The Nation Newspaper

Category: e-Business

  • WeChat, others boost learning at Babcock University

    WeChat, others boost learning at Babcock University

    Global mobile voice and text chat app, WeChat, has partnered with MrsCEOnaija.com, the online female-centric blog and several other organisations to promote a workshop to provide career counselling tips for graduating female students of the Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State.

    Speaking at the workshop which had ‘After Graduation, What Next?  It is Limitless opportunities,’ as its theme, WeChat’s Regional Manager, West Africa, Mr. Idemudia Dima-Okojie Dima-Okojie stressed the need for businesses in the country, especially, young start-ups to embrace and incorporate the mobile app technology in  business plans if they are to grow and become successful.

    He described the mobile phone business as one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world, with the smartphone practically taking over the lives of half the world’s population. According to him, today at least 50 per cent of the global smartphone users are hooked on touchscreens and mobile apps, especially the latter, due to its inherent benefits for business.

    He said WeChat app has been enhanced with several features to help businesses reach out and interact with both their customers and prospects. One of these features,  he said, is the Official Account, whereby companies and organisations open an account within the WeChat app.

    “With these Official Accounts on our app, these organisations can now interact with their customers and prospects like never before, and more and more businesses are utilizing this feature. Today we have the likes of Etisalat, Airtel, MTN, Jobberman, Dstv, Super Sport, Jobberman, Careers24, Beat FM, and many more on our Official Accounts platform.

    “With this feature, customers can now follow and interact with their respective telecoms service providers, make payments on Dstv, listen to live radio and text into TV programmes, apply for jobs instantly on Jobberman and lots more. All these can be done within the app, thereby helping the user save the data consumed by using multiple apps and browsers to carry out these transactions,” he said.

    Founder of MrsCEOnaija.com, Mrs. Tolulope Adedejian, said the organisation was established to help raise financially empowered females for more balanced homes and community, by inspiring, coaching, enabling and facilitating women to have enhanced sources of income, either through career progression or business start-ups.

     

  • Airtel unveils Wi-Fi service

    Airtel unveils Wi-Fi service

    Airtel  Nigeria, has launched ultra-high speedWi-Fi service to enhance customer data experience in Lagos.

    With this development, residents and visitors to Lagos will have access to super-fast internet in public places and be able to connect wirelessly to the internet through their smart phones, tablets, laptops and other smart devices.

    The service is available to all mobile phone users irrespective of their network and as part of the incentives; Airtel also offers free 15 minutes per month to every user.

    Already, Wi-Fi hotspots have been deployed to Ozone Cinema, Yaba, Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island and Alausa Shopping Mall, Ikeja.

    Its Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Maurice Newa, described the service as a major milestone in the company’s effort to strengthen its relationship with customers.

    “This serviceis designed to delight our customers with ultra-high speed internet service. We want to connect with them in smarter and rewarding ways, to fulfil their communication needs,” he said.

    According to him, as an innovative company, Airtel will continue to redefine the telecoms landscape with revolutionary products and services that will provide rewarding experience to its customers.

    “Our mission is to enrich the lives of Nigerians through the provision of exceptional experience and the introduction of this service is an attestation of our commitment,” he said.

    He noted that at full implementation, the service will be rolled out in malls, airports, universities and other areas of public interest in other major cities in the country.

    To enjoy this service, customers will need to purchase data bundles which are categorised into five time-based bundles; 30mins, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours and five hours respectively.

    The bundles can be purchased using Airtel recharge cards and debit cards while Airtel subscribers can buy bundles with their airtime. The service, which is also aimed at promoting the use of internet, will provide customers wider opportunities to connect with friends, family and business associates.

  • ‘Poor telecoms service quality unacceptable’

    ‘Poor telecoms service quality unacceptable’

    The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Eugene Juwah has said the poor telecoms service quality operators are offering subscribers is unacceptable to the Commission, adding that the regulator will continue to do the needful to achieve the highest degree of service quality in the country.

    Juwah, who spoke at the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) forum at the University of Lagos, Akoka said, he was worried by the development, adding that the Commission had summoned several meetings with the operators to express customers’ dissatisfaction with a view to improving the situation.

    Represented by the Director, Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, he, however, said there are challenges which must first be addressed before service quality would be improved.

    Those challenges include but are not limited to inadequate power supply, multiple taxation and regulations, vandalism of telecom infrastructure, right of way (RoW) challenges, and infrastructure deficit among others.

    “Only the elimination of some or all of these will provide the critical success factors in finally eradicating quality of service challenges,” Juwah said, adding that the regulator is not complacent over the issue.

    During the public hearing held by the National Assembly in 2008, power was considered to have contributed more than 40 per cent to service quality challenges.

