R-L: Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO, Abdul Dirisu; Director, Maritime Safety & Security, Babatunde Bombata; Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON; Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR and Deputy Director, London office, William Bwala during the 33rd session of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) General Assemblyin London.
The Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy HE Adegboyega Oyetola CON is leading Nigeria’s delegation will announce Nigeria’s Blue Economy direction to a global audience, while participating at the IMO 2023 General Assembly.
Director General of NIMASA Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR who was part of the entourage arrived London as part of Nigeria’s delegation to the 33rd session of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) General Assembly.
Over the next few days, the global maritime community will be better informed about the efforts of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration to harness Nigeria’s maritime potentials in line with Global Best Practices.
NIMASA, as IMO’s focal Agency in Nigeria, remains resolute in administering Safety and Security in our maritime domain.
L-R: Finnish Deputy Minister for International Trade, Jarno Syrjala; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida; Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen; Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Adeleke Adewolu, and Nokia Vice President for Sales, Middle East and Africa, Petri Moilanen, during the visit of a delegation from Finland to the Commission in Abuja recently.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has requested Nokia Networks to increase its investments in Research and Development (R&D) to support the growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigeria.
Maida spoke when a delegation from Nokia Networks of Finland led by the Deputy Minister, Under-Secretary of State for International Trade from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Jarno Syrjala, visited the Commission recently to explore further opportunities for mutually-beneficial relationships.
He told the delegation that the Nigerian government is keenly interested in harnessing Nokia’s capabilities through technology transfer to support Nigerian youths in technical skills.
The Nigerian government is targeting training of three million youths in ICT skills to advance the country’s digital economy. “We are keen on getting the youths employed, as our Ministry is targeting three million youths for skills acquisition,” the EVC said.
Maida informed the Nokia contingent that the Commission places primacy in R&D as the bedrock of any knowledge economy, and for advancement of innovation.
He, therefore, urged Nokia and other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), to explore R&D opportunities to deepen local content development in Nigeria.
While congratulating Maida on his appointment by President Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s chief telecom regulator, Syrjala said the purpose of the visit was to explore areas of collaboration to support Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
Syrjala recalled Nokia’s continued partnership with communications service providers in Nigeria, as well as cable and other operators to deliver critical network systems with high performance, reliability, and security.
He noted that Nokia already has an R&D centre in Nigeria, and would target greater investment in this regard.
Zenith Bank lights up Ajose Adeogum Street
In a splendid display, Zenith Bank heralded the Christmas and Yuletide seasons with the Light-Up of Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, 25 November 2023. The Light-Up ceremony was performed by the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu.This year’s Light Up Ceremony, the 17th of its kind, is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by Zenith Bank. The Christmas decoration is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the bank to herald the Yuletide season through the beautification and transformation of the entire stretch of Ajose Adeogun Street (home to Zenith Bank’s Corporate Headquarters) and Roundabout into a resplendent spectacle – which has come to be recognised as an iconic tourist attraction, attracting people from all walks of life who visit with their families and friends to take pictures and make videos of the beautiful spectacle, especially at night and enjoy the ambience of the street and season.Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Onyeagwu expressed his delight in heralding the 2023 Yuletide season by lighting up the iconic Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout. He urged everyone to imbibe the message and spirit of Christmas, which is about peace, love, forgiveness and respect for humanity and prayed for peace in every home, business and country. In his words, “Today, as we turn on the Christmas light with the wife of our Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Kay Ovia, in our midst, we hope with this, we activate the spirit of Christmas in the minds of everyone. We pray that the ambience of the light brings warmth, love, joy, fulfilment, and hope to every one of us. We pray that our country will experience peace. We pray that our joy will be full in this season of joy. So, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, Zenith Bank is also demonstrating that we want to use this to continue communicating and connecting with the community.”He lauded the efforts of