Ernest Akinlola resumes @Ntel as new CEO

ITRealms:

Acclaimed and proudly Nigerian first Fourth Generation cum Long-Term Evolution (4G/LTE)-Advanced network, Ntel has named Mr. Ernest Akinlola, as its substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, just as he has resumed, reports ITRealms.

Mr. Akinlola, ITRealms gathered, is a senior executive with over 20 years extensive experience in telecoms media and technology would bring to bear on his latest job after working with the One-2-One telecoms operator in the United Kingdom (UK) and was instrumental in establishing a world class internal audit and compliance department.

As Head of Department he led the assessment and subsequent launch of Virgin Mobile UK on the One 2 One network which proved to be the pioneering Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) at the time. Following One 2 One’s acquisition by T-Mobile, Ernest was a key member on the integration team, leading on commercial strategy and growing the wholesale side of the business to launch several MVNO’s focused on specific customer segments. He was an integral member of the team charged with executing Virgin Mobile’s $1.5bn IPO. Many senior roles followed including leading the transformational roll out of T-Mobile’s store retail programme.

Having led teams in Marketing, Sales, Finance, Strategic Planning, Business Development and Operations in blue chip telecoms companies, Ernest was headhunted as COO by Lycamobile (the world’s largest international MVNO) to lead its European strategy, successfully expanding into 10 countries within 2 years.  Following this notable success in Europe, Ernest focused on Nigeria’s telecoms sector and was approached to lead a major marketing drive for Etisalat (9Mobile), the 4th entrant in a highly competitive telecoms market. As Marketing Director, he spearheaded a range of initiatives that took Etisalat from the 4th ranked operator to the 2nd, in terms of Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and active customer base.

Immediately prior to joining ntel, Ernest was a strategic consultant to several blue chip organisations including Blackberry Nigeria, the World  Bank, and most  recently provided strategic oversight to Swazi Mobile in formulating a commercial strategic plan for the successful application of a 4G VoLTE, 3g, 2g licence in Swaziland, South Africa. This has underpinned the impressive growth of Swazi Mobile in less than 3 months of operations.

Ernest is a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants, and holds an MBA from Manchester Business School with a first degree in Economics from UEL.

Reacting, Mr. Akinlola expressed excitement over his appointment as the Managing Director cum Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of ntel, Nigeria’s pre-eminent 4G/LTE network.

“Ntel has tremendous untapped capabilities which can provide a step change in customer experience for Large Enterprise, SME’s and Consumers. I look forward to leading the team in driving innovation and delighting our current and future customers,” he asserted

The Director, External Affairs, ntel, Osondu C. Nwokoro in a press statement made available to ITRealms said that ntel had previously assured stakeholders that the leadership transition from the previous incumbent would be smooth and orderly in accordance with global best practices.

“We are pleased to report that there has been no adverse impact on the business operations and the company would like to thank the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Mr. Abhulime Ehiagwina, for holding the fort during the transition period,” Nwokoro said.

Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops

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NLNG wins NIMASA @High Court over levy applicability

ITRealms:

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Tuesday delivered a landmark judgment in favour of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in a case between the company and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) over applicability of NIMASA levies, reports ITRealms.

NIMASA, ITRealms gathered had alleged that NLNG was liable to pay  three per cent gross freight  on its international inbound and outbound cargo, Sea Protection Levy, two per cent cabotage surcharge on all activities carried out for and on its behalf, as well as other sundry claims, all of  which NLNG disputed.

In a landmark judgment in Lagos, Hon. Justice M.B. Idris held inter alia, that NLNG was not liable to make the said payments to NIMASA, and that all such payments already made by NLNG to NIMASA should be refunded to NLNG forthwith. Hon. Justice Idris further held that NIMASA was wrong in blockading the Bonny Channel for the purpose of enforcing the payments against NLNG.

ITRealms reports that NLNG, in 2013, filed the case at the Federal High Court against NIMASA, seeking a judicial determination on, among other things, the legality or otherwise of the levies sought to be imposed on NLNG by NIMASA, and the consequent blockade of the Bonny Channel by NIMASA and its agents as a result of the dispute.

