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Tag: Segun Ogunsanya

  • Ooni lauds Airtel for Olojo sponsorship

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has commended Airtel Nigeria for its sponsorship of Olojo Festival – a cultural celebration of the first dusk and dawn in Yoruba land.

    Speaking during the visit of Airtel team to the monarch’s palace, Oba Ogunwusi said: “On behalf of entire people of Oduduwa, I want to appreciate Airtel for being the official partner to Olojo Festival – the celebration of the first dawn. This is a festival that actually accommodate the entire Yoruba race. It’s our new year which started several thousands of years ago.

    “We are upholding our heritage and culture. On behalf of the entire omoluwabi race we appreciate Airtel and we know that they will do better next year. We are enjoying their telecommunications service and we will continue to partner with them. We appreciate the company and their entire staff for their support.”

    Airtel Nigeria Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Segun Ogunsanya, expressed the company’s delight to be associated with the festival.

    “We were very much delighted to be associated with the Olojo festival and that is why we decided to support in our own little way. We also praise Eledumare for a successful event.

    “At Airtel, we are committed to connecting and empowering people. We are also passionate about our cultural heritage. It is for these reasons that we embraced the opportunity to join you in hosting the Olojo Festival. We believe that culture can play a significant role if we must be successful as a nation.  We admire your influential role as custodian of the Yoruba culture and we encourage you to continue to blaze the trail as far as cultural renaissance is concerned,” he said.

    This year’s event themed: “The Olojo Festival: An Impactful Domestic Tourism Product”, was held from Tuesday, September 18 to Monday, October 1, 2018 at Ile-Ife in Osun State with many events for each day.

    Accenture to help AB InBev improve sales and distribution operations in Africa with new Distributor Management System

    Accenture is helping AB InBev (Euronext: ABI) (NYSE: BUD) (MEXBOL: ANB) (JSE: ANH), the world’s largest brewer, better manage its sales and distribution operations in Africa with the Accenture NewsPage Distributor Management System (DMS).

    A fully integrated distributor management and sales force automation system, Accenture DMS covers the complete down-stream supply chain, providing consumer goods companies with accurate, reliable data on secondary sales to help them control promotions; improve productivity; and streamline inventory and sales processes and distributor claims.

    Under the terms of the three-year contract, Accenture is helping AB InBev implement the latest version of DMS for its operations in Africa. This includes the initial roll-out of the system in Mozambique, Zambia, Ghana and Nigeria, as well as the upgrade of the system in Tanzania and Uganda, where AB InBev has already been using DMS for more than three years.

  • Airtel to create more entrepreneurs in Nigeria — CEO

    The management of Airtel Nigeria has assured Nigerians of its commitment to create more entrepreneurs and “connect more people with their dreams’’ in the country.

    Mr Segun Ogunsanya, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, gave the assurance at the flag-off Airtel’s 4G LTE in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    According to him, Airtel which rolled out the product in February 2018 is also determined to maintain its position as “the largest and the fastest of the 4G network in Nigeria’’.

    Ogunsanya, who also described his organisation as the most modern communication network in Nigeria, said he was proud that the network “works all the time’’.

    He also noted that the deployment of 4G in Port Harcourt was a testimony of the telecommunication company’s commitment to partner and empower the good people of Rivers.

    “4G comes with tons of benefits: it will accelerate economic and commercial activities; it will boost personal and professional productivity; it will help in creating more entrepreneurs.

    “It will offer the youth a big leverage to express their creativity and talent; it will improve the overall quality of life and connect more people to their dreams.

    “With 4G, Airtel will also power people, businesses and aid governance through Technology,” he said.

    Read Also: Airtel’s 4G Internet service for Delta

    The event was attended by King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Treaty King Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Opobo Kingdom and King Leslie Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka of Evo Kingdom among others.

    Ogunsanya had earlier during a visit to the Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, said Airtel had rolled out its 4G technology in major cities across Nigeria to make the organisation the largest 4G network.

    “We bring our 4G Network to you and the people of Rivers State! I make bold to say we have the best and largest 4G Network in Nigeria.

