28
T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
BUSINESSWORLD
E-BUSINESS
Avaya, 21st Century to Drive Digital Transformation Stories by Emma Okonji Avaya, one of global leaders in business communications software, systems and services, has announced a strategic alliance with 21st Century Technologies to help midmarket companies in Nigeria and West Africa, achieve their digital transformation objectives. The agreement will see 21st Century Technologies provide unified communications and contact centre hybrid cloud solutions powered by Avaya IP
Office to its extensive customer base across the region. Established in 1997, 21st Century Technologies is the leading commercial data centre service provider in Nigeria, offering a range of ICT services. The company will deliver Avaya Midmarket Cloud solutions to its extensive customer base, and allowing organisations to benefit from 21st Century Technologies’ state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise, while minimising upfront investment and
benefiting from an operating expenditure (opex) business model. Based on the world-class Avaya IP Office platform, Avaya Midmarket Cloud Solutions are the only UC and CC cloud offers for midsize businesses in the market that utilize the same code base as on-premises deployments, allowing clients to protect their existing investment as they move to cloud.
Together with 21st Century Technologies’ pre and postsales support, training and education, Avaya clients and partners will get the maximum value from their cloud investment. Executive Chairman of 21st Century Technologies, Wale Ajisebutu, said: “This offering will enable us to change the provisioning and utilization of ICT solutions for companies in the Nigerian and West African
market. As companies in the region grapple with economic instability, and look to do more with less, we can provide an opex rather than capital expenditure (capex) business model, minimising their upfront investment, while delivering a 24/7, 365-day service with minimal downtime, allowing them to communicate effectively and in a cost-efficient structure.”
Managing Director, Avaya Africa, Hatem Hariri, said: “We are delighted to partner with 21st Century Technologies to help boost Nigeria and West Africa’s economy through supporting the midmarket sector – the engine room of any economy. This agreement will bring Avaya’s innovative solutions to a wider audience in the region, allowing us to grow our client footprint in the cloud market.”
West Africa’s Top 50 Tech Titans Documentary Set for Unveiling The Titans of Tech Gala Nite, scheduled to hold next weekend in Lagos, will provide a platform for the launch of the definitive documentary on West Africa Top 50 Tech Titans, the organisers have said. The Executive Secretary of the Titans of Tech Awards Board, Don Pedro Aganbi, who made the disclosure in Lagos recently, revealed that the organisers are working in conjunction with Technology Africa and Nigeria ICT broadcast network to produce a pioneering documentary that provides an annotated timeline of the Nigerian telecommunication sector and its accomplishments. According to him, “This documentary, “one of its kind” will use rare archival materials and pictures to provide a unique glimpse into the history of telecommunication in Nigeria, from the first computer in Nigeria to the first installation, in 1923, of the first computer in Nigeria to the first commercial trunk telephone service between Itu and Calabar to the first GSM call and today’s multimedia and online driven business environment.” The documentary, he explained, is a bold attempt to capture the essential history of telecommunications in Nigeria. It will also x-ray the Nigeria
Telecommunications history using stories; snapshots, stories of people; stories of institutions. The ICT enthusiast noted that “The project, which includes the production of a coffee table style book, will feature the key players in the liberalization and subsequent mobile revolution with a special pride of place for “West Africa Top 50” innovators and connectors.” He remarked that the premise for the mobile revolution is the transformation of the telecommunications space precipitated by the convergence of technology. So there is a need to recognise and celebrate individuals and organisations directly involved in helping Nigeria leap-frog. Aganbi also revealed that prominent players in Nigeria ICT space both in the public and private domain were already indicating their interests to participate in this first of its kind project. The Titans of Tech Gala Nite is designed to celebrate hi-tech most important movers and shakers, the pioneers, innovators, men, women, organisations and institutions that are at the forefront of ICT adoption and usage. It is also an avenue to influence policy and networking.
Spectranet 4G LTE Service Excites Ibadan Customers As part of its goal to improve internet penetration in the country, Spectranet 4G LTE has assured Ibadan subscribers of faster and affordable internet service to redefine life style of individuals, homes and business owners in the state. The 4G LTE service from Spectranet has improved over time in Ibadan, a situation that has brought excitement to Ibadan customers. Giving the assurance during the re-launch of the 4G LTE service in Ibadan, the CEO of Spectranet Limited, David Venn said, with the launch of the 4G LTE in the ancient city of Ibadan, a standard that defines wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals, Spectranet has provided Ibadan business owners and residents faster, reliable and affordable internet service that could lift them above current challenges caused by infrastructure deficits. While speaking at the Ibadan
re-launch, Venn said: “Today marks another milestone in our service delivery, as we reinstate our commitment to Ibadan customers through our reliable and affordable internet service for a seamless browsing experience. At Spectranet, we don’t just expand for the sake of expansion, but with the sole purpose of delighting our customers with unique internet experiences that is second-to- none.” He added, “Our principle is to connect our subscribers to what matters most to them by providing a faster and more reliable broadband experience at unparalleled value for money. As market leader, Spectranet is committed to providing its teeming customers with a world class internet experience that is provided using a network of 4G LTE base stations (towers) and coverage, which currently include Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Port Harcourt.”
