By Tolu Akinluyi -Senior Manager, Accenture Nigeria

They say the only constant in life, is change. In no other industry is this statement more relevant than in the telecommunications industry. Over the last two centuries, mankind has taken gigantic leaps in technology, and these leaps have in turn enabled equally gigantic leaps in telecommunications. When the telephone was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, it was probably difficult to envision a world of mobile phones, video calls and instant messaging. However the development of enabling technologies such as the integrated circuit, and more recently the internet, have continued to help push the boundaries of possibility in the telecoms industry.
Early telecommunications operators were setup to provide basic voice telephony services to subscribers, by ensuring that physical cables and exchanges were setup to connect various locations across the globe. For these operators, growth simply meant investing in equipment to connect more and more people so as to provide basic telephony services. This connectivity served as a catalyst for technological advances which in turn led to advances in the telecoms industry. This cycle of change continues to redefine the dynamics of the industry. We are now more connected than ever before. In some countries (for example Finland and Japan), there are now more mobile subscriptions than there are people (IDG). More people across the globe have access to a mobile phone, than have access to a toothbrush or working toilets (UN). It now takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet, but only 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone (Unisys).
A recent market analysis by Accenture has identified the six key trends which summarize the dynamics shaping the global telecoms industry today. The first of these trends is the commoditisation of core products. The initial products and services which built up the industry continue to decline and will continue to contribute less to telecoms operators’ profits. In other words, there will be a continued migration from wire-line to wireless telecommunications. Between 2011 and 2016, the projected compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) globally of fixed line revenues is projected to be only 2% (Ovum).
The second trend is the replacement of voice traffic with data. Data usage continues to drive growth in network traffic, and this trend will only continue as technological advances help improve the quality of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) telephony. In the near future, Cisco predicts that voice will make up less than 10% of total mobile traffic.
The third trend is the evolving demands of “always-connected” customers. Telecoms subscribers now have much higher expectations from their providers, and telecoms operators will have to provide differentiated customer service to address the needs of their subscribers, or risk losing them to rivals especially now that technology has reduced the hurdles of switching between telecoms providers.
The fourth trend shaping the industry is disruptive competition. Telecoms operators are currently facing rapid changes in the competitive landscape due to new, non-traditional players entering the industry with lower entry costs and global reach. The rise of these over the top (OTT) players such as skype, poses a significant challenge to existing telecoms operators. For example, the total number of mobile VoIP minutes is expected to grow from 15 billion in 2010 to 471 billion in 2015 (Juniper Research). Operators will therefore need to find other revenue streams to survive.
Now that mankind has made great strides in connecting people, the next challenge is connecting “things”. The fifth trend is the creation of new services as a result of the internet of things (IoT). A thing in IoT, is any object that can be provided with the ability to transfer data over a network. For example, a car can be provided with connectivity to alert the owner about its location and systems status. The worldwide market for IoT solutions is expected to grow from $1.9 trillion in 2013 to $7.1 trillion in 2020 (IDC). This trend is expected to drive growth in the telecoms industry over the next few years.
By 2027, it is estimated that emerging markets will generate two-thirds of all global telecommunications revenues. The continued explosion of demand for telecoms services in emerging markets is the sixth trend.
These six trends are just as relevant in the Nigerian context as they are globally. Over the last decade, the Nigerian telecoms industry has experienced tremendous growth. The contribution of this industry to Nigeria’s GDP has risen from 0.3% in 2001 to 8.53% today. However as the industry has matured, average revenue per user (ARPU) has dropped significantly, subscribers have become more demanding, and Nigerian telecoms operators have started to face the same challenges as other global operators. They must also make changes to ensure that they survive.
The changing dynamics of the telecoms industry will continue to present both challenges and opportunities to telecoms operators. Thriving in the face of these ever changing dynamics will require operators to take a number of proactive steps. Firstly operators must transform their businesses to become truly digital organisations, and take advantage of this to create agile and efficient operations. For example they must use real-time, predictive analytics on top of digital processes in sales, operations and decision making. Secondly, operators must create the required partnerships and collaborations required to take advantage of existing opportunities and create efficiencies (for example active and passive network sharing could help reduce operating expenditure). Thirdly, operators must also evaluate areas of the business (often hidden), where there exists the potential to generate additional customer value or revenue from information gathered across customer touch points. Finally, operators must create a truly customer-centric organization – they must ensure that they understand how their customers experience their products and services (qualitatively and quantitatively), and put adequate mechanisms in place to respond accordingly.
Once thing is certain, advances in technology will continue to produce corresponding changes in the telecoms industry and vice versa. Whilst it may be difficult to know exactly what these changes will be, it is possible for operators to identify key trends and position their businesses to benefit from them.

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L-R: Oladipo Raji, President/CEO of Netfocus Technologies Limited; Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, CEO of InfoGraphics Nigeria and Digital Design strategist; Austin Okere, CEO of Computer Warehouse Group; Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director/CEO, Airtel Nigeria; Serge Yao, GM (IT) PZ Cussons Nigeria and Tani Fafunwa, Managing Director, Resourcery Plc at the Airtel Corporate Customer Forum held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos


Lagos, Nigeria; February 9th, 2015: Leading telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, has scaled up its investments in its Enterprise network infrastructure in a renewed drive to deepen its network quality and provide innovative solutions to its enterprise customers.
Speaking,last Friday (February 6th, 2015), at an exclusive forum for its Corporate Customers, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, disclosed that the company has just completed an Automatic Optical Switching Network (ASON), which will provide multi-path protection on Airtel’s fibre transmission network, revealing that Airtel has also launched a new trouble ticketing tool and a Network Operating Centre for its Enterprise customers.
According to Ogunsanya, these new investments demonstrate the company’s commitment to providing exceptional and highly innovative services and solutions to its customers.
The CEOassured the customers that Airtel will continue to partner with them and will continuously promote a win-win partnership based on trust.
“As part of our commitment to offering you good service at all times, we have invested heavily in technology, capacity building and created a vista of opportunities for our stakeholders most especially our customers.
“We design our products and services with you in mind and incorporate the values of sustainable growth, innovation, flexibility and unparalleled quality of service. Whatever the size of your business, we will deliver value to you at every stage”, he said.
While announcing that new collaboration services and connectivity offerings are currently being developed for corporate customers across the country, Ogunsanya also noted that customers in the enterprise segment can take advantage of its current offerings, which include bespoke solutions such as Enterprise MPLS Network, Web Services, CUG Fusion, ALWAYS ON, DATA PLUS and Web Services, among others.
The forum, which was attended by Airtel’s corporate customers, telecom and ICT experts, entrepreneurs and Channel partners had the theme,Let’s Build a Better Partnership and it featured as its main highlight, a panel discussion on the topic, IT & Telecom- a Revenue Enabler or Cost Centre.
Leading the discussions were five industry experts namely, Oladipo Raji, President/CEO of Netfocus Technologies Limited; Austin Okere, CEO of Computer Warehouse Group; Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, CEO of InfoGraphics Nigeria and Digital Design strategist; Tani Fafunwa, Managing Director of Resourcery Plc; and Serge Yao, GM for IT, PZ Cussons.
Jointly, they examined the merit and demerits of the issue as it affects the choices that businesses make in IT and Networks investment in Nigeria.
The event, which was held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, provided a platform for customers to network, express their concerns about their business and invariably provide Airtel and its key partners the opportunity to showcase how the brand can meet their demands amidst wining and dining.
In attendance were other senior management of the Telco and members of the executive council including the Enterprise Director, Tawa Bolarin; Chief Commercial Officer, Maurice Newa; Chief Sales Officer, Godfrey Efeurhobo; Chief Finance Officer, Krishna Menon; Director, Corporate Communications, Emeka Oparah and Director, Legal Affairs, Gbenga Rotimi, Director, Supply Chain Management, Mr Raghvendra Gupta; Director, Customer Service Delivery, Mr Ajah Bakshi and Director, IT, Mr Rabat Jain.
The event also featured raffle draws and prize presentation to lucky winners.