Quantum Markets, who have been responsible for the annual decorations, for their outstandingly creative and beautiful work. According to him, “It is an amazing evening! First and foremost, we need to thank Quantum Markets for the incredible work they are doing. You know, every year, the theme, the style and the ambience look completely different, and today, in a few minutes, we are going to be turning on the light, and you are going to see that it is nothing compared to what you have seen anywhere in the world. I have had the privilege of seeing Christmas light in so many cities across the world, and I say without any sense of contradiction that none compares with what we have in Lagos, Nigeria.”The bank’s sustainability and CSR initiatives are hinged on the belief that today’s business performance is not all about the financial numbers – the bank believes that an institution’s social investments, contributions to inclusive economic growth and development as well as improvements in the condition of the physical environment, all constitute a balanced scorecard.Through its CSR initiatives, Zenith Bank has embodied the overarching objective of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for addressing the major challenges confronting society. Its social investments are targeted at health, education, women and youth empowerment, sports development and public infrastructure enhancement. Overall, Zenith Bank’s total CSR investment in 2022 was NGN1.67 billion, representing 0.75% of its Profit After Tax (PAT). The bank remains committed to furthering the economic, cultural and social development of host communities, particularly through community-based initiatives and philanthropy. As a good corporate citizen, it continues to deliver projects that have long-term social and economic benefits for the communities because it believes that its business is only as strong as its host communities.To demonstrate its commitment to creating and expanding opportunities, the bank regularly makes donations towards setting up ultramodern ICT centres in several educational institutions and cities across the country. It also supports various developmental projects and healthcare delivery causes in Nigeria and contributes to the development of sports in Nigeria through its sponsorship of the Zenith Women Basketball League, Zenith Bank Delta State Principals’ Cup, and Zenith Bank Delta State Headmasters’ Cup, amongst others.In recognition of its contributions and social investments to its host communities and the society at large, the bank was recognised as the “Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria” in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards and “Most Responsible Organization in Africa” at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021.
The Alternative Bank, an Africa-focused non-interest bank, has signed a multiyear deal with the Niger State government to boost the development of agriculture, transportation, energy, and infrastructural sectors in the state.
Mohammed Bago, Governor of Niger State who signed the Memorandum of Understanding, alongside Garba Mohammed, executive director at The Alternative Bank, said the objective of the deal is to maximise the agricultural potential of the state.
Governor Bago expressed delight with the financial institution’s readiness to partner with the state for maximum agricultural potential. He said the state plans to lease earth-moving equipment like caterpillars, bulldozers, pale loaders, and graders to prepare 4.5 million hectares of cultivable land over the next 10 years.
The deal with The Alternative Bank provides the State Government with numerous developmental prospects including deploying solar-powered kiosks across various locations in the state for basic healthcare delivery and community convergence. The deal also encourages investing in agriculture to bolster the agro-economy value chain, aiming at food security and export enhancement.
Another benefit of the deal is fast-tracking the shift to sustainable electric transportation in Niger State, empowering people and reducing environmental harm from fossil fuel use (PMS/AGO). It would also bridge banking service gaps in underserved areas, ensuring comprehensive financial service access and economic integration for all residents of the state. The deal will introduce a digital platform mirroring the physical setup, infrastructure, and operational model of the state’s tertiary institutions. Finally, it will bring focus to the drug supply chain and expedite health insurance to widen healthcare access in the state.
Garba Mohammed, Executive Director of Alternative Finance said there are million-dollar opportunities from the deal. He noted that an international partner is willing to invest $65 million in a sugarcane plantation, creating job opportunities and generating electricity and other products.
Another development partner from the UAE is ready to invest between $1 and $10 million for exporting the Alfalfa plant, requiring 100,000 hectares for cultivation. Mohammed has also advised the state government to obtain Ijarah Sukuk from the capital market for 5 to 7 years, to reduce costs and ensure a return on investment without a substantial upfront cost from the state.
CONMMEP logoThe Congress Of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP), has issued a cautionary statement to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, urging him to avoid the pitfalls observed in Hadi A. Sirika’s failed bid to resucitate the defunct Nigeria Airways in the implementation of the Blue Economy initiative.