    “It is a sign of our regard for and commitment to the government and people of Rivers State that we have chosen this state and indeed this city, as one of the early and biggest beneficiaries of this innovative system of mobile telecommunications.

    “We are not resting on our laurels as we are still connecting more cities and towns in Nigeria to our 4G network,’’ he said.

    Wike also commended Airtel for its 4G roll out and assured that his administration would continue to provide a conducive environment for investors and corporate organizations.

    “We want to partner with you (Airtel) and give you all the necessary support.

    “Rivers State abhors multiple taxation and we will do everything to protect investors, corporate organisations and businessmen and women,’’ he said.

  • Airtel Touching Lives: Nigerians urged to nominate beneficiaries

    Airtel Touching Lives: Nigerians urged to nominate beneficiaries

    Telecommunication services provider, Airtel Nigeria has called on Nigerians to participate in the 4th edition of its flagship Touching Lives programme by nominating causes and persons who require help.

    There is definitely no better time than now to put in a nomination the Airtel Touching Lives as the ground-breaking CSR initiative, enters its 4th edition.

    According to the telco, you can nominate individuals, communities and groups by dialing 367 or sending an SMS to the Shortcode – 367 before the nomination window closes on 5th of January, 2018.

    Airtel Nigeria recently launched the fourth edition of its flagship CSR initiative, Touching Lives, designed to uplift the downtrodden and offer practical support to indigent Nigerians across the country.

    Speaking at the press launch of the initiative, in Lagos, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, said the company is committed to helping the less privileged in the society.

    “While the Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) cannot do it all, we have a responsibility to contribute our quota in making Nigeria a better place.

    “As we commence the fourth edition, we are calling on well-meaning Nigerians to nominate causes and persons who require help. The process is simple; once you nominate an individual or cause, our team will review and assess the situation and determine if a follow-up visit will be required”, Mr. Ogunsanya said.

    “Nominations are open to everyone via the 367 Shortcode. Also emails can be sent to touchinglives@ng.airtel.com

    “Together, we all can make our society a better place if we join hands and collaborate to uplift the downtrodden around us”, he stated.

    Previous seasons of Airtel Touching Lives have not only addressed a wide spectrum of issues but also strived to inculcate in Nigerians the spirit of giving in order to contribute to the wellbeing of their fellow Nigerians.

    One of the memorable episodes in Season 3 was the story of Olusegun Aina family, who recently gave birth to a set of twins (a boy and a girl) after losing three children to an inferno and rendered homeless. Airtel built and donated a multi-million Naira, ultra-modern 2-bedroom apartment to the family and also paid for all outstanding medical bills incurred while undergoing treatment of injuries sustained in the fire.

    Other highlights of the last edition also include the donation of laptops, digital voice recorder and other gadgets to Bethesda Home and School for the blind; procurement of prosthetic leg for Emmanuel Onyeka and Scholarship for his University education. A 9-year-old cancer patient, Pillar Egona also received N3m for her chemotherapy treatment.

    The Touching Lives CSR initiative has impacted lives of thousands of Nigerians. The company, over the years, has provided potable water for several starved communities, built maternal and health centres for remote communities, built and renovated schools to provide quality education to the less privileged.

  • El-Rufai commends Airtel for supporting education

    El-Rufai commends Airtel for supporting education

    The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has commended Airtel Nigeria for its role in the development of primary education across the country, after commissioning Yahaya Hamza Primary School, one of its newly adopted schools in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    This is in line with the telco’s commitment to providing opportunities to underprivileged children.

    The Governor thanked Airtel for adopting a school in the State and for its support to primary education in Nigeria.

    According to him, with Airtel’s intervention, the new Yahaya Hamza Primary School has been transformed – complete with 6 blocks, 12 classrooms, desk and chairs, teachers’ offices, whiteboards, borehole facilities and toilets for male and female students as well as teachers. Students, today, also got a complete set of uniforms, bags and books.

    “I urge other stakeholders in corporate Nigeria to emulate Airtel by partnering with the Kaduna State government in supporting educational initiatives.”