Lagos, Nigeria; Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, has cited collaboration amongst key government agencies, legal protection and security of telecoms infrastructure, elimination of multiple taxations and proactive implementation of the Smart States Initiative as critical factors for accelerating the mobile broadband revolution in Nigeria.
Ogunsanya who was a panel discussant at the Nokia Connect Nigeria ICT forum, themed: Exploring ICT potential for growth: opportunities and challenges for operators in the Nigerian market through 3G/LTE;which held at the Eko Hotel & Suites yesterday, gave credence to the opinionthat the availability of spectrum for mobile broadband will help change the current narrative of a myriad of activities and businesses in Nigeria; from providing an access pipe and database of customers for advertisers to have prompt access to their markets to givingconsumers necessary information they require at the click of a button.
He noted;“We are moving from the use of mobile broadband for e-commerce to m-commerce which strongly supports the development of interconnectivity of devices within an ecosystem.” He however, advised that the key to ensuring the wide spread use of interconnectivity, is to make mobile devices available and at affordable prices whilst ensuring transparency in providing access to the networks.
“The future is already here and the time saving benefits in the use of 4G broadband connectivity is enough to encourage rapid 4G/LTE rollout,” Ogunsanya said.
The conference which had several corporate leaders and CEOs drawn across the ICT sector in attendance, was chaired by Chief Leo Stan Eke, Chairman of Zinox Group. Other discussants on the panel were, Mr. Matthew Willsher, CEO Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Bernard Najm Head, EMEA Nokia Networks and Mr. Wales Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria.

In his closing remarks, the Airtel CEO stressed the need for the addition of mobile connectivity and information technology to the list of fundamental human rights critical to national development, which he believes will enhance the attainment of the vision 2020 goals for mobile broadband penetration and coverage.
He also called for the declaration of telecoms infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, stating that legal protection as well as security for Telecoms infrastructure is required to deepen mobile broadband penetration and coverage.

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As part of its resolve, to entrench strong democratic values, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos chapter, is set to organise a public debate among all the governorship candidates in Lagos State, ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial elections tagged, Lagos decides 2015.



The institute in a statement signed by Chairman, Lagos state chapter of NIPR, Barrister Joseph Okonmah, and Chairman Lagos decides 2015, Comrade Jola Ogunlusi, said that the idea is to sensitize the electorate by creating an opportunity for the candidates to present their strategic plans in moving Lagos state forward.
The statement added that the debate will be organized in partnership with the Institute’s media partners.
Lagos decides 2015 also promises to be an avenue for all critical stakeholders to engage the candidates in the spirit of participatory democracy.

There are a lot of emotions running amok and all resulting in tears; crammed into the pilot of Airtel’s recently launched reality TV show, Airtel Touching Lives. Vibrant and inspiring, it premiered on Sunday, 4th January 2015, at 7pm on Africa Magic channel 154 and qualifies as one of 2015's most eagerly anticipated new shows.
That Touching Lives does much more in putting a human face to the struggles and challenges of everyday Nigerians is encouraging. The reality of our lives is that it is always hard to judge the actual depth of the daily lives of others who are not within our range, so Touching Lives has, by just one episode, magnified this without coming across as being cliché or judgmental.
There is a lot to like and learn from Touching Lives, particularly the ambitious scope of the project that its creator Airtel Nigeria and the show host Wana Udobang have mapped out. The opening montage music, which is absolutely essential to the series and might have been its make-or-break element, is expertly overseen by Olawale Olapetan, who acts as both musical director and songwriter.
Part of why Airtel Touching Lives is poised to be an early leader in the 2015 show circuit is that there is so much talent attached to it in the person of the presenter Wana Udobang whose experience from her 1K4cancer initiative to being a keen public speaker in the areas of gender advocacy and youth mentorship and her regular hosting of the critically acclaimed “Sharing Life Issues”; expectations are high on the quality of the program and the transparency in the choice of beneficiaries.
The program captures moving stories and emotive moments of how the downtrodden, neglected and less privileged are emancipated from the shackles of poverty, despair and suffering across Nigeria; bringing to the fore various issues challenging the beneficiaries in focus – from physical disabilities to debilitating hormonal conditions and calling to mind the challenges we have as a nation in the area of enhancing access to inclusive education and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) – more commonly known as “Functional Disability”.
The Royal Heritage Health foundation’s had through its Wheelchairs for Education initiative, provided wheelchairs to children living with disability and immobility. Its program director, Sunday Moses Adewoye, stated that their desire is to support as many children as possible to gain quality education by supporting them with infrastructure to enhance their dignity as humans. This incidentally, falls in line with Airtel’s core, the Adopt-A-School programme. The foundation has in conjunction with its dedicated volunteers continued to work to meet this end.
Eguntola Lawrence the disabled son of a lowly farmer in the Gboni area of Kwara state has lived his life so far with the limitations presented by his condition. Hearing him speak of his plight will move even the most stoic of hearts to tenderness. The producers have tried – and succeeded – in connecting him to the viewer’s emotions despite the language barrier and tell a story of a lad. The gifting of 40 wheelchairs by Airtel to the Foundation is clearly a boost to the morale of its handlers and a solution to the needs of many others.
An even more touching situation is depicted in the story of the Chime’s – a family with four children suffering varying degrees of disabilities from hearing and speech impediments to cerebral palsy – theirs is indeed a situation that has long been in the need for an angel. The angel that came to the rescue of the family is the Airtel Touching Lives team.
Rest assured that there was and will be no single dry eye around while viewing this segment; it is indeed a worthy watch for no reason other than to witness the strength of unconditional love and character of the Chime’s and their honorable landlord and nominator. All of these emotions were delivered without the segment coming across as being commonplace or contrived. The force of the feeling of relief and gratitude felt by Mrs. Philomena Chime upon being informed of the boon granted her family by Airtel Touching Lives was intense and true.
Whatever stumbling blocks came up in the scripting and filming of the pilot are overly compensated for by the success it has in the communication of empathy, inspiration and love without leaving a sour taste in the mouths of viewers.
With its pilot episode alone, Touching Lives is a big break for Nigerian television viewing, and there are a number of paths this initiative can travel on to raise to the fore salient issues affecting Nigerians while proving that its creator is a corporate entity with the strong desire – and plan – to intrinsically touch the lives of its audiences. The question is how ready are we to go on this journey with them? For updates, past episodes and more details, on Airtel Touching Lives, kindly visit www.airteltouchinglives.com

1. The Dynamics
From beginning to end, each episode will keep you on the edge of your seat, in your tissue box and wondering how people manage to survive with the challenges showcased. A half-hour of good quality program might seem as too much to ask at first but, believe me, once the credits start to roll, you’ll catch yourself wondering how can 30 minutes seem so short.
2. THE EMOTION
Love, triumph, gratitude, hope, devotion, LOVE – Touching Lives is definitely meant to leave a strong impression on its viewers. The beneficiaries are oblivious of what is coming their way - it leaves you with a plethora of raw emotions invading your senses until you find yourself asking, “how can I contribute?” Or “Am I really doing enough to make a difference?”

3. CANDOUR OF BENEFICIARIES
One of the best reasons to watch Touching Lives is, of course, the sheer candour of the beneficiaries. They say it the way it is. It is also commendable how the producers brought to the fore the mental and emotional depth of each beneficiary vis-à-vis the story.

4. CREATIVIVITY
Touching Lives is a harmonious blend of deep music, innovative camera work and a smooth narration to weave an inescapable web that leaves you totally breathless and thoughtful.

5. SETTING
Another reason to watch Touching Lives is the subtle introduction of the wonderful lands and landscapes discovered on the locations, it sure reveals Nigeria in its glory as a truly beautiful place. A country blessed with hills and valleys, plains and plateaus is something you’ll definitely enjoy being a part of from time to time, yet the show is talking about really serious issues.

6. IT’S REAL
Touching Lives is about real people, real stories and the real effort of a corporate organization to uplift the needy and underprivileged, emancipating thousands from the shackles of poverty, despair and hopelessness.

Airtel Touching Lives is aired every Sunday, 8pm, on Africa Magic Channel 154 and a repeat on Thursday the same channel and same time and on Saturday on NTA at 8.05pm. Please write to us on the Touching Lives website on reasons and why you have enjoyed watching and being a part of Airtel Touching Lives. Which stories and beneficiaries touched you the most? Visit the website www.airteltouchinglives.com for more information/details.

NEWS RELEASE

Lagos, Nigeria; December 29th, 2014: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to empowering underprivileged Nigerians through its revolutionary CSR intervention tagged Touching Lives.

Speaking, recently, at the premiere of the Touching Lives TV series at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, Mr. Ogunsanya noted that well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations should commit effort towards extending help to the underprivileged as this will go a long way in creating a prosperous society for all.

According to him, Airtel is committed and will continue to provide solid platforms that will empower underprivileged persons as well as transform the lives of many in the society.

“Airtel Touching Lives underscores our determination to enrich lives and contribute to humanity. And the premiere marks the beginning of a new journey in providing empowerment and a major lifeline for thousands of Nigerians.
“At Airtel, we are passionate about the people we serve and the Nigerian society. Airtel Touching Lives provides a platform for the underprivileged in our society to be identified, listened to and also cared for. For us, it is a commitment to connect with millions of Nigerians, alleviate their suffering and bring smile to their faces,” he said.
Airtel Touching Lives is a reality television show with an overriding objective of identifying underprivileged persons/people with needs and offering to them, solid platforms and opportunities that will emancipate these individuals from the shackles of poverty, despair and hopelessness.
According to Ogunsanya, Touching lives marks a significant milestone in Airtel’s history of CSR interventions in the country as it is a major philanthropic gesture by the telco to connect emotionally with Nigerians to alleviate the suffering of helpless people across the country.
The premiere was attended by top government functionaries, captains of industries, royal fathers, NGOs, media partners, and other distinguished guest from all walks of life. Some of the dignitaries at the event include Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Otunba Titilayo Laoye-Tomori; United States Consul General in Nigeria, Jeffrey J. Hawkins; Ogun State First Lady, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun and HRH, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

By Erhumu Bayagbon
Guests were literally overwhelmed with emotions as they watched Mrs. Philomena Chime, one of the beneficiaries that featured in the first episode of the Airtel Touching Lives series, a new television programme focused on empowering the underprivileged, narrate her woes. Mrs. Chime narrated how she is currently nursing four of her adult children who are seriously limited by major physical disabilities ranging from loss of hearing, near dumbness to a strange condition that leaves one of her daughters totally helpless and completely dependent. Tears rolled down the cheeks of the guests who are mostly government delegates, captains of industries, accomplished entrepreneurs, leading NGOs and select media professionals as they watched the 30-minute episode at the premiere of the Airtel Touching Lives, which held on Thursday (December 18th) held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Mrs. Chime and two of her sons were at the event; and they sobbed and cried as they watched their close family members on the large screen planted at the middle of the expansive Oriental Ballroom. Mrs. Chime’s wrapper was drenched with painful tears and her eyes were puffy, swollen and tired just as she appeared lost in bitter sorrow. On-Air Personality and anchor of the Touching Lives programme, Wana Udobang, hugged Mrs. Chime tightly as they both fought varying emotions. Earlier at the premiere, Udobang had spoken extemporaneously, describing Mrs. Chime as a rare breed, a special woman, a very strong person and a real fighter. “I just want to thank you for everything; despite your many problems and adversities, you are still standing and you are still coping. I just want to thank-you…,” she said amidst tears and in a shaky, unsteady voice.
Indeed, many in the audience were literally touched by the suffering Mrs. Chime had seen in her 34-year marriage. And when asked what she wanted by show host, Udobang, Mrs. Chime blurted: “anything… anything my sister…. The suffering is too much for me…. Anything. A beggar has no choice….” At that point, Udobang explained the essence of the Airtel Touching Lives initiative, saying it is designed to provide relief and help to the downtrodden, disadvantaged and underprivileged. “I am pleased to inform you Mrs. Chime that Airtel will provide hearing aids for your children, on-going medication for the children, robust health insurance package for your family and a means of livelihood for the family – a poultry farm with birds and feeds for the chicks for an on-going period,” Udobang announced. Mrs. Chime’s face lit up and she was practically overwhelmed with tears of joy freely flowing down her cheeks. She just cried and could hardly say anything in response to the relief supply by Airtel.
Airtel Touching Lives is focused on identifying underprivileged persons/people with special needs and offer them solid platforms and opportunities that will emancipate these individuals from the shackles of poverty, despair and hopelessness. Of course, the journey of identifying these individuals and empowering them is filmed and broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television stations in the fashion of an exciting reality television programme.
Touching lives initiative marks a significant milestone in Airtel’s history of CSR interventions in the country - it is a major philanthropic gesture by the telco to connect emotionally with Nigerians to alleviate the suffering of helpless people across the country. This, without a doubt, underscores Airtel’s determination to enrich lives and contribute to humanity.
Speaking on the programme the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said: “Airtel Touching Lives underscores our determination to enrich lives and contribute to humanity. And the premiere tonight marks the beginning of a new journey in providing empowerment and a major lifeline for thousands of Nigerians.
“At Airtel, we are passionate about the people we serve and the Nigerian society. Airtel Touching Lives provides a platform for the underprivileged in our society to be identified, listened to and also cared for. For us, it is a commitment to connect with millions of Nigerians, alleviate their suffering and bring smile to their faces. Ladies and Gentlemen, Airtel has recorded huge successes with its many CSR interventions in the past. We have adopted four primary schools in Lagos, Imo, Cross River, Ogun States. Soon, we shall add one more from Kwara state. Our relationship with these schools is long-term, and entails not only taking care of their basic infrastructure needs but also providing books and uniforms for the children and training for the teachers,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of Airtel Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore (RTD) said: ” As you have witnessed, this is, indeed, a laudable initiative that touches the heart and the very soul of one’s being and it is my utmost wish that you all join Airtel in supporting this noble cause. Airtel is intensely interested in the Nigeria project and it will continue to go the extra mile to make a positive impact in the communities it serves. I enjoin you all to become ambassadors of the Airtel Touching Lives project.”
The event which held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos, was graced by top government functionaries, captains of industries, royal fathers, NGOs, media partners, and other distinguished guest from all walks of life. Some of the dignitaries at the event include Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Otunba Titilayo Laoye-Tomori; United States Consul General in Nigeria, Jeffrey J. Hawkins; Ogun State First Lady, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun and HRH, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.
Bayagbon is public relations manager of Airtel Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria; December 29th, 2014: The Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Titilayo Laoye-Tomori and the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, have applauded leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, for initiating a robust platform, Airtel Touching Lives, that will empower and assist the less privileged in the society.
Otunba Laoye-Tomori and Mrs. Amosun who were among the top dignitaries that graced the premiere of the Airtel Touching Lives TV series held recently at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, noted that the Telco remains exemplary in its efforts to assist underprivileged individuals, communities and groups in the society.
While delivering her goodwill message at the event, Mrs Amosun described the Touching Lives programme as a laudable project, which has positive impact on the lives of people who are affected by one disability or unfavourable condition. She praised the kind-heartedness and commitment of Airtel towards alleviating the hardship and suffering of Nigerians across the country.
The First Lady, who also caters for orphans and vulnerable children through her non-government organisation (NGO), noted that Airtel Nigeria has over the years given huge support and generous donations to her orphanage.
Commending Airtel for the good work, she said: “You do not need to have lot before you can touch the lives of others. If we all can assist the next person in our community, it will go a long way. Airtel has demonstrated kindness, care and love through this Touching Lives intervention and we can all learn to share from the little we have in order to bring smile to the faces of others.”
In similar vein, the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Laoye-Tomori said: “This is a powerful and touching programme. Airtel has demonstrated its commitment to give hope to the needy ones in Nigeria. It is a big venture that is highly commendable. Airtel out of its genuine desire to assist the disadvantaged ones in our society has taken from its purse to support the weak.” She urged everyone to support the Telco in the laudable course through patronage.
Premiered at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, the first episode of the television series, which has two stories, evoked high emotion among the guests.