In a comprehensive analysis following the Minister’s recent public speech at the just concluded Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Advancing Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos and specifically on the rebuilding of the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL), CONMMEP expresses apprehensions over lack of specificity in the government’s plan, particularly in capturing the $10 billion ship charter market.
The Association highlightes concerns arising from the Minister’s emphasis on the re-establishment of the Nigerian National Shipping Lines (NNSL) without providing concrete details on its implementation strategies, leaving stakeholders in the dark about the actual mechanisms for achieving the initiative’s objectives. Vague terms like “substantial share” and “strategic PPP arrangement” were identified as lacking transparency and requiring further clarification and only makes it all look high falutin in all considerations.
CONMMEP in a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Tunde Umar-Daniah, questions the Minister’s claim that the initiative would not impede local players’ growth, raising concerns about potential negative impacts on existing businesses. The fact of omitting the conflicts or challenges associated with giving Nigerians exclusive control over locally generated seaborne trade especially in light of the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Area- AfCFTA presents some measure of uncertainty.
The neglect of older and retired seafarers who served the NNSL for over 28 years was highlighted, emphasising a lack of inclusion in the Minister’s plan. Also, the absence of a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis have left many stakeholders confused and rather in head-scratching mode about the potential financial implications and risks associated with such a venture.
CONMMEP criticises the haphazard selective invitation of Maritime stakeholders, non official inclusion of all the litoral States and other relevant organisations like the Nigerian Navy to be a wrong start coupled with the shoddy organisation and juxtaposition of dignitaries from one seat to the other at the event.
Despite linking it to the President’s priorities, the speech neither provided a clear timeline for implementation nor did it establish a direct connection between the national shipping line and these priorities, thus creating a disjointed narrative.
The press statement notes that the speech leaned heavily on the benefits of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models without addressing potential pitfalls or challenges associated with this approach.
CONMMEP also emphasises that the speech which hints at innovation through PPP models failed to outline specific measures for its implementation.
Anticipations of substantial job opportunities, the statement added, lacked a detailed plan on job creation or sustainability and is without clear metrics to measure the initiative’s success.
Indeed, the focus on utilising Inland Rivers, Lakes, and Waterways for cargo shipment and passenger transportation was noted, but details on safety measures and strategies to mitigate these risks were also lacking, potentially risking accidents or mishaps leaving stakeholders uncertain about the ability to address unforseen challenges.
Finally, since government is a continuum, it will be advisable for the Honourable Minister to revisit what his predecessor did in this regard. The former Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, did set up a committee involving two ministries-Ministry of Transportation and the Labour Ministry respectively. The said committee was charged with the responsibility of carrying out physical verification exercise of the aged Seafarers, which if well managed would bring some sort of succour; but with this recent speech, the story is still the same. It is indeed unfortunate to note here that the said committee never met since it was set up by the last administration.
CONMMEP therefore urges the honourable Minister, Oyetola to address these concerns promptly and transparently to ensure the success and sustainability of the NNSL rebuilding initiative and the holistic growth of the Marine and Blue economy.
L– R : Momohjimoh Umar, Managing Director, ASOLAR Systems Nigeria Limited; Chizoba Iheme, Group Head, Financial Inclusions, Access Bank Plc; Hakeem Shagaya, CEO, ASOLAR Systems Nigeria Limited; Neka Adogu, Regional Director, Branch Banking, Access Bank, Abuja; Bola Shagaya, Chairman, ASOLAR Systems Limited; and Njideka Esomeju, Group Head, Consumer Banking, Access Bank plc during the partnership unveiling of Access Bank /ASOLAR gadgets in Abuja recently.Access Bank Plc, in collaboration with Asolar, has launched a green energy solution to tackle power supply challenges faced by small and medium enterprises and rural communities across the country.The products, which included solar-powered TV sets, Air Conditioners, and PoS machines, among many others, were launched on Tuesday at the Access Bank Branch in Garki, Abuja.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony tagged: ‘Light up your community’, the Access Bank Deputy Managing Director, Victor Etuokwu, said the inconsistent power supply has become a major obstacle to businesses and livelihoods in the country.Represented by the bank’s Director of Regional services, Neka Adogu, Mr Etuokwu said the initiative was aimed at promoting financial inclusion in rural areas.He said: “This inconsistent power supply poses a substantial challenge for small and medium enterprises [SMEs] as well as initiatives aimed at promoting financial inclusion in rural areas, which is considered a yardstick for economic growth in Nigeria.“Currently, in Nigeria, owners of SMEs and people living in rural communities with no or little power supply, spend huge sums in procuring generating sets, purchasing fuel, and the maintenance of generators to operate their business successfully.“Furthermore, in the broader context of financial inclusion, the absence of power accessibility becomes a critical barrier.