    The governor also expressed delight at Airtel’s choice of Yahaya Hamza Primary school, noting that it signifies the preservation of the legacies of a great man, a teacher, a role model, a leader and an inspiration, Yahaya Hamza.

    He also said that Airtel’s intervention is a gift that aligns with Kaduna State’s goal of developing primary, secondary and tertiary education.

    “The Kaduna State Government thanks Airtel for offering its widow mite and contributions in our quest to revamp education in the State,” he said.

    Also speaking at the occasion, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, noted that good education is a human right, describing it as a ticket to prosperity since it creates a level field for everyone to succeed.

    He further noted that Airtel’s adoption of schools is not a one-year wonder but a continuing partnership.

    The CEO also used the occasion to request support for Sadiq Usman, a five-year-old boy whose eyes were removed by suspected ritualists last year.

    “It is tragic and heart-breaking to see an innocent, vulnerable child suffer and go through such excruciating pains. I and My colleagues were deeply moved by Sadiq’s situation and generously supported the call to provide relief.

    “Our support will not just end here, Sadiq is our adopted son and he will continue to be our priority and in our prayers. A child is a trust and every member of society has a responsibility towards children – this we must take seriously,” he said.

    Yahaya Hamza primary school in Zaria, Kaduna State joins the five other Airtel adopted primary schools spread across Nigeria, namely Oremeji Primary School II, Ajegunle, Lagos; St. John’s Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun; Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo; Iyeru Okin Primary School, Ilara-Mokin, Kwara and Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross River State.

    The commissioning ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris and Zaria City representative at the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kasim Iliyasu, among others.

  • Airtel, HNI unveil internet-free public service

    Airtel, HNI unveil internet-free public service

    Airtel Nigeria has partnered with Human Network International (HNI), to unveil the 3-2-1 Service, a call-in system that provides free, on-demand information – ranging from healthcare to good governance – to Nigerians, regardless of the kind of mobile phone or region.

    The 3-2-1 Service is a search engine which provides public service information, on-demand, to mobile phone users in English as well as in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Pidgin English, which depends on recorded messages by indigenous speakers. The Service is convenient for all Nigerians, regardless of age, education and literacy.

    In his remark, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said the telco is committed to creating platforms that will empower Nigerians as well as uplift telecoms consumers in the various communities where it operates.

    Represented by Human Resource Director, Airtel Nigeria, Gbemiga Owolabi, Ogunsanya said: “As a major stakeholder, we are excited to partner with HNI to create a huge platform that offers a plethora of opportunities to enable millions of Nigerians across various communities to lead better and healthier lives. We are confident that the 321 initiative will help transform lives in many locations across the country.”

    Similarly, Harriet Blest, HNIs Country Manager in Nigeria noted:“By turning simple mobile phones into search engines, Human Network International and Airtel are giving Nigerians an entirely new way to access information using technology they already own.”

    “Nigerians with little or no literacy can still leverage the service, and that makes it an incredibly powerful tool. We are delighted to have partnered with Airtel on this and look forward to reaching millions of Nigerians.”

    The 3-2-1 Service provides public service information that is all relevant to both individuals and communities across Nigeria. The topics launched on the service include Agriculture, Commodity Prices, Family Planning, Good Governance, Health, News & Entertainment, Nutrition, Sanitation, and Weather.

    The public service messages are created and curated by committees convened by HNI. These committees included representation from government ministries, plus Nigerian and international subject area experts, including, Action Aid, Catholic Relief Services, EarthNetworks, GSMA, MERCK/MSD, Novus Agro, Pulse.ng, UNFPA and the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The call-in system will further be enhanced to cover more topics and messages such as entrepreneurship and financial literacy in the near future. By dialling 321 prepaid Airtel lines, users will connect the caller to voice prompts in any of the earlier mentioned indigenous languages or in English.

    Airtel subscribers can use the service for up to ten times for free within a month after which a flat call rate of N10 will be applied. However, it is an endless free usage to use the USSD code, *321#.

  • ADVAN: Airtel’s CEO encourages practitioners on digital advertising

    ADVAN: Airtel’s CEO encourages practitioners on digital advertising

    Airtel Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Segun Ogunsanya, has called on advertising practitioners to pay close attention to digital advertising as part of efforts to connect with the target audience and ensure maximum returns from advertising spend.

