The 2019 World Summit Awards has come and gone, Mr. Amos Emmanuel, WSA Eminent National Expert for Nigeria presents to you the national nominees from Nigeria, winners of awards and their solutions.

In 2019, numerous innovative people in Nigeria, using digital solutions to take action on local issues applied for the global UN World Summit Awards competition on local innovation with high impact on society.

Combining an ongoing series of international events, activities and research with a global network of partners, experts, social entrepreneurs, digital policy think thanks and major collaborations, Programos’ Innovationbed. Africa initiative leverages the World Summit Awards under its intervention #3 as an international platform for ICTs Entrepreneurship with impact on society – showcasing best practices worldwide: Here are the WSA 2018 nominations sorted by regions!

The WSA Eminent National Expert for Nigeria Mr. Emmanuel Amos, President, Programos Foundation shared results with the press, expressing that some applicants and their products have emerged winners in their respective innovation categories having evoked state-of-the-art changes in their communities by producing best local content innovations impacting our society positively after Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs and deserving global and local recognitions.

United Nations World Summit Awards Local Chapter in Nigeria on a yearly basis provides a unique global selection of how digital applications provide solutions to solve local issues.

WSANigeria now operated as the Tech-Awards & Jury module (aka intervention #3 of the InnovationBed.Africa tech ecosystem development initiative of Programos Foundation), is charged with the responsibility to identifying the best Nigerian Digital Innovations with positive impact on society and recommending them to the international stage of the World Summit Awards Global Contest. Through this annual process Nigeria has had impressive participation at the global awards with indigenous entrepreneurs leaving indelible marks on the world innovation map to date.

Who are WSA-Nigeria National Nominees 2019?

In the GOVERNMENT AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT – A product titled Tax Administration And Processing System (TAAPS) by a female innovator  Irene Mmam of Telnet. The have successfully driven digital transformation efforts that improved business outcomes with the many projects and companies.

Tax Administration And Processing System

TAAPS features include:

– Elimination of business silos, allowing the department to view all taxpayer activity across tax types- Ability to perform online updates to taxpayer attributes
– Ability to enforce pre-determined business rules for tax registration
– Provides audit trail of changes made to the system
– Ability to process returns and related forms for each applicable tax type, as follows:
• Withholding Tax
• Value Added Tax
• Capital Gains Tax
• Pay as you Earn
• Road Taxes etc.
– Ability to view all returns processed for a particular taxpayer by taxpayer (TIN), period or tax type
– Ability to configure rules and detect compliance

JTB Unique TIN Project
The National Taxpayer Identification Number (T.I.N.) Project is an initiative of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Governments of all 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory.

Telnet in collaboration with its partners was able to deliver a fully integrated taxpayer identification system which supports online and offline biometrics registration of taxpayers and issuance of Smart Card/ Identification Card to taxpayers. The objective was for every taxpayer in the country to be able to obtain a one-time harmonised tax number that identifies them and with which they will pay their taxes.

FIRS – ITAS
Telnet and its partner are deploying an Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) to assist Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service to enhance revenue collection by automating the administration, payment, and refund processes.

JFIRS – Project FACT
Project FACT stands for Friendly Accurate Complete Timely. Through this project, we helped the federal government automate systems for taxpayer registration, tax collection and remittance, all to improve tax compliance. Project FACT also eliminated errors and delays in payment processing, information, and helped increase revenue.

NIBSS – Cheques Clearing Project
Telnet was a key member of the consortium that developed and implemented the Cheques Clearing Initiative. This improved the speed of cheque clearing and processing nationwide. The initiative resulted in the reduction in the number of clearing days from between T+7 days and T+21 days to T+2 days nationwide.

SWIFT
Telnet through SoftWorks is a SWIFT Ready Service Partner for the region. As SWIFT Service Ready partners, we deliver all onsite technical services with SWIFT Certified Experts. We provide on-boarding assistance for institutions who would wish to participate in SWIFT. We also provide technical assistance for implementing network and messaging interface solution.

Nigeria Customs Service Integration
We integrated the FIRS Collection Systems with the Nigeria Customs Services for the automation of VAT on imports collection, remittance and reporting.

CAC Integration
We automated the company registration process and oversaw the issuance of RC Numbers by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to include the issuance of Tax Identification Number (T.I.N) issued by Federal Inland Revenue Service (F.I.R.S) on the CAC registration certificate.

Project EAGLE
Provision of the security and network management infrastructure for Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Nigeria LNG
Design and implementation of an explosion-proof camera system for gas plant surveillance application.

Shell Petroleum Development Company Of Nigeria
Implementation of a nationwide CCTV system and access control system including automatic revolving doors and biometric systems.

