Business
Group Urges Youths To Exploit Opportunities In ICT
Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) has called on youths to leverage the many opportunities available in the technology ecosystem to improve their lives.
Founder of YIN, Mr Andrew Abu, made the call in Abuja, yesterday in an event held by the organisation to commemoration the country’s 61st Independence Anniversary.
The event was held virtually, with the theme “Promoting Youth Participation in Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Good Governance’’.
Abu said that technology was the only means to lifting people out of poverty and youths should leverage on it.
“The technology ecosystem in the country in the past two years has attracted over one billion dollars. This means that there are lots of opportunities in the ecosystem,’’ Abu said.
He further said that the citizens should learn to trust the country’s indigenous tech ecosystem because it had the capacity to drive the digital economy of the country.
Chief Executive Officer, High Tech Centre for Nigeria, Dr. Wunmi Hassan, said the youth needed to engage their minds by re-imagining themselves in the technology ecosystem and be problem solvers.
Hassan also called on the youth to reposition themselves to fit into the evolving system, realign their solutions and reframe their solutions’ target.
“You need to understand the stakeholders meet with them because irrespective of the solutions you have, it cannot work without the stakeholders.
“The youth need to engage in public policies, the road maps, and frameworks of government,’’ Hassan said.
She added that youths should identify their talents, develop them and invest in themselves as individuals and organisations because the technology ecosystem was transforming the world at a rapid pace.
The Chief Executive Officer, JIDAW Systems Ltd., Mr Jide Awe, said the youth had to be innovative in their approach to addressing problems.
“Other countries, companies are producing what you want to produce and for you to take the market from them, you have to be innovative.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship is demand driven and should be utilised to solve problems.
“We also need to build capacity in our means of collaboration, in problem solving, networking, our social dimensions need to be developed and we also need to build our finance,’’ Awe said.
He urged the youth to focus on what the society encourages in their process of being innovative and pay attention to government policies because it drives development processes.
“Policies drive everything, so you need to pay attention to formulated policies, query the implementation process, make contributions and demands,’’ he said.
He, however, added that government organisations should in turn engage the youth in policy formations because it fostered good governance and transparency.
Mr Kevin O’Reilly, a representative of MassChallenge, a global zero-equity start up accelerator, encouraged the youth to participate in their programmes.
He said that MassChallenge was partnering with universities, media, influencers through the Federal Government to help start-ups in the development of their ideas and innovations.
O’Reilly said MassChallenge was offering its support through a programme “Bridge to MassChallenge” , whereby insight, expertise, experience, connections to help build local ecosystems and drive job creation were being provided.
“Bridge to MassChallenge strengthens innovation ecosystems, drives the creation of high quality jobs by supporting entrepreneurs and connecting them to our global network,’’ he said.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter