Friday, February 24, 2022 / 5:32 PM / Release by NBCC / Header Image Credit: NBCC

The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) recently hosted a panel of pacemakers to dissect the tech sector and its contributions. The objective of the event was to see how NBCC's Next Generation Series could provide business networks with Tech experts, Hardware and Infrastructure Companies, Business Consultants, ICT Companies, Technology Hubs, Software and Internet Companies, Serial Entrepreneurs, Techpreneurs, Fintech Companies, Enterprise Service Providers, Telecom Operators, Nanotechnology Companies, Robotics Companies, and other key industry players.

Welcoming delegates to the event, which was themed "Pacemakers in the Tech Sector", the President and Chairman of Council, Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi, who was represented by the Deputy President of the NBCC, Mr. Ray Atelly Frpa, affirmed the publication made by the Centre for Global Development that the tech sector has grown enormously in the last five years, placing Nigeria as the most significant tech market in Africa.

"This growth has positioned Nigeria as the largest tech market on the African continent, with tech hubs and a growing customer base of over 180 million people (72 percent of the population) now have access to mobile phones, with internet penetration projected to reach 65.3 percent in 2025. The growth was up from under 2 percent in 2001", NBCC President observed.

The Panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Segun Akintemi, CEO, Page Financials and featured pacemakers in the tech sector, Mr. Etop Ikpe, Autocheck Africa, Mr. Adetayo Bamiduro, MAX Africa, Mrs. Solape Akinpelu, HerVest and Mr. Collins Onuegbu, Signal Alliance.

Speaking at the Panel, MAX Africa's CEO,  Bamiduro, noted the importance of technology as a veritable pillar for successful businesses. "There is no way to get into the game without leverage, and technology is that leverage", Bamiduro said.

In his remarks, Mr. Collins Onuegbu, Founder/Executive Vice Chairman, Signal Alliance, highlighted several roles the country needs to play to properly leverage technology and the many opportunities it has to offer. In his words, "if we don't build the necessary infrastructure, we will continue to struggle".

Akinpelu, "Technology is about building experiential products for users". She noted that from experiential products and customer offerings, technology had provided that opportunity across sectors. Many businesses, she admits, struggle with personalization, but with tech, a lot has become possible. FinTech has remained attractive to investors because several investments have occurred in the underlying infrastructure that drives it. Mr. Etop Ikpe, CEO of Autocheck Africa, said that FinTech rested on the internet and banking infrastructure. However, he strongly advocated for good customer service regardless of technological advancements.