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IWD: TD Africa Debuts The HERwakening, Fetes Female Entrepreneurs, Women-owned Businesses

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Women have been urged to wake up to the myriad of opportunities presented by a rapidly evolving 21st Century and take their rightful places in the highly competitive business environment, while making their voices heard.

The call came from a host of renowned female business leaders, seasoned speakers and resource persons as TD Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading distributor of technology, services and lifestyle products, formally flagged off The HERwakening, an initiative aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs.

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Chioma Ekeh, CEO, TD Africa speaking at the event

Held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day celebration, the well-attended session was hosted physically at the impressive Yudala Heights located at 13 Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos and online via YouTube. The event, which witnessed a gathering of women entrepreneurs and aspiring ones, provided a fitting opportunity for TD Africa to engage this critical segment and inspire women-owned businesses.

Speaking at the event hosted in partnership with Microsoft and Access Bank, Founder, Wholesome Inspirations, Dr. Ebere Njoku urged participants to take charge and own their space. Njoku, who was one of the keynote speakers at the event, disclosed that women have come a long way, adding that their voices must be heard. According to her, “Own Your Space” means giving yourself permission to show up as your authentic self, to be present, to be important and to define your boundaries. She defined elements of self-discovery to include, confidence, acceptance, responsibility, love, and ownership.

Earlier, in her address, Country Manager (Nigeria & Ghana) Microsoft, Ola Williams traced the evolution of technological development from the 4th Industrial Revolution, Steam and Water, Electricity, Electronics and IT, through Digital, Cyber, Internet and Networking. Williams, who spoke on the topic, “Staying Ahead in the Digital Age”, revealed that humanity uses one form of technology or the other as it touches every aspect of life.

Asking the women if they are prepared, the speaker said by 2026, demand for digital skills such as Web Development, Computer and Information Research Science, Data Science and Software Development, among others, will grow by 13 percent. Further, she described Nigeria as the highest ICT investment destination by volume and deals.

Adducing fear of failure, lack of network and mentors, poor IT background and perception of the field as stressful, etc. among reasons women avoid careers in Information Technology, Williams identified key action areas for interested females to include regular use of technology, keeping abreast of technological advancement, getting mentors, mentoring other women and joining relevant communities.

On her part, Managing Director (Nigeria) Apple Inc., Teju Ajani, who counselled participants on the principles of thriving in a competitive environment, disclosed that the most important thing is to train and focus on one’s goal. According to her, healthy competition can push one to success, even as she delivered tips to survive the competition.

Among these are need to understand your industry, studying the culture around you, paying attention to your environment, need to observe things, learn yourself, set your goal, dream big, work smart, lesser focus on other things, developing yourself and your team, learn more every day, adapt to changing times, unique value estimation, being ready for opportunities, changing your mood, learning to walk away and being bold, adaptable, strong and willing to reflect yourself.

Another keynote speaker and Founder, Wardrobe Merchant, Obis Oragwu bared her thoughts on the place of a woman in the 21st Century. In her view, the evolution of technology, innovation, economic challenges and societal change have brought more jobs requiring additional skilled manpower into the workspace. This, she said, brought about the need for ambitious women with special skills to take roles that were previously dominated by men. She listed core areas where a woman who wants to succeed in the 21st century must focus on to include, finance, family time, career, networking, self-care, health and fitness, fashion, one’s goal, ethics & value and structure. She submitted that these factors must be balanced for a successful career.

Equally important, a representative of Access Bank and Group Head, Women Banking, Abiodun Olubitan spoke on the bank’s The ‘W’ initiative. This initiative, according to her, is a platform by Access Bank for the empowerment of women in business with financial & lifestyle solutions and advisory facilities for investments. Olubitan revealed that the focus segments include W in Business, W Young Professionals, W and Family, Millennials & Gen Z and W Quintessential. Value propositions include access to finance such as loans, access to network and mentoring, access to capacity and career development and access to market. She identified the benefits of “The “W” Power Loan” to include flexible repayment plans, relaxed collateral requirement and competitive interest rates.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Managing Director, TD Africa, Chioma Chimere revealed that one of the value propositions of the HERwakening is to make it an initiative for vulnerable, voiceless and less privileged women. She averred that TD Africa, born in 1999, is a child of necessity to sanitize the ICT industry, noting that it had become a big giant leading the trade revolution across Africa.

Chimere disclosed that the majority of the Board of TD Africa are women who have been in business for over 25 years. These women, according to her, have been empowered and are empowering other women. She praised the untiring efforts of the Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, for inspiring and promoting women to top management cadre positions, adding that Ekeh represents a new breed of entrepreneurs who value the contributions of women.

The icing on the cake was the enduring words of Chioma Ekeh, CEO, TD Africa.

