areas of audit, financial and risk advisory, financial control and treasury. She commenced her career at KPMG, where she provided audit and advisory services to banks, discount houses and insurance companies. She was one of the pioneer staff of the finance and treasury division at Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the African-focused Development Financial Institute. 

She also worked in other sectors such as the Retail and Oil and Gas in both Nigeria and the Middle East. Mrs Ejeh-Nnabuife holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, UK. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Benin. She is an associate Member of ICAN and a CFA Charterholder.

Announcing the appointments, the Company Secretary, Mr. Okey Ejibe expressed his conviction that the Company’s business performance and standard would continually improve.

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