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE CATEGORY was won by A product titled CHEKKIT APP by Dare Odumade of Chekkit Technologies

Chekkit Technologies LLC, based in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was founded in 2018 by Mr. Dare Odumade, Ms. Jida Asare, Mr. Tosin Adelowo Mr. Adebola Oyenuga. The company is specialized in developing secured software for food, beverage drug distribution tracking & consumer intelligence through anti-counterfeiting services which makes physical products smart and traceable across supply chain both offline and online and employs 6 staff members. The fast-forward thinking concept of the company has identified the potential to grow and lead the connected products economy and industry 4.0 in Africa.

FMCG and pharmaceutical producers lack efficient data aggregation processes for accurate market demand prediction, which leads to >30% revenue losses and entrance of counterfeits.
The Entrance of counterfeits doesnt just cause losses to businesses but is responsible for deaths of millions of consumers in developing economies – in Africa and Asia – yearly.

Chekkit solves this through a blockchain secured tracking system leveraging USSD, barcode and anti-counterfeit QR scan technology to automate data collection, address inventory/assets status tracking, consumer intelligence and provide end-to-end distribution transparency.
We offer our solutions via two (2) platforms –
1. Consumer Intelligence platform – for product authentication, anti-counterfeiting and last mile market insights
2. Supply Chain Platform – for product distribution chain tracking.

Chekkit Consumer intelligence platform; for product anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and real-time market insights. This tool will always help producers gain ROI for all promotional/marketing and brand protection spends.
Chekkit Supply chain tracking platform; for product distribution and inventory/asset tracking. This tool helps save time, prevents stock outs and ensures end-to-end transparency on all product supply-chain/distribution processes.

RALLY by Chima Ezeokoye won the TOURISM AND CULTURE CATEGORY

Chima Ezeokoye is one of three co-founder, including Celestine Ezeokoye and Majid Tokurah, of WeMove Technologies Ltd. WeMove is primarily a transport technology company building software solutions to ease transportation and related businesses in Africa. There he oversees business development and partnerships that eases tourism issues.

WeMove Tourism an end-to-end tourism servicing system in Africa using technology and shared value to create a human-centered tourism distribution network.

Handling the value-chain from recruiting and planning to distribution of tour packages.
Our solutions includes;

The Trip – Quarterly tour planners discovery and recruitment program.

WeMove Planner – Online tour planning and management software (33+ tour companies using)

WeMove Rally – Human centered tourism distribution network ( 125 registered influencers as affiliates, 13 corporate partners, and 14 remote sales agent)

Our solution ‘Rally for corporates’ allow organizations to offer tourism as incentive to their staff. This can potentially serve the over 36 million registered businesses in Nigeria. Also 2.3billion employed population of Africa and Asia.

Wemove Technologies Ltd manages an online vehicle hire portal, www.wemove.co which avails the public access to over 2000 vehicles for hire. It’s range of other technology products and services Also includes tourism solutions like WeMove Planner – which takes 70% off the stress of organizing a tour package, and WeMove Rally https://rally.wemove.co – a simple distribution tool for tour packages. WeMove won the ADIS Prize for Innovation 2019 in Silicon Valley, USA. And was listed by Union Bank/Connect Nigeria as one of the top 100 startup in Nigeria 2018, in partnership with the British Council. Also made the 3 finalist in the ‘Outstanding entrepreneurship category’ of the 2019 African Tourism Leadership Forum and Award, held in Durban South Africa, this August.

It is backed by foreign investors from the USA and investors.

Before WeMove, Chima has been a serial leader. Having managed multi-national teams in the capacity of Head of Communications in VConnect Global Services which rendered service to over 1.2million businesses in Nigeria.

Chima has a clear vision of impacting tech businesses through design and execution of business, communications strategy, service relations and growth.

He is passionate about transportation, strategy, technology human psychology.

BUSINESS AND COMMERCE CATEGORY was won by a product titled AFRIMART produced by Ojeniyi Olajide:

Afrimart is a one-stop heritage e-commerce platform  focused on providing seamless services with the highest level of customer satisfaction-with a variety of products like; African Antiques, Crafts, Traditional Music Instrument, Artifacts, Traditional Wears, Traditional Games and Agro-Allied products. This is a new business initiative, the very first of its type for this category of African heritage products. Our business model is to distribute and export these products mainly to earn foreign exchange into the economy.

Our vision at Afrimart is to boost the sales of local craftsmen and farmers by buying directly from them as well as distributing and exporting to the target market. This will create direct and indirect jobs along the production chain, earn foreign exchange, stimulate Agricultural production and also provide a stable revenue for local craftsmen and farmers.

We plan to use an e-wallet built on blockchain technology for transactions with our target market as well as with the local craftsmen and farmers. Our aim is to use the blockchain technology to curb the challenges of online payment encountered by most e-Commerce platform and export industry in Africa. As a social impact we also have a plan to train these local craftsmen and farmers on the use of ICT with focus on data gathering and blockchain for efficient production and target marketing. 