    Telecoms depend on power to run 24/7. Just as individuals in Nigeria generate their power, so has telcos being generating much of the power it utilises.

    The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has put the estimated cost of running two generators in each of the over 25,000 base transmission stations (BTS) in at about N5 billion monthly. ATCON says while service provider spends 80 per cent operating expenditure (OPEX) on power generation, in Malawi, it is just some five per cent. This captures the explanation as the service providers would have been in a position to channel more resources to tackling the issues of service quality.

    Juwah said : “We have a very nagging issue of regulations and taxes awaiting the telecom operators at different levels of government. Some of these regulations are made outside of the purview of the telecom regulator. There are states and local governments where telecom infrastructure is seen as fertile ground for improving internally generated revenue as these infrastructures must be available to make services possible. In some areas, state governments, local governments, or even some federal government agencies have had to force a close down of base stations with the implication of disconnecting many localities from the network thereby adding to the challenge”

    On RoW, he lamented that governments at various levels, individuals or communities, prevent the service providers from installing equipment without which there will not be good quality of services.

    “Some of us may not be aware. But the truth is that for almost five years, the Federal Capital Territory Administration  stopped issuance of permits to telecom service providers to BTS on account of fear of defacing the city. Yet, residents would expect services to be of high quality,” he lamented.

    Vandalism of equipment has become common where criminals vandalise expensive transmission lines laid with fibre optics or where road constructions or similar situation results in cutting off transmission cables with multiple negative effects on service quality.

  • Dearth of spectrum threatens broadband plan targets

    Lack of spectrum to drive the penetration of wireless broadband may scuttle the short, medium and long term ambition of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) of the Federal Government, The Nation has gathered.

    Under the NBP, for cities, accessibility through wired medium currently (2013) stands at 1.3 per cent with short term goal (2015) of 10 per cent, medium term (2018) 18 per cent and long term target (2020) of 25 per cent. For penetration, the current level stands at 0.3per cent while short term goal is 3.3per cent, medium; 5.3 per cent while long term is 8.3 per cent.

    For national target, availability through wireless currently stands at 33 per cent, with short, medium and long term targets of 60, 80 and 95 per cent respectively. For penetration or usage, it currently stands at 6 per cent with short, medium and long term ambition of 21, 42 and 76 per cent respectively.

    But one of the frequencies that will make this happen are still with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and there is no indication that it will be freed up soon to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for auctioning to operators.

    According to sources, the spectrum is called 2.6 gigahertz (GHz) and it ranges from 2.5GHz to 2.69Ghz. The source before now, it was used by the NBC licensed operators who are licensed to do Muti-channel Multi-point Distribution System (MDDS).

    MDDS is defined as a wireless system consists that of head-end equipment (equipment for satellite signal reception, radio transmitter, other broadcast equipment, and transmission antenna) and reception equipment at each subscriber location (antenna, frequency conversion device, and set-top device). MMDS transmits on Super High Frequency (SHF) microwave frequencies and can be encoded for pay-for-view and subscriber services, all from studio facility.

    According to the source, by the time the allocation was made at the international Telecommunications Union (ITU) for the frequency to also be used for International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT), the NCC contacted the National Frequency Management Committee (NFMC) and which requested the NCC and NBC to work out the modalities for the release of the band. A committee was subsequently formed for that purpose.

    According to ITU, “long term evolution (LTE)-Advanced and “WirelessMAN-Advanced” should be accorded the official designation of IMT-Advanced. Advanced systems include new capabilities that go beyond IMT-2000, widely deployed since 2000 and referred to as 3G mobile technologies. ITU has now specified the standards for IMT-Advanced, the next-generation global wireless broadband communications that provide access to a wide range of packet-based telecommunication services supported by mobile and fixed networks.

    Director, Spectrum Administration, NCC, Dr Nwaulume Augustine confirmed that indeed a committee has been put in place but unsure whether it will get the spectrum freed for the NCC. He said: “That committee is still working. I don’t know if it is possible for the licence to be auctioned this year based on the fact that not so much progress has been made with regard to getting it freed from those users.

    “But I am very sure that by the first or second quarter of next year, something would have happened because it is very important.  It is very vital to wireless broadband,” He spoke on the sideline at a capacity training forum for journalists in Lagos.

  • How winners emerged for Jerusalem pilgrimage, by MTN

    How winners emerged for Jerusalem pilgrimage, by MTN

    The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge, has said the 20 customers who emerged winners and have been sent to Jerusalem for the holy pilgrimage were selected electronically, adding that the sponsorship was in appreciation of the life-enriching Christian Value Added Services (VAS) they subscribed to.

