Covenant University & Elsevier SciVal Latest Computations [2018]

Covenant University has maintained her profile as a frontline research institution in Africa, by occupying distinguished ranking positions in various subjects, according to the latest computations for universities in Africa by Elsevier SciVal.

Covenant University was the only Nigerian institution in the top 10 rankings of African institutions in the fields of Management Information System; Information Systems and Management; Management of Technology and Innovation; and Business and International Management, while another Nigerian institution featured alongside Covenant in the field of Computer Science (Miscellaneous).

Specifically, Covenant was ranked 3rd in Computer Science (Miscellaneous) with 54 publications, 61 authors, and 28 citations; 2nd in Management Information System with 67 publications 151 authors and 1 citation; and 2nd in Management of Technology and Innovation with 102 publications, 179 authors and 17 citations.

Also, the University emerged 3rd in Business and International Management with 119 publications, 226 authors and 18 citations; and 8th in Information Systems and Management with 77 publications, 165 authors and 14 citations.

The computations by SciVal, spanned the period between 2012 and 2017.

In the current rankings of African institutions in the field of Computer Science (Miscellaneous) by SciVal, Covenant was ranked 3rd in the continent behind the University of Johannesburg (South Africa) which was ranked 1st, and the University of Cairo (Egypt) ranked 2nd.

Elsevier SciVal is the world acclaimed ready-to-use solution that offers easy access to the research performance of 8,500 research institutions and 220 countries worldwide.

Aliko Dangote With $12.2 Billion Net Worth Emerge Forbes’ Richest Man In Africa [2018]

President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, for the 7th year running has been adjudged as the richest man in Africa with a net worth that Forbes pegged at $12.2 billion – an increase of $100 million from a year ago.

Number two on the list of African richest people is diamond mining heir Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa, with a net worth of $7.7 billion, up $700 million from last year. Oppenheimer is one of eight South Africans on the list, making it the African country with the most billionaires. Nigeria has just three.

Aliko Dangote was also recently the only African selected among Bloomberg’s world 50 best persons in the year 2017. Globacom chairman, Mike Adenuga, with a net worth of $5.3 billion was adjudged the 5th richest man in Africa and Folorunsho Alakija, also a Nigerian, whose estimated $1.6 billion fortune lies in oil exploration firm was adjudged as the 15th richest person in Africa.

Forbes further stated that:

“Dangote is looking beyond cement – his most valuable asset – and has been investing in a fertilizer production company and a large oil refinery. Dangote Fertilizer is expected to start operations in the second quarter this year.”

Bill Gates maintained his position as the richest man in the world with a net worth of $86 billion, while Warren Buffet and Jeff Bezos were second and third consecutively with a net worth of $75.6 billion and $72.8 billion.

Zimbabwe gets its first billionaire this year: telecom magnate Strive Masiyiwa, who chairs the Econet Group. Shares of Zimbabwe-listed mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe have surged in value over the past year. Masiyiwa owns more than half of that company. He also has a majority stake in fiber optic firm Liquid Telecom, which raised $700 million in a bond offering in July 2017. Forbes estimates Masiyiwa’s net worth at $1.7 billion.

UNILORIN Debate Team Wins 2018 Genesis Debate Tournament

University of Ilorin, UNILORIN debate team have emerged champions of the maiden Genesis Debate tournament, which is an international open tournament.

Participants were undergraduate and postgraduate students from Nigeria, Ghana & Mauritius, held from the 4th till 7th of January 2018 in Accra, Ghana.

The Final round of the championship held on Sunday, 7th of January at the University of Ghana, was contested by the following teams:

In opening government – Jessica Amoor (University of Ghana) & Esinam Osei-Bonsu (Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology)

In opening opposition – Faithfulness Okom (University of Calabar) & Derrick Ackah (Ghana Law school, Mokola)

In closing government – Richard Adu-Poku (Africa Leadership University, Mauritius) & Omotayo Jimoh (UNILORIN)

In closing opposition – Hawau Abikan & David Ejim (both of UNILORIN,)

The UNILORIN debate team was also awarded 3 of the top 10 speakers medals, the best female debater award; the second best judge medal (won by Abolarin Mohammed) and Adekunbi Ademola, served as the Co-Chief Adjudicator of the competition.

