Shareholders approve InterBreweries, Intafact, Pabod merger

ITRealms:

The shareholders of International Breweries (INTBREW) Plc, Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited have approved resolutions authorizing the merger of the three companies, reports ITRealms.

Shareholder approvals, ITRealms gathered, were granted during separate court ordered meetings of each of the Merging Entities which held on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 October 2017.

Prior to the approval by the shareholders of the Merging Entities, ITRealms also gathered, requisite pre-merger approvals had been received from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

ITRealms reports that with the shareholder approvals in place, the SEC and NSE will now be re-approached for their final approvals, to be followed with an application to the Federal High Court to sanction the merger, after which, the merger becomes effective. 

FCMB Capital Markets Limited and Odujinrin & Adefulu are advisers to International Breweries Plc while Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie serving as advisers to Intafact Beverages Ltd and Pabod Breweries Ltd.

Chairman of the Board of International Breweries Plc, Sunday Akintoye Omole said they are of the opinion that the merger will create a platform where significant synergies can be obtained for the benefit of “our shareholders, employees, customers, distributors, suppliers and the economy as a whole.”

Commenting on the merger, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Chairman of the Board of Intafact Beverages Ltd said “It is envisaged that the merger will be beneficial to all stakeholders involved, while providing the new entity with an extremely compelling economic opportunity.”

Gustav Wilhemus Van Heerden Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pabod Breweries Limited said the merger will “improve, and expand growth prospects for the new entity and will also maximize value for all stakeholders.”

International Breweries Plc commenced production with the launch of its flagship product, Trophy Lager in December 1978. The company now produces Beta Malt as well as Castle Milk Stout, Castle Lager, Redds, Hero Lager, 1960 Rootz and Grand Malt which are produced and sold under co-packaging and franchise agreements.

Intafact Beverages Limited was first incorporated in February 2007. The company’s principal activities include the manufacturing, distribution and sale of a variety of beverages such as Hero Lager, as well as Eagle Lager, Trophy Lager, Castle Milk Stout, Grand Malt, Beta Malt, Chibuku, 1960 Rootz, Redds and Super Shake Yogurt drinks.

Pabod Breweries Limited was incorporated in 1978 under the leadership of His Excellency Melford Okilo. The company’s principal activities include the manufacturing, distribution and sale of a variety of beverages and its brands include its flagship product Grand Malt, as well as Castle Milk Stout, Eagle Lager, Hero Lager, Trophy Lager, Beta Malt, Redds and 1960 Rootz which are produced and sold under co-packaging and franchise agreements.

Combined, the three companies, which are subsidiaries of AB InBev, will be one of the biggest beverage manufacturing and distribution companies in Africa, based on installed production capacity. 

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

ACCI lauds FG on economic planning, development efforts

ITRealms:

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has lauded the Federal Government over its economic planning, and development efforts, reports ITRealms.

ACCI, ITRealms gathered, particularly commended Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who is lead proponent on economic matters of this administration, for the conclusions reached at the recent National Economic Council (NEC) meeting saying they are critical first steps towards harmonising economic planning and development among the various levels of government.

The Media & Protocol Officer at ACCI, Mr. Lubem Gena, in a press statement made available to ITRealms, quoted President of the Chamber, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), as describing the new approach by the Vice President and his leadership as "a determined step to create synergy in national economic planning to provide  a common sense of development direction for the country”.

He observed that until now the National Economic Council (NEC) has not fully launched out to initiate and coordinate national economic direction for which it was established by the constitution.

"The ACCI commends the Presidency and particularly the Vice President for finally activating the constitutional authority of the NEC to initiate, integrate, and direct the focus of national economic development so that the various tiers of government will no longer be working at cross purposes, or in silos.

Prince Kayode who was cabinet minister in four capacities, explained that under the 1999 Constitution, the structure for effective political and economic  governance of Nigeria is broadly divided.

The legal luminary noted that, while the President as Chief Executive presides over the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Defence, Security and Police Councils and also chairs the National Council of States (NCS), on the other hand, the Constitution mandates the Vice President to chair the NEC with membership including all state governors, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and others.

“It is thus clear that the constitution intended the Vice President to superintend the economy, of course, under the general direction of Mr. President.  So if the Vice President is enabled to fully implement the authority already given to his office by the constitution then as the focal authority for the management of the national economy along with the state governments, we can easily develop an integrated approach to economic planning and execution.

“The NEC is a potent and veritable platform to ensure a concerted approach towards national economic development, the surest way forward for economic growth and betterment.