The premiere was attended by other dignitaries including United States Consul General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey J. Hawkins; Chairman of Airtel Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, Rtd (CGON) and HRH, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.
The Season One of Airtel Touching Lives TV series is a 13-week episode scheduled to air on terrestrial and satellite television stations beginning from January 2015. It has been tipped to redefine the television-viewing experience of Nigerians.

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RIMA Foundation to Host the 10th Records and Information Management Awareness Conference, Awards & Exposition

October 24, 2014 – Following the over one decade of awareness campaign aimed at promoting the information, record and archives industry in Nigeria and Africa, RIMA Foundation is set to organize the tenth edition of the annual conference and exposition come November 13-15, 2014 in Lagos Nigeria.



The importance of information management cannot be overemphasized as records and information are essential for the effective and productive functioning of private and public organizations. According to the World Bank “Without a records management infrastructure, governments and organizations are incapable of effectively managing current operations, and have no ability to use the experience of the past for guidance. Records are inextricably entwined with increased transparency, accountability and good governance.”

The records and information management industry in Nigeria and Africa has recorded tremendous growth in the last one decade. The awareness campaign has penetrated far and wide. A good number of organizations are already conscious of the need for proper information management.

There is still a lot to be done and the need for government involvement to be more prominent in promoting transparency, accountability, and access to information.

RIMA Foundation, in the last one decade has developed the platform for development of the Information Management and Security (IMS) Industry in Africa, with involvement in different collaborative activities with different local and international organisations on information management and security awareness campaign in our resolve to ensure that the industry in Africa is able to meet up with global standard, which is also expected to engender both investments and employment opportunities in the continent. In 2010, the foundation was among a thirteen (13) man committee inaugurated by the Lagos State Government for the formulation of the State’s Archive and Records Management Policy. The foundation has also worked with the records and information management community in other parts of Africa, including South Africa and has facilitated at the South African, Archives and Records Management conference on a number of occasions.

The theme for the 2014 event is ”A decade of Information Management awareness in Africa: Challenges and Prospects” . Other issues expected to be addressed at RIMACE 2014 include the Impact of Health Information Management on the Ebola Epidemic and many more.

The conference will provide attendees with unique opportunities to meet leading information management, security and technology solution providers and agencies like LASRAB, Petrodata, Havilah, MZ Consulting, Conceil, IQSS, Busicon Nigeria Limited, Xerox Nigeria, Rabonni, Docudata, Young-Bailey, Templeton Business Consulting, Computer Warehouse, EMC-Nigeria, Oracle, Golden Scepter, LWAZi

South Africa, Montgomery Vault, Dataflex, Kontemporary, Calm Global Information Technologies Ltd, GIT, Programos Software Group, CDSS, Hisplus Systems and so many other local and International solution providers.

The edition of the event is billed to hold at the Darlinton Hall, Plot CDE Industry Crescent, off Town Planning Way, Ilupeju Lagos on 13, 14 and 15 November 2014 respectively.

Key stakeholders (Professionals & Practitioners) from corporations, Banks, Insurance, Oil & Gas, Government, Law enforcement will be attending the 2014 event. Attendees will among other things be able to learn and compare concepts, solutions and meet suppliers with an opportunity to discuss and share best practices with industry experts and existing users.

The one day conference will start with a keynote presentation, followed by a number of parallel exposition and solution centre track. RIMACE 2014 Expo, still remains the only place where end users can truly assess the latest products and services from all the major information management, security and technology players in a face-to-face environment.

The Expo will open all day to allow vendors and exhibitors showcase solutions that facilitate effective information management and security, business processes management, improve productivity and enhance collaboration in today’s organization. There will also be opportunity to network and develop relationships with exhibitors who are looking to expand their channel presence in Nigeria and Africa.

The second day of the event will feature the premiere beauty pageant in the Information Management / Technology Industry aimed at providing a platform for the female folks with the opportunity to showcase their intellectual abilities, empowering them through various Records / Information Management and Technology related trainings and certifications.

Day three of the event will start with the Institute of Information Management Induction of new members and fellows of the Institute into the various membership grades which include Associate, Professional, Senior Professional, Fellow, Honorary Fellow, and Corporate Membership Grade.

The awards, which will mark the climax of the workshop and exhibition, will be given to individuals and corporate organizations for their achievements, activities, contributions and involvement in promoting the records and information management industry.

RIMA Awards are fiercely contested and highly valued within the RIM, IS, IT and business world. They are a showcase for individuals and organisations that have demonstrated the vision and the business skills in implementing new technology that ensures real business benefits. The Awards clearly demonstrate that the business proposition for deploying new technology is very sound, as evidenced by

the number of well-conceived and highly successful products and projects submitted as entries each year.



Interest individuals and organizations are hereby invited to participate as sponsors, exhibitors, supporter of the events. Intending exhibitors, supporters and sponsors will be expected to email events@rimaw.org for additional information or visit the foundations website, while attendees and other delegates are to register online to participate for free at http://rimaw.org/Registration.php.

Thank you all for your time!


About RIMA Foundation

The Records and Information Management Awareness (RIMA) Foundation is a non-profit, Non-Governmental organization that seek to promote access to information, raise public consciousness on the need for proper management and security of records and information, and encourage the overall development of the information management community for the benefit of humanity and the industry.


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With the right business environment, Nigeria’s lubricant industry can employ 45, 000 more people than it currently does, the manufacturers say.
The manufacturers made this known at the first Nigerian Lubricants Industry summit titled “Nigerian Lubricants Industry: Opportunities and challenges”, which held in Lagos on Tuesday.
The industry currently employs 5, 000 people.
The lubricant manufacturers called on the government to re-stream and approve the existing base-oil unit at the Kaduna refinery and petrochemical plant for new refineries to use the heavy crude oil sand reserves for 100 per cent sourcing of base oil.