    Speaking on the electronic selection process of the customers, he explained that subscribers were selected, based on the Christian VAS they subscribed to.

    Represented by the telco’s Senior Manager, Segment, Saidat Lawal-Mohammed, she said: “The selection was based on the daily devotionals, Bible quotes, sermons, songs, prayers, hymns, religious callertunez and other spiritually uplifting and faith enriching content, they subscribed to. The lucky winners were therefore selected through a draw.

    “This is one of the ways we decided to reward our Christian subscribers for their adoption of our Christian VAS. Every subscriber is important to us and we must show appreciation. We will keep going the extra mile to show just how much we care.”

    She admonished the pilgrims to remember Nigeria in their prayers as they embark on this journey, due to the challenges facing the nation at this time in its history.

    Its Chief Marketing Officer, Bayo Adekanmbi explained that the strategic focus for this initiative is to show support to MTN Christian subscribers.

    “We are committed to the total well-being of our customers as we strive to make their lives brighter through our propositions, products and VAS. This is one of such initiatives aimed at uplifting and encouraging our subscribers to get closer to God. Through our bold new digital VAS, we will keep them connected to their Maker on a daily basis.”

    He went further to state that the company will continue to provide exciting innovative initiatives geared at enhancing its customers’ whole new digital experience, while encouraging them to be better in their various fields of human endeavour.

    The pilgrims, who departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, at the weekend, will be spending eight days in the holy land. They were full of excitement and praises for MTN, as regard the rare privilege the company has given them in fulfilling a life-long desire through the all-expense paid trip.

    One of the pilgrims, Bolaji Adeola, from Ondo state said before their departure, “I really feel blessed being among the selected few. Going to Jerusalem is like a dream come true. I have always wished for travelling to the holy land to build my Christian faith and God has used MTN as an instrument to make my dream come true. I am very grateful to MTN for this rare and wonderful opportunity. This journey to Jerusalem will uplift my spiritual life and move me closer to God.”

  • How to bridge rural-urban digital divide, by HIS Towers

    Executive Vice Chairman & Group CEO, HIS Towers, Issam Darwish, has said one of the best ways to bridge existing digital gap between rural and urban communities in the country is through the deployment of mobile application to the agriculture sector that engages the mass of the people.

    Darwish who spoke against the backdrop of the firm’s sponsorship of a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit with Enabling a More Productive Nigeria: Powering SMEs as its title, said the launch of the report coincided with the World Economic Forum on Africa, which sets out the factors that empower small and medium enterprises (‘SMEs’) and looks to identify both what is driving growth as well as the issues that are holding them back.

    He said: “One way to lessen the urban-rural digital divide is to deepen the application of mobile to agriculture, the sector in which the majority of Nigeria’s rural dwellers work. Combined with improved mobile networks in rural regions, the penetration of ICT across wider geographies will significantly support favourable income distribution trends throughout the continent.

    “Many of us are interested in Nigeria’s future prosperity, yet little is known about the universe of Nigerian SMEs and the entrepreneurs behind them, particularly the obstacles and enablers of their growth.

    “This report recognises the efforts of government institutions in supporting SMEs but also importantly shines a light on the innovative thinking embedded in this vital part of Nigeria’s economy. It helps us all to understand what can be done to support their growth and drive their productivity.

    “The importance of mobile telecommunications and its role as a leapfrog technology is readily apparent from this study, affirming our belief that an enhanced mobile network materially contributes to the growth of both urban and rural businesses, with the potential to reduce societal inequality.

    “For IHS this report is fundamental to our business. Our belief is that the future economic and social development of Africa will be accelerated exponentially by mobile connectivity, and our team of over 2,000 engineers in five countries is focused on making this happen. We are committed to developing the communities we serve, and to help people and businesses across the region build a powerful, prosperous future.”

    He said the report looks at SME productivity across five categories – policy, transport, technology, energy and finance, combining SME interviews from across the country, with expert insights.

    According to him, the findings suggest that Nigeria’s government has supported SMEs by reducing the costs of registering a business and through the launch of SME-targeted funds, adding however that further attention should be given to the tax system because Nigerian SMEs are subject to complex and overlapping rules which need to be streamlined and simplified.

    In addition, import and customs charges are often unpredictable and costly, placing an additional burden on businesses, with no recourse available through official channels, he lamented.

    On infrastructure, the report explores how SMEs are being affected by mobile networks, transport and power deficits. While transport projects and power privatisation are underway, these will take time to deliver benefits. In the interim, SMEs are adopting innovative technologies – from solar panels to cloud computing. ICTs in particular are being used for remote work, mobile marketing and new product development such as apps and mobile services. The next technology productivity boost will come from strengthening ICT network quality across Nigeria’s territory.