“The next stage is now for the NEC to be fully institutionalized with a functioning secretariat through which inter - governmental economic planning can be coordinated with the National Planning Commission (also by law chaired by the Vice President),  the state governments and other government agencies under the leadership of the Vice President", the Organised Private Sector chief said.

“For the economic prosperity, growth, peace and progress of our country, the Vice President must work towards strengthening the National Economic Council so that joint efforts at planning can make a difference in Nigeria's quest for greatness", he concluded.

Doris Minimah/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Anambra Guber'17: Elders, youths lauds Ojiba, commence voters mobilisation for ACPN

ITRealms:

Elders and youths at Nsugbe at the weekend (on Friday) pledged support for the governorship ambition of the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Comrade Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba, reports ITRealms.

The elders and youths who came out in their numbers to welcome his campaign team on a consultative visit to the area, chanted "O jebego, o jebego", meaning he has won.

Nsugbe is the home town of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tony Nwoye.

The elders and youths, some of whom are other political party leaders, shunned the flag off of the APC candidate to welcome Comrade Ojiba, who they described as their own.

Nsugbe is the home town of the ACPN candidate's grandmother.

Speaking on behalf of the other elders, Obi Nwoye Ogbuagu said, "Ojiba is our own and for remembering us, his mother's people, we are happy and we pledge all our undivided support him."

The elders in turn prayed for Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba and and his campaign team, asking God to see them through to the government house Awka this year.

On their part, the Chairman of Enugwu Youths Organization, Nsugbe, Mr. Francis Bosah and the Chief Task of the youths group, Mr. Onyebuchi Udeze, reiterated that Ejoh Ojiba is their own and has the support of the youths.

"We are giving him full support, he is the one that will go for us", Udeze added.

Earlier, the Director General of the Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba Campaign Train, Chief David Okagbue urged the people of Enugwu Nsugbe to support the party.

Leaders at the meeting were the South East Coordinator of the party, Engr. Ikechukwu Okagbue, the State Chairman of the party, Comrade Sam Anumba, the Onitsha North Woman leader of the party, Hon. Ndidi Olieh, among others.

Comrade Ojiba is a retired Customs Officer and says he has a divine transformation agenda for Anambra State. 

Ozo Nweke Ozo/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Coming from Catholic family prepared me for today – Bishop Badejo

Interview@ITRealms: 

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, all roads led to the ancient city of Oyo, venue of the 10th enthronement anniversary of Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo. Widely acclaimed for his communications expertise and love for music, Bishop Badejo is also the founder of the Catholic Artistes and Entertainers Association of Nigeria (CAEAN). He spoke to TONY AGBUGBA about his childhood and how he handled the expected news of his appointment as Bishop of Oyo ten years ago. 

Excerpts.

Being bishop of Oyo diocese:
I have been bishop of the Oyo diocese for ten years now. But I have been in charge of this diocese for the last eight years when my bishop emeritus, Bishop Julius Babatunde Adelakun retired. I am glad and fortunate to say that my childhood was a happy one; happy because I was born into a very Catholic family. My parents were very particular about making their children grow up in the way of God, and grow up in the Church. 
As a family and as children, we had only three choice places to go to everyday; we go to school, we go to Church and we come back home. It was an exceptional thing that you went anywhere else, except you were on an errand. And that helped to form our character. You went to school for your education, 
Church for your awareness of God and home in order to be properly brought up. And the Church has always been right that the family is the first church, is the first school, is the first formation house for every child. And that is why, today, when the church defends the family, and does everything possible to defend marriage, it is for the benefit of society, because the family has done nothing but good all through the history of humanity. So I am happy to have been born a Catholic.

Becoming a priest:
                As long as I had been aware that I was a human being, I have always wanted to join those who were priests and who were around us. They always came visiting my family. My mother was a great lover of priests and seminarians. I do remember that any time a seminarian was sent to our parish, or a new priest came, my mother would send my dad to go and tell that seminarian or the priest, that he has his family somewhere around there. She would ask him to bring the priest or seminarian to the house. And that was always what happened. That means as a child I got to know practically all the priests and seminarians who came through Oshogbo at that time. And because it was the seat of the bishop, quite a number of them came. 

We weren’t a wealthy family. But every time a priest or seminarian came, we knew that my mother was going to give them the best that the family had. That was one reason why I wanted to associate with them. You know, if your dog stays close to you, it is likely to eat the bone of the chicken. And I was the closest to the priests because they were not just Nigerian priests, but even our missionaries who were still Europeans at the time. 