The cumulative asset base of the blending plants is about N20 billion, generating about N45 billion profit margin in 2013, employing over 5000 Nigerian workers but with a potential to generate over 50, 000 additional workforce if plants are working at full installed capacities.
Other factors hindering the progress of the sub-sector includes the persistent infractions such as indiscriminate importation of sub-standard products, adulteration of lubricants by illegal lubricants blending plants and the inability of the government to effectively curtail the illegal plants and products are threatening the survival of the market, lubricant manufacturers have said.
“Nigerian lubricants market is awash with about 720, 000 metric tonnes of base oils (240, 000 metric tonnes in excess of local requirement for lubes blending), different grades and types of products locally blended by the majors, independent, fake and illegal manufacturers, adulteration of lubes by illegal lube blending plants, open market of base oil erroneously displayed as finished lubricants,” Kayode Sote, an Engineer and Principal partner, Lube Services Associates, said.
He said the Nigerian Lubricant market is also a dumping ground for substandard and off specifications imported lubricants of questionable quality, adding that “There is an indiscriminate importation of base oils far in excess of the installed capacity of the operating and functional lube oil blending plants”.
Mr. Sote also highlighted that the open market being run by the industry attracts and encourages the importation of finished lubricants of questionable quality and standards from the far East countries.
“All these infractions are indeed a threat to the survival of the lube manufacturers in Nigeria. Necessary awareness should be created at a stakeholders’ forum in order to draw the attention of the government, its statutory agencies, public and industrial consumers alike to the challenges in the lubricant market,” he said.
He called for a review of the aspects of the nation’s laws that deal with the purchase, storage and sales of lubricants. He also pushed that packaging should be standardised to avoid arbitrary price war.
Jani Ibrahim, an engineer and Chairman, Lubcon Group, said for sustainable growth of the industry, the government must eliminate artificial and avoidable distortions of people producing substandard products, reduce import tariffs, implement sound fiscal and stable monetary policies and maintain stable and lower interest rate regimes.
He also pushed for the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. “We should embrace global mind-set to avoid being left behind. Nigeria should add value to her hydrocarbon reserves. Our citizens must not suffer due to poor policies. The Nigerian market is a huge market. There is need to ensure the right attention is paid to it,” Mr. Ibrahim said.
The lubricants sub-sector of Nigeria’s petroleum industry is the salient but core area of the downstream industry that is complementary to the fuel business. They are technology-driven products with the value-addition to one of the refined by-products of crude oil called base oils. Lubricants are necessary products to guarantee energy-savings, cost-effective maintenance of auto-motives, plant machinery and equipment in order to sustain the nation’s industrial growth. According to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, there are about 37 independent plants licensed to operate.
Available statistics reveal these registered blending plants have enough installed capacity to meet the local consumption of lubricants and with potential for export to earn foreign exchange. However, it is estimated that 85 per cent of the total need of lubricating oils is produced locally while the remaining 15 per cent are specialised products imported by marketing companies into the country.
The objective of the two day summit, along with other aims, is to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the nation’s hydrocarbon reserves, potential and diversified investment opportunities therein and to have an overview of the nation’s oil and gas industry with emphasis on the relevant statutory requirements.

TECNO, the leading mobile phone brand in Africa has donated some valuable gifts items to two orphanage homes in Lagos.

Mr Chidi Okonkwo, Deputy General Manager, TECNO in Nigeria who led the team to the two homes explained that the donations were part of the company’s social responsibilities to the less privilege people in the society.

The two Homes that benefitted from the firms gesture are Little Saints Orphanage and Save Our Soul (S.O.S) Children Village.

At the Save Our Soul (S.O.S) Children Village Isolo where Chidi played with the children, the orphanage manager, Mr Benjamin Buraimoh appreciated the TECNO for its kind gesture of celebrating Christmas with the underprivileged children and orphans. According to him what the management of TECNO brought for the children will go a long way to reduce the pressure of food and materials in the Village

At the Little Saints Orphanage, Akowonjo, the Administrator, Mrs Bose Ogunbanjo explained that some of the children in the orphanage were dropped by some people by the road side. She added: “Whenever we discovered any baby in that situation, we alerted the police before we bring the baby to our orphanage.”

She explained: “ This home has been in existence since 1994 and we take care of the children education and ensure that they know how to read and write. Some of them are in various primary schools and secondary school.”

Speaking on behalf of TECNO, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo explained that he was delighted to be with the children especially during this Christmas season. “We are delighted to be with the children and rejoice with them, share love with them and I do hope that the little gift we brought will improve the children lives” he said

He said that the management of the homes should not hesitate to reach the company wherever they the company’s assistance, adding that this is the first of its kind from TECNO and promised that the company will continue to do more in term of adding values to the society.

Mobile phone Company, TECNO Mobile is looking to further deepen smartphone penetration and expand its market share in Nigeria, with the launch of the latest addition of a Smartphone to its phantom family, the Phantom AIII.
The highly anticipated smartphone was formally launched to the public at an elaborate ceremony at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.

Speaking at the launch, Vice President, TECNO GROUP, Mr. Arif Chowdhury stated that the device was designed with a passion to give everybody access to innovation and its affordable to everyone. “It is part of TECNO’s unwavering effort to expand its offering which can be seen in this superior, innovative phone” he said.

The Phantom AIII smartphone is an upgraded version of the TECNO Phantom A+, it has a sleeker body and bigger screen than that of its predecessor, it comes with 6.0” captivating HD touch screen, 4.2android operating system, it has3.75g network capability, with1.5 GHz quad core processor.

The Phantom AIII is equipped with a memory capacity of 16 GB ROM plus 1 GB RAM, 13mega pixels rear camera and 8megal pixel front camera. It also has social media applications like Facebook, Whatsapp and Palmchat. The Vice president added that he was very glad to announce a new collaboration with BlackBerry, which allows customers to find, preloaded on TECNO devices, the famous and popular BBM™ application.
He further noted that the smartphone is the mobile device to watch out for in the years to come. The prices are coming down and the sales volumes will increase. This is driving mobile internet access, which then opens up a lot of doors for innovation.

“Studies indicate that most people now access the internet through their mobile phones as opposed to PCs, We will be launching more internet series mobile phones to serve the growing demand of our customers.

Our research from years back shows that the buyers of TECNO phones are mostly the youth and we have decided to focus on this market of people. This young people want to be unique, they want unique features that allow them to play and chat, and this is exactly what TECNO is giving them through our series of Smartphones that we have launched into the market so far” Arif added.

Also speaking at the launch, the Digital Marketing &Public Relation Manager West Africa, TECNO GROUP, Mr. Boukali Mounir lay emphasizes on the devices specifications, stressing that the Phantom AIII is a dual sim Smartphone beautifully design with an innovative package of 8.4mm slim body.

Speaking about the Phantom AIII camera, Mounir pointed out that the device has 8.0MP AF front camera, 13.0MP AF back camera with flash 5 high-precision optical lens,the blue glass filter of 5 layer glass lens that picks up all the details and help the camera to respond to light just like our eyes do. The device also has access to over 1,000,000 applications, he added.

Mounir also disclosed that the Phantom AIII comes with free monthly 500MB free data for 12 months from the Nigeria innovative network; Etisalat Nigeria.

Mounir also announced that “TECNO is coming not only with the Phantom AIII, but with the TECNO Smart family including different smartphones created to meet all the customers’ needs: The M5, the M7, the P5, the A+, The Phantom Pad mini, the Phantom AIII all this family will bring Smart life to Nigerians.”

TECNO has once again taken another leap in moving its brand forward with the launch of its new campaign called “Live Smart” with introduction of range of TECNO smartphones.
This was display at the just concluded West African Information & Communications Technology Congress (WAFICT 2013) organized by the IT & Telecom Digest.
According to the Digital marketing & Public Relations Manager, West Africa TECNO Group, Mr. Mounir Boukali, said that TECNO was at the exhibition to show Nigerians that TECNO is here to stay in the country with serious products with high technology that will meet demand of every customer.
“What you are witnessing to is the beginning of the launch of our new campaign which we tagged “live Smart” where we will be launching a family of products, six range smartphones will be introduced into the Nigeria market before the end of this year and each products will meet specific need of different customers” Mounir disclosed.
Mounir stressed further that over a short period of time the TECNO brand of Mobile phones has placed itself strategically among the hearts of Nigerians as a top selling smartphone brand in the country and the launch of this unique campaign called the TECNO Smart Family will be launch in five Africa countries; Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon and Ethiopia.
The idea of this campaign according to the Digital Marketing & PR Manager is the first of its kind in the region which is to emphasize the qualities of TECNO brand as an Innovative, friendly and a cutting edge brand which distinguishes the user as Smart in a globalized world of competitiveness.
The TECNO Smart Family consists of top TECNO brand of Mobile devices that compete favorably with other brands in the market.
The ranges of products under the TECNO Smart Family are: TECNO Phantom A+, TECNO Phantom A, TECNO Phantom PAD Mini, TECNO P5, TECNO M5, TECNO M7

TECNO has once again taken another leap in moving its brand forward with the launch of its new campaign called “Live Smart” with introduction of range of TECNO smartphones.
This was display at the just concluded West Africa West African Information & Communications Technology Congress (WAFICT 2013) organized by the IT & Telecom Digest.
According to the Digital marketing & Public Relations Manager, West Africa TECNO Group, Mr. Mounir Boukali, said that TECNO was at the exhibition to show Nigerians the TECNO is here to stay in the country with serious products with high technology that will meet demand of every customer.
“What you are witnessing to is the beginning of the launch of our new campaign which we tagged “live Smart” where we will be launching a family of products, six range smartphones will be introduced into the Nigeria market before the end of this year and each products will meet specific need of different customers” Mounir disclosed.
Mounir stressed further that over a short period of time the TECNO brand of Mobile phones has placed itself strategically among the hearts of Nigerians as a top selling smartphone brand in the country and the launch of this unique campaign called the TECNO Smart Family will be launch in different five Africa countries; Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon and Ethiopia.
The idea of this campaign according to the Digital Marketing & PR Manager is the first of its kind in the region which is to emphasize the qualities of TECNO brand as an Innovative, friendly and a cutting edge brand which distinguishes the user as Smart in a globalized world of competitiveness.
The TECNO Smart Family consists of top TECNO brand of Mobile devices that compete favorably with other brands in the market.
The ranges of products under the TECNO Smart Family are: TECNO Phantom A+, TECNO Phantom A, TECNO Phantom PAD Mini, TECNO P5, TECNO M5, TECNO M7

One of the fastest growing mobile phone brand in Africa, TECNO has partnered with Qualcomm Incorporated, a global leader in next-generation mobile technologies and etisalat, Nigeria’s most innovative network provider, to launch the latest addition to the TECNO smartphone family, the TECNO P3 in the Nigerian market.

The launch which took place today at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, was attended by a cross section of the Nigerian media and the crème de la crème of the Nigerian showbiz industry. At the launch event, etisalat unveiled a twelve-month special promotion for its subscribers offering 100MB free data bundle on purchase of a TECNO P3 smartphone.

The TECNO P3 is an entry-level smartphone that runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, and powered by Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ MSM7225A processor to offer users the best 3G smartphone experience, good battery life, and easy access to the Internet and multiple social networks.

Speaking on the partnership, the Vice President of TECNO Group, Mr. Arif Chowdhurysaid, “we realised that internet savvy Nigerians are in dire need of a fast, innovative and seamless internet experience. These experiences are what TECNO P3 smartphone brings, and that also informs why we partnered with etisalat”.
Arif went on to explain that consumers can choose either the etisalat customized version available at etisalat Experience Centers and its partner retailers, or buy the un-customized version from TECNO’s partner retailers nationwide and it comes with the same data bundle offer as the customized version.
Wael Ammar, Chief Commercial Officer of etisalat Nigeria, said, “The telecommunication industry has seen an increased demand for data and smartphones in recent times, and it is important for network providers and phone manufacturers to continue to collaborate and initiate products and services to satisfy this needs. etisalat’s fast easyblaze, 3.75G broadband service combined with these TECNO phones is yet another example of our continuous effort to bring our customers easy access to the internet. ”

Also speaking at the event, Alex Dadson, Sr. Director of Business Development for Qualcomm West Africa, said, “Our partnership with TECNO in manufacturing smartphones according to the Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) continues to offer the Nigerian market the best 3G smartphone experience. QRD is the only program of its kind that brings together the value of the mobile industry leader with specific products, features and programs for emerging markets. TECNO’s P3 leverages the power of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor to give consumers an affordable smartphone that delivers a superior user experience.”

Also speaking about the new product, The Public Relations Manager TECNO Africa, Mr. Boukali Mounir, disclosed that the TECNO P3 is an all touch screen smart phone that is WiFi enabled. It has shortcuts to Facebook, Google Play Store, Gmail, Yahoo and Opera Mini. Above all, “it is a Dual-SIM standby model with 3G/2G connectivity which makes users’ internet experience more interesting” added Mounir.

Meanwhile, TECNO & Etisalat have earlier introduced a co-branded Dual SIM phone T341 alongside the amazing 12 months free data bundle offer for a range of TECNO smart phones & internet phones which include N7, Q1, P3, T756, T736 & T608.

A colloquium of experts in the housing value chain has advised the Federal Government should fund mass housing schemes, using the huge funds lying in bank vaults in the form of unclaimed dividends, dormant accounts, and accumulated premiums from pension schemes, among others.
These were some of the innovative sources of financing mass housing schemes, recommended by the panellists at the just concluded 3rd Housing Exhibition and Conference, organised recently by ASO Savings and Loans plc, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to address the political, economic, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of the challenge of delivering of affordable houses in the right quantity in Nigeria.
The forum was attended by representatives of the different tiers of government, relevant ministries, departments and agencies, the academic community, and those in the housing sector, including researchers, civil society and financial institutions from Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Governments at all levels, the forum said should provide an enabling environment for private developers either by providing the basic infrastructure or an opportunity (tax rebates) for the developers to recoup investments in infrastructural development.
They said the government should institute appropriate policies and laws to accelerate the provision of mass housing, including policies to reduce the cost of construction. “In this regard, the Land Use Act, amongst other relevant legislations, should be reviewed to address the bottlenecks it creates in title registration.”
They advocated a speedy passage of the Foreclosure Bill into Law to encourage infusion of capital to the mortgage banking/housing finance sector as well as guarantee free entry and free exit for existing and potential investors in the sector.
Stakeholders in the sector were urged to explore and invest in research, development and public enlightenment on the use of local materials and innovative architecture (e.g. green construction) in housing construction, adding that more needed to be done to generate data on the nation's housing challenges for better planning.
Government, they said should make commitments to train artisans and craftsmen, whose inputs were required to deliver durable and affordable housing.
They also want the government to strengthen professional associations and provide relevant practical training, adding that regulatory bodies should be empowered to prevent the tragic effects of constructing substandard building.
The participants urged ASO Savings and Loans plc, in partnership with interested stakeholder organisations, to, as a matter of urgency, produce a strategic framework for achieving the objectives of providing 500,000 housing units by this year, which should set out the time frames, roles of partners and the expected milestones in the run-up to the target year.
The participants had earlier observed that it was disheartening that millions of Nigerians were homeless, particularly in urban areas, in spite of fact that the Federal Government was currently implementing a National Housing Programme, including a Presidential Housing Initiative in addition to the various housing schemes being promoted by states government and agencies of government.
The precipitants shared the commitment of ASO Savings and Loans plc to providing 500,000 houses by 2016 and noted that an estimated 12-16 million housing units were required to meet the demand for houses in Nigeria. Hence, Nigeria has a huge market for investment in affordable housing.
Other observations of the forum participants are that there was serious limitation to the resources available to stakeholders to provide the required number of houses to address the deficit.
According to them, the added responsibility given to private developers to provide basic infrastructure like roads, water and electricity supply, among others, contributed to high cost of buildings.
They said majority of existing housing schemes did not enjoy basic infrastructure; ignored traditional architectural designs and building material; did not take advantage of emerging non-conventional technologies; and disregarded local climatic conditions.
The mode of implementation of the Land Use Act in the various states of the federation, they said frustrated efforts to build affordable housing for low-income citizens. “For example, issues relating to the significance of certificates of occupancy (C of Os), in relation to other title deeds, some of which are rooted in cultures, remain unsettled.”
Another major constraint to building of affordable housing, they said was high cost of construction materials, adding that over 60 per cent of these materials were imported.
Participants said the low income group of people in the country had resorted to building their own homes, neighbourhood and cities, which developed as informal communities, because housing developers, had overbuilt upper-end homes that targeted high-income homeowners to the detriment of low-income members of the community.
Various panellists discussed the challenges of mass housing. In a paper, ‘Mortgages as a Tool in Creating 500,000 Housing Units by Year 2016’, the Executive Secretary, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Mr. Kayode Omotoso said housing had always been a programme of all Nigerian governments since independence; “yet 53 years later, numerous challenges still impair Nigeria’s ability to create a vibrant mortgage banking sector for sustained housing delivery.”
Omotosho said though access to housing is very readily available through mortgages in developed countries, it had continued to remain a major challenge in some emerging economies like Nigeria’s, due to the poor legal and regulatory framework, high costs of titling, dearth of long term finance and absence of Foreclosure Laws.
He said the contribution of Mortgage Banking Sector to the nation’s GDP was currently negligible at about 0.5 per cent, compared to 77 per cent in the US, 80 per cent in the UK, 50 per cent in Hong Kong, 33 per cent in Malaysia and about 45 per cent in South Africa.
He said one of the foremost challenges of the nation’s economy was that of developing a sustainable housing and mortgage finance system that would compare favourably with her peers.
“Besides basic shelter, land and housing in the form of Real Estate are some of the greatest means to short and long term wealth creation; hence the economic development of Nigeria is dependent on evolution of a virile Mortgage Banking/Housing Finance Sector,” he said.
He said the reform/recapitalisation of the Mortgage Banking Sector, supported by creation of a Mortgage Refinance Company initiated by Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), World Bank/IFC, Primary Mortgage Banks and Commercial Banks was in progress.
The aim, he said was to strengthen and create liquidity in the Sector, adding that more action was needed to improve the legal and regulatory frameworks in order to achieve effective creation of mortgages in the country.
He said efforts to create 500,000 housing units through mortgages by Year 2016 would require long-term funding/ liquidity in the mortgage sector. “The various deposits currently in the portfolios of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) are mostly on short-term basis thereby creating dearth of long-term funds that could stimulate housing finance delivery, through Primary Mortgage arrangements.”
He said concerted efforts would need to be made by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) to enhance collection of monthly contributions from more Nigerians to deepen the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme in order to create more mortgages towards provision of affordable housing for Nigerians.
There was need, he said for PMBs and other mortgage originators in the sector to work together to form Syndicate/Consortia/Club Arrangements to share risks and expand the scope of project execution for large scale housing estate projects for affordable housing that the mortgage originators would otherwise not finance on their own.