Also, ITRealms reports that NLNG had sought a Court Order restraining NIMASA from further blockade of the Channel. An Interim Injunction granted in favour of NLNG by the Federal High Court was disobeyed by NIMASA, which again affected a blockade of the Bonny Channel for over a three week period whilst the matter was pending, thereby preventing NLNG vessels and other vessels doing business with the company, from entry and exit through the Channel.

NIMASA had filed a Counterclaim restating its supposed entitlement to receive payment of the levies from NLNG. However, the Federal High Court judgement reinforces NLNG’s position that by the provisions of the applicable laws, the Company is  not subject to payment to NIMASA of the three percent gross freight as well as the Sea Protection Levy,  and that the two percent Cabotage Levy is inapplicable because NLNG’s LNG vessels are not involved in coastal trade or cabotage.  This decision also affirms the sanctity of the guarantees and assurances conferred on the Company and its Shareholders by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the strength of which the Shareholders made their investments from which the country has reaped immense returns.

Responding to the judgement, the General Manager, External Relations at NLNG, Mr Kudo Eresia-Eke, asserted that NLNG as a law abiding company and a good corporate citizen remains committed to conducting its businesses in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Atoki, Onigbinde, Aigbogun, Kolawole, others headline 2017 PwC media workshop

ITRealms:

The 2017 edition of the one-day PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) Capability Enhancement Workshop for Journalists ended in Lagos with a line-up of subject matter experts dissecting various topics, reports ITRealms.

Led by a senior manager and Lead, Sustainability and Climate Change at PwC Nigeria, Mories Atoki, and Lead partner at BudgIT, Mr. Seun Onigbinde, whereas panelists included the publisher of BusinessDay, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publisher, CableNG, Mr. Simon Kolawole, and Wole Famurewa of CNBC Nigeria.

ITRealms reports that the presentations at the workshop included a session on “Tracking amd Reporting the SDGs” facilitated by Atoki, while Mr. Onigbinde, facilitated a session on “Using data to transform the news and provide insights."

In his opening remarks, the Country Senior Partner, PwC Nigeria, Mr. Uyi Akpata, noted that the annual workshop now in its fourth year with over 200 journalists benefiting from the training, is a major component of PwC’s Corporate Responsibility strategy.

“It was instituted in recognition of the very important role of the media in society and particularly, the role that the media in Nigeria has and continues to play in informing and educating the public,” he said.

Akpata also explained that PwC support for the media through this workshop and the media excellence award is in line with their purpose which is to build trust in society and solve important problems.

“It is a demonstration of our strong belief that for the Nigerian people to enjoy good governance, the media must perform its role optimally and professionally and this is reflected in the quality of reporting, in the capacity of individual journalists to carry out research and investigations, in the independence of editorial judgments, and in their ability to use technology as an enabler,” he assured.

Further, ITRealms reports that the capacity enhancement workshop precedes the Award Gala Night for the announcement of winners of this year’s PwC Media Excellence Awards which is scheduled to hold on Friday 6th October 2017 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos. 

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE 

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Ecobank launches mVisa across 33 African countries

ITRealms:

The West African bank, Ecobank has partnered with Visa to launch its Scan+Pay with mVisa solutions to their consumers, reports ITRealms.

The strategic tie-up signals interoperability on a cross border level – and potentially huge gains – as it affords consumers with the ability to use their mobile phone to directly access the funds in their bank accounts to pay person-to-merchant (P2M) or person-to-person (P2P).

Ecobank Scan+Pay with mVisa delivers instant, secure cashless payment for goods and services by allowing customers to scan a QR code on a smartphone or enter a unique merchant identifying code into either a feature phone or smartphone. The payment goes straight from the consumer’s bank account into the merchant’s account and provides real-time notification to both parties. This serves to accelerate digital commerce and combat some of the challenges merchants have faced using traditional point of sale systems, including the cost of installation coupled with the requirement of electricity and internet connectivity.

Ecobank mVisa solutions also enable customers to send money instantly to any Visa cardholder worldwide. This is a major innovation that serves the need of Africans in the diaspora by enabling them to simply link their Visa card to the Ecobank unified mobile app to send money home to another Visa cardholder quickly and securely.