Fortunately, when I was in primary school, I used to be quite good in English, or a little bit better than the rest; a bit better than my brothers.  So, when the expatriates wanted to speak I was like the interpreter for the others. So, there was the initial desire to be like them, to join them.

Entrance into the Seminary:
                When I was in primary five, my brother was going to do the entrance examination to St. Kizito Minor Seminary, Ede. He was in primary six. I remember a missionary came and asked me, himself and the headmaster, asked me to join the group that was going to do the examination to the seminary. And so I went. I remember many of them who were in primary six failed the exam and I passed. So I went ahead of them and they had to come back to the school to try another year. And so my road was charted practically by divine wisdom. I had to go to a minor seminary, and from there, there was no looking back.

Appointment as bishop:
                I felt like I had run into a tipper while riding a motor bike. And I mean that. Because I had come back from a holiday in the United States (US) and I felt it was my time to have a long drawn out time after work at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN). After working at the CSN, I had returned to my diocese to do more work because I practically believed I had been away from the diocese for too long. I indeed worked at the cathedral at Oshogbo for two years and it was hard work because I knew my bishop had agreed that I was going to work for only two years and proceed for my sabbatical. 
So, I went for this sabbatical, and it was in the seventh month that I came back for a holiday. I wanted to come and see my dad who was 90 at the time and then go back. But in the seven months I had spent in the U.S, I had already chunked up a communication project which was to write my doctorate on a communication related topic.

Spirituality in Nigerian movies:
                A lot of people at that time were saying that there was too much fetish activities being portrayed in Nollywood. I wanted to draw out spirituality from under that; because even an outcry in fetishism is a desire for spirituality, deep-down. And I had gathered materials; I had the benefit of meeting some very good families abroad who gave me accesses even to Hollywood; to actors and actresses there. I had done interviews, I had put them down. 

So I knew that writing a doctorate in the next three years would be like a piece of cake. I had all what I needed, and I had got a scholarship in Rome to come and write it there.  I wanted to write it in Rome because as you know, in the Catholic Church, if you write a doctorate in Rome and you passed, then, it was practically a public material for the Church. And I had sent even my book and my instruments like laptop to Rome. I was merely to go back and begin to write this project. And I came home, went to visit Bishop Felix Ajakaiye who was then a parish priest in one of the parishes in Ekiti. I was on my way back when a call came from the Nunciature that I should come to the Nunciature. And I said to the caller that I had no business with the Nunciature.

Indeed, I thought it was about my visa. After a few hours, the call came again and started talking about the bishop. And I said I don’t have any business with the bishop of Oyo. And they insisted that I had to come. That was how it all started. And for days I just didn’t agree to go to Abuja until my bishop then, Bishop Abegunrin called me and said I am to go to Abuja and see the Nuncio. So I went. It wasn’t an easy day at all. We had quite a bit of argument. In the end, he sent me to the chapel; I went to the chapel, I came out, I wasn’t feeling any better. 

But I had no option than to say; well, what do I do now? And he asked me to choose a date when it would be announced. And that is what happened. Since then, I have been the way I am; still surprised till today that I am bishop of Oyo diocese. Not because I am afraid of work or anything, but I had never dreamt in my life that I would be bishop of anywhere. I was really enjoying the priesthood; enjoy doing what I was told to do and doing it in the most creative way possible. I thank God for giving me the privilege to serve in this exalted position as bishop of Oyo diocese. 

But you must understand that when you are placed in a position when you have to tell everybody practically what they have to do, or if you are advising them and they know what you are advising them are things that should be done, then it is a huge responsibility, and I feel the weight of that responsibility. And I can only thank those who have so far worked with me to carry out those responsibilities in the Catholic Diocese of Oyo.

Past ten years been:
                I have seen the goodness of a lot of people. Goodness of God, definitely. Right from the moment I was made bishop, there were many people who came here to help me access the huge challenges that we have here, and have been making their contributions to make sure those challenges don’t drown us and that we can begin to resolve them bit by bit. All I can say is that there have been challenges, but there have not been defeat. And I think that can be attributed to God and the cooperation of the priests that we have here, the religious who work here and the people of God who work with us.