A colloquium of experts in the housing value chain has advised the Federal Government should fund mass housing schemes, using the huge funds lying in bank vaults in the form of unclaimed dividends, dormant accounts, and accumulated premiums from pension schemes, among others.
These were some of the innovative sources of financing mass housing schemes, recommended by the panellists at the just concluded 3rd Housing Exhibition and Conference, organised recently by ASO Savings and Loans plc, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to address the political, economic, legal and socio-cultural dimensions of the challenge of delivering of affordable houses in the right quantity in Nigeria.
The forum was attended by representatives of the different tiers of government, relevant ministries, departments and agencies, the academic community, and those in the housing sector, including researchers, civil society and financial institutions from Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Governments at all levels, the forum said should provide an enabling environment for private developers either by providing the basic infrastructure or an opportunity (tax rebates) for the developers to recoup investments in infrastructural development.
They said the government should institute appropriate policies and laws to accelerate the provision of mass housing, including policies to reduce the cost of construction. “In this regard, the Land Use Act, amongst other relevant legislations, should be reviewed to address the bottlenecks it creates in title registration.”
They advocated a speedy passage of the Foreclosure Bill into Law to encourage infusion of capital to the mortgage banking/housing finance sector as well as guarantee free entry and free exit for existing and potential investors in the sector.
Stakeholders in the sector were urged to explore and invest in research, development and public enlightenment on the use of local materials and innovative architecture (e.g. green construction) in housing construction, adding that more needed to be done to generate data on the nation's housing challenges for better planning.
Government, they said should make commitments to train artisans and craftsmen, whose inputs were required to deliver durable and affordable housing.
They also want the government to strengthen professional associations and provide relevant practical training, adding that regulatory bodies should be empowered to prevent the tragic effects of constructing substandard building.
The participants urged ASO Savings and Loans plc, in partnership with interested stakeholder organisations, to, as a matter of urgency, produce a strategic framework for achieving the objectives of providing 500,000 housing units by this year, which should set out the time frames, roles of partners and the expected milestones in the run-up to the target year.
The participants had earlier observed that it was disheartening that millions of Nigerians were homeless, particularly in urban areas, in spite of fact that the Federal Government was currently implementing a National Housing Programme, including a Presidential Housing Initiative in addition to the various housing schemes being promoted by states government and agencies of government.
The precipitants shared the commitment of ASO Savings and Loans plc to providing 500,000 houses by 2016 and noted that an estimated 12-16 million housing units were required to meet the demand for houses in Nigeria. Hence, Nigeria has a huge market for investment in affordable housing.
Other observations of the forum participants are that there was serious limitation to the resources available to stakeholders to provide the required number of houses to address the deficit.
According to them, the added responsibility given to private developers to provide basic infrastructure like roads, water and electricity supply, among others, contributed to high cost of buildings.
They said majority of existing housing schemes did not enjoy basic infrastructure; ignored traditional architectural designs and building material; did not take advantage of emerging non-conventional technologies; and disregarded local climatic conditions.
The mode of implementation of the Land Use Act in the various states of the federation, they said frustrated efforts to build affordable housing for low-income citizens. “For example, issues relating to the significance of certificates of occupancy (C of Os), in relation to other title deeds, some of which are rooted in cultures, remain unsettled.”
Another major constraint to building of affordable housing, they said was high cost of construction materials, adding that over 60 per cent of these materials were imported.
Participants said the low income group of people in the country had resorted to building their own homes, neighbourhood and cities, which developed as informal communities, because housing developers, had overbuilt upper-end homes that targeted high-income homeowners to the detriment of low-income members of the community.
Various panellists discussed the challenges of mass housing. In a paper, ‘Mortgages as a Tool in Creating 500,000 Housing Units by Year 2016’, the Executive Secretary, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Mr. Kayode Omotoso said housing had always been a programme of all Nigerian governments since independence; “yet 53 years later, numerous challenges still impair Nigeria’s ability to create a vibrant mortgage banking sector for sustained housing delivery.”
Omotosho said though access to housing is very readily available through mortgages in developed countries, it had continued to remain a major challenge in some emerging economies like Nigeria’s, due to the poor legal and regulatory framework, high costs of titling, dearth of long term finance and absence of Foreclosure Laws.
He said the contribution of Mortgage Banking Sector to the nation’s GDP was currently negligible at about 0.5 per cent, compared to 77 per cent in the US, 80 per cent in the UK, 50 per cent in Hong Kong, 33 per cent in Malaysia and about 45 per cent in South Africa.
He said one of the foremost challenges of the nation’s economy was that of developing a sustainable housing and mortgage finance system that would compare favourably with her peers.
“Besides basic shelter, land and housing in the form of Real Estate are some of the greatest means to short and long term wealth creation; hence the economic development of Nigeria is dependent on evolution of a virile Mortgage Banking/Housing Finance Sector,” he said.
He said the reform/recapitalisation of the Mortgage Banking Sector, supported by creation of a Mortgage Refinance Company initiated by Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), World Bank/IFC, Primary Mortgage Banks and Commercial Banks was in progress.
The aim, he said was to strengthen and create liquidity in the Sector, adding that more action was needed to improve the legal and regulatory frameworks in order to achieve effective creation of mortgages in the country.
He said efforts to create 500,000 housing units through mortgages by Year 2016 would require long-term funding/ liquidity in the mortgage sector. “The various deposits currently in the portfolios of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) are mostly on short-term basis thereby creating dearth of long-term funds that could stimulate housing finance delivery, through Primary Mortgage arrangements.”
He said concerted efforts would need to be made by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN) to enhance collection of monthly contributions from more Nigerians to deepen the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme in order to create more mortgages towards provision of affordable housing for Nigerians.
There was need, he said for PMBs and other mortgage originators in the sector to work together to form Syndicate/Consortia/Club Arrangements to share risks and expand the scope of project execution for large scale housing estate projects for affordable housing that the mortgage originators would otherwise not finance on their own.