  • Blogging ‘ll reduce crime, other vices, says Smile Communications

    Blogging ‘ll reduce crime, other vices, says Smile Communications

    provider of long term evolution (LTE) of 4G broadband internet service provider (ISP), Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, has said the growing number of bloggers in the West African sub-region is creating jobs, decreasing crime rate, adding that professionalism, passion and content creation are critical elements in enhancing their capacity in the sub-region.

    Its Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs. Alero Ladipo who spoke during a presentation on How to Promote Your Blog, during the West Africa Blogger Conference (WABC) 2015, held in Lagos, said in as much as bloggers must ensure explicit, informative and clearly defined content delivered with passion and fun, they should not relent in professionalising in order to attract right businesses to monetize the enterprise.

    She listed qualities that distinguish bloggers from others to include sticking to their already created niches built on professionalism, uniqueness, responding quickly to trends, invest in the content design, while building on loyal audience, relationships and reaching out to experts.

    She said the leading ISP is already preparing grounds to partner with 10 bloggers to support them in lifting the platforms to greater heights.

    She said: “People think that blogging is a habit that anybody can just pick up and start practising. However, as we get more people entrenched in consistent growth, it becomes important we make it professional. Essentially, readers visit bloggers for a particular reason. By implication, a blog is not a dumping ground. Stick to the core reason you started the blog and adhere to your principles.

    “There is a philosophy that you stick to certain principles even when many people are deviating; it is the same thing with blogs. When you maintain the professional competencies, people will collaborate with you. For instance, on the course of my presentation I randomly asked participants ‘sell me your blog’, which is simply to market the platform, but people fell-flat on their faces. It is important you know what your blog is all about and you can sell it, and also present it appropriately”.

    According to Ladipo, for bloggers to attain the expected heights, they should improve on marketing and how to communicate, stressing that a lot of people do not know how to use these tow tools. She cited the social media as an example, wondering how many people talk about leveraging the platform to grow their businesses. “People need to understand their target audience, segmentations, and how to retain people’s interest. That is the way they will continue to visit your blog; keeping people interested and understand that you are one among many.

    “That’s the strength you need to have, the tools of marketing and communication and it does not require long sessions of learning. It can be an hour session of going through the principles of marketing and communication at an introductory level, because you are not trying to go deeper on the subject, but how to use the tools. Truly, content is king, you also need to be smart about it. That is where marketing and communication aspects come in.

    “We chose to support the conference due to the link between our service offering and what the bloggers do. During my presentation, I asked how many people had internet connection in order to monitor what is happening now or what has happened in the last hour that could inspire your writing. For bloggers to keep tap on trends, they must have internet connectivity,” she said.

    According to her, internet connectivity is a utility that will soon be in the range of demands such as water supply, electricity and others.

    On the drive to partner with some bloggers, Ladipo said, “the organisers will help in screening ten bloggers that Smile Communications will partner.”

    Managing Director, Advert Strikers Limited, and convener of the conference, Mr. Ayodele Oyebade, thanked Smile Communications for supporting the conference where a new chain of professional bloggers will emerge.

     

  • Waiting for efficient, affordable internet services

    Waiting for efficient, affordable internet services

    Access to internet has defining impact on countries’ gross domestic product (GDP). This is because it destroys fetters, such as distance, race, colour and others. Though the mobile network operators (MNOs) have tried to close

    Three Nigerian journalists  travelled to Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa for a three-day international conference. During the conference, they had no problems sending their stories and pictures from the venue of the event to their media houses in Lagos.

    “As soon as I finished doing my story and click the attach icon on my gmail address book, it pops up and gives me options from where to attach pictures. I click my desktop and press attach. It attaches in the speed of electricity, regardless of the size. As soon as I click on the send icon, it disappears too and show ‘message sent’ immediately,” one of them said.

    Back home, at a forum held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, reporters made futile efforts to file  their stories to their offices located within the metropolis. Virtually all the modems of the MNOs were used but to no avail. Instead of displaying 3G which most of them claim is the technology on which their services are being rolled out, it is either WCDMA, EDGE or HSPA that was displayed. Then will come several hours of waiting just for the page to load.

    If internet experience in an urban area such as Lagos could leave such a sour taste, it could only be imagined what it is going to be like in the rural areas of the country where there are 447 local government areas. After more than a decade after the telecoms sector liberalisation that ushered in the telecoms revolution, a lot of rural communities are still largely “disenfranchised”.