                As you know, every one of us is marking time in history. Nobody is ever going to exhaust the conquering of all the challenges in the world. We need to do our bit. And I can just say that these past ten years, we have seen that there is nothing God cannot do.  Great things happen when God mixes with man. It is just the beginning. In these ten years I can say I do know every corner of Oyo diocese. The diocese is a very vast geographical area.  But we are few in number as Catholics. But to the glory of God the influence of the Catholic Church here is not to be relegated at all to the background.

Other churches, the Muslim community and those who are neither Muslims nor Christians, if you ask them today about the most influential Church in this geographical area called Oyo diocese, most people would probably mention the Catholic Church. Not just because of our presence in the most remote places but also because of the social services that we give to the people. And also our foray into the area of inter-religious dialogue – ecumenism; trying to bring peace while the others would rather bring a rupture, and in the area of education of people who don’t have anything to do with the Catholic Church. 

Schools in this area, for instance, have a population of 75 per cent Muslim children. And we thank our Muslim parents who entrust their children to us. For African families, their children are their most precious possession. If they entrust their children to you, it shows a high level of trust even if they don’t say it in words. 

And so far, we have not had any terrible incident about their children being maltreated or anybody having any regret for sending their children to us here. On the contrary, we even have occasional conversions of Muslims to Christianity in our schools. And many Muslims who work with us, they testify that the Catholic Church is different when it comes to relating with people and affecting the society in these areas.

Then, we must not forget to mention the work of Justice and Development Commission which practically every diocese now has. It was born during the year 2000 when Pope John Paul asked the Church to be liberal and be more proactive in social issues. And they have done tremendously well here.; helping farmers, helping in the formation of young people,  empowerment and intervention in anything that has to do with justice and prisoners, making life much better for prisoners, etc. 

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

60% of Nigerian Pastors computer illiterates

ITREALMS:

The National President of the Association of Nigeria Christian Authors and Publishers (ANCAPS), Mr. Wole Adedoyin, has revealed that estimated 60 per cent Nigerian pastors are computer and internet illiterates, reports ITRealms.

This, he told ITRealms, is the major reason why Nigerian Pastors are not using computer and internet to evangelize and win more souls to the body of Christ.

ITRealms reports that Adedoyin, who doubles as the National Coordinator of the Computer Guild of Nigeria (CGN)  made this known while unveiling the 2017 winners of ANCAP’s Nigerian Christian Literature Award at the ANCAPS secretariat in Ibadan on Wednesday.

“Blessed Pope John Paul II, in 2002 in his message for the 36^thWorld Communication Day asserted that Internet can offer magnificent opportunities for evangelization if used with competence and a clear awareness of its strengths and weaknesses above all by providing information and stirring interest it makes possible an initial encounter with the Christian message. New media, and specifically websites, blogs, and social networking tools such as twitter and face book allow us “to cast wide our nets” like never before. Never in the history of mankind have we had a greater opportunity to evangelize to so many so quickly. Let us “be not afraid to lower our nets through the use of new media and trust in the immense “catch” that God will provide.”

“Presently on 30 per cent of Nigeria Christian Ministers of God are using social media to evangelize. Millions of people use social media every day, many of who are sinners. Many of them post pornography videos and pictures, post hate speeches, gossips and perpetrate many other devilish acts,” he said.

He noted that though some big churches like the Catholic Church, RCCG, Winners Chapel, Deeper Life, GOFAMINT, MFM to mention but few are already utilizing social media for winning souls.

Adedoyin, equally said the body received 15 published Christian books and 7 Christian books in manuscripts format. But after thorough judgments by the selected judges, only 4 books won 4 different awards this year.

The winners, he said, are Mrs. Mbadugha Chigozie Anuli; Winner; Samuel Ajayi Crowther Writers Award, she won with her book “Beyond The Trial”. Miss Akalonu Ndudi Onyinyechukwu; Winner; Mathew Ashimolowo Christian Writers Award, she also won with her book “Not Easy But Gainful Waiting”. Udedike, Peter Chigozie; Winner; 2017 Young Writers Award; won with his book “Voice Of A Suicide and other Stories” and lastly Saint Olawale Jimoh; Winner ; John Bunyan Prize for Best Essay won with a collection of essay book in manuscript format.

He further advised Nigerian evangelists and pastors to embrace internet evangelism by creating Internet/cyber mission department in their churches.

Ogochukwu Nebenanya/GEE 

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Top 3: Kabiru Rabiu makes 2017 “Choiseul 100 Africa” Leaders

ITRealms:

The Group Executive Director of Nigeria’s leading conglomerate, BUA Group, Mr. Kabiru Rabiu, has been ranked second, only after Egyptian, Basil El Baz, on the ‘Choiseul 100 Africa’ list of future African Business Leaders by Institut Choiseul, reports ITRealms.

