Author: ITPulse

  By Martin Ekpeke Telecommunications subscribers in Nigeria have decried the regular deduction of their airtime by operators under the guise of offering them Value Added Services (VAS), which in the first place they did not subscribe to. Value Added Services vary from caller ring back tone, mobile music, mobile advertising, mobile health tips. These services are delivered to the subscribers via the mobile networks with the subscriber paying through their airtime, which is already in custody of the network operators. Some subscribers, who spoke to ITPulse in Lagos, described the practice as fraudulent and another avenue through which the…

  One of Africa’s high tech players, Mara has announced plans to produce what it described as first made-in-Africa smartphone. Tagged Maraphone, the company said, the full-scale smartphone that will soon to be manufactured in plants across Africa is high-spec, affordable, smart, transformative and in line with the Bank’s Industrialize Africa High 5 priority. Speaking at a press conference at the on-going Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ashish Thakkar, founder of Mara Group, said China has Huawei, Xiaomi; the U.S has iPhone and finally Africa has Maraphone. “This project will show the potential and ability that Africa can…

  The Nigerian Communications Commssion (NCC) has urged corporate organisations in Nigeria to invest in new technical solutions to prevent cyber attacks that may affect business process, assets, intellectual property rights, employees and customers. In a series of tweets on its official handle @NgComCommission, the telecom regulator also urged organizations that are not capable of managing their cyber security plan to consider outsourcing to Cyber/Network security experts. “As technology becomes advanced, cybercriminals are becoming more advanced. So, it is imperative that organizations invest in new technical solutions,” it emphasized. NCC highlighted the effects of cybercrime to corporate organization to include…

  The GSMA has announced Stéphane Richard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orange Group as Chairman of its Board, and Chua Sock Koong, Group Chief Executive Officer of Singtel Group as Deputy Chairman. In the 26-Member Board list to serve from January 2019 through December 2020, Richard will oversee the strategic direction of the organisation, which represents more than 750 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as over 350 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem. Speaking after the election, Richard said: “I am honoured to be elected to serve as Chair of the GSMA and look forward to…

  One of Nigeria’s leading pan-African corporate connectivity and telecommunications provider,Vodacom Business Nigeria has disclosed that it organised the one-day robotics training workshop for students from five Secondary Schools across Lagos, as a way of infusing much needed STEM training in the education sector. The training, according to Vodacom will enable the education sector to advance teaching and learning programs into the fourth industrial revolution. The training took place at the Canton Concourse Training Center in Lagos, had schools like Dansol High School, Ikeja; Edgefield College, Lekki; Fruitful Ville College International, Ikorodu; Halifield Schools, Maryland and Holy Child College, Ikoyi…

  Nigeria’s based Skool Media has won the Global Best Quality ICT Solution Company at the 2018 WORLD QUALITY DAY EXCELLENCE AWARDS; an annual event initiated at celebrating leadership innovation and creativity in quality management in Africa. The award being organized by World Quality Alliance, rewards companies that have shown quality in their various endeavours. The organisers look at principles such as inspection, process control, auditing, standards and ISO 9000. Such principles also includes for example, Management Systems and continuous improvement, customer satisfaction and market focus, teamwork and the well-being of employees. The award won by Skool Media Limited, an…

  A new forecast by United Kingdom based Ovum has disclosed that despite the agitation for 5G technology, the main drivers of mobile broadband in Africa over the coming years will be 3G and 4G. This is even as Africa has some advanced operators and markets, which are poised for early 5G launches. Such markets include South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, and Mauritius that are expected to launch mobile 5G services by 2022, according to recent forecasts by Ovum. The forecast believes that the take-up of 5G in Africa overall will be modest initially, with only 5.9 million mobile 5G connections on…

Nigeria has recorded a 50 percent increase in the volume of mobile money within the period of January to September this year. The increase, according to the Nigeria Interbank settlement System (NIBSS) is a reflection of interest Nigerians are gradually showing in the scheme initiated a few years ago by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Figures released by the NIBSS, show that in the nine months under review, volume of mobile money transaction is N1.2trillion. This is a huge increase, compared with N795. 18 billion recorded in the same period last year. The figures also revealed that the…

All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA™), in partnership with CNBC Africa, have announced the 2018 West African finalists, after the completion of a rigorous and extensive selection process. The 8th edition of the AABLA will honour business excellence and leaders who have made considerable and remarkable impact on their various industries, individuals, communities, continent and the world at large. According to the judges committee of the AABLA, the guiding principle was selecting individuals, who have shown leadership competences, continued commitment to excellence, developing best practices, innovative strategies and have demonstrated that they are game changers of business in West Africa.…

Nigeria’s MainOne has partnered the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a not-for-profit organization which provides technology training, seed investment and mentorship for the next generation of globally successful African software entrepreneurs to provide high-speed internet access to its Incubator center in Ikoyi, Lagos. The partnership, according to MainOne, will leverage MainOne’s fiber connectivity, as well as MEST’s seed fund and incubator to foster the growth and success of entrepreneurs by providing work space, high-speed internet, hands-on support, resources and a vibrant community to help start-ups succeed. “MainOne remains committed to powering up the startup and technology ecosystem in Nigeria…