“We are fulfilling our commitment to give every African the right to participate effectively in the global economy at an affordable price and in a convenient manner. Ecobank Scan+Pay with mVisa helps merchants – particularly small and micro merchants – to grow their sales without the risks of carrying cash whilst also giving consumers the ability to pay for goods and services in a cashless manner from their phones. Consumers can also conduct person-to-person payments and instantly transfer money to their friends and family via their phones at very low cost,” said Ecobank Chief Executive Officer Ade Ayeyemi.

The partnership demonstrates both Ecobank and Visa’s continued commitment to provide financial services to the banked and unbanked in Africa by leveraging digital platforms to offer convenient and affordable payment mechanisms. 

Andrew Torre, President for Visa Sub-Saharan Africa said, “We are glad to partner with Ecobank to bring mVisa into the market, a mobile payment solution with real benefits to drive digital transformation backed by advantages of Visa’s global network - security, reliability and global acceptance, allowing consumers to make payments both domestically and internationally.”

Patrick Akinwuntan, Ecobank Group Executive Consumer Banking, pointed out that the Ecobank mVisa solutions rollout significantly strengthens the banks person-to person payments capabilities. “Bringing this added functionality on our Ecobank mobile app connects families in Africa by delivering needed funds instantly anywhere, anytime. That’s real value to our customers,” he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Presidency: Kolade faults quality of communications

ITRealms:

The elder statesman and former ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK), Dr Christopher Kolade has condemned the poor quality of communication emanating from the Presidency, citing the “rodents” issue as an example of “unedifying communication,” reports ITRealms.

Kolade, former Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria and former chancellor of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, spoke on “The Pursuit of Excellence” at the first annual lecture of the Cadbury Nigeria Alumni Association,  a gathering of former employees of the FMCG firm, held at the weekend in Lagos.

He decried the regression of professionalism across many sectors in Nigeria, citing lack of trust as one of the factors for the continued strikes across many areas.

Kolade, a renowned communication professional and former Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, noted, “We should not be too embarrassed to mention the shortage of excellence in the quality of communication in governance, as we recall that, not too long ago, the nation’s President arrived back from overseas, and decided that he would work from home for a few days.

He wondered why anyone has to explain that to Nigeria, pointed out that the President’s home  in this context is only a few metres away from his office, and “he, like you and me, is eminently free to decide where he will physically sit for the successful performance of his duties.’

He described the explanation that rodents had displaced the head of state from his exalted office space, for the maintenance of which the nation makes generous allocations of human and financial resources in every annual budget!

“Would the announcer of that information proudly display that to other members of his professional constituency as an example of best practice in edifying communication,” he decried.

Ogo Nebenanya/GEE

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Yudala leads in e-Commerce price war

Sponsored @ITRealms:

 

E-commerce has become a thriving global industry, with recent research projecting sales to hit an all-time high of $4 trillion in three years.

Nigeria has also been bitten by the e-commerce bug. This has been made possible by the proliferation of online stores all competing for the attention of shoppers, many of whom are eager to jump on the ease and convenience of the e-commerce train.

The attraction of e-commerce for most Nigerians, nevertheless, goes beyond mere convenience. 

From a sampling of the opinions of various categories of shoppers, it was discovered that in addition to quality, price represents one of the major factors that activates the buying decision for most prospective shoppers. 

An overwhelming majority of respondents sampled (92%) admitted to comparing prices across two or three e-commerce sites before making up their minds on where to shop.

With Nigerians so price-conscious, a random comparison of product prices from some of the most prominent players in the sector has placed Yudala in the fore-front of the price war currently going in the Nigerian e-commerce sector.

Below are screenshots taken across some product categories from major e-commerce sites in Nigeria.

Despite the huge strides recorded in the Nigerian e-commerce landscape – especially with the massive awareness for globally celebrated shopping festivals such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, among others, research further shows that you are better off convincing the average Nigerian to make the final buying decision when you can provide him or her with an opportunity to ‘experience’ the product before parting with hard-earned money.