    The story everywhere, from Calabar to Kano, Bauchi to Bayelsa, Abakaliki to Bornu, is the same. Not even in cities such as Abuja and Port Harcourt is the story different. Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with a population of over 168 million people as at 2012 according to the World Bank. Population has grown at a rate of 2.3 per cent for each year from 2000 to 2013. Nigeria is a country with a largely youthful population with 60 per cent approximately under age of 22.

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said in line with these demographic changes, internet penetration has increased from less than 0.1 per cent in 2001 to about 32 per cent in 2012. The 2012 National ICT policy placed broadband internet penetration for both mobile and fixed broadband at about 6.1 per cent.

    The Federal Government launched the National Broadband Plan (NBP) which set very ambitious targets to be met within specific time-lines. Under the plan, fixed broadband targets for cities (which is currently standing at 1.5per cent) expected to go up to 10 per cent in 2015 in the short term, 16 per cent medium term of 2018 and long term target of 25 per cent by 2020. Penetration level which stands at 0.5per cent, will move up gradually to 3.3 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively

    For national broadband targets, current level is 35 per cent while short term target is 60 per cent (2015). For medium term (2018), 80 per cent is targeted while 95 per cent is targeted by 2020 as long term target.

    Penetration currently is six per cent. It is expected to go up steeply to 21 per cent, 42 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

    But the road to achieving this target is laced with thorns as frequencies that are supposed to be freed to boost internet penetration are not available yet.

    Director, Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects, Airtel Nigeria Osondu Nwokoro who spoke at an ICT forum in Lagos, said the launch of the National Broadband Plan (NPB), 2013-2018 by the Federal Government is consistent with developments in other parts of the world, adding that it is a step in the right direction and showed government’s commitment to pursue a broadband agenda for the country.

    Nwokoro defined broadband as the easier, faster, and high speed internet access for data transmission and download, compared to traditional telephone and modem. Broadband supports real time internet radio, music, video, gaming, interactive services and others.

    He said with six per cent broadband penetration in the country, there is both a challenge and an opportunity to meet the goal of realising a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017.

    According to him, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development charges that “access to broadband infrastructure and services must therefore be a top policy priority for countries around the globe, developed and developing alike as well as least developed countries,” adding that commission urges “governments and business to work together to develop innovative policy frameworks, business models and financing arrangements needed to facilitate growth in access to broadband worldwide

    Speaking on impact on the economy, he said wireless broadband is expected to contribute an additional N190billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 while wireless broadband will have a direct revenue impact (spend on usage and devices) of N598billon or 0.7 per cent of GDP this year.

    He added that its ecosystem value will be N124billion comprising consumer retail (m-commerce; m-Entertainment), financial services (m-banking), social services (m-learning, m-health, and m-governance) and corporate verticals (m-farming, m-enterprises, m-utilities).

    Head, Core Network Services, Cyberspace Network Limited, Osuere Peter said broadband is the totality that forms the entity for faster information delivery across a network. This network could either be digital subscriber line (DSL), fiber-optic, cable modem, satellite, wireless and broadband over power lines (BPL).

    He said internet and mobile banking: customers could now carry on banking transaction activities via their fixed and mobile devices while e-commerce sites such as Konga, Jumia, Olx have also emerged.

    It has also led to the provision of public services like driver-license application, international passport, national ID card registration and the general e-government solutions, adding that the implementation of regulatory framework and policies to promote electronic transaction such as the Cashless Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

     

    Daunting hurdles

    The Nigerian Broadband technology infrastructure has grown up to an appreciable level in some very specific places and at different degrees.

    Nwokoro said fixed infrastructure is not available in Nigeria and the cost and burden to put same in place is daunting. Wireless is the only viable option for broadband penetration.

    Another challenge is paucity of spectrum. According to him, NBP acknowledges the need for spectrum for mobile broadband and proposes to publish plan for freeing up spectrum for LTE rollout this year, conduct licensing of 2.5/2.6GHz spectrum in 2014 and facilitate accelerated wireless infrastructure expansion and upgrade with operators.

    Another issue is that of right of way (RoW) permits and other planning approval processes and associated charges between different ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) at federal, state & local levels remain a strong disincentive for infrastructure development.

    Though NBP proposes to secure RoW waivers with states and also pursue expedited RoWs. achieving this goal between the three tiers of government remains a daunting challenge.

    Device ownership and access points which are key to adoption and utilisation are also key challenges.

    “NBP proposes to challenge original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce sub $30 access devices to reduce cost of ownership and thus facilitate uptake by the broader subscriber base.

    “NBP also proposes to deploy local access points (in NIPOST premises and local government, headquarters to facilitate access within 2km for people who cannot afford own access devices,” Nwokoro said, adding that in spite of all the promises of the market size in the country, major OEMs are unwilling to site assembly plants for device manufacture, on account of unstable electricity supply, intellectual property rights issues and challenges in the business environment.