The institute, ITRealms gathered is a renowned French economic and political think-tank based in Paris and conducts ‘Choiseul 100 Africa’ in partnership with a leading publication, Jeune Afrique.

ITRealms reports that the 2017 rankings, boast of only 10 Nigerians, but has Kabiru Rabiu as the only Nigerian in the top 10.

The annual compilation by the French Institute is carried out through an original independent study that identifies profiles and ranks young African business leaders under the age of 40 from any of the 54 countries on the continent across various industries who will play a major role in the development of Africa in the near future.

Also ITRealms gathered that to classify the 100 leaders of tomorrow, the Choiseul Institute, through its panel of experts and specialists uses five sets of criteria: image and reputation, path and skills, power and function, influence and networks, potential and leadership.

These ‘Choiseul 100 Africa’ laureates are growing business leaders, successful entrepreneurs, investors, etc., who embody the dynamism and renewal of a whole continent and carry the hopes of an entire generation.

Other Nigerians on the 2017 list include Akinwunmi Akinfemiwa, Group Chief Executive Officer of Forte Oil at number 34 and Halima Dangote, daughter of the African richest man, Aliko Dangote and Executive Director of the Dangote Industries at 47th position.

An astute but amiable strategist, Kabiru Rabiu joined the family business in 2002 upon the completion of his studies as an Assistant General Manager of Nigerian Oil Mills based in Kano, Nigeria. He rose through the ranks to become the company’s General Manager and later became the Managing Director of BUA Oil Mills, Lagos - then the largest edible oil company in Nigeria.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

DMO clarifies FG borrowing module for USD5.5bn

ITRealms:

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has clarified the plans of the Federal Government to source for capital worth USD5.5 billion, from the International Financial Markets, reports ITRealms.

In a Press Release, made available to ITRealms, the DMO stated that the proposed USD5.5 billion comprises of two components: USD2.5 billion new borrowing and USD3 billion for refinancing.

USD2.5 Billion

The first component of USD2.5 billion, represents new external borrowing provided for in the 2017 Appropriation Act to part finance the deficit in that Budget. It will be recalled that the 2017 Appropriation Act provided for new External Borrowing of N1.067 trillion or USD3.5 billion at an Exchange Rate of USD/N305. Out of this amount, USD300 million has been raised through a Diaspora Bond that was issued in June 2017 leaving a balance of USD3.2 billion out of which USD2.5 billion is to be sourced through a Eurobond Issuance. 

The USD2.5 billion proposed Eurobond, will be used to finance critical road and rail projects included in the 2017 Appropriation Act. Some of the projects are: construction of a Second Runway at the Nnamdi-Azikwe International Airport; rail projects including Lagos-Kano, Calabar-Lagos, Kano-Kaduna, Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Warri, Kaduna-Idu; and the Bodo-Bonny Road with a Bridge across the Opobo Channel.

These infrastructural facilities will lead to job creation and improve the climate for business thereby contributing to economic growth.

USD3 Billion

The DMO also provided further clarifications on the issue of the proposed USD3 billion External Borrowing that will be used to repay some of the existing domestic debt. In the explanation, the DMO stated that this was purely a portfolio restructuring activity that will not result in any increase in the public debt as it is simply an exchange of one type of debt (Domestic) for another (External). The DMO stated that, the Domestic Debt Stock as at June 30, 2017 included about N3.7 trillion of Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs) with tenors of less than one year and at interest cost of about 17% p.a.

The short term nature of the NTB stock and the high interest rate, expose the public debt to refinancing risk and high Debt Service Costs. By converting them to External Debt, the tenor will be extended to at least 5 years while the Interest Cost will drop to about 7% p.a. The savings in Debt Service from this exercise is estimated at over N90 billion per annum.

Benefits of these External Capital Raising

i.     Reduce Debt Service

Reduce the Interest Cost of Borrowing as external borrowing in US Dollars is much cheaper at about 7% p.a. compared to up to 17% p.a. in the domestic market.

ii.    Increase Stability in the Debt Stock

Extend the tenor profile of the debt stock as longer-dated External Debt is used to replace short term domestic debt. This would make the debt portfolio more stable, thereby reducing refinancing risk.

iii.   Increase in borrowing space for the private sector

The pressure in the domestic market created by the large government borrowing will be reduced. This will create more space for borrowing by the private sector which will enable them contribute to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

iv.   Increase in Nigeria’s External Reserves

External Borrowing represent foreign currency into the nation’s External Reserve thereby allowing for a stable exchange rate for the Naira.