“Dependable electricity is a fundamental prerequisite for implementing modern financial services like digital banking and payment systems, particularly in underserved rural areas.
“This disparity in power access widens the financial gap, impeding initiatives aimed at providing banking and financial services to those who are most in need.“Through this partnership, we embark on a transformative journey to introduce cost-effective and dependable solar-powered solutions tailored specifically for small and medium businesses.“By harnessing the potential of solar energy, we aim to untether these businesses from the shackles of unreliable power sources and offer promising alternatives to traditional generators reliant on expensive and polluting fossil fuels.
“By providing access to affordable solar-powered solutions, we endeavour to significantly reduce operational costs, enhance productivity and catalyse growth for these enterprises.
“Access Bank PLC’s collaboration with ASOLAR is not merely transforming power solutions; it is utilising our Access CLOSA Agent Network platform as the digital payment provider,” he said.In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Asolar, Hakeem Shagaya, said the company was committed to ensuring every citizen has access to reliable and sustainable energy across the country.While appreciating the management of the bank for the collaboration, Mr Shagaya noted that the initiative was in line with the sustainable development goals on clean and renewable energy.“As we embark on this journey towards Access Green Energy, let us not overlook the profound impact on our environment. This initiative is not just about illuminating homes; it is about lighting the way for a greener and cleaner tomorrow.“The Solar Home Systems represent a commitment to environmental stewardship, reducing carbon footprints, and actively contributing to the global fight against climate change.“The positive environmental impact extends beyond emissions reduction, encompassing the preservation of ecosystems, the promotion of biodiversity and the creation of a more sustainable and resilient planet for future generations.
In her remark, Chizoba Iheme, Group Head, Financial Inclusion, Access Bank Plc, disclosed that the bank has over 300,000 Access agents across the country to facilitate the distribution across Nigeria.The initiative is generally geared towards proffering a lasting solution to the problem of power ( light) faced by SMEs across Nigeria; especially those situated in rural areas. It is predominantly expected to enhance business sustainability and growth amongst SMEs across Nigeria.
Winners of third edition of the Zenith bank tech Fair “
The Third Edition of the Zenith Bank Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 3.0”, which was held on November 23-24, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos has concluded. From the over 500 contestants that participated in the Zenith Hackathon (Zecathon), Sync, a team collaboration and workflow management platform that provides synergy, enables project management, task planning, messaging, payments, scheduling and people operations, emerged as the overall winner, taking home the grand prize of N20 million. This is in addition to a mentorship programme with Seedstars, a company dedicated to implementing high-quality capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
The first runner-up, Skill Up With Kahdsole (SUWK), a social-tech startup that provides an end-to-end platform for learning technical and vocational skills to empower young people, won N15 million and a mentorship programme with Seedstars, while the second runner-up, Tribapay, a payment processing gateway that allows for cross-border payments and transactions in Nigeria and Ghana, won N10 million as well as a mentorship programme with Seedstars. Other finalists who took home N2 million each include Edupoint, Joovlin, Frootify, Izesan Limited, Natal Cares, Plychain.io, and Niteon.
In his welcome address at the Zenith Bank flagship Tech Fair, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, expressed his excitement for this year’s Hackathon, stating that it was indeed the high point of the overall event.