While recounting the agonies women go through in raising new generations, she described the modern-day woman as a trailblazer, a hard-working home builder, and a compassionate companion. She, nevertheless, admonished the women to see their roles as not only divine but as a reward. Expressing gratitude to her husband, Ekeh, for finding women worthy to head companies in the Zinox Group, she equally thanked the staff of TD Africa, the organizers of the event and the guest speakers.

Notably, Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Group, who addressed the audience briefly, also reiterated the key advantages enjoyed by womenfolk, including their concentration power, financial prudence, humility, as well as their natural status of being better counsellors, less prone to fraud and spiritual soundness, among others. Ekeh restated his prediction that from 2026, women will take over in major spheres of endeavour. He also promised to sow a seed to support the women-owned businesses selected for partnerships at the end of the event.

Other highlights of the event include a question-and-answer session, a memorable rendition of Beyonce’s Drop Challenge by some of the participants and high-level networking.

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Events

MINILS Conferred Fellowship on Danbatta for Empowering National Workforce

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The Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS) has decorated the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, with the award of Fellowship of the Nigeria Institute of Labour (NIL) under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

At the conferment ceremony in Abuja recently, which was part of the series of events marking the 40 Anniversary/Founders Day of the Institute, the Director-General of the Institute, Isa Aremu, said Danbatta was being recognised for his exemplary contributions and that of his team to the betterment of the Commission and national workforce.

Alongside Danbatta, the Director, Human Capital and Administration of the Commission, Usman Malah, who is driving the effectiveness of the workforce at NCC was also honoured with a fellowship.

Speaking at the event, Danbatta, who represented by Malah, at the event, underscored the significance of collectively supporting initiatives that enhance the well-being of Nigerian workers through increased access to affordable telecom services.

The EVC stated that only through a digitally skilled and informed workforce can Nigeria fast-track national productivity and development, alongside other initiatives being put in place by the Federal Government. Danbatta said the Commission would ensure affordable and ubiquitous telecom services to improve Nigerian workers’ daily activities.

While expressing gratitude for the recognition to him and Malah, Danbatta assured of his continued support to empowering NCC staff in improving skills, education and sundry capacity-building activities as well as stimulating the deployment of robust broadband infrastructure for bolstering job creation for Nigerians and improving national productivity.

Meanwhile, MINILS DG, Aremu, commended the Commission for promoting the deployment of telecommunications services to improve productivity and efficiency across different sectors of the economy.

“We have witnessed the amazing transformation in terms of broadband penetration, Internet subscribers and many other achievements recorded under the leadership of Prof. Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC and how the telecom sector, regulated by the Commission he leads, have improved national productivity,” Aremu said.

The DG of MINILS stated that the EVC has played a pivotal role in transforming and advancing the nation’s digital space and acknowledged that Danbatta’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and creating employment opportunities in the telecommunications sector has earned him accolades nationwide.

The anniversary, which featured conferment of Fellowship of the NIL on other Chief Executives and Heads of Human Resources divisions of some government agencies alongside the NCC Management executives, not only celebrated the events of the past but also set the stage for a brighter future, showcasing the importance of fair labour practices, knowledge and continued collaboration between various government agencies.

Aside from the new Fellowship of NIL, Danbatta is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Renewable and Alternative Energy Society; the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, and the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. 

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PREMIUM TIMES Books Unveils New Title on Cyber Politics, Nigerian Elections

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 Premium Times Books, the book publishing arm of the Premium Times Group, is pleased to announce the release of a new title, Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria.

The book, written by Omoniyi P. Ibietan, is officially making its way to physical and online bookshop Monday morning in a unique alignment with the symbolic rituals of June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

In 460 pages spread over 12 chapters, Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria gives expression to a critical phase within the distinct trajectory of Nigerian democracy through its elections.

Like June 12, which created a watershed in the country as Nigerians sought to rupture the yoke of military rule through the ballot, this book by Omoniyi P. Ibietan engages with another national watershed moment, as the nascent digital culture involving Internet use, and particularly the social media, converges with the articulation of voter choice, ultimately impacting Nigeria’s electoral fortunes in the process.

Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election is utilised as the sounding board from which analyses that offer great insights into the future of voting behaviour in the country are made in this new title, that is both skilful in its rendition and ground-cutting in its intellectual approach.

In an Introduction he wrote for the book, Dapo Olorunyomi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Premium Times Group, said “The universe of this new book is intriguing in its exploration of the “digital effect on elections.”

He also pointed out how Mr Ibietan’s work demonstrates “clearly that social media systems do enrich electoral democracy by expanding access to registration, participation, voting and organising at a scale we have never contemplated.”

