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Tag: MainOne

  • MainOne Lights Up on Equiano, Providing Unparalleled Redundancy for Enterprises

    MainOne Lights Up on Equiano, Providing Unparalleled Redundancy for Enterprises

    …This move provides an additional layer of resiliency for MainOne’s enterprise customers, ensuring uninterrupted service to support their growing business online at no additional cost

    MainOne, a leading provider of connectivity and data center services for businesses in West Africa, is excited to announce an additional layer of service to its customer through the Equiano submarine cable. This move provides an additional layer of resiliency for MainOne’s enterprise customers, ensuring uninterrupted service to support their growing business online at no additional cost.

    Over the past decade, MainOne has enabled the digital transformation journey of these businesses with its pioneering services to operate digital-first business models whereby uninterrupted connectivity is paramount. Recognizing the challenges its customers face in ensuring business continuity amidst network disruptions such as the submarine cut earlier this year, MainOne has taken proactive steps to fortify its network. By incorporating capacity on the Equiano submarine cable into its network, MainOne is offering customers an additional level of redundancy to ensuring more reliable connectivity at all times.

    ’’We understand the technical complexities and cost associated with building and managing redundant network infrastructure,” noted Oluwasayo Oshadami, Director, Solutions Architect at MainOne, Solutions by Equinix. “Our customers can remain focused on the core of their business operations, not on the intricacies of managing multiple networks, fail-overs or resilience. With the integration of Equiano, we are simplifying and eliminating the stress of managing multiple cable connections for our end users. Hence, we give them the peace of mind they deserve.”

    Enterprises can be confident that their network is supported by world-class infrastructure that is continuously monitored and maintained by a team of experts. MainOne’s proactive approach in enhancing its network resilience underscores its position as a trusted partner for businesses across West Africa. The integration of Equiano into its network is a testament to this commitment and reinforces the company’s position as a trusted partner for businesses in Nigeria.

  • Rack Centre to Leverage Innovation to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Future

    Rack Centre to Leverage Innovation to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Future

    The Chief Executive Officer of Rack Centre, the leading Tier III carrier and cloud-neutral data centre in West Africa, Lars Johannisson, has restated the company’s commitment to continually leverage innovation and technology to drive Nigeria’s digital future.

    Johannisson made this submission during a panel session titled “Evolving Data Centre Landscape: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Trends” at the Nigerian Peering & Interconnection Forum (ngPIF), recently held in Lagos.

    While sharing the company’s vision towards advancing connectivity, fostering sustainable infrastructure, and harnessing the potential of cloud and AI technology to drive Nigeria’s economic growth, the CEO outlined ongoing efforts to create a resilient and scalable infrastructure that aligns with Nigeria’s rapid digital expansion.

    He explained that the company is unwavering in its commitment to providing infrastructure that is not only scalable but also sustainable.

    Describing the integration of solar power at its LGS2 facility as a classic example of its commitment to sustainability, he stated that the AI-ready data centre, designed to be one of the most energy-efficient facilities in Africa, reinforces Rack Centre’s goal to support sustainable digitisation in the region.

    He noted that the company was developing an eco-friendly facility capable of supporting AI workloads, empowering businesses to innovate and scale.

    Commenting on the importance of connectivity, he disclosed that its open-access ecosystem has further enhanced network resilience, ensuring seamless connectivity even in challenging environments.

    “Our infrastructure is designed to ensure that companies can rely on seamless connectivity, even in challenging circumstances, making Nigeria an attractive digital hub,” he added.

    The session also included other distinguished panellists which include the Regional Executive of Africa Data Centres, Dr. Krishnan Ranganath; the Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres, Dr. Ayotunde Coker; the Chief Executive Officer of Kasi Cloud Datacentres, Johnson Agogbua; and General Manager, Technical Solutions and Managed Networks, MainOne, Oluwasayo Oshadami. They all shared complementary perspectives on Nigeria’s data centre landscape.

    At the end of the session, panellists collectively agreed that lasting solutions are needed to address key challenges affecting the growth of data centres in Nigeria. Some of the challenges, according to them, include energy efficiency, expansion of rural connectivity, and the growing infrastructure requirements of AI in Africa’s digital landscape.

  • “Investment and Collaboration Are Essential for Telecoms to Keep Enabling Other Industries”– Airtel CEO Carl Cruz

    “Investment and Collaboration Are Essential for Telecoms to Keep Enabling Other Industries”– Airtel CEO Carl Cruz

    Carl Cruz, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, has emphasized the critical importance of creating an investment-friendly environment to sustain the role of the telecoms industry in driving digital inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria. This was remarked at the Telecoms Industry Townhall, themed ‘Two Decades After: What Next for the Telecoms Industry’, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

    The hybrid event, organized by the Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), took place at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

    Aside from Mr Cruz, the panel also featured Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria; Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operations Officer, IHS Towers; Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; and Olatunji Bello, Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

    During the event, Carl Cruz discussed challenges and ways forward for the telecoms industry, highlighting the need for an atmosphere that would encourage investors to help telecom operators thrive. Telecom, he explained, is an enabler for digital inclusion and economic growth.