According to him, “We have deliberately kept the best for the last. The high point of today’s event is the Hackathon. This is where we have the opportunity to see the immense creativity and talent in our youth as they come up with different innovative ideas.” He added that “the good thing about the Hackathon is that the pitches you see presented are completely different from the ones we have seen before and we intend to make it far more elaborate as we hope that as we go into the future, we should be able to bring back winners where they can tell the audience their journey and how they have progressed so far.”The two-day Tech Fair which was described as a huge success by participants, featured presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Payments, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, FinTech, Data Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and communication technologies, with the keynote address,” “Artificial Intelligence – Application & Bias “, delivered by Chris Lu, the renowned IT Specialist, business strategist and Managing Director for Huawei Technologies, Nigeria.
The event also featured a welcome address by Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, and a goodwill messages by the Honourable Minister of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and Dr. Doris Anite, Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment (represented by Dr. Femi Adeluyi, National Coordinator for the National Talent Programme). Other eminent IT practitioners fruom top global brands who also made presentations include Demola Sanusi, Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services; Temitope Aladenusi, Partner & Leader Cybersecurity, Deloitte; Andrew Uaboi, Vice President/Cluster Head, Visa West Africa; Dr. Blaise Ijebor, Director of Risk Management, CBN; Keelan Singh, Head, UiPath EMEA Banking and Financial Services; Shweta Juneja, Partner, McKinsey Digital; Wole Odeleye, Financial Services Technology Lead, Microsoft; Ope Ajayi, Founder & CEO, Cinemax; Elo Umeh, and Managing Director of Terragon.The fair featured two panel sessions. The first panel, which examined “The next frontier: Digital Wallets, Contactless payments and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later)”, had Chris Lu as the host, with five discussants, including Fey Wong, Country Director, Palmpay; Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director, NIBSS; Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve; Ebehijie Momoh, Country Manager, MasterCard, and Managing Director of Network International, Adelola Agbebiyi.
The second panel explored the theme “The intersection of Fintech, eCommerce and SMEs – Collaboration for growth”. It was hosted by John Obidi and had five discussants, including Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, Chief Executive Officer, Konga; Tunde Kehinde, Managing Director, Lydia; Stan Martins, Regional Director, Meta; John Obaro, Chief Executive Officer, Systemspecs, and Seyi Banigbe, Founder of Bland2Glam.
L-R: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR; Director Planning, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Mercy Olanike Ilori; Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Magdalene Ajani during the Performance Bond signing by NIMASA In Lagos.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR, has signed a performance bond for Ministerial Deliverables from 2023-2027 with the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, who personally supervised the NIMASA Bond signing ceremony at the Ministerial retreat in Lagos, urged the Management of the Agency to key into the vision of the Ministry in achieving its mandate as set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
In his words “This document will drive our carefully thought out strategies and robust policies in line with the renewed hope Agenda of Mr President H. E. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Our mandate is to institutionalise Blue Economy as an important pillar for economic sustenance and growth diversification.
On his part the NIMASA DG assured of steady and measurable progress within the period covered by the Bond. He made a presentation on how to deploy an effective security architecture for the Exclusive Economic Zone to sustain harnessing the Blue Economy potentials of the country.
According to him “Now all hands must be on deck to deliver. We have a clearer understanding of the direction of the Ministry and we will ensure Nigerians benefit from Mr President’s vision in creating the Ministry”.
Other areas the DG presented to the Minister for effective monitoring include; NIMASA’s efforts in implementing the Cabotage Act, expansion of the domestic fleet, sustaining the Deep Blue Project and developing a national policy on marine and blue economy. Others include promoting Maritime Safety through effective capacity development, and enhanced Safety, Security and compliance to global acceptable standards amongst others.
NIMASA logo
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA is closely monitoring the Crude oil spill incident which took place during loading operations in Egina on 15th November 2023 at about 6:30am.