CAPACITY BUILDING
L-R: National President, NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), Mrs. Modupe Oyekunle; Head, SME Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Obinna Ukachukwu and Vice Chairperson, NNEW Abuja, Mrs. Kenny Omojola, during the NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women Conference 2016 in Abuja … recently
eTranzact Introduces Software Yudala Celebrates Customers Application for Banks with Zero Gravity eTranzact, an online payment platform, has develop another software application that will ease financial transactions in banks. Called BankIT, the solution allows bank customers to make paying directly from their bank accounts, using their mobile devices. According the Chief Executive Officer of eTranzact, Valentine Obi, BankIT was introduced by a desire to build payments product that everyone would truly love and easily use, whether as a bank, a trader in Alaba setting up a website, a web hosting company selling to domain registrants, payments gateway already deployed on merchant websites, an e-commerce website or as a direct consumer. “BankIT was launched by eTranzact quietly last year, enabling airtime purchase directly from bank accounts on USSD, *444# , *805# and *695# on Airtel , Glo and Etisalat respectively, with over 500,000 customers using it to date,” Obi said. The essence of developing BankIT, is to eliminate the need to use cards, hardware tokens or visit any bank branches by securely integrating with banks and allowing customers access their bank accounts via USSD or BankIT-powered platforms. According to Obi, “BankIT has been developed with the philosophy of making payments simple and accessible for Banks,
the merchant and the customer. The solution is customized for ease of use and comes with a strong and reliable security mechanism that protects customers against fraud. We have launched the product to great success with a few partners, and we are ready to open it up for more people to enjoy.” Speaking on the usage of the financial solution, Obi said with BankIT, customers can now pay your DSTV subscription directly from their bank account on USSD via *389*9*Smartcard Number#, buy airtime directly via *444#, *805# and *695# on Airtel, Glo and Etisalat respectively or via the JustTopUp mobile app on the Google Play store, buy any mobile device online on Slot. ng and many other partner platforms. He said developers, website or app owners, could start using BankIT to accept payments by filling a form on BankIT.com.ng to talk to an eTranzact Payments consultant, or emailing info@ bankit.com.ng with the exact product needs, and getting all the information needed about the product. Specifically designed for ease of use and with utmost security in mind, the payment mechanism is for anyone with a bank account. BankIT is the cardless future of transactions. It opens the opportunity for everyone to pay everywhere.
With the first anniversary of its record-breaking entry into Nigeria’s e-commerce sector around the corner, Africa’s first pioneer composite outfit Yudala is putting finishing touches to plans aimed at celebrating its numerous customers with a multi-city digital entertainment concert tagged Zero Gravity. Billed to feature as an annual event, Zero Gravity is an initiative of Yudala targeted at rewarding customers in major cities with world-class entertainment like never seen. According to the company, the management of Yudala is expected to make an official content announcement on the event at press conference scheduled for Wednesday July 27th 2016. The company said Zero Gravity would take place in three of Yudala’s most patronised cities across Nigeria every year, with each city witnessing two concerts – a Rock Gospel concert and contemporary music blast – featuring headline acts and the best of artistes in both music genres from Nigeria and other parts of the world. The company disclosed that New Concept Media Group will expectedly power the concerts with their best-in-class digital concert equipment. Yudala will kick off the Zero Gravity storm with an Independence edition
scheduled to take place in October this year. Within a year of its entry into the keenly-competitive e-commerce sector, Yudala has successfully raised the standards with a series of pioneering feats including the launch of same day delivery and the first recorded drone delivery in the e-commerce world. This is in addition to a slew of innovative and exciting promotions through which it has expanded the offerings and given the consumer more value-added options. Aligned to this is the company’s pioneer status as the first company to combine an e-commerce platform with offline experience stores located in major cities across the country, a strategy which has lent a futuristic outlook to the business and handed it a competitive advantage by allowing it leverage the benefits of both platforms in its quest for increased market share. It is in line with the foregoing that the company has put together Zero Gravity as an initiative to reward the customers who have partnered and kept faith with the Yudala brand from day one. Furthermore, host cities for subsequent editions will be selected on the basis of returns posted by Yudala Experience Stores in various locations across the country.