Technology
MainOne to commit N25billion to digitisation of Lagos
MainOne launches its “Digital Lagos: Broadband for All” campaign initiative to enable the digital transformation of Lagos state
LAGOS, Nigeria, May 22, 2019 – West Africa’s leading connectivity and data centre solutions provider, MainOne launches its “Digital Lagos: Broadband for All” campaign initiative to enable the digital transformation of Lagos state through deployment of ubiquitous broadband infrastructure across the state.
MainOne’s ambitions for Lagos is inspired by the vision of Lagos Governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who noted presciently that “Technology will improve the rule of law, education, ease of doing business and government processes of Lagos”.
At the campaign launch organized in Lagos to announce its plans on Tuesday, Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, said, the company is keen to collaborate with the Lagos State Government and all other relevant stakeholders to build Digital Lagos and help citizens from all walks of life realize the benefits of broad, sustainable economic growth, modernized education, health, and other services delivery, and improved quality of life.
“MainOne is pleased to have the opportunity to present its plan for Digital Lagos, a proven path to ubiquitous broadband connectivity. This plan will involve the investment by MainOne of over N25 billion over the next 2-3 years to develop critical fiber optic infrastructure to enable broadband services across Lagos state,” she said.
A presentation was made by Mr. Judah Levine, CEO HIP Consult, a Washington DC based, independent, management consulting firm with specialization in ICT in emerging markets. HIP Consult worked with MainOne in developing a concept paper and implementation plan for Digital Lagos. Mr. Levine touched on the research done for Digital Lagos, its implementation plans and subsequent impact in Lagos State.
Opeke said MainOne has pioneered investments in critical internet-enabling infrastructure across West Africa, Nigeria, and Lagos. To date, the company has invested over N120 billion funded by leading African banks and has proven its capabilities in expanding and densifying localized fiber networks in neighboring Ogun and Edo States by deploying almost 1,000kms of fiber in partnership with Facebook to expand broadband access and connect government institutions and other areas of interest.
Opeke said, as the licenced InfraCo for Lagos zone, the resulting network to be built by MainOne would provide essential connectivity to critical State institutions, cover over 300 government agencies, up to 10,000 State CCTV locations, Telecom operators and ISPs, public Wi-Fi hotspots, Smart City components / IOT devices, in addition to Enterprises.
In Lagos, MainOne’s existing 700-kilometer network already covers major population centers and Yaba, where it provides connectivity for the majority of the Yabacon ecosystem and has connected startups like Andela, ccHub, Paga, and Flutterwave and others that have raised up to USD500million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Nigeria.
MainOne
At IFA 2024, LG Electronics launched its latest range of energy-efficient home appliances, designed to reduce power consumption and address Africa’s unique energy challenges.
In line with the global push for sustainability, LG’s new appliances boast industry-leading energy efficiency, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 goal of transitioning to a green economy.
“As a responsible global citizen, LG Electronics is dedicated to developing eco-friendly solutions, reducing carbon footprint, and promoting sustainable living in Africa,” said Oktae Kim, Product Director, Home Appliance Division, LG Electronics Nigeria. We will continue to leverage our advanced core technologies, including inverter and component solutions, to deliver an expanded lineup of appliances with industry-leading energy efficiency,
LG’s latest washing machine and dryer set new standards for energy efficiency. The washing machine can perform a new drum motion that helps deliver clean laundry while minimizing the energy consumption of its Artificial Intelligence Direct Drive (AI DD™) motor. The washer intelligently adjusts the motor’s RPM in real-time, contributing to the appliance’s impressive A-55 percent energy rating and preventing laundry from tangling or twisting. Additionally, LG’s new washing machine comes with a Microplastic Care cycle that reduces the shedding of microplastics from laundry, as well as the ezDispense™ feature, which automatically dispenses the right amount of detergent for each load.
