Adopt new technologies, see business more productive

ITREALMS:

Adoption of new technologies would see more businesses productive, says the Managing Director of Vodacom Business Nigeria, Lanre Kolade, reports ITRealms.

He noted that as technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data Analytics continue to transform and disrupt the business world, that adoption of new technologies will drive productivity and efficiency to remain competitive.

Speaking at the recently held Business Day CEO Forum Nigeria 2017, an annual thought leadership initiative in collaboration with McKinsey & Co, Kolade said “Technology such as IoT enables growth across business sectors. Today, many organisations are using this technology to cut costs, reduce risk, increase revenue and efficiency”.

Businesses in the Africa are gradually adopting IoT, with Nigeria being one of the leading IoT markets in Africa. This adoption is driven by the increasing availability of affordable smart devices, coupled with the need for enterprises to deliver shareholder value. According to the Vodafone’s Global IoT barometer report 2017, the adoption of IoT has grown significantly from 12% in 2013 to 29% in 2017 and 49% of these adopters use IoT in conjunction with analytics to improve business decision-making.

In Africa, disruptive technologies such as IoT hold significant potential and the opportunities are found in different sectors. From Finance and Insurance to Manufacturing and Agriculture, including the Education sector, organization of all sizes are using IoT to optimize processes, automate production and monitor the supply chain. Speaking further at the event, Lanre Kolade said “We can use technology to disrupt education, with broadband penetration, digitization becomes possible and education contents will be more accessible to all in Nigeria”.

Vodacom is using technology to address challenges in, education, healthcare and agriculture in Africa. Vodacom recently deployed IoT solution for education and healthcare in Kaduna state using a mobile school management solution which provides real-time visibility of all administrative activities at over 4000 schools. The healthcare solution monitors stock level and distribution of essential medicines in over 250 medicine dispensary facilities in the state.   

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Hike in pump price: There’s joy at end of tunnel — Tinubu

ITRealms:

The national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has pleaded with Nigerians to take the difficulties arising from the recent hike in petrol pump price to see it as a passing phase, ITRealms reports.

A press statement made available to ITRealms that the two-term governor of Lagos state, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for taking “a bold step” asserting that “this pain is necessary.”

He also was quoted as saying the new development will clear the rot in the petroleum sector, and push out “fake businessmen who became true billionaires overnight.”

“We all want fuel at a cheaper price under the subsidy, we got the right price but not the fuel, I would be lying if I said this will cause no pain or dislocation. However, it will stabilise supply and end the costs associated with long waits and delays for fuel,” he said.

According to him, the days and hours of waiting for fuel will be a thing of the past as originally envisioned, subsidy formed a basic part of the social contract between the people and their government.

“It was a benefit all were to enjoy. Yet, because past governments were not for and of the people, the true meaning and objective of the subsidy policy became lost. Over the years, the operation of the measure was distorted to where it no longer functioned for the benefit of the masses but for the undue enrichment of a small club of businessmen, some legitimate in their work, some not,” Tinubu said.

Okoli Vincent with additional report from Vanguard/GEE

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Pix: Tinubu