NIMASA is working closely with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency NOSDRA, and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC from the Crisis Management Room CMR, where the spill is being monitored real time using oil spill monitoring software from the Emergency Response Center.
Though the volume of spill is not yet confirmed, Total Energies is providing aerial surveillance, dispersant application, while further mobilization is being considered. The Oil Spill Response Limited from the United Kingdom is also assisting with pollution control measures. Reconnaissance survey of the impacted area confirms that the shoreline communities of Andoni, Qua-Iboe terminals, Bonny Island, Opobo/Nkoro and Eastern Obolo, which are closest to Egina, are not yet affected.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR, noted that the Agency is in collaboration with all stakeholders to control the pollution and also put in place measures to prevent such occurrences in the future, in line with provisions of the MARPOL Convention.
“Since the incident happened, our men have been liaising with other organs of Government to ensure the pollution is effectively controlled and managed, to protect the marine environment and the communities close to the incident point. Accidents do happen, it’s what we do thereafter that matters and I believe that the IOC Total, working with NIMASA, NUPRC, NOSDRA and collaborating with international service providers, will surely ensure proper management of the spill”. He said.
,Ebenezat Onyeagwu, GMD/CE, Zenith Bank Plc
The Third Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, tagged “Future Forward 3.0”, is set to be held on Wednesday, November 22 and Thursday, November 23, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily.The Two-Day fair will showcase leading technology innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Payments, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, FinTech, Data Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and communication technologies. The event will feature pitch sessions to identify innovative startups, panel discussions, masterclasses and exhibitions.Among the plethora of events lined up, the event will feature a welcome address by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank and opening remarks by Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman, Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, and Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. There will also be a goodwill message by the Honourable Minister of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and a presentation by Dr. Doris Anite, Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, amongst others. The keynote address, “Artificial Intelligence – Application & Bias “, will be delivered by Chris Lu, a renowned IT Specialist, business strategist and Managing Director for Huawei Technologies, Nigeria. Other prominent IT practitioners who represent top global brands will make presentations. These include Demola Sanusi, Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services; Temitope Aladenusi, Partner & Leader Cybersecurity, Deloitte; Andrew Uaboi, Vice President/Cluster Head, Visa West Africa; Dr. Blaise Ijebor, Director of Risk Management, CBN; Keelan Singh, Head, UiPath EMEA Banking and Financial Services; Shweta Juneja, Partner, McKinsey Digital; Wole Odeleye, Financial Services Technology Lead, Microsoft; Ope Ajayi, Founder & CEO, Cinemax; Elo Umeh, Managing Director of Terragon.The fair will also feature two-panel discussions that will holistically explore the growth prospects for digital payments technology in an ever-growing financial landscape. The first panel which will examine “The next frontier: Digital Wallets, Contactless payments and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later)”, has Chris Lu as the host, with five discussants, including Fey Wong, Country Director, Palmpay; Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director, NIBSS; Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve; Ebehijie Momoh, Country Manager, MasterCard, and Managing Director of Network International, Adelola Agbebiyi.The second panel will explore the theme “The intersection of Fintech, eCommerce and SMEs – Collaboration for growth”. It will be hosted by John Obidi and has five discussants, including Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, Chief Executive Officer, Konga; Tunde Kehinde, Managing Director, Lydia; Stan Martins, Regional Director, Meta; John Obaro, Chief Executive Officer, SystemSpecs, and Seyi Banigbe, Founder of Bland2Glam.The first edition of the Zenith Tech Fair was held on November 27, 2019, at the Landmark Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Tagged ‘Future Forward,’ the fair featured a hackathon that produced ten winners, including Octave Analytics Limited, who won the grand prize of N10m. The second edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, which was held on November 22 and 23, 2022, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme “Future Forward 2.0” also featured a hackathon which produced ten finalists with the 1st place winner, Ecotutu – a cleantech company making cooling affordable and accessible for businesses, carting home N20 million.To register and participate, visit www.zenithbank.com/techfair. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. The fair will be live on Zoom for participation and streamed on the bank’s social media pages, including YouTube.