    Ogunsanya, who was speaking at the 2016 ADVAN Awards for marketing excellence held at the weekend in Lagos, noted that with the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices, digital advertising is the future of advertising.

    According to him, there are over 5 billion people with access to mobile phones; hence, a mobile device remains the easiest way to connect with people, especially the youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.

    He noted that Millennials are looking at many different screens for advertising. They are now concentrating on digital media, and advertising has to move to the digital space.

    We, the clients, can no longer rely on strategies counting on users to just watch our messages on TV or listen to the radio anymore. Nor can we be so sure that consumers will watch a prime time show at the prime time, or in their homes, or out of work hours, he said.

    While speaking on what brands should do differently, the Airtel CEO urged advertising practitioners to ensure that engagement with the targeted audience is personal and relevant just as he noted that brands must always adopt a two-way communication (conversation) with their target audience so as to get feedback.

    The Airtel helmsman also recommended that organisations must measure and evaluate their advertising campaigns in order to test the effectiveness, saying that this will aid the direction of future advertising campaigns.

    The event, which held on Saturday, October 29, 2016, at The Muson Centre, Lagos, was a night to celebrate brands that have done extremely well in the field of advertising.

    At the awards, Airtel’s Smart Connect 2.0 campaign was the co-first runner-up in the Campaign of the year category, an award they jointly won with Grand Oak Limited, makers of Lord’s Dry Gin.

    The President, Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), David Okeme, who declared the event open, highlighted the importance of advertising to individuals and the economy.

    Okeme noted that Advertising unlocks economic activities, thus boosting a country’s GDP.

    ADVAN is the umbrella association for all advertisers (Corporate organisations that engage in major advertising) in Nigeria, established in 1992 as National Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria and in 1994 was renamed Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN)

  • Photos: Foremost economist, Rewane with Airtel’s Chief

    Photos: Foremost economist, Rewane with Airtel’s Chief

    Airtel CEO
    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane and Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, at the 5th edition of Employee Knowledge series at Airtel Headquarters

     

    Airtel Chief
    Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Airtel Africa, Roy Masamba; Director, Corporate Communication and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah; MD/CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, at the 5th Employee Knowledge Series
  • Airtel, Osinbajo, Zuckerberg hail Aso Villa demo day winners

    Airtel, Osinbajo, Zuckerberg hail Aso Villa demo day winners

    Telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, have commended all the participants of the Aso Villa Demo Day, a presidential initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and innovation through the use of new and emerging technologies.

    Airtel, one of the major sponsors of the initiative, endowed and presented cash prizes to the top three participants.

    Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya congratulated the winners and reaffirmed Airtel’s commitment to pioneering innovation in the telecoms industry as well as seeking credible platforms to support the Nigerian government and the country’s youth.

    Speaking at the event, the Vice President Vice President, Osinbajo congratulated all the participants, saying they are all winners.

    While lauding the country’s youth for their innovation, creativity, drive and entrepreneurial spirit, the Vice President said there is so much hope in what the young generation can do.

    He also hinted that the Federal Government is currently exploring ways to cooperate with Facebook in the next few months.

    Zuckerberg, in his submission, said it is inspiring to see what young Nigerians have done in terms of app development and use of technology.

    He said his trip to Nigeria has blown him away in terms of the talents he sees across the country. He noted that Nigerian youth will not just shape the country but will shape the whole world.

    Aso Villa Demo Day is aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, job creation and economic growth through the use of new and emerging technologies. An initiative of the Presidency, the maiden edition celebrated some of the best Nigerians in technology innovation and creativity and also featured inspiring talks from thought leaders and experts from different economic sectors in Nigeria.

    The colourful prize presentation ceremony, which held at the Aso Villa on Friday, was attended by Ogunsanya, Prof. Osinbajo, Zuckerberg, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; the minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu and Chief Executives drawn from different sectors across corporate Nigeria.