L-R, Managing Director ASO Savings & Loans Plc, Mr. Hassan Musa Usman; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple representing President Goodluck Jonathan , flanked by Arc. Nya-Etok E.A. Vice Chairman, Forum of Africa’s Advocates For Affordable Social Housing, at the 3rd ASO Housing Exhibition & Conference on April 11, 2013 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

3rd ASO Housing Exhibition & Conference: FG, States to Reduce Property Transaction Fees.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Federal Government and states government are working on how to reduce the current high cost of property transactions by lowering fees charged for consent and registration.
Also to be reduced are stamp duties and other charges by by the federal and state governments that prevents property transactions from contributing to the nation’s gross domestic product.
President Jonathan said this at the opening of the 3rd ASO National Exhibition & Conference, which began yesterday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The president said he was confident that the reduction in property transaction fees and several other viable housing and urban renewal initiatives would move the government “closer towards realising the vision of facilitating the development of 1 million new homes, every year, for the next 10 years.”
Other measures, according to the president, who was represented by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple are; a rapid growth in the nation’s housing stock through the regeneration of a durable mortgage industry.
The government, he said was committed to recapitalising the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and strengthening the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as well as strengthen the Federal Housing Authority. “All other institutions of government in the building environment will be similarly reviewed.”
There is also a plan to collaborate with ASO Savings and Loans Plc and all other stakeholders to meet a target of delivering a minimum of 500,000 affordable housing units for the nation’s lower and middle income earners by 2016.
He said, “With the national housing deficit presently estimated at 12 to 16 million units, our administration recognises the significant role the private sector can play in bridging the requirement gap.”
The conference theme: ‘Achieving Affordable Housing Delivery by Creating 500,000 Housing Units by 2016,’ he said was timely, explaining that the provision of affordable mass housing was a priority of his administration.
The president said the government had taken the first step in this direction by approving both the National Housing Policy and the National Urban Development Policy, as the coordinating frameworks for an appropriate response to the challenges in the sector.
The private sector, he said “is well placed to meet the needs of the zero-income, low income, lower-medium income and the informal sector workers, and by so doing, also facilitate job creation.”
The President said, “I would like to emphasise that we will continue our policy of engaging the private sector to play a more dominant role in this sector.”
He commended ASO “for stimulating a private sector-led initiative in support of the Federal Government’s resolve to accelerate the provision of adequate mass housing.”
He also commended ASO for hosting the conference for key stakeholders to discuss and formulate policies capable of effectively complementing the revised National Housing Policy released last year.
The idea, he said was to have a practical blueprint, conceived as a multi-year initiative implemented throughout a –year period by teams of experts.
Their goal, he said would be to instigate a sustained objective and fact-based thinking and planning methodology, aimed at creating a new national vision on housing. It is also to prompt a comprehensive review of current legislation concerning housing by federal, state and local governments as well as Lawmakers, among others.
Welcoming guests and exhibitors, the Managing Director of ASO Savings & Loans Plc., Hassan Musa Usman said the housing exhibition had become one of the biggest and most important event in the nation’s housing industry.
Usman said, “The conference provides a platform to discuss housing and proffer solutions to issues and challenges bordering provision of housing.”
He described ASO as the nation’s leading Primary Mortgage Bank “with a primary mission to build mutually profitable relationships anchored on a passion for excellence.
Usman said so far had ASO 23 branches and that since it started business, it had created over 15,000 mortgages of over N40 billion as well as financed the construction of several housing estates.
He said ASO organises the exhibition and conference to contribute to reducing the nation’s current housing deficit and to also assist Nigerians own homes.
The well-attended event had in attendance stakeholders in the housing market, including estate developers, building materials suppliers, architects, interior decorators, among others.

3rd ASO Housing Exhibition & Conference: FG, States to Reduce Property Transaction Fees.


President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Federal Government and states government are working on how to reduce the current high cost of property transactions by lowering fees charged for consent and registration.
Also to be reduced are stamp duties and other charges by by the federal and state governments that prevents property transactions from contributing to the nation’s gross domestic product.
President Jonathan said this at the opening of the 3rd ASO National Exhibition & Conference, which began yesterday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The president said he was confident that the reduction in property transaction fees and several other viable housing and urban renewal initiatives would move the government “closer towards realising the vision of facilitating the development of 1 million new homes, every year, for the next 10 years.”
Other measures, according to the president, who was represented by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple are; a rapid growth in the nation’s housing stock through the regeneration of a durable mortgage industry.
The government, he said was committed to recapitalising the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and strengthening the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as well as strengthen the Federal Housing Authority. “All other institutions of government in the building environment will be similarly reviewed.”
There is also a plan to collaborate with ASO Savings and Loans Plc and all other stakeholders to meet a target of delivering a minimum of 500,000 affordable housing units for the nation’s lower and middle income earners by 2016.
He said, “With the national housing deficit presently estimated at 12 to 16 million units, our administration recognises the significant role the private sector can play in bridging the requirement gap.”
The conference theme: ‘Achieving Affordable Housing Delivery by Creating 500,000 Housing Units by 2016,’ he said was timely, explaining that the provision of affordable mass housing was a priority of his administration.
The president said the government had taken the first step in this direction by approving both the National Housing Policy and the National Urban Development Policy, as the coordinating frameworks for an appropriate response to the challenges in the sector.
The private sector, he said “is well placed to meet the needs of the zero-income, low income, lower-medium income and the informal sector workers, and by so doing, also facilitate job creation.”
The President said, “I would like to emphasise that we will continue our policy of engaging the private sector to play a more dominant role in this sector.”
He commended ASO “for stimulating a private sector-led initiative in support of the Federal Government’s resolve to accelerate the provision of adequate mass housing.”
He also commended ASO for hosting the conference for key stakeholders to discuss and formulate policies capable of effectively complementing the revised National Housing Policy released last year.
The idea, he said was to have a practical blueprint, conceived as a multi-year initiative implemented throughout a –year period by teams of experts.
Their goal, he said would be to instigate a sustained objective and fact-based thinking and planning methodology, aimed at creating a new national vision on housing. It is also to prompt a comprehensive review of current legislation concerning housing by federal, state and local governments as well as Lawmakers, among others.
Welcoming guests and exhibitors, the Managing Director of ASO Savings & Loans Plc., Hassan Musa Usman said the housing exhibition had become one of the biggest and most important event in the nation’s housing industry.
Usman said, “The conference provides a platform to discuss housing and proffer solutions to issues and challenges bordering provision of housing.”
He described ASO as the nation’s leading Primary Mortgage Bank “with a primary mission to build mutually profitable relationships anchored on a passion for excellence.
Usman said so far had ASO 23 branches and that since it started business, it had created over 15,000 mortgages of over N40 billion as well as financed the construction of several housing estates.
He said ASO organises the exhibition and conference to contribute to reducing the nation’s current housing deficit and to also assist Nigerians own homes.
The well-attended event had in attendance stakeholders in the housing market, including estate developers, building materials suppliers, architects, interior decorators, among others.