     

    Solutions

    Mandate should be given to the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) to articulate a spectrum roadmap to address timely availability, cost-effective pricing and licensing of the 700/800 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum band to support mobile broadband penetration.

    Another is resuscitation of the NFMC and expansion of its membership to incorporate private sector representation.

    Nwokoro said consideration should be given to the 900 MHz and 2.5/2.6 GHz spectrum re-farming to support mobile broadband on LTE while spectrum policy and regulation to support flexibility while supporting regional integration.

    the gap, there is still a long way to go as access cost remains punitive while service quality is patchy, reports LUCAS AJANAKU.

  • Nigeria is strategic to our business

    Nigeria is strategic to our business

    Executive Director, Mobile Business Group, Lenovo Technologies for Middle East and Africa, Mr. Shashank Sharma, says Nigeria is central to its business operations in Africa. He says management of electronic waste in the company’s host communities remains an important part of its corporate social responsibility strategy. He speaks about the industry and other issues with LUCAS AJANAKU.

    Electronic waste is a global challenge. What is Lenovo doing about this?

    You are right. We have a lot of initiative on environmental responsibility as well as social corporate responsibility. I don’t want to speak much about that now because details are sketchy.  Let me assure you that we are addressing the issue region by region.

    How is grey import affecting your business in the country?

    Grey market is something which happens when people outside your official channels try to import your products and the challenge with that is that the goods might not be properly taken to the consumers as they be buying them without the right warranty and service facilities. Again, the credibility of those devices is very difficult to ascertain. So we work closely with our local partners to make sure that we don’t allow such things to happen and partner community under retailers to try and ensure that they don’t sell products that are not coming from the official channel.

    What is the level of acceptability of your products?

    The acceptability of our smartphones has improved tremendously to the extent that we are thinking of raising the game. We have only four people on ground and we want to double that number in the next couple of months. That shows the confidence we have in the kind of response we got. Am very confident about Nigeria consumers appreciating the value this organization is giving to them the innovation, the scale and the quality promise we have

    Are your products region-specific or universal?

    We are a global company; it is a global scale and products of innovation. So our products are of global in nature so we try to design products for different people across the globe but then you also keep in mind the local customer in some countries. So there are countries such as Nigeria, India which their requirements are slightly different from other countries such as the United States (U.S) or Europe. You need to have a global scale but you also need to keep in specific local requirements so that the customers are fulfilled.

    What are your expectations in the short, medium and long term?

    See for any organisation especially as large as Lenovo, one has to look at responsibilities and survey carefully and be committed towards to their responsibility towards shareholders, your employers, your partners and your customers and your responsibility towards the ecosystem you operate. This is socio-economic environmental. Though I may not be able to answer you right now on Nigeria specifically but I will be very happy to give you the details on CSR activities which we do all over the world right now as Lenovo the kind of projects we have taken which are helping the local communities we work in

    What is your global market share?

    Our global market share in PCs is about 20 per cent; in Tablets, it is about 40.9 per cent and in phones we are number three I don’t remember our share right now .

    What percentage of the market are you looking at for smartphones?

     For the first two to four quarters, we want to be between 10 and 15 per cent market shares for smartphones.

    Lenovo is globally rated as the number one PC maker. What is your strategy to replicate this success with smartphones, especially in emerging markets?

    Yes Lenovo is the number one PC manufacturer in the world. We currently have 20 per cent market share and we are leading in that space, a position that we are very proud of. We are also one of the leading players in the smartphone segment, especially with our acquisition of Motorola. To lead in the smartphone segment it requires innovation and efficiency, and Lenovo has a great balance of these qualities. We possess the global scale that is required to compete and win in the smartphone segment. That, combined with the global supply chain, allows me to say that Lenovo is going to be a strong contender for the top spot in the world’s smartphone market. It is important to understand the market that one operates in. At Lenovo, we are coming up with products that have designs that are appealing to Nigerian consumers,as well as smartphones which have features that are required and used by Nigerians. We are making products with functionalities that are much in demand by Nigerian consumers, including flash and long battery life.

    Lenovo introduced three sets of smartphones into the market. What should customers expect from these devices in terms of quality?

    Recently, we launched three sets of quality phones from Lenovo, which include Lenovo S90, S70 and S 60.

    The Lenovo S90 is a product that we are very proud of. It is a very slim and stylish device. The S90 is a great phone for people who love taking selfies. It has an eight-megapixel front camera that is perfect for taking selfies, and I think this is an expression that will resonate with many people. The S90 also comes with Lenovo’s standard suite of applications including SHAREit, which allows users to share files and videos with others without an internet connection. The SECUREit also allows users to keep their data safe.