Other Considerations

The proposed USD2.5 billion new borrowing through Eurobonds to part finance the deficit in the 2017 Appropriation Act and the refinancing of existing domestic debt through external capital raising of USD3 billion, are consistent with Nigeria’s Debt Management Strategy, whose main objective is the increase external financing with a view to rebalancing the public debt portfolio in favour of long-term external financing in order to reduce the cost of debt and lengthen the maturity profile.

The DMO added that in contracting external debt, a conscious effort is made to exhaust all opportunities available from the concessional sources in order to reduce the level of External Debt Service.

Furthermore, all Borrowings are approved by the National Assembly and are included in the Annual Budgets and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

*Courtesy:  Ifeanyi Omokwe

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Pix: Ms Oniha, DG-DMO

Spectrum Trading: NCC seeks public comments on guidelines

ITRealms:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is seeking public comments on the draft guidelines on Spectrum Trading in the country, reports ITRealms.

This, NCC said is in exercise of its functions under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and that the draft could be accessed on its website for stakeholders’ comments.

“In accordance with Section 57 of the Nigeria Communications Act 2003, a Public Inquiry in respect of the Draft Guidelines,” NCC management announced.

ITRealms also gathered that the draft would be up for public discuss on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 by 11am at NCC headquarters, Maitama, Abuja.

“All stakeholders are by this notice invited to participate in the Public Inquiry,” a public statement from NCC made available to ITRealms read in part.

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

CitiServe launches OrangeBox 7210

ITRealms:

The OrangeBox 7210, has been launched by Citiserve, a member of the Vigeo group Limited, to provide electronic business solutions for the industry, reports ITRealms.

Also, OrangeBox 7210, ITRealms gathered, is a technology that enables distribution company with focus on enterprise solutions and payment services that make life easier.

“It provides e-business solutions for the industry, developing applications for e-transactions, bill payments and numerous value added services. This in turn provides income, facilitates cashless payments via bank cards on the PoS and other touch points,” officials revealed to ITRealms.

CitiServe has been described by a section of industry observers as a dominant payment and distribution platform for products and services. They achieved this status by offering radically superior value for stakeholders in terms of product service, delivery and speed. This belief and achievement is conspicuously embedded in their vision.

The OrangeBox, ITRealms equally gathered, had introduced in 2011, a part of Central Bank of Nigeria cashless roll-out, is the preferred POS terminal modeled for the climate of Nigeria with its strong external shell for accidental drop. It has a very strong transceiver to pick weak signals for GPRS networks (MTN, Etisalat, Glo, and Airtel) with options for other POS communication including Wi-Fi, LAN and dual SIM.

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Broadband forum 2017: Operators hail next-generation technologies

ITREALMS:

The next-generation fiber technologies such as NG-PON2 has been identified as a paradigm shift in the access space and a more certain path towards long-term success, reports ITRealms.

According to the Director, Technology at Verizon, Vincent O’Byrne, this would be explored by the Broadband Forum’s Access Summit, which features operators and manufacturers, as well as industry insight from Light Reading, IHS and the Fiber Broadband Association.

Taking place at Broadband World Forum, at the Messe Berlin, on Tuesday, October 24, the agenda features O’Byrne who will explain how the fiber access space is constantly evolving, with emerging PON technology providing solutions to some of the issues around cost and reliability.

“Technologies such as NG-PON2 present exciting new opportunities for vendors, such as delivering residential and business services on multiple wavelengths over the same fiber,” said O’Byrne. “Not only does NG-PON2 parse business and residential customer traffic to isolate and resolve potential problems in the network, it can also scale to achieve speeds of 40 Gbps and above.”

Delegates attending the summit will hear how some of the Broadband Forum’s current projects relate to this need, with its NG-PON2 Council working to accelerate adoption of the technology.

Additional topics that will be covered include Gfast, the gigabit society, Access 4.0, Fiber to the Distribution Point and the role virtualization has to play in the next generation of networks.

Bernd Hesse, Chair of the Broadband Access Summit Event and Senior Director Technology Development at Calix, said: “We will be exploring NG-PON2 in depth and the use cases that underpin the decisions to deploy them. I look forward to the debate, hearing from the experts in the industry and welcoming the community to these new Forum events.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!