This perhaps justifies Yudala’s strategy of combining its online site with physical (brick-and-mortar) stores located nationwide which offers shoppers a chance to see and experience the product before buying.

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58 killed in Las Vegas concert shooting

ITRealms:

Barely 24 hours after a heavily gunman opened fire on an open-air concert in a Las Vegas hotel, estimated 58 people have been confirmed killed, reports ITRealms.

The killings, ITRealms gathered were majorly from the shooting and stamped arising thereof, while over 500 people were suspectedly injured in the attack which has attracted global condemnation.

ITRealms also gathered that the gunman had opened fire from a 32-floor hotel room adjacent to the open-air concert venue and has been tagged the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

ChannelsTV  and CNN monitored in Lagos, reported that the Islamic State group claimed the 64-year-old Nevada man behind the Sunday night massacre, Stephen Craig Paddock, was one of its “soldiers” but the FBI said it had found no such connection so far.

Police said Paddock, a retired accountant, killed himself before a SWAT team breached his room in the Mandalay Bay hotel overlooking the venue for the country music concert.

President Donald Trump denounced what he called “an act of pure evil” and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters at least eight rifles had been recovered from the gunman’s hotel room.

Paddock was believed to be a “lone wolf” assailant who acted alone, Lombardo said, declining to speculate as to what may have motivated the attack.

“I can’t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point,” he said.

Lombardo said Paddock had apparently used a hammer to smash the window of his hotel room before opening fire on the crowd below.

Police said around 22,000 people were attending the concert when bursts of automatic gunfire erupted shortly after 10:00 pm (0500 GMT).

Concert-goers screamed and fled in panic as a steady stream of bullets rained down from the hotel.

58 dead, 515 injured

Lombardo said 58 people had been confirmed dead and 515 injured and he said the toll could rise. The authorities issued an appeal for blood donors.

The Islamic State said one of its “soldiers” who had “converted to Islam several months ago” was behind the shooting but provided no evidence to back up the claim.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it has found no such link so far.

“As this event unfolds we have determined to this point no connection with an international terrorist group,” said Aaron Rouse, special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI.

Paddock, who photographs showed as greying with a trimmed beard and moustache, was a former accountant and a licensed private pilot with no criminal record, according to ABC News.

Eric Paddock, the gunman’s brother, said he was at a complete loss to understand what may have motivated the shooting.

“This is an asteroid falling out of the sky,” Eric Paddock told CBS News.

He said his brother had “no religious affiliation, no political affiliation.”

“He was my brother. He was a guy. He gambled,” Eric Paddock said.

He said his brother had no history of mental illness and was “not an avid gun guy at all.”

Paddock resided in a new golf course development in the desert just outside Mesquite, Nevada, 80 miles northeast (130 kilometers) of Las Vegas.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: Courtesy: MarketWatch.com

FG offers new payTv platform, TSTv, tax relief

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the new PayTV platform, TSTV, would enjoy a pioneer status with a three-year tax relief, reports ITRealms.

The Minister made this disclosure in Abuja on Sunday night at the unveiling of TSTV, and said that the TSTV Managing Director, Dr. Bright Echefu, have come at a very good time because this government only recently granted a pioneer status to the creative industry and what this means is that you will be entitled to a three-year tax relief and all your investors will not pay any tax dividends," he said.

The Special Assistant (SA) to Hon. Minister of Information and Culture, Segun Adeyemi, quoted Alhaji Mohammed said the unveiling of TSTV has totally redefined the payTv platform and, by extension, the TV industry, through the provision of access to people in all segments of society to enjoy high quality entertainment.

"What Dr. Echefu has done is to democratize the media and entertainment industry and make it possible for all to have access to the best entertainment in the world. Just like a Nigerian also made history by crashing the cost of telephony in Nigeria, I am glad that another Nigerian is now coming forward also to crash the price of PayTV," he said.

The Minister said the advent of Digital Switch Over in broadcasting in Nigeria has created a paradigm shift in the television industry, where compelling contents will now attract viewership.