    The Lenovo P70 is a very lovely device for people who need to use their phone for extended periods of time. The battery of the device can last for up to three days. This is great for people who have a routine that does not allow them to charge their smartphone often. Also, in spite of the P70 smartphone having a 4,000mAh battery, it is not a heavy phone at all. It is slim and very light – much slimmer than smartphones with the same battery size. We are positive that our Nigerian consumers will really like this phone because a lot of people have this kind of requirement. Another unique feature of the P70 is that it can be used to charge other mobile phones. The S60 is a much slimmer device with an eye-catching form. It is easy to hold, light-weight and packed with features that showcase users’ fun and social sides.

    Wearable tech is the vogue. Any plans in this direction?

    Lenovo has been monitoring developments in the wearable technology segment very closely. We will be launching wearable bands this year. The devices will be able to track health and fitness parameters, among others. But the wearable technology segment is still evolving. There are innovations that we will see in the segment in the coming years but I believe that it is still in its nascent stage. We are yet to see the true dimensions of wearable technology.

    How do you intend to compete with established original equipment manufacturers?

    In every smartphone market, you will find other organisations that are already present and own percentages of market share. This has been our experience since we started expanding outside China in the last two years. We have gone into other markets with other brands already on ground so it is something that we are ready for and we believe that we are well equipped to compete and get mindshare and market share by providing Nigerians with products with the right kind of design, features and functionalities.

    In terms of sales, how has Lenovo performed in Nigeria since it began operations in the country last year?

    Without going into numbers, I would say that our targets and objectives for Nigeria in the last one year have been met and from this quarter onwards, we are already seeing exponential growth in demand for our products.

     What has the experience been like for Lenovo across African markets, especially here in Nigeria?

    The experience has been very good. We are happy with the response that our products have received till date in Nigeria, and based on the success we have had, we have actually invested more in this market. We now have more people on ground. We have strengthened our service network even more by investing in resources. The response we have received has been very good and we believe that Nigeria is right now in a good position to embrace the Lenovo brand even more, especially with the new products that we are coming out with.

    How will the recent acquisition of Motorola by Lenovo affect your smartphone business?

    Lenovo has always been a strong player in the global smartphone market, even before the acquisition of Motorola. With the acquisition, it has become even stronger. Motorola gives us a strong brand name, it gives us presence in major markets, it gives us a strong Information Technology (IT) portfolio and access to a huge pool of innovation engineers and researchers. For us, it is a great acquisition in every sense. With the help of Motorola, we are able to expand and have presence in markets where Lenovo products are not being sold today. In addition, our range of products for the customer, including wearables, have grown even bigger as a result of the acquisition

    How will you ensure that every mobile user group enjoy a great smartphone experience from Lenovo?

    There is a breadth of customers that are looking for suitable products in the smartphone segment. You will see that the products that we are coming out with in our ‘A’ series of smartphones, cater to individuals looking for devices that are affordable. We also have our ‘S’ series and premium vibe series smartphones that come with more features and more functionalities. We have a wide range of products at different price points that cater to the majority of users. Each product comes with its own unique functionality and the ability to deliver value while exceeding customer expectation.

    How affordable are your brand of smartphones?

    We consider affordability while design new products for manufacturing, even though we do not compromise quality with pricing. Our products have high qualities and at the same time affordable.

    In terms of smartphone market share, where do you see Lenovo Nigeria in the next one year?

    I believe that we will have captured between 10 and 15 per cent market share in the next one year. We have the right team, the right partners and the right kind of products to achieve this.

    What important factors that a buyer should consider when investing in smartphone?

    The smartphone buyer will always consider a reliable brand with a global scale that can protect the customers’ interest. This comes as a first point for me, and the second factor is the consideration of the kind of service that the brand is able to provide the consumer with and the third would be the features of the device, including display and battery life.

    Lenovo, as a major player in smartphone manufacturing and sales, always put these factors into consideration, when designing smartphones.

    What key trends do you see defining the mobile segment in 2016?

    The future is always difficult to predict, but I think that display technology will see some changes. We are already seeing a lot of innovation in this area and I expect that we will have more in the coming year. Also, we will see finger print security getting more acceptability. I think that we will see interesting things happening in these areas next year.

    Despite the ubiquity of smartphones, most consumers do not make optimal use of their mobile devices. Reports indicate that feature’s utilisation is at 30 per cent for the average consumer. What do you think can be done to help users integrate their smartphones more into their daily lives?