Olajide Ojeniyi is a dynamic individual with a passion for research and innovation. He studied computer Science at the Lagos State University. He has attended extensive leadership, policy making and management courses from British Council, Pan-African University (EDC), GE Garage, Daystar Leadership Academy and Centre for Enterprise Development and Action Research. On the short term he is gaining hands-on experience in business by collaborating with others to tackle socio-economic problems in Africa. As a recognition of his proven record of civic engagement, business and youth leadership, in the year 2015 he was inducted as a Youth Governance Ambassador by TIE Nigeria; a Youth advocacy group supported by Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative and the United States Consulate. In addition he was one of the few youths selected to partake in a Youth Enterprise survey programme organized by the World Bank in the year 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019. He recently won the Business Excellence Award in 2019, organized by the World Confederation of Businesses, USA.

Environment and Gren Energy was won by a product titled FARMZ2U by yet another female Aishat Raheem

Aisha Raheem is the founder of Farmz2U a food and agricultural technology start-up based in Nigeria and serving Sub-Saharan African markets.

A British-Nigerian national, Aisha is a repatriate who moved back to the continent to address the challenges of food sustainability. Farmz2U employs artificial intelligence in using data and predicative analytics to optimize farmers’ agricultural value chain.

As an executive director at Farmz2U, Aisha is responsible for aligning technical development with the business position, optimizing strategic partnerships and managing investor relationships amongst other activities. Under her leadership Farmz2U has received recognition as a leading startup including; a £5,000 grant from ShellLivewire in 2016 and recognition as a leading female entrepreneur by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2019, amongst others.

She is a part qualified Chartered Management Accountant and an Economics graduate from Queen Mary University of London. And through an extensive career in asset management and strategic consultancy, she has worked with clients and employers like Schroders Asset Management, SEI Investments and BBC Worldwide.

Using her skills and experience, Aisha’s vision is to enable end-to-end food sustainability in Africa and support UN SDGs’ Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), and Aspiration 7 of the AU Agenda 2063.

Farmz2U is addressing; poor nutritional value from food consumption and the increasing levels of food waste. Through research and consultations with experts, we have determined that these problems are inter-related and not mutually exclusive, thus we are addressing them simultaneously. Furthermore, developed economies overproduce, due to poor data optimization while developing economies under produce, due to poor farming practices, thus demonstrating global impact in different forms.

With 795 million of the global population suffering from poor nutrition and 1.3 billion tons of food wasted annually, Farmz2U is solving important social challenges. Our objectives are aligned with Goal 3 and 12 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, further attesting their importance.

Whilst there has been an increase in the awareness of benefits of food, few solutions exist to support a proactive optimization of nutrition and reduction of food waste. We are unique in the use of behavioral science to influence users and our integration of consumer and producer data.

We are a diverse team with a range of skills that enhance our technical capability. Our team includes; Aisha Raheem (Operations Director), Adebola Oyenuga (Technical Director), Abba Badre (AI Specialist) and Muhammad Aqib (Software Developer). We are based in Lagos, Nigeria with the exception of Muhammad who is based in Pakistan.
Apart from our core team we collaborate extensively with technical experts to ensure the technical viability of our solution and measure social impact against UN SDGs.

Campus Torch is the product that emerged winner in the LEARNING AND EDUCATION CATEGORY.

CAMPUS TORCH APP is by Mr Taiwo Ogunde

Taiwo Ogunde is an innovative young entrepreneur, a brand consultant, and a motivating team leader who believes that every African youth deserves the platform to explore their skills and brilliance, this led him and his twin brother Kehinde Ogunde co-found Campus Torch, an organization that inspires and librates youth to explore their skills and brilliance consequently harnessing the endless opportunities around them using tech as a tool.

Campus Torch is an organization that inspires every youth and student to build and develop their 21st-century skills and brilliance consequently connecting them to opportunities and industries where they can be well appreciated. We solve the problems of self-development, employability, and entrepreneurship using tech as a tool. Campus Torch mobile app makes it easier for users to:

1. Learn, Be Inspired and explore their ideas.

2. Chat Live and Connect with mentors of industries and youth of like minds

3. Get free access to Jobs, Scholarships and other opportunities

We are inspiring and building exceptional personalities who are productive in their fields.

In Africa, especially Nigeria alone, the transition of 2018 to 2019 increased the rate of unemployment from 23.63% – 38%; this is humongous! Whereas students are not properly equipped to fit the roles of available opportunities; and this is as a result of the old curriculum and syllabus used in our institutions of learning; for instance, a Computer Science student is still learning FORTRAN whereas there are new languages to build innovative applications. We cannot wait on our government to create solutions when we can. Campus Torch is saying: Develop & Explore your skills and brilliance to connect with opportunities!

In conclusion, the WSA Nigeria National expert for Nigeria Emmanuel Amos has recommended the above winners from Nigeria to the UN WSA global jury in the ongoing process that will culminate into a WSA Winners’ Congress holding in Vienna, Austria, March, 2020, adding that the tech trend scouting process for Nigeria will have some changes from 2020 in line with new requirements of the Innovationbed.Africa SDGs framework activities directed to increase qualitatively Africa’s participation at the global competition.

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