He further observed that, “In the context of the Nigerian market framework, we also get to appreciate, through his lenses, the comparative appeal of each of the social channels. WhatsApp is the battle axe, while Twitter, hysterical though it is, remains limited.” Also, “Ibietan demonstrates how Facebook appeals to age and its abstract commitment to attention and community makes its credentials for advancing democracy a suspect.”

Equally, in his Foreword to the book, Umar Danbatta, a professor and executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, noted that: “the author situates the historical context of Nigerian politics and democracy” and more so “…the nexus between social media and voting behaviour, and the influence of the social media ecosystem among others in the electoral process.”

Importantly, as Professor Danbatta put it: “The book is a compelling narrative, a scholar’s guide and companion on the various political communication themes it interprets. It is difficult to put down this work once you are drawn by its alluring and free-flowing prose and incisive analysis.”

For a prominent commentator, who is also a former Minister of Information and Communication in Nigeria, Frank Nweke II, “the book represents an uncommon body of work by an intellectual visionary”, and he is of the conviction that the “extrapolation of the lessons and recommendations of this book will find perfect expression in other climes beyond the 2015 Nigerian general elections scenario.” Nweke thus commends “Dr Ibietan for this remarkable work, and…recommend(s) this book for practitioners and academics in the fields of strategic communications, new technologies, and social change.”

The author of this new book, Omoniyi P. Ibietan, holds a doctorate in Political Communication from North-West University in South Africa, and earlier degrees in Communication Arts from the Universities of Uyo and Ibadan.

With a career spanning journalism, stints in the civil society and academia, he is presently a directorate cadre staff in the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), where he heads the media relations management unit.

Over the past two decades, Mr Ibietan has researched deeply in the emergent interface between communication studies and psephology, which explains his richly nuanced understanding and far sight into issues involved.

Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria is available as physical copies both in the hard back and soft back versions in bookstores across the country from today, 12 June. The electronic copies of the book can also be purchased on online platforms, including Amazon.

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SABRE Africa Honours MTN’s Karl Toriola for Transforming MNO

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In recognition of his tenacious leadership and drive for innovation, Karl Toriola, the CEO of MTN Nigeria, has received the 2023 SABRE Africa Certificate of Excellence as CEO of the Year. 

Since becoming CEO of the leading technology giant in October 2020, Karl Toriola has spearheaded the organisation’s transition from solely providing telecommunications services to a wide range of technology solutions.

During his time in office, MTN Nigeria became the first company in Nigeria to receive the licensing to roll out 5G spectrum commercially. MTN Nigeria was also granted a Payment Service Bank licence to provide financial solutions to Nigerians through MoMo PSB,  the fintech subsidiary of MTN Nigeria.

Another milestone for MTN Nigeria during his time as the CEO was the successful closure of the Public Offer. In December 2021, MTN Nigeria became the first Nigerian company to make its public offer of 575 million sales in shares to retail investors through a premiere digital platform during the Primary Offer.

With Karl Toriola as CEO of MTN Nigeria, its revenue doubled from N1 trillion in 2018 to N2 trillion at the end of the financial year in 2022  as the organisation also under his wing achieved its most substantial growth in 2021 and 2022 at 22.9 percent, and 21.6 percent respectively. 

When asked to speak about his greatest accomplishments as CEO of MTN Nigeria in a recent exclusive interview, he said, “First of all, it’s a team accomplishment. So, it’s not down to me but the entire team – from the board, right down to everyone working in the organisation. But I think getting MTN Nigeria back to a place where it’s being liked and loved gradually is probably my biggest achievement. It’s a long journey.

Everyone loves to hate two service providers, the telco and the bank, and to get them (customers) to start to like and love you and give you some respect; I think it’s a tremendous achievement,” he continued. 

Before his appointment as the CEO of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola worked at Ericsson Nigeria in 2000 as a Support and Integration Manager. He moved to Econet Nigeria in 2003 as Deputy Chief Technical Officer before becoming Chief Operations Officer at then Vmobile Nigeria (now Airtel). In 2006 Karl Toriola joined MTN Nigeria as Chief Technical Officer. He was appointed CEO of MTN Congo Brazzaville in 2011 and MTN Cameroon in the same year. He became Vice President of MTN Group’s WECA (West and Central Africa) for five years until he was announced CEO of MTN Nigeria in October 2020.

In addition to CEO of the year, MTN Nigeria also received a Certificate of Excellence at the 2023 SABRE Africa awards in four other categories: Company of the Year as MTN Nigeria, Corporate Image for the launch of MTN 5G, Corporate Social Responsibility for Empowering Female Entrepreneurs through MTN Y’ellopreneur and Special Event/Sponsorship through MTN Football. 

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