    Mr. Cruz said, “One of the major challenges faced by the telecoms industry is the issue of security. The cases of sabotage and fiber theft on a monthly basis are over a thousand.  Now, capital being invested in Nigeria is being compared to capital being invested in other countries due to some of the impacts of these challenges. However, At Airtel, we understand that investing in infrastructure can be challenging, so we adopt a forward-looking approach as we believe that a country’s growth is significantly boosted by substantial investments. To illustrate this, I’m pleased to share that Airtel has established a digital lab here in Nigeria, serving our operations across the 13 other countries where we have a presence.”

    Mr. Cruz further underscored the necessity of a strong regulatory collaboration to support industry growth.

    “Industry collaboration with regulators is also very essential for the country to progress. It is therefore imperative for players in the telecoms industry to engage in constant communication with our regulators, especially to address the limiting factors affecting the telecoms business.  On this note, I can say that Airtel and other operators in the telecoms industry are currently doing this and are optimistic about favorable deliberations and outcomes that will boost the success of the telecoms industry,” he said.

    Other industry leaders also contributed their perspectives on the telecoms industry as it relates to the financial sector and other business areas such as aviation and banking. Some of these speakers include Chief Executive Office, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), Temi Popoola; Special Adviser to the President on Industry, Trade, and Investment, John Uwajumogu; and Special Adviser to the Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Armstrong Katang.

  • Large players pull out all the stops to keep Africa connected

    Large players pull out all the stops to keep Africa connected

    …Workonline remains at the forefront of delivering high-quality IP transit services to meet the evolving needs of ISPs and CDNs in Africa

    With only three of the ten undersea cables that connect South Africa to the world still in operation, it is quite remarkable that the region remains as well connected as it is.  This is the view of Workonline Communications, one of the leading providers of wholesale IP transit services in Africa, commenting on recent disruptions to internet connectivity across the continent due to multiple undersea cable faults.

    “The cable breaks on both sides of the continent have highlighted the issue of the lack of capacity to support Africa’s burgeoning internet requirements,” says Edward Lawrence of the Workonline Group. “There are 574 active and planned submarine cables across the globe, yet South Africa only has 10 that connect it to the rest of the world, and seven of these are currently out of action.”

    In February 2024, three vital cables—AAE-1, EIG, and SEACOM—connecting the east coast of Africa to Europe were disrupted, allegedly due to vandalism by the Houthis. Then, on March 14, 2024, four of the five west coast cables—SAT3, WACS, ACE, and MainOne—were reportedly affected by an undersea rock fall near Ivory Coast. These incidents have significantly impacted internet connectivity, not only in South Africa but across the entire continent.

    The capacity constraints are further complicated by the time it takes to repair submarine cables and lay new infrastructure. Lawrence explains that it can take 18 months or longer to plan for new cables, and a further two years or more to actually build and commission them.

    “We’re fortunate that due to our investment in Africa and abroad we are able to be more nimble than most and can increase our undersea capacity at speed. We’ve designed our network to be as resilient as possible, acquiring capacity on the most stable routes we can find. Incremental capacity, or augments as they are referred to, require us to acquire hundreds of Gbps of capacity at a time, so we rely on our deep relationships which we’ve developed across the industry.”

    Through strategic partnerships and investments in mega Points of Presence (PoPs) across Africa, Workonline remains at the forefront of delivering high-quality IP transit services to meet the evolving needs of ISPs and CDNs in Africa.

    “We understand the critical importance of internet connectivity in today’s digital age,” added Lawrence. “As such, we are committed to proactively managing network disruptions and minimizing downtime to provide our customers with the continuity they need to thrive in a competitive landscape.”

  • MainOne Lands 2Africa Submarine Cable in Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom State, boosting Broadband Connectivity in South-South Nigeria

    MainOne Lands 2Africa Submarine Cable in Qua Iboe, Akwa Ibom State, boosting Broadband Connectivity in South-South Nigeria

    …Spanning 45,000km in length, 2Africa will be one of the world’s largest subsea cable projects and will interconnect Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a design capacity of up to 180Tbps

     MainOne, an Equinix Company, is delighted to announce its pivotal role in the historic landing in Akwa Ibom State of the first and only submarine cable system in Nigeria outside of Lagos. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in enhancing broadband connectivity and driving economic development in the South-South, South-East and North-Central regions of Nigeria.

    Spanning 45,000km in length, 2Africa will be one of the world’s largest subsea cable projects and will interconnect Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a design capacity of up to 180Tbps. The significance of 2Africa lies in its capacity to address critical internet needs and enhance reliability across vast expanses of Africa. Furthermore, 2Africa serves as a catalyst for the advancement of 4G, 5G and fixed broadband accessibility, extending its impact to billions of people. Akwa Ibom’s selection as a landing site underscores its strategic importance in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey. By offering cable diversity and resiliency, 2Africa contributes significantly to the country’s digital infrastructure resilience and MainOne’s role as the landing partner solidifies this endeavour. Notably, MainOne will facilitate the establishment of a terrestrial metro fiber network in Akwa Ibom State and the entire South-South Nigeria, seamlessly connecting enterprises and people in the region to the submarine cable system.