Meanwhile, the efficient, new dryer has an A+++-26 percent energy rating. Both of LG’s latest laundry appliances are equipped with AI-driven innovations; the washing machine’s AI DD motor and AI Wash feature offer enhanced fabric-sensing capabilities and strong performance, while the dryer’s AI Dry™ provides accurate moisture detection and optimal drying for a range of different materials and laundry items. The washing machine can also automatically set cycle and temperature options based on usage patterns and change the order in which cycles are displayed on the control panel (according to usage-frequency) for a more convenient user experience.
Refrigerators with High Efficiency and Premium Design
Offering the lowest energy consumption of any refrigerator currently on the market, the new LG bottom-freezer refrigerator has an A-25 percent energy rating and brings style to the kitchen with its premium flat door design. In addition, the new model generates only 29dB during operation for a more peaceful kitchen environment. To give European customers greater choice, LG is expanding its line of highly efficient refrigerators, introducing a large capacity side-by-side model in addition to the new bottom-freezer. The new side-by-side refrigerator offers convenient features, such as the company’s unique Craft Ice spherical-ice maker, and easy hygiene management with UVnano™ technology.
Convenient and Efficient Kitchen Solution
Along with A++ energy efficiency, LG’s new 60-centimeter (24-inch) built-in InstaView™ oven presents a variety of cutting-edge features and AI technologies to elevate the culinary experience. The oven provides a total of 80 Auto Cook modes, and, with Gourmet AI™️, can identify the dish being cooked through its built-in camera, and automatically select the appropriate cooking mode from a database of 30 recipes. Making life in the kitchen that much easier, LG’s InstaView technology lets users check on their meal’s progress without even having to open the door, helping to preserve the temperature inside the oven and prevent energy waste.
Incorporating the company’s power-saving Inverter Direct Drive Motor™, the new LG QuadWash™ dishwasher has an energy efficiency rating of A-20 percent. The dishwasher also enhances convenience with its Side Rack and 3rd Rack options, offering users the loading flexibility to accommodate a variety of different kitchenware.
For more information about LG Home Appliances product, kindly visit https://www.lg.com/africa/home-appliances
Press Release
Sumsub Achieves Full Compliance Across African Jurisdictions in Independent FINTRAIL Audit
Sumsub co-founder and CTO, Vyacheslav Zholudev (Image: Supplied)
FINTRAIL, a UK-based consultancy helping companies manage their exposure to financial crime risk & maintain regulatory compliance, examined Sumsub’s Non-Doc Identity Verification solution and reviewed respective legislation, asserting full regulatory compliance of document-free identity verification in 18 jurisdictions. Based on the audit’s findings and internal expertise, Sumsub shares a free guide to non-documentary verification.
“FINTRAIL has conducted a regulatory-led audit of Sumsub’s non-documentary identity verification product, and has reviewed local regulation and guidance in the markets where non-documentary identity verification is permissible to confirm solutions deployed by Sumsub are compliant with local regulations and guidance” – FINTRAIL writes in their report.
Non-documentary identity verification, or Non-Doc, enables verifying customer identities without requesting their IDs. Instead, a person only needs to type their document number and undergo a quick liveness check. While this relatively new practice is gaining popularity among both client firms and verification vendors, Non-Doc has already proved to be a compliant KYC method in many African jurisdictions and showcases Sumsub’s ability to seamlessly navigate the often complex regulatory environments each jurisdiction poses.
Other key benefits of document-free VS document-based verification include:
- Faster and more convenient user onboarding: verification time is reduced from 30 seconds to 4.5 seconds on average;
- As a result, companies see +35% growth in customer pass rates (with as high as x2 increase in some cases);
- Opportunities for business growth and scaling to emerging markets thanks to over 95% population coverage in each country;
- Enhanced productivity and simplified case management with automated user data extraction and immediate updates, resulting in 53% reduction in verification processing time.
