A selection of tech news from Nigeria and Africa at large.
Nigeria Tech Firm Launch | Solarise Africa Secures $33.4m | Potential 5G Technology Benefits | 5G Auction Lessons | ASWOL Waste Pickers Organization
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Tech firm launches operation in Nigeria – PUNCH NEWS
Liquid Intelligent Technologies has announced the launch of its operations in Nigeria. The firm, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, said it hopes to become a one-stop shop technology company offering high-speed connectivity, cloud, and cyber security services in the country. The Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Cassava Technologies, Hardy Pemhiwa, said, “We were the first African company to lay over 100,000 km of fibre network across the African continent, and we plan to extend our reach into Nigeria.
“Expanding our operations here reiterates our interest in working with the government to achieve the objectives of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (2021 – 2025) and to transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy, a vision enshrined in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020 – 2030).
He declared that the group would through its expertise work towards ensuring that businesses and individuals can add to the growing digital economy setting Nigeria on its path to transform into a tech powerhouse in Africa. He added that the acceleration of digital transformation and the rising demand for cloud services has made Nigeria a destination of choice for tech investments. Read more here
African Energy-as-a-Service company, Solarise Africa, Secures $33.4m – Ripples Nigeria
A Pan-African Energy-as-a-Service company, Solarise Africa, has secured $33.4 Million in Africa’s largest C&I debt raise to date. Jan Albert Valk, CEO, and Co-Founder of Solarise Africa disclosed this in a statement seen by Ripples Nigeria on Monday.
Ripples Nigeria gathered that the investment bank Lion’s Head-managed fund, the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI) acted as lead arranger for a USD 33.4 million multi-country facilities for Solarise Africa’s subsidiaries in Africa. The company provides reliable and affordable decentralized energy solutions for businesses in Africa. “We are very honoured and grateful for the confidence the investors have shown in us. Read more here
Huawei hinges business, economic growth on 5G technology – The Guardian
The Managing Director, Huawei Tech Nigeria, Chris Lu has identified numerous ways the fifth generation of network technology can help accelerate development and improve efficiencies in diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy. Lu disclosed this during his presentation titled “5G Opportunities in Nigeria” at the just concluded Zenith Tech Fair held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
He noted that there was no doubt that the technology has the potential to enable economic growth and promotion of social inclusion in Nigeria. He described the technology as the next generation of mobile internet connectivity that would impact the economy and transform lives.
Emphasising its advantage for the maritime and mining sectors, he stressed the need for stakeholders to embrace the technology to enhance operational efficiency for ports, and improve transport and logistics infrastructure and the mining processes. He said businesses and government must now begin to focus on the future by taking advantage of the huge opportunities 5G provides as it would not only help to improve efficiency but also assist in unleashing productivity. Read more here
Lessons, opportunities as Nigeria undertakes another 5G auction – The Guardian
Ahead of the second licensing round for the Fifth-Generation (5G) network launch in Nigeria, ADEYEMI ADEPETUN, in this piece, writes on issues around the exercise.
IN about 19 days from now, Nigeria is expected to auction two fresh lots of 100MHz in the 3.5GHz spectrum for the Fifth-Generation (5G) network for two more operators. Precisely, Lot A (3400-3500MHz) and Lot C (3600-3700MHz) are opened for fresh bidders.
This is coming about a year after the first auction, which handed the first two 5G licenses in the country to MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications. The two operators paid over $500 million to the Federal Government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). While MTN rolled out the new technology within time in August, all eyes are on Mafab to roll out by January, having requested for a five-month extension, which the NCC granted.
Ahead of the fresh auction slated for December 19 in Abuja, NCC had gathered stakeholders together in Lagos, recently to iron out thorny issues in the draft Information Memorandum (IM). The IM has now been amended. Read more here
ASWOL website launched to verify genuine waste pickers – The Guardian
In a bid to verify authentic waste pickers in Lagos and curb criminalities, the Association of Scrap and waste Pickers of Lagos (ASWOL) has captured no fewer than 3700 registered waste pickers on its newly launched website.
The association’s president, Comrade Friday Oku, stated this at the unveiling of the website during the Nigerian Artisans Technicians Conference held in Lagos. The launch of the website with the support of Rethinking Cities and Heinrich Böll Stiftung was aimed at semi-formalising the operations of waste and scrap pickers in Lagos and helping the government and the public to verify members who work in the state.
The Lagos State Government had earlier banned the activities of waste pickers but the association took up the gauntlet by organising its members and semi-formalising its activities to be part of the waste management ecosystem in Lagos. Read more here
