Denis Opudo
Many years ago as you can well remember a mobile phone was a luxury. Yes, a luxury. Come to think of it, could you go hungry not once of course but for days saving up for a mobile device? The opportunity cost principle I mean. You could not – it was secondary in the hierarchy of needs. What about now? Losing your phone almost feels sickly, more like a part of you is missing. In the corporate scene, the narrative is similar. ICT is becoming a part of the DNA in most, if not all organizations and systems. Information and communications technology solutions provider like Huawei are behind these milestones.
In Nigeria, Huawei is by-the-day proving a trailblazer in coupling economic impact with social impact. Huawei has a heart – a big heart in this regard. Here’s why; they go beyond profits to creating an impact on individual(s) lives.
Like you and I, thousands of Nigerians who could not communicate while distant apart are now enabled, affordable and convenient, thanks to Huawei. Try to picture that bold smile of the reunion on the phone after long silence and uncertainty among family members. Huawei, working with network companies like Airtel, MTN, Etisalat, just to mention a few, have made these possible.
Speaking at a media parley held in Lagos, Huawei in Nigeria’s Managing Director, Frank Li applauded the country’s economic status – being first in Africa, amid recession threats. He stated Huawei’s commitment to enhancing telecom networks, providing affordable digital devices and cloud computing. Considering the magnitude of the impact of ICT on Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product alluded to by my Mr. Li, infrastructural investment, especially in internet connectivity and speed by the government is inevitable. Setting precedence, the MD hinted on Huawei’s consideration in providing smart meters to resolve the persistent power problems.
By the way, of over 1000 employees in Nigeria’s Huawei Technologies Company, 70% are locals. Their families are enabled; they afford meals, shelter, and schooling of their children, to state the basics.
Further, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited in its CSR component is nurturing talent and skill. In Abuja sits a multimillion regional training center done by Huawei to house this worthy course. Over 20,000 tech-engineers from Nigeria and across the region have undergone an incubation program on ICT in this Centre. Moreover, each passing year Huawei continues to give hope to the future of more young professionals through their global CSR program, “Seeds for the Future.” In partnership with Federal and local governments, Huawei has as well made possible the capacity building of 1,000 girls from Abuja on basic ICT knowledge between 2013 and 2014. Through an MOU with the federal government 2000 youth also were able to get training opportunities by the end of 2017. To cite but a few.
Here’s something else Huawei is doing; the open, ongoing portfolio for collaboration in ICT where you can share your brilliant ideas/proposals on enterprise networks, telecom, cloud computing and devices real-time. What a better way to nurture, motivate innovators?
Its excellent contribution; strides for other corporates to follow through. However remarkable, Li remains optimistic that Nigeria, a quality oil-rich country will continue on the upward trajectory. Huawei’s strategic investment focus was aligned to the country’s ICT and economic growth vision. Endeavors towards it then are bullet dislodged for a double impact.
