By Olubunmi Adeniyi
Lagos. February 15, 2013: Ayoola Oba Otudeko, Chairman, Airtel Nigeria will be chairing the forthcoming, Pan-Africa Information and Communication Technology (ICT) event, ‘Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition’ billed to hold in Abuja from April 23-25, 2013, organisers of the event have announced.
Evans Woherem who is also the CEO of Compumetrics Solutions Limited confirms this in Abuja over the weekend saying, “we are delighted that this distinguished Nigerian, foremost investor, and respected African business leader will chair the 3-day Digital Africa 2013.”
According to Woherem, “the aim of this continental technology gathering is to promote a better integrated Africa, using modern ICT tools. The event is therefore an important platform to network, share knowledge on the latest developments in the ICT world, do business, and sign deals”.
He adds that the focus of the conference is to bring ICT people from Africa and the rest of the world to interact closely with the users and consumers of ICT across major sectors of the society such as agriculture, universities & polytechnics, military and para-military, creative arts, SMEs, hospitals and clinics, among others
The event chairperson, Oba Otudeko was the pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce which he led from May 2000 till June 2011. During this period, trade between both countries grew from $16.5 million in 1999 to $2.9 billion in 2010.
A chartered banker, chartered corporate secretary and chartered accountant, Otudeko was the 16th President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) between September 2006 and August 2009.
He had also served as a member of the Board of Central Bank of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria Plc and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI). He retired as the Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc in 2010, after 12 years on the board of the bank.
In addition to Airtel Nigeria, Otudeko is also the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Fan Milk of Nigeria Plc, and Radisson Blu Hotel.
Oba Otudeko was formerly Chairman of the National Maritime Authority, and a Council Member of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria. He was the Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State from 2001 to 2010, and has also served on the Africa Regional Advisory Board of the London Business School, where he is now a member of the Office of Distinguished Friends.
Nigeria has recognised and honoured this business titan consistently over the years. He was given the National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in December 2000, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in November 2002, and Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) in November 2011.
Digital Conference and Exhibition will be held at Nicon Luxury Hotel, in Abuja. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s biggest financial institutions with operations throughout the country, as well as in South Africa, United Kingdom, France and China, is the Official Banker of the conference.
Giving an update about the event, Woherem, the organiser of the event says the conference programme which comprises plenary and breakout sessions is complemented by a parallel exhibition of various ICT products, devices, services, solutions and innovations. The event is open to delegates, sponsors and exhibitors from the 54 countries in Africa, as well as from the rest of the world.
According to him, the programme has been designed to add value to the leading global computer and telecom brands targeting the virgin and juicy African markets, ICT investors from Europe, the Americas and Asia, seeking fresh markets, and ICT industry regulators and agencies across African countries wishing to showcase their potentials to the world.
Also expected at Digital Africa 2013 are major African telephone service providers, major African broadband service providers, top telecom and IT hardware makers, assemblers and suppliers, top software and solutions providers, and Africa’s leading banks at the forefront of unleashing the untapped opportunities of mobile money across the continent, he adds.
