Week Recap

This week began with a powerful doubleheader on Saturday.? The first was my participation in the "Technology as a Catalyst for Success in Nigeria" panel discussion at the Doing Business in Nigeria Conference .? This session provided a valuable platform to explore how technology can drive progress in the nation.? The brain child of the convener Linda Uneze. MBA, MCIPM, SPHRi, ACC, HRPL . Later that day, I was presented virtually at the 4th edition of the Angela Nwaneri Memorial Book Reading series. This event offered an opportunity to connect with students and ignite their interest in reading.?

Monday: There’s much that NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE LIMITED (NIGCOMSAT) can give in terms of connectivity, hence my meeting with the MD of one of the best airlines in Nigeria, Air Peace, and my Monday meeting with the CEO, Ifeanyi Allen Onyema , and the COO, Toyin Olajide .? During this discussion, we explored how NIGCOMSAT's satellite technology can provide reliable and high-speed internet connectivity for Air Peace, not just on the ground but also at altitude. This could revolutionize in-flight entertainment options and passenger communication capabilities.

Following that, my team and I visited the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), hosted by CEO Abimbola Akinajo . Our vision drives all the missions we’ve been on; we want to see and experience a better Nigeria where connectivity reaches everywhere, whether in remote places, in villages, in the sea, on air, or even on land. This particular meeting’s aim was to discuss how we can enhance connectivity for commuters in Lagos by getting them to leverage the NigComSat1R satellite technology to improve internet connectivity on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) train system.? Imagine a seamless internet connection throughout your train journey, allowing you to work, stay connected, or simply enjoy uninterrupted entertainment.

On Tuesday, I was present at the 3rd edition of the Devs in Government, led by the Honorable Minister himself. I believe the initiative was brought about to enhance digital transformation in the nation's public sector as well as provide a platform for networking, and of course we all know how important that is. It was beautiful to see technologists and tech enthusiasts celebrate; they were truly the driving force behind change in the Civil Service through innovation at this month’s Devs in Government gathering.?

Learning is a lifelong journey, and we at NIGCOMSAT ensure that we keep seeking ways to do things better with excellence. We had Phnam Bagley from NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration visit NIGCOMSAT, and we were glad to learn from her wealth of knowledge. We set up the session as one of our “capacity building” sessions, and yes, capacity was built.? Having Ms. Bagley, a renowned space architect, share her expertise allowed our team to explore innovative approaches to satellite design and functionality.

On Wednesday, we had Phnam speak to the startups participating in the on-going NIGCOMSAT ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME. Bagley is an industrial designer and space architect who designs the future of everything, on and off planet Earth. She spent time sharing with the Entrepreneurs about some of the innovative work happening in space. In alignment with our mission of not just providing seamless connectivity and satellite communication solutions through innovation, we recognize our commitment to transforming the satellite communications landscape in Nigeria and Africa. we see where NIGCOMSAT, Nigerians and Africans collaborating to co-create in the space industry.

This week, the Federal MInistry of Communications and Digital Economy, Nigeria , ran a week-long workshop with attendees from all over the globe, including academia, tech stakeholders, companies, and partners, deliberating and drafting the National AI Strategy for Nigeria #NAIS. Thursday was the closing dinner of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy workshop. I have had the opportunity to catch up on the workshop's progress, and I am incredibly impressed by the collaborative spirit and the groundwork being laid out for the nation’s AI strategy.

There were some major Announcements:

???? Re-launch of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics,

???? Nigerian multilingua LLM (Awarri + Cisco),

???? Compute power pilot (50 GPUs, 21st Century + Galaxy Backbone), and

???? The Nigeria AI Collective

You can click here to join the Nigerian AI collective

We join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that this strategy positions Nigeria as a leader in developing and regulating AI on a global stage. Together, we work towards arriving at a more prosperous Nigeria.

On Friday, I met with the aviation stakeholders; representative from SKYTRAC , the Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation at the office of the Honorable Minister, Bosun Tijani. This meeting focused on continuing to find ways to leverage NIGCOMSAT's satellite technology to address in-flight connectivity within the aviation sector in Nigeria.

Finally, we closed the week with a courtesy visit to one of our key clients in the Nigerian Army. We met with the Corp Commander of the Nigerian Army Signals Command, Major General Adesina. In alignment with our commitment to enhanced service delivery, NIGCOMSAT LTD. re-affirms our attentiveness and dedication to the Nigerian Army.

Busy week, #bigwins! We're all focused on driving and fostering innovation in space, particularly when it comes to AI. At the same time, keeping our promise to deliver excellent service to our clients and stakeholders. We'll keep you updated on our progress as we work together to build a more connected and technologically advanced Nigeria. Here's to keeping the momentum going!