Nigeria: Industry Prepares for Ennovate Expo

James Emejo:
Nigeria ‘s information and communications technology (ICT) industry is again looking forward to this year’s edition of the annual eNNOVATE Expo. eNNOVATE is Nigeria ‘s premier technology and value added services expo. Its objective is to popularize technology among its potential users by providing corporations with a platform with which to educate and train users and potential users on technological products, services and applications.

This year, eNNOVATE will hold at its usual venue, the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos between August 16 and 18. Since its inauguration in 2005, eNNOVATE has witnessed the participation of leading international technology-driven organizations including DHL, Nokia, MTN, Mtel, Hewlett Packard, Starcomms, IBM, Accelon, and many more. It has also witnessed the personal participation of Nigeria ‘s minister of communications and key officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

This year’s theme, says eNNOVATE Project Manager, Adewole Ojo will examine issues around the impending migration of Nigeria’s telecom networks to third generation (3G).

Already lined up as a sponsor of eNNOVATE 2007 is DHL. DHL, the world’s leading international expedited logistics operator has a wide international reach and spread which it continues to coordinate to global acclaim by deploying the very latest in technological tools and applications.

Also billed to sponsor eNNOVATE 2007 is Cisco, the world’s leading provider of networking for the Internet. Headquartered in San Jose ,California , Cisco has within a little over two decades grown to become a global behemoth with offices scattered around the globe. The company operates a network academy program with an objective to train and impart ICT skills in people across the world, as part of its social responsibility program. Last April, it entered into an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education to jointly train 20,000 Nigerian university graduates under the auspices of its network academy program. In addition to showcasing the latest developments in the world of Internet networking, Cisco will be sharing information on its various training and certification programs and how to benefit from such.

According to Ojo, eNNOVATE continually strives to live up to its billing as a consumer focused expo and conference series. “Each year, we offer a strong platform to technology companies where they can showcase innovative products and services.” The result, he says, is that people get better acquainted with these products and services and are in a better position to use them more appropriately and derive value from them. In addition, there is a band wagon effect of sorts, in the form of a strong word-of-mouth promotion of these products and services.

A long list of distinguished resource persons is expected to shed light on the evolving global technology industry at the event, added Ojo. A fully confirmed list of speakers will be made public over the next few weeks. Speakers at previous editions of eNNOVATE have included Nigeria’s minister of communications, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission and top executives of major firms drawn from a wide variety of industries including technology, legal, advertising and telecom among others. Like it did in 2006, said Ojo, eNNOVATE will hold from Thursday to Saturday. The essence of including Saturday which is a departure from the norm with most specialized expos in Nigeria is to help ensure that prospective visitors who are unable to attend during work days are able to do so on the work-free day of Saturday.

eNNOVATE is organized by the communications consultancy firm, XLR8. Because it is a consumer focused exhibition and conference series, it is typically accompanied by a great deal of mass-media focused promotion.

Source: This Day Lagos