Zain Group, a leading provider of innovative technologies and digital lifestyle communications in the Middle East and Africa, has released its annual Thought Leadership Report titled 'Building Inclusive Societies Through Connectivity'. The report highlights Zain's commitment to providing inclusive services and meaningful connectivity to all segments of society. It emphasizes Zain's dedication to human rights and corporate governance [00c34edb].
The Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has unveiled a strategic blueprint for the ministry aimed at accelerating Nigeria's collective prosperity through technical efficiency. In an interview, Dr. Tijani discussed the idea behind the blueprint, his agenda for the sector, and his mandate to reimagine the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy as the public sector ecosystem that enables Nigeria's economic growth through enhanced productivity facilitated by technological innovation [92b89146].
Dr. Tijani emphasized the potential of Nigeria's technology sector, highlighting the country's pool of talent and creative entrepreneurs. He stressed the importance of collaboration with the private sector and the need for infrastructure development, digital literacy, and research in driving the growth of the technology sector. The ministry's strategic plan is built on five pillars: knowledge, policy, infrastructure, innovation entrepreneurship and capital, and export. Dr. Tijani also discussed plans to support education and connect young people to information and opportunities in the digital economy. He emphasized the importance of training and job creation for technology talents and the need for positive stories about Nigeria to attract foreign investment. Additionally, he mentioned plans to establish industrial clusters in places like Aba for manufacturing indigenous hardware and the potential of technology to drive productivity in various sectors of the economy [92b89146].
Zayo, a fiber infrastructure provider, states that the demand for fiber is increasing due to government funding for fiber projects and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Zayo is investing in upgrades to meet the demand from hyperscalers and data centers that are expanding their AI capabilities. The company has observed a significant increase in requests for fiber, with orders for hundreds of fibers instead of the previous average of a dozen. Zayo plans to fully enable its North American backbone with 400G capabilities by the end of 2024. The company also aims to connect internet service providers (ISPs) to unserved areas through middle-mile routes, ensuring that the last mile is connected to the internet. Zayo offers assistance to local ISPs in applying for funding and obtaining middle-mile connectivity [114f57e4].
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has announced that it will be laying undersea cables in two Nigerian states to boost internet connectivity. The Director General of the National Information Technology Development of Nigeria, Abdullahi Kashifu, made the announcement during a tech conference. The partnership between Meta and the Nigerian government aims to enhance digital connectivity and tech advancement. The cables will be laid in collaboration with MainOne, a Nigerian telecommunications company. This move is part of Meta's expansion into the African market, with Nigeria serving as the launch pad. The announcement was welcomed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu [4ff88954].
At the Second Procurement and Supply Chain Dialogue forum, the importance of technological advancements in fostering inclusive socio-economic development within trade was highlighted. The success of Intellimedia Networks Africa in enabling last-mile solutions was cited as evidence of the possibilities when industry, government, and partnerships work together. The rapid adoption of mobile telephony in Africa can be leveraged to benefit commerce, education, government services delivery, entertainment, healthcare, and supply chain management. The dialogue on connectivity aims to unlock potential, bridge gaps, and contribute to a robustly interwoven Africa within itself and the global economy. Africa has the unique advantage to implement a new paradigm of growth and compete as equals in the global economy. Intellimedia Networks Africa recently announced a $3 million partnership deal with Matic Enterprises, a Congolese conglomerate, to promote African connectivity. Collaboration between government and the private sector is crucial in overcoming connectivity challenges, and Kenya is praised as a hub of innovation setting the pace for the continent. [b67716c1] [92b89146] [114f57e4] [4ff88954].
Ahmad Bazzi, a tech innovator from Abu Dhabi, is revolutionizing wireless communications through his inventions and patents. He has a fast Bluetooth decoder and other patents used in Wi-Fi. Ahmad is also a notable figure in the online space with a YouTube channel since 2018 and 284,000 subscribers. He will be speaking at the NVIDIA GTC conference on '6G Integrated Sensing and Communications: One for All and All for One'. Ahmad's talk will highlight strategies for harnessing Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) technology to optimize 6G capabilities. He will also showcase the potential of ISAC technology using NVIDIA GPUs. Ahmad Bazzi's influence extends beyond his research, and he is compared to other inventors and YouTubers like Mark Rober [3a67ffc0].
Robert Kahn, the 2024 IEEE Medal of Honor recipient, is recognized for his work on packet communication technologies and the foundations of the Internet. In the mid-1960s, while at Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN), Kahn began thinking about how computers with different operating systems could communicate across a network. He collaborated with Larry Roberts and Bob Taylor to develop the ARPANET, the world's first operational packet network. Kahn and Vint Cerf later developed the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which formed the basis of the Internet. Kahn's current work focuses on digital objects and the digital-object architecture. He is the chairman, CEO, and president of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) [df612f5c].