FirstBank, Visa partner to deploy Naira Visa debit card for inclusive retail payments - ITREALMS

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Premier banking giant First Bank of Nigeria Limited has partnered with global payments leader Visa to launch the Naira Visa Debit Card, reports ITREALMS.

The deployment represents a standardized transformation in retail banking, strategically engineered to lower the entry barrier for electronic transactions and bring secure, everyday digital payment capabilities within seamless reach of millions of Nigerian consumers.

NASENI, REA to deploy renewable technologies for rural electrification - ITREALMS

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The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr Khalil Halilu and the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad have agreed to work together to deploy NASENI Solar resources and other renewable energy technologies, to increase electricity supply to Nigeria’s rural areas.

This commitment was the outcome of discussions between the two chief executives in Abuja on Friday September 15, 2023, when the EVC/CEO of NASENI visited the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) office as part of his efforts to engage with stakeholders to promote the adoption of NASENI’s technologies.

Zinox decries forex difficulties, partners Chevron to deploy high-end PCs,

ITRealms:

Leading integrated-energy multinational corporation with headquarters in the United States, Chevron Nigeria, is partnering a local technology company, Zinox Technologies Limited, for the deployment of high-end Personal Computers (PCs) in the country, reports ITRealms.

The implementation, ITRealms gathered, would see a massive roll-out of thousands of high-end personal computers (PCs), desktop units, monitors and other accessories to equip its offices and other affiliate establishments nationwide.  

ITRealms also gathered that Chevron is the third-largest oil producer and one of the biggest investors in Nigeria where it operates under a joint-venture arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the onshore and offshore assets in the Niger Delta region.

ITRealms further gathered that Zinox has already commenced the delivery and installation of the first units of the orders; a development confirmed by a senior management staff of Chevron Nigeria.

“We’re doing business with local Nigerian companies such as Zinox Technologies, among others. We have ordered thousands of high-end servers and laptops from Zinox.  We encourage other Nigerian entrepreneurs and companies to take this as a sign of confidence.  A lot of multinationals are ready to patronize made-in-Nigeria products, provided they meet international standards,” Chevron source declared.

The source added that with respect to the on-going roll-out of PCs and other computer accessories, it is worth emphasizing that this is not the first time Chevron is doing business with Zinox, which has been a trusted business partner for many years.

“We have not been disappointed by the level of products and services received from Zinox over the years,” our source asserted.

Equally confirming the development, Head, Corporate Communications at Zinox, Gideon Ayogu affirmed to ITRealms, they have commenced the delivery and deployment of the Chevron orders through one of its partners.  

“Apart from the major infrastructural change and the roll-out of high-end computers, servers and other accessories to Chevron Nigeria who remain one of our most regular customers, we have also enjoyed consistent patronage from other multinationals such as Total and Shell as well as a few government agencies and parastatals,” he said.

Pointing out that as a global company, Zinox moves with the forces of demand, stressing that companies like Chevron, Shell, Total have been patronizing Zinox for over 14 years, based purely on service quality and high standards these companies aspire to.

“These local commitments have also gone a long way to helping the management refrain from staff retrenchment or sack in this period of recession, even when the company is facing tough foreign exchange challenges to meet up with orders,” Ayogu said.

He explained that Zinox has received orders for the deployment of over 65,000 tablet PCs, among other devices, although he lamented the difficulties in obtain forex which has delayed the delivery of some of the orders.

“Sadly, access to forex for companies operating in the ICT sector remains a major challenge. We are not getting enough foreign exchange to meet up with customer’s demands. Nevertheless, we will continue to push. Government’s intervention in this regard will go a long way in helping the ICT sector contribute more to the nation’s GDP,” he submitted.

ITRealms recalls that as a major player in the Nigerian ICT sector, Zinox enjoys the status of manufacturing Nigeria’s first indigenous and internationally certified computer brand – Zinox Computers. With advanced competencies in a suite of integrated ICT solutions including System integration, Unified Communication, Advanced Biometrics deployment, Smart Power solutions, Network Operations and Data Centre management, Fibre deployment and connectivity, E-Health and E-Learning, among many others, the company has also deployed some of the biggest projects seen in the country including its sterling work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the deployment of card readers and biometric registration of voters which has contributed to the conduct of successive general elections in Nigeria.

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Nokia, 3 Sweden deploy TD-LTE

ITRealms:

Nokia and 3 Sweden (Hi3G Access) are to deploy Time Division-Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE)-Advanced mobile broadband technology to significantly enhance quality of service in Sweden, reports ITRealms.

As spectrum in traditional Frequency-division duplexing (FDD) bands is scarce, 3 Sweden said it would take advantage of more available spectrum in the 2600 MHz band 38 - currently used by only a few operators in Western Europe - to deploy TD-LTE-Advanced technology. 

This, ITRealms gathered allows them to immediately increase bandwidth and speeds for customers, meeting the growing demand for mobile use in the home.

Nokia will also complete the network deployment - which will include Gothenburg, Sweden's second most populous city - in the first half of 2016.

 Jörgen Askeroth, CTO at 3 Sweden, said: "As one of Sweden's leading operators, we are constantly looking at ways to enhance the overall quality of our mobile voice and data services. In line with this vision, we are working with Nokia to tap the potential of TD-LTE-A in order to deliver a truly memorable service experience to our subscribers. In doing so, we are proud to launch one of Western Europe's first TD-LTE-A deployments on band 38 - a development that underlines our reputation as an innovation leader in the domestic telecommunications market."

Wolfgang Hackenberg, VP West Europe at Nokia, said: "We are extremely pleased to support 3 Sweden in its ambitious and far-reaching TD-LTE-A initiative that will delight its customers. This project bears testimony to our growing status as the supplier-of-choice in Europe, with a clear focus on leveraging technologies that allow operators to provide the best possible mobile broadband experience to their users."

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