    Since the advent of smartphones, we have had increasing access to services that we did not have previously, from social media engagement to communication. People are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social websites to interact and communicate with one another. But there are a lot of areas where devices remain unexplored. I think it is just a matter of time before most people get exposed to what they can do with their phone and start utilising it in more facets of their lives than they do today.

    Do you still see the survival of feature phones across the world as smartphones take over?

    All over the world, we are seeing the migration from feature phones to smartphones where customers feel they can get more value in terms of what they want from their mobile device. That trend began in Nigeria in the last couple of years and is now accelerated. There would be a small number of feature phones around in the next two to three years in Africa, but majority of feature phone users are going to migrate to smartphones within this period

  • Boosting health with mobile phone

    Boosting health with mobile phone

    The mobile phone technology is fast providing answers to the challenges facing the human race, simplifying processes. Already, there are some wearable devices in the market. Fitbit Flex is one of them. It is a band strapped around the user’s wrist and tracks how many steps he takes, the distance he travels and how many calories he burns. Mobile health is gaining traction, writes LUCAS AJANAKU.

    A major challenge facing Nigeria, like other developing countries, is how to improve access to quality health care for the entire population. This is the principal reason that motivated the idea of health insurance which the Federal Government has pursued vigorously in the last one decade or so.

    Indeed, it is the way to go. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a recent report said, “A health system where individuals have to pay out of their own pockets at the moment of seeking treatment restricts access to only those who can afford it, and is likely to exclude the poorest members of the society.”

    Even a fairly comfortable man may find that he does not have enough money in his account at the exact time he falls sick, especially when the sickness happens towards the end of the month when he has finished spending his last salary.

    This is why, across the world, a broad range of risk-pooling mechanisms or insurance schemes are increasingly being utilised to boost populations’ access to health care and reduce the financial burden of health services.

    However, as laudable as the health insurance is, it has not been embraced by the populace as expected. The Federal Government is working on the target of providing health insurance for at least 30 per cent of Nigerians by the end of this year.

    Globacom has taken a giant step in assisting the Federal Government to achieve this target by introducing what it called the Glo Mobile Health Insurance Scheme. The package is put together in partnership with the Nigerian Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Salt and Einstein MTS.

    The mobile health insurance product was unveiled in Abuja recently by top Globacom officials and senior officials of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    According to Globacom, this product is aimed at bringing health care to millions of Nigerians through their telephone handsets. The scheme will guarantee Globacom customers free and easy-to-access consultation and medication in over 8,000 hospitals across the country. It will open a viable avenue for millions of people to come under the health insurance coverage, enabling them to sign up to one of the many Health Management Organisations accommodated in the scheme.

    To benefit from this package, Globacom subscribers need to do dial *616# on their mobile phones and they will instantly be placed on the Glo Health platform after a simple registration process.

    Once subscribed, they will be able to use their mobile phones for a range of pre-defined medical treatments for which affordable premiums are remitted through the subscribers’ mobile phone credit.

    The package also comes with supply of drugs free from NHIS accredited operators across the country for subscribers who are consistent in the payment of their premiums for the first three months.

    The premiums have been deliberately made affordable for virtually everyone. Subscribers can pay N35 per day, N250 per week or N1000 per month to qualify to benefit from the mobile insurance package.

    “We do not know when we will fall sick and require medical attention. The beauty of health insurance is that it takes away the burden of worrying whether you will have any money left in your account or in your wallet when next you fall sick. With health insurance cover, anytime you fall sick, you can rest assured that you will have access to quality medical treatment even if you have nothing left in your wallet or in your bank account,” said Globacom’s Regional Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Ashok Israni.

    According to him, there are millions of Nigerians yet to tap into the immense benefits of health insurance. He said the initiative would open a viable avenue for some of these people to come under the health insurance coverage, enabling them to sign up for one of the many Health Management Organisations accommodated in the scheme.

    He said the product will go a long way in realizing the national objective of extending health insurance to Nigerians regardless of their financial status or social class.

    “Together with our partners, Salt & Einstein MTS and NHIS, Globacom is committed to achieving universal health coverage for all Nigerians within the shortest time possible,” Israni added.

    The Chairman of Salt and Einstein MTS, Ernest Ndukwe, said the scheme would reduce the fear of the cost of health care among the populace. According to him, many Nigerians are typically afraid of going to the hospital when they are ill, but with the product, that fear has been removed. He praised Globacom for its efforts in midwifing the scheme.

    The Executive Secretary of NHIS, Dr. Femi Thomas, said the beauty of the scheme is that the health care cost of one person is shared by all subscribers such that the financial burden is virtually lifted off . He commended Globacom for providing its infrastructure for the project.