Three companies, out of 81 companies that contested at the Nigerian Communication Commission’s inspired technology innovation talent hunt competition, shared the N30 million prize money equally.

Nine other shortlisted companies went home with N500,000 consolation prizes each.

Solaris GreenTech Hub, Knownow Africa Limited and Specxs Care Limited, came bright at the 2023 NCC’s Annual Hackathon Competition, adjudged by an independent Panel of Judges chaired by the President of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Prof. Mohammed Ajiya.

Solaris, whose team comprises Chiemela Anosike, Ineke Chinecherem and Onoh Chiemela, won in the Renewable Energy Solution category of the hackathon with their green energy solution that provides clean energy hubs for people in rural communities to be able to charge their phones and other mobile/electronic devices.

Knownow, with a team consisting of Abdulazeez Abiola, Dr. Mudasiru Taiwo and Dr. Oluwaseun Ojerinde emerged winner in the Blockchain Solution category for their fraud-detection and prevention solution.

Specxs Care Limited, also a winner, with team members comprising Isah Dahiru, Ameenat Bala and Musa Gambo, lifted the trophy also with their wearable devices called ‘Smart Bladder’, which can help manage urinary incontinence in elderly people and reduce the cost of their daily spending while ensuring proper personal hygiene.

Prof. Ajiya said the panel was painstaking in assessing all the submissions/entries, diligent in shortlisting the 12 participants and meticulous in determining the three winners through strict compliance with the requirements stated by the Commission for the exercise.

Earlier in his keynote address at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, who was represented by the Director, Research and Development, Ismail Adedigba, said the event aligns perfectly with one of the core objectives embedded within the new Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) of the Commission for the years 2023-2025, which speaks to fostering the development of cutting-edge technologies through rigorous research to catalyse sustainable economic growth and overall development within Nigeria.

He noted that this year’s event focuses on three pivotal thematic areas that not only pertain to Nigeria but also resonate with global concerns. The themes, he said, are:  Blockchain-enabled Data Protection Solutions for Enhancing Regulatory Compliance; Assistive Technology Solutions for the Elderly and People with Disabilities; and Technology Solutions for Renewable Energy in Rural Areas

Adedigba said Talent Hunt Research through Hackathon is just the inception of the Commission’s unwavering commitment to nurturing innovation and nascent ideas, the way it has been doing for previous winning innovative solutions and ideas that had emerged through the annual hackathon.

“The culmination of this competition is not confined to the grand prize of N10 million awarded to each winner from these three thematic areas for the development of their solutions, but goes beyond this, as the Commission takes a holistic approach to support these promising innovations. We closely monitor the progress of these solutions as they evolve into full-fledged prototypes,” he said.

He added that in a world where innovation is paramount, NCC often witness the remarkable potential of Hackathons to showcase fresh perspectives on existing challenges, adding that the NCC’s annual hackathon serve as instrumental tools in sustaining innovation and mobilising the collective intelligence of the innovators to tackle pressing real-world issues, both in the business realm and within our social fabric.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has described the Financial Technology (FinTech) industry as a critical driver of financial inclusion of Nigerian citizens living in the underserved and unserved communities across the country.

Maida made this known in his keynote address at the 2023 edition of the annual Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) FinTech Forum which focused on, “Harnessing Nigeria’s Fintech Potential: Challenges and Opportunities” and took place in Lagos recently.

The EVC, who was represented at the event by the Controller of NCC Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Henry Ojiokpota, stated that the theme of the forum was suitable at this time for a discourse about the financial industry given the significant rise in digital financial services across the nation.

The EVC said Fintech is revolutionizing Nigeria’s financial ecosystem as it represents a positive disruption to the conventional financial system. Maida stated that financial technology’s emergence to leverage technology to enhance financial services such as mobile banking, borrowing, investment, and cryptocurrency, comes as an enhancer and enabler of business and other opportunities in the sphere of innovation, job creation and investment that further stimulates economic growth.

The EVC stated that fintech applications such as robo-advisors, payment apps, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending apps, investment apps, and crypto apps, among others, create business opportunities for individuals. He also stated that the adoption of these Fintech applications for socioeconomic gains by the youth, who account for 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, will add value to the economy.

Maida recalled recent industry statistics citing active subscriptions across mobile networks in Nigeria, which hit 220.7 million in August 2023, to demonstrate that the Nigerian Fintech ecosystem can offer an array of financial services to telecom subscribers.