  • Telcos boosts GDP with N400b, says Airtel CEO

    Telcos boosts GDP with N400b, says Airtel CEO

    Since the telecoms sector was liberalised  over a decade ago, carriers have grown the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to N400 billion, the Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, has said.

    According to him, taxes and regulatory levies are the most significant sources for direct contribution from the telcos, accounting for about 55 per cent of direct contributions.

    Ogunsanya, who spoke in an interview in the telcos Lagos office, said by estimation, operators paid N60 billion in taxes yearly with another N55billion paid in various forms of levies.

    He said: “The direct contribution of telecoms operators to the country’s GDP is estimated at around N400billion in 2012. Taxes and regulatory levies are the most important source of direct contribution from network operators in Nigeria, accounting for about 55 per cent of the direct contribution. By our estimates, network operators pay close to N160bilion in taxes annually, with another N55billion paid in various forms of regulatory levies.

    “In addition, Nigerian operators have paid close to $4billon (N640billion) in license and spectrum fees since 2001. Further, between three per cent and five per cent of Nigerian telecoms services revenues are paid out in wages and benefits for some of the highest skilled jobs in the economy. Other contributions to the economy include payments to contractors, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and dividends to shareholders. CSR programmes have been of particular significance, with many operators investing a material portion of their revenue on such programmes despite not breaking even on their investments.”

    Ogunsanya said operators also contribute to the economy through the wider ecosystem of the telecoms industry which includes the entire industry value chain, from contractors for base transmission station (BTS) deployments and system integrators to resellers of devices.

    He said the third channel of contribution comes through multiplier effects and productivity gains from the society at large using telecoms services.

    He said: “The telecoms sector is a major contributor to foreign direct investment in Nigeria, along with the banking and oil and gas sectors.

    “Cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nigeria over the 2001-2011 period has been around $45billion; the telecoms sector has accounted for around 35 per cent of that amount, with operators using capital to acquire licences, acquire or prop up local operations, and expanding their networks. During some individual years (such as 2009), the telecoms sector rose to provide more than half of the country’s FDI.”

     

  • Job loss over telecoms’ towers sale baseless, says Airtel chief

    Job loss over telecoms’ towers sale baseless, says Airtel chief

    Disposal of telecoms towers by telcos will not compound the unemployment situation in the country, the Chief Executive Officer Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya has.

    He said rather, it would create more jobs.

    He spoke at the firm’s corporate headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    He said: “Yes, indeed, there are plans by operators to sell off, not necessarily outsource, the towers. It is the trend globally, and it is meant to allow operators concentrate on their core competences and allow those who are better equipped professionally to manage the towers to do so. The telcos had already outsourced their network operations to experts such as Ericsson and Huawei, whch, in turn, outsourced maintenance services such as fueling, cleaning and security to local companies known in industry parlance as ISMs.

    “It is evident that the eco-system of telecommunications business is growing a wide value-chain, which has Nigerians (locals) at the epicenter. So, more jobs would be created rather than lost, given that the new owners will definitely like to grow their businesses. Regarding the Call Centres, which were outsourced to BPOs (business process outsourcing), it is an inexactitude to say jobs were lost! On the contrary, the number of people employed in the Call Centre business has grown exponentially by over 300 per cent.”

    He averred that rather than create fears in the minds of indigenous engineers, who will be moving to the tower management firms, and disaffection in the hearts of Nigerians, who have been unapologetic beneficiaries of the global system for mobile (GSM) communication revolution started in 2001, the immense advantages inherent in this strategic business move by the telcos should be highlighted.

    According to Ogunsanya, there is a lot of cheering stories from the telecoms sector, which he said, has attracted over $20billin in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the last 12 and a half years, adding that it is the only industry that has continued to creatively take advantage of a combination of economic factors including technology, competition, outsourcing, and other economies of scale, to drive costs down hence price of telecommunications services and related products like phones and other devices.

    “The telecommunications industry has demonstrably employed more people directly and indirectly since 2001. The marketing communications industry, construction, security, petroleum marketing and several others have experienced a boom with the activities of the telcos. Indeed, telecommunications can be described as the goose that lays the golden egg in the Nigerian economy,” he said.