Despite the tough times businesses are
going through due to current challenges facing the Nigerian economy,
stakeholders in the information and communications technology (ICT)
sector, have said that there are huge growth potential for organisations
that use ICT solutions to navigate the prevailing challenges.
The stakeholders, who stated this during
the CEO’s Forum organised by Technology Distributions Limited in Lagos
recently, called on business owners to begin proper diversification and
investment in ICT, in order to survive any harsh business situation,
occasioned by poor economic policies of government.
The forum, with the theme: ‘The Economy
and You: A Multi-dimensional Appraisal’, had a panel of resource persons
including the Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh; Chairman, Board of
Technology Distributions, Prof. Anya O. Anya; Head of Sales, Global
Markets (Nigeria), Stanbic IBTC, Yomi Balogun and Mr. Punfa Emelonye who
represented the youthful population.
While delivering a paper titled: “The
Economy and You: Tales of the Unexpected”, Anya noted that one of the
challenges being faced at the moment is how to restore confidence in the
system, noting that this requires a multi-pronged approach. Urging the
participants to leverage on an understanding of the particular business
environment they operate in, Anya harped on the importance of liquidity
management as a vital tool for business sustenance in these trying
times.
“What needs to be done has to be at two
levels. There is the need at the social level to project a new message
of inclusiveness in the effort to rebuild the economy and the nation.
The projection will have to come from all levels but most importantly at
the highest level of governance. The national symbol of power and
authority must be seen engaging his people. At the economic level, there
has to be a greater degree of projection of competence, expertise and
empathy,” Anya said.
He added: “There is work to do and that
must involve all of us even as we project the message that the rewards
will be equitably distributed to all without discrimination of
ethnicity, gender or creed. The real change that Nigeria needs presently
is the change in our mind-set and attitudes in both the leadership and
the led, such that the Nigerian narrative can change from the negative
to the positive without boundaries.”
On his part, Ekeh noted that since 2014,
businesses in the ICT sector had borne huge pains with the exemption of
the sub-sector from the list provided for in the Central Bank of
Nigeria’s (CBN) foreign exchange issuance. He, nevertheless, counseled
participants to be strong and remain hopeful in the rebound of the
economy. According to him, business credibility and a good relationship
with partners such as banks, Original Equipment Manufacturers and major
distributors such as TD will serve the participants well in overcoming
the harsh economic situation.
Charging business owners to understand
the direction of the economy, Ekeh, who has successfully navigated the
stormy and favourable cycles of business in growing the Zinox Group to
sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest ICT conglomerate, disclosed that retaining a
daily position of one’s business financials aligned to a firm belief in
God, are indispensable requirements for success in the current
dispensation.
by Emma Okonji /Thisday
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