He said the Commission will continue to expand and enhance telecommunications infrastructure to enable robust Fintech services, and address consumer concerns, and regulatory challenges in the sector because the optimal utilization of digital technologies will enhance the provision of financial services to rural communities and underserved segments of the population through leveraging of high mobile phone penetration in Nigeria.

“Therefore, Fintech has the potential to deepen the existing payment and financial system infrastructure to reach unserved and underserved areas and further stimulate economic growth”, Maida said.

He said the Commission has begun implementing new strategies to meet the new target of 70 per cent Broadband penetration by the year 2025 as contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 and the blueprint released by the Honourable Minister for accelerating the growth of the digital economy sector through technology.

The EVC said these policies and strategies have huge implications for enhancing derivable benefits of the Fintech industry as well as significantly and positively impacting Nigeria’s goals on financial inclusion and the digital economy at large.

The NCC boss promised that the Commission will continue to support the Fintech industry in harnessing its enormous potential and will not rest on its oars in its strides to address the challenges in the sector, including improving the provision of secured infrastructure that support the delivery of digital financial services in efficient ways. He also reiterated the Commission’s focus on maintaining minimum standards in Quality of Service (QOS) to ensure uninterrupted connectivity to enhance sectoral contribution to the economy.

The EVC stated that the Commission, in support of its vision in this sphere, has implemented a Memorandum of Understanding with CBN on boosting payment systems and financial inclusion, which is in line with the Nigeria Payments System Vision 2025. He also informed that NCC will continue to play an important role in harnessing the potential of Fintech through maximum support for Fintech policies, enforcing regulations, and strengthening collaborations with relevant authorities.

HP has unveiled the newest addition to the Z by HP workstation lineup, the HP Z6 G5 A, a cutting-edge desktop workstation designed to meet the demanding needs of virtual production, 3D rendering, AI, and machine learning professionals.

With the highest number of cores ever in a Z by HP workstation and the ability to configure up to three high-performance graphics cards, the Z6 G5 A is set to revolutionise productivity and performance.

Powered by the AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO CPU, the Z6 G5 A features up to 96 cores in a single workstation CPU, allowing users to create and render simultaneously on intensive projects. With space for up to three high-end NVIDIA RTX™ 6000 Ada Generation GPUs or AMD GPUs and eight memory channels, the Z6 G5 A is perfect for tearing through virtual production, 3D modeling tasks, or complex, advanced data sets.

“The HP Z6 G5 A is a groundbreaking workstation that embodies the perfect fusion of maximised cores and powerful graphics,” said Jim Nottingham, Senior Vice President and Division President, Advanced Compute and Solutions, HP Inc. “Our team at HP is dedicated to empowering professionals across the fields of virtual production, 3D rendering, and data science with a robust and reliable solution that not only meets, but exceeds, performance expectations. The Z6 G5 A is a testament to our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in workstation technology.”

“At AMD, we are proud to have our Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 Series processors power the new HP Z6 G5 A workstation, a cutting-edge solution that caters to the diverse and demanding requirements of today’s complex workflows,” said Jason Banta, corporate vice president and GM, OEM PCs. “Our collaboration with HP exemplifies our shared vision of pushing the boundaries of innovation and customer satisfaction, delivering a robust and reliable solution that exceed expectations in the ever-evolving field of high-performance compute.”

The Z6 G5 A can tear through virtual production or 3D modeling tasks as well as data science workflows like AI and machine learning. With an innovative system design and the new AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7000 WX-Series CPU, the Z6 G5 A packs a staggering number of cores into a single workstation for higher productivity.

The Z6 G5 A also offers plenty of room to expand as demands change, with space for up to three high-end GPUs and flexible storage options with front-accessible, hot-swappable NVMe drives for quick and easy access to large files. The redesigned layout of this generation Z by HP desktop workstation increases airflow, ensuring the system remains cool even at peak performance, while intelligent fan control tunes the fan speeds in real-time using over 20 temperature sensors to maintain whisper-quiet operation. With 360,000 hours of rigorous testing, MIL-STD testing, and certification for professional applications, the HP Z6 G5 A is built to endure. As part of the World’s Most Sustainable PC Portfolio, HP’s commitment to sustainability is reinforced in the design, built with 40% recycled plastics, and is planned to be EPEAT® Gold-certified, reflecting the company’s dedication to helping the environmental impact of its products.

