On Friday the 10th of November, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), hosted a breakfast meeting to launch its new projects and hear feedback from stakeholders. The event was attended by stakeholders, captains of industry, technology experts, government representatives, and others. Some attendees include Mr Osibo Imhoitsike representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital economy, Bosun Tijani and Jennifer Adighije representing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Also present was three time minister, Audu Ogbeh; the DG of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu; Director of the standards, guidelines, and framework department of NITDA, Oladejo Olawumi; Alvan Ikoku representing NIMC; and a host of other distinguished attendees.
Speaking at the event Osibo Imhoitsike extolled the work and leadership of the Managing Director/CEO of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, for bringing these new forward-thinking solutions to life. He reaffirmed the Minister of Communication’s commitment to the growth of the digital economy and building digital infrastructure to aid this. In a tweet from the minister himself concerning the event, he said “You will know our satellite by name in the next 4 years. Citizens will see it contribute to bridging the digital divide by helping to connect unserved and underserved communities including schools across Nigeria. This is a commitment and I trust @nk_amadi (Jane Egerton-Idehen) and her team to deliver on this mandate!”
A new era
The statement—“NIGCOMSAT is open for business” was the resounding theme for the event. Speaking to this theme, the Managing Director/CEO of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, spoke about the new projects the company has been working on. Jane Egerton-Idehen is a highly accomplished industry veteran with years of success to show for it. She is described as a dynamic and astute leader who is heralding a new era for NIGCOMSAT. Under her leadership NIGCOMSAT is thrilled to introduce two new value-added services in addition to its traditional services. The new services are an edtech solution using NIGCOMSAT’s Ka-band services and an AI-powered customer experience solution called Ayesha.
As a broadband provider, NIGCOMSAT has been privy to many edtech startups building technology-backed solutions in Nigeria. According to the MD, there has been an influx of these startups in the past 2 years. While governments and schools make efforts to integrate technology into education, a problem still greatly hinders this. The lack of affordable internet connectivity renders the drive to create access to education through technology, void. The desire to advance education through tech is what spurred this edtech project from NIGCOMSAT. “By providing schools with a bundled solution, access to affordable reliable internet, and leveraging edtech resources and interventions designed in alignment with the Nigerian curriculum, a more equitable and effective education can be achieved,” the MD said. The goal is to empower underserved schools to improve learning outcomes. In the words of the MD “Every child, regardless of their background deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive in the 21st century”
This edtech project is being launched in partnership with Queue Edge and is targeted toward primary and secondary schools. The hope as stated by the MD is that this edtech solution and resources will increase classroom engagement and motivation, promote critical learning and problem solving, improve learning outcomes, and improve the administration and delivery of education. The 3 focus areas for this edtech solution are;
- Numeracy and literacy for primary schools.
- Cloud-based AI-powered digital library for secondary schools.
- Content creation and learning management system for teachers.
The second product launched at the breakfast meeting is an AI-powered chatbot for improved customer experience, named Ayesha. This customer solution is targeted at current clients and potential clients. As the company grows it is important that they’re able to deliver customer service efficiently. With Ayesha, NIGCOMSAT aims to enhance customer interaction, streamline support services, and ultimately elevate the customer experience.
In a world where connectivity and communication are the lifeblood of modern society, NIGCOMSAT is a shining beacon of technological advancement and progress in Nigeria. As the country’s leading provider of satellite-based solutions, NIGCOMSAT holds a pivotal position in bridging the nation with the global realm. Through its diverse portfolio of offerings and impactful services, NIGCOMSAT Limited has established itself as a formidable force in the global telecommunications and satellite industry. The company is opening Nigeria to the rest of the world with its satellite provisions and now welcoming more partnership opportunities with the private sector
NIGCOMSAT is now open for business to the public and all interested parties are welcome to join them here.