Universities in attendance at the 2018 Genesis Debate tournament:

  1. University of Ghana, Legon
  2. Covenant University, Otta
  3. University of Lagos (UNILAG)
  4. Zenith University College, Accra
  5. Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA)
  6. Islamic University College, Accra
  7. University of Calabar (UNICAL)
  8. Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)
  9. Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti
  10. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST)
  11. University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)
  12. Africa Leadership University, Mauritius
  13. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike

Winners Of Phillips Consulting 2017 Web-Jurist Assessment Ratings

Winners have emerged in the Phillips Consulting annual Web-Jurist assessment for 2017.

The Web-Jurist ratings aims to accurately gauge the effectiveness and usefulness of customer facing websites and online web service platforms in Nigeria taking into consideration the customers need.

Continue reading Winners Of Phillips Consulting 2017 Web-Jurist Assessment Ratings

Diamond Bank Appointed Member Adviser Of World Economic Forum (WEF) [2018]

Diamond bank has been appointed a forum member adviser of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The appointment marks the first time a Nigerian company will be appointed.

Diamond bank is the second African company to become a WEF forum adviser. Membership of the forum is on an invitation only basis.

Commenting on the appointment and his attendance at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, Diamond Bank’s CEO Uzoma Dozie said:

“I am delighted that Diamond Bank was invited to join as a Forum Member Adviser of the World Economic Forum, as it is testament to our status as one of Nigeria’s leading innovators. I am also thrilled to be attending this year’s Annual Meeting in Davos, where I will be presenting my views on the three key areas of financial inclusion, Nigeria’s positive outlook and the future of banking.

In particular, I will be sharing Diamond Bank’s experience in the financial inclusion space where our Beta Proposition and Diamond Yello Account have made significant inroads in bringing previously under banked people into the financial system. It will also be an opportunity to highlight the transformative role of technology and data in enhancing financial inclusion in a country of 180 million people where nearly half do not have a bank account.

I will also be passionately championing the success of increasing numbers of technology-enabled entrepreneurs and the culture of innovation that is taking hold in Nigeria, particularly Lagos. This innovation is leading to a new wave of business leaders that are shaping the Nigeria of tomorrow, as well as helping fuel economic growth today.

Despite historic challenges, I will also use the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as a platform to promote Nigeria’s excellent fundamentals and its recent progress.”

Diamond is the only Nigerian bank selected to partner with UK’s Department for International Development on their financial inclusion programme. Diamond also has a partnership with Women’s World Banking – backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – with Mr Dozie on its board.

The Diamond Y’ello Account has over 8.6 million users, making it a market leader in the Nigerian financial inclusion space.

Founded in 1971, the mission of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is to improve the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.

Winners Of 2017 CBN Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) Awards

Winners have emerged at the 2017 Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) Awards organized and supervised by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in conjunction with Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBBS).

The CBN Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) award, which is in recognition of efforts of the banking industry in the fight against electronic fraud is presented to the institution “with the most efficient and robust system for tracking all forms of electronic fraud and arresting perpetrators for prosecution”.

First Bank’s FraudDesk emerged as the “Best FraudDesk” and the “Most Cooperative FraudDesk” in the industry.

Following the appointment of Dr. Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan as FirstBank MD/ CEO, FirstBank management embarked on re-engineering of the bank’s technology, operations and upscaling the skill of its personnel with security of its customer’s funds as key priority, given the bank’s massive investments in alternate electronic transaction channels and technology.

According to the NeFF Chairman, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, who is also the Director, Banking and Payment System in CBN:

“An effective fight against fraud is not without robust awareness program; not only for members of the public, but also for staff of organizations that operate within the payment space.

This would help the industry reduce cost of fraud through increased vigilance and detection abilities.”

On the credibility of the process that led to the emergence of the winners of the awards, the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with NIBBS carried out a survey to rate the performance of all banks in the fight against electronic fraud.

The Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) is a forum where financial services stakeholders – banks and other organizations within the financial and payment systems – meet on a quarterly basis to deliberate on issues of electronic fraud and its prevention.