He identified lack of objective audience measurement mechanism as a key factor against investment in content production, but disclosed that his ministry is planning a workshop to address the challenge.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Creative Industry played a critical role, along with other non-oil sector players, in pulling Nigeria's economy out of recession, and that the government plans to develop the industry to contribute 5% to the GDP, as against its current contribution of 1.36 per cent by 2020.

He commended Dr. Echefu for his courage of conviction and belief in Nigeria and pledged the readiness of the Federal Government to continue to create the conducive environment for private sector investments to thrive.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Nigeria @57: Let’s remain united says Senator Tinubu

ITRealms:

The Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu has urged Nigerians to continue on the path of unity and eschew all tendencies to break up the country, saying the country has set its hands on the plough and cannot give up now, reports ITRealms.

Tinubu in a commemorate statement made available to ITRealms on Nigeria’s 57^th independence, she said in spite of the conflicts and rifts including a 30-month civil war that have plagued Nigeria, the country elected to remain as one.

“We must continue on the path of oneness, putting national interests above ethnicity and self.  We have set our hands on the plough; we cannot at this moment, give up. Thus, we must shun all attempts to cause disunity amongst us,” Tinubu said, stressing that never again should Nigeria as a nation go through conflict like was during the civil war, insisting that the odds are too huge.

The statement entitled “Nigeria @57: One People”, Senator Tinubu said: “I celebrate with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the occasion of our Great Nation's fifty seventh (57th) independence anniversary. This day fifty seven (57) years ago, we received liberation from colonial rule, deciding like other Nations that self-governance is the way forward.

“In the years since then, we have dabbled in military rule, unitary system and now, democratic governance. We have had seasons of plenty as marked by the oil boom, and we have experienced lean years. We have also been besieged with a civil war, ethnic conflicts, and rifts; and we have enjoyed relative peace as a nation.

“Through it all and in spite of these, we have remained united and indivisible, pressing on to the Nigeria of our dreams. And for this, I must commend every Nigerian.

"We must however continue on the path of oneness, putting national interests above ethnicity and self. We have set our hands on the plough; we cannot at this moment, give up. 

"Thus, we must shun all attempts to cause disunity amongst us. Never again should we as a nation go through conflict like we did with the civil war. For us, the odds are too huge," she said.

Further, she wished all the good people of Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and all Nigerians a happy celebration at 57.

Ayo Midele/GEE.

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Quasim Akinreti emerges chairman, Lagos NUJ

ITRealms:

The Assistant Director News at the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Dr. Quasim Akinreti has polled a total of 288 votes to emerge the winner of the 2017 chairmanship election of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos council at the weekend, reports ITRealms.

The election which took place at the Lagos State TV auditorium, left his only contender to the position, Mr Adeleye Ajayi of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), with 272 votes.

Also joining Dr. Akinreti in the new Lagos council executive committee includes Mrs Abiola Beckley of Daar Communications who emerged the vice chairperson with 282 votes against Mr Innocent Anaba of Vanguard Newspapers, who scored 275 votes. While others officers were returned unopposed.

In his acceptance speech, Akinreti described the victory as a defining moment in the history of Lagos NUJ and commended the elders of the profession and the immediate past leadership led by Mr. Deji Elumoye

He pledged to work with every member of the council, assuring there would be no victimization, stressing the need for an all-inclusive NUJ in Lagos Council under his watch.

“… We will run an open door administration, we do not have monopoly of knowledge and I want to assert that we are all winners in this election. God willing, I will serve you assiduously as I have promised and I will open my arms to everyone because we all have a common goal, which is to move Lagos NUJ forward,” Akinreti asserted.

He called those who may have offended one another in the course of electioneering, “I want us to put that behind us and move on,” he urged.

Congratulating the new chairman, Mr. Elumoye assured to make himself available for any clarification as may be required.

“In case you (present Executives) want to ask any question about what we have done in the last six years, my doors are open, even if I am out of the country, I will come back to answer you,” he reassured.

The new exco of Lagos NUJ Council were later sworn in by the Vice President of NUJ, Southwest (B Zone), Mr Cosmos Oni, who applauded candidates and electorates for ensuring a peaceful election.

Nkem Nweke/GEE

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