Sumsub’s Non-Doc Verification works in 13 countries (including Argentina, Brazil, India, the UK, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and the US), with 10 more to be added in the near future (such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the UAE). The solution has been tested by FINTRAIL based on two main criteria: regulatory compliance in each jurisdiction (AML/CTF legislation, crypto and trading regulatory guidelines along with other industrial requirements), and technical effectiveness (whether technical processes like identity data authentication or bank credentials checks are conducted in accordance with local regulatory conditions). Additionally, FINTRAIL considered if document-free verification is permissible in each country.
Sumsub’s product has proved its reliability and full regulatory compliance of the existing or proposed solution in 18 jurisdictions, receiving the highest product scores for those of them where the Non-Doc solution is currently working. The full audit report includes detailed findings on each country.
“FINTRAIL has conducted a regulatory-led audit of Sumsub’s non-documentary identity verification product, and has confirmed at the time of the review in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya that non-documentary identity verification is permissible and the solution deployed by Sumsub is compliant with local regulations and guidance“.
“We believe that Non-Doc will soon become the new golden standard for user onboarding globally, as it guarantees exceptional user experience while being fully compliant to local regulations. Sumsub is currently providing Non-Doc Verification solution for the highest number of jurisdictions, and our team will continue to find the best ways to make this innovation available for thousands of businesses and billions of people in Africa and around the world,” comments Vyacheslav Zholudev, co-founder and CTO at Sumsub.
To access Sumsub’s free guide on Non-Doc Verification, please visit: https://sumsub.com/guides-reports/non-doc-verification-compliance-guide/
Huawei, a global leader in telecommunications and digital solutions, has announced its commitment to support Tower Companies (TowerCos) across Africa in their efforts to diversify energy sources and adopt sustainable practices in powering telecommunications infrastructure. The initiative aims to help TowerCos reduce their carbon footprint, enhance operational efficiency, and explore new business frontiers.
In his speech titled: “Lighting Up the Road to Multiple Business Future for TowerCos” delivered at the TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024 in Nairobi, Li Shaolong, President of Huawei Site Power Facility Domain, said African continent is accelerating the construction of ICT infrastructure, and towercos, which play an important role in this process, are facing new challenges and opportunities.
“As the demand for mobile connectivity continues to rise, TowerCos face increasing pressure to ensure energy reliability and sustainability, particularly in regions with limited access to stable power grids. Tower sites, often located in remote areas, rely heavily on diesel generators, which are costly to operate, environmentally unfriendly, and vulnerable to fuel supply challenges. Huawei’s energy solutions are designed to address these challenges by integrating renewable energy technologies, such as solar power, and advanced energy storage systems,” Mr. Li said.
Mr. Li emphasized Huawei’s long-term vision to help Africa’s TowerCos transition towards greener energy solutions, adding that by integrating digital and power electronics technologies, Huawei Site Power Facility remains committed to providing towercos with end-to-end energy infrastructure and intelligent O&M solutions.
A Path to Diversification
In addition to energy sustainability, Huawei aims to support TowerCos in their diversification strategies, enabling them to explore new business models and revenue streams.
“This will drive towercos to become energy producers through innovative solutions and business models, thereby achieving diversified business development, revenue growth, and continuous success in energy operations.” Mr. Li said.
Mr. Li noted that by deploying Huawei eMIMO smart power solution, towercos can centrally manage multiple energy inputs (such as grid, PV and energy storage) and multiple outputs (such as 12 V to 220 V electrical devices) through a single power platform.
“In this way, revenue-generating services such as environmental protection and emergency response can be developed in addition to communications services,” he said.
He further noted that the major aims of Huawei Site Power Facility Domain are to support network evolution and increase tenancy ratio, help TowerCos Reduce energy costs and achieve green development, and improve power availability (PAV) and reduce O&M costs for sites.
“Huawei will continue to work with towercos to innovate and promote the iteration of energy infrastructure towards “green, simple, and intelligent”, accelerating the construction of African carrier networks and digital Africa,” Mr. Li said.
