Airtel MD Advice Adopt new approach to digital technology

The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, has advised business leaders to be innovative and deliberate in their use of technology, e-Commerce and the social media.

He spoke as a discussant at the just concluded 45th Annual Accountants’ Conference organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in Abuja.

Ogunsanya said that an innovative approach in leveraging technology would help create real value for critical stakeholders of an organisation and others in the value chain.

 According to him, Airtel Nigeria has pioneered this approach with the rollout of its ‘Catapult-a-Start-up’ programme, “a unique initiative designed to empower exceptional and innovative application developers in Nigeria.”

The Airtel CEO said that the programme had provided a good example of how a company could combine innovation with monetisation, stating that Airtel, under the initiative, “has empowered and transformed many lives with groundbreaking mobile application services.”

He said, “These innovative digital platforms are helping to resolve many issues around diesel delivery, boosting students’ performance at important examinations, empowering job seekers, aiding e-commerce and cementing relationships, among others.”

He specifically listed mobile application services such as Yuzah, a real-time delivery platform that allows the ordering of diesel in minutes; PassNG, an educational service that enables students to prepare for important examinations; and PushCV, a service equipped to prepare job seekers for opportunities.

Other apps developed under the Airtel ‘Catapult-a-Start-up’ include Advertising App, a mobile application that converts mobile phones to a highly efficient and effective advertising platform; MatchUp, a home grown social network that connects people, with strong focus on locality and users’ preferences.

There is Alarm App, an app that alerts users in case of danger; and Airtel Insurance, a programme that offers middle and low-income earners the opportunity and access to life and hospital insurance.

Ogunsanya, who spoke on the theme, ‘Innovative Business Models: Leveraging Technology, e-Commerce and Social Media’, also called for circumspection in use of social media, saying that legislation was required to deter invasion of privacy, ,just as laws regarding libel should be modified.

He also submitted that regulations would help prevent activities of perverts and other groups with ill intentions across the digital sphere.

Former President of ICAN, Gen. Sebastian Owuama (retd); and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of eTranzact, Mr. Valentine Obi, also participated in the discourse.