In today’s hybrid work environment, being able to tap into exceptional remote performance is a top priority. The HP Anyware solution allows for a colour-accurate, low-latency experience for 3D VFX, AI, and machine learning workflows under varying network connections, and the HP Anyware Remote System Controller enables IT managers to monitor and manage workstation fleets without compromising control. Additionally, the Z by HP Data Science Stack Manager streamlines access to the best open-source software solutions in a user-friendly platform for data scientists and AI creators. The HP Z6 G5 A supports WSL2, bringing the ability to run Linux within the Windows ecosystem and offering easy access to tools from the Z by HP Data Science Stack Manager and the new Z by HP AI Studio.

HP Z6 G5 A Features 

Create, render, process—all at once. 

• Do it all—with efficient performance per watt—on the Z6 G5 A. The system design packs up to 96 cores in a single workstation CPU with room for up to three high-end GPUs.

Expandable. Flexible. Whisper Quiet. 

• Designed to pack all the power and components you need now with room to grow—without throttling. Get maximum expandability with up to 6 PCIe slots (up to gen 5) and 12 NVMe SSDs.

Comprehensive Security. Trusted Reliability. 

• The Z6 G5 A has undergone 360K hours of rigorous testing, MIL-STD testing, and is certified for pro apps. With HP Wolf Security for Business, it’s protected below, in, and above the OS.

Discover the power of the HP Z6 G5 A workstation and revolutionize your workflow, unleashing new data-driven insights and unparalleled performance for your most demanding projects. Create, render, and process all at once with the new HP Z6 G5 A and unlock the full potential of your most demanding projects.

Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) trading as 9mobile has announced its 15th anniversary in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in its journey of providing exceptional services to customers across the country. The brand which commenced its journey into the Nigeran market on October 23, 2008, with the disruptive ‘0809ja’ campaign, has been at the forefront of innovation, delivering cutting-edge telecommunications solutions to meet the evolving needs of businesses and individuals.

Over the past 15 years, 9mobile has affirmed its heritage as a truly Nigerian company renowned for youthfulness, innovation, reliability, and outstanding customer service. Throughout its journey, the company has continuously embraced technological advancements, ensuring that its services remain at the forefront of the industry. From the early days of voice services to today’s high-speed internet connectivity, cloud solutions, and digital communications, 9mobile has consistently adapted and evolved to meet the demands of the digital age.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our 15th anniversary, a significant milestone that showcases our dedication to providing top-notch telecommunications solutions,” said Juergen Peschel, CEO of 9mobile. “We owe our success to our loyal customers, partners, investors, regulators, and the hard work of our talented team. Some of our staff have been with the business since inception and this anniversary is a testament to their unwavering support and commitment.”

As we retrospect, we take great joy in our heritage as a truly Nigerian company that has revolutionized Nigeria’s telecommunications industry with an array of innovative products, services, and solutions that empower the youth, entrepreneurs, and indeed all segments across the country.”

Peschel emphasised that a strong and resilient Nigerian spirit resides in the brand, which is a testament to the company’s dynamism, responsiveness, and agility as a business while leveraging the power of technology to deliver innovative products and services to meet customers’ needs.

Over the past 15 years, 9mobile has achieved numerous milestones, including expanding its network coverage, launching innovative products and services, and forging strategic partnerships with industry leaders. The company’s commitment to excellence has earned it several prestigious awards and recognition within the telecoms sector.

“We are proud of all our achievements – the firsts we have recorded in this industry.  We are poised to do more even with the challenging business environment. We have had our ups and downs, but we will continue to consolidate on our successes and milestones in the coming years”. he continued.

The brand has recorded many firsts in the industry including its most daring Masterbrand campaign ‘0809UChoose’ which put the power in the hands of subscribers to determine their mobile numbers.

The brand also deployed Moreblaze, its revolutionary data bundle that offers the fastest data, and Cloud 9, a music platform that offers the best of unique end-to-end experiential music performances. It recently launched The Hack, an SME initiative that serves as a growth enabler for small businesses, which has seen it traverse cities and campuses. It has also left significant footprints on education, arts, and culture with the 9mobile Telecommunications Engineering Postgraduate Program (9TEPP), its flagship pan-Africa 9mobile Prize for Literature which promotes literacy and encourages writers to hone their craft across Africa and Photography Competition.

“Looking towards the future, 9mobile is on a transformation journey and is committed to continuing its legacy of excellence, innovation, and exceptional customer service. With a dedicated team and a clear vision, we are poised to explore new horizons, push boundaries, and redefine the telecommunications landscape. We remain focused on our mission to connect people, empower businesses, and drive digital transformation in Nigeria” Peschel concluded.