    “With a commitment to consistently deploy financial capital and project resources towards infrastructure investments, MainOne is dedicated to improving internet capacity and driving various aspects of development, including economic growth, digital transformation, healthcare, security, agriculture, and increased state revenue in South-South Nigeria,” stated Abayomi Adebanjo, Regional Business Head, MainOne, an Equinix Company.

    The terrestrial metro fiber network will address internet distribution constraints across the Southern and North-Central region of Nigeria, bridging the gap in unserved and underserved areas. By hosting the submarine cable system landing and the fiber cable interconnection, Akwa Ibom State, the South-South Region and Nigeria will unlock numerous economic and social benefits, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation, and improved public service delivery.

  • WISCAR Presents the 2023 Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference: “In Her Own Voice: Forging Ahead”

    WISCAR Presents the 2023 Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference: “In Her Own Voice: Forging Ahead”

    Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), a non-profit and non-governmental organization committed to advancing professional women in Nigeria and across Africa, proudly announces its 2023 Annual Leadership and Mentoring Conference. The event will take place on Saturday, 9th December 2023, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the prestigious Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

    Themed “In Her Own Voice: Forging Ahead”, the conference will provide an opportunity for a transformative gathering where exceptional women, renowned speakers, policymakers, and thought leaders converge to share insights and engage in a diverse array of activities. The platform fosters inspiration, empowers professional women to take the lead in driving positive change, and generates actionable recommendations contributing to inclusive and sustainable national development. The event will kick off with a Mentoring Walk on Saturday, the 25th of November 2023, at Eko Atlantic City. This walk serves as the inaugural event, setting the tone for the conference and providing an opportunity for participants to engage in meaningful discussions.

    Commenting on WISCAR and its mission for women empowerment, Amina Oyagbola, Founder and Chairperson of WISCAR, said “WISCAR is dedicated to propelling professional women to the forefront of Nigeria and Africa’s development and growth. Drawing inspiration from ALIWA (Africa Leadership Initiative West Africa), we strive to cultivate a powerful network of female professionals equipped to lead, drive social innovation, and take critical decisions that will usher in a new era of excellence in the workplace. Our annual leadership conference is designed to foster a vibrant and supportive environment for women from diverse professional backgrounds to connect, share experiences, and forge meaningful connections. The theme of this year’s conference symbolizes our unyielding commitment to gender equality, women’s empowerment, inclusive governance, and sustainable development. It highlights the enduring and progressive voices of women—a generation poised to break new ground and guide society towards greater achievements and sustained growth and prosperity”.

    The conference will include networking and interactive sessions that drives innovation and encourage participants to engage with each other, expand their professional circles, and build lasting relationships. WISCAR believes that by fostering a sense of community and collaboration, it can empower women to leverage their collective strengths and advance in various fields.

    WISCAR is supported by a variety of organizations that share a commitment to the cause. Diamond sponsors include First Bank of Nigeria, United Airlines, and Pacific Holdings Limited. The platinum sponsor is First City Monument Bank, and the gold sponsor is IHS Nigeria Limited. The silver sponsors are Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited, and FSDH Merchant Bank. Bronze sponsors consist of Mainone, Ernst & Young, FBNQuest Merchant Bank, FBNQuest Asset Management, TAJ Bank, and Access Bank. Additionally, strategic sponsors UN Women, Habiba Balogun Consulting, Oyagbola Chambers, AKMS Consulting, Hills + Knowlton Strategies, and DKK contribute to WISCAR’s success.

  • MainOne, Hosts Africa’s Peering Community at African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) 2023 in Ghana

    MainOne, Hosts Africa’s Peering Community at African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) 2023 in Ghana

    … reinforces Commitment to Internet Growth in Africa

    MainOne reinforces its commitment to the growth of internet in Africa by successfully hosting the 12th edition of the African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) in Accra, Ghana last week. The event, co-hosted by the Internet Society (ISOC) and the African IXP Association (AFIX), drew an impressive gathering of global and local industry leaders, regulators and stakeholders advancing Africa’s digital landscape and strengthening connectivity across the continent.

    Emmanuel Kwarteng, Ghana’s Country Manager, MainOne, an Equinix Company, emphasized the significance of AfPIF 2023 in fostering collaborations across Africa’s digital ecosystem. “In an era of rapid technological advancement, the Internet and content have emerged as two major pillars of modern society, transcending geographical boundaries and revolutionizing the way we do business, communicate, learn, and interact with the world around us,” stated Kwarteng. “We cannot overemphasize the critical role that peering plays in enhancing the reach, reliability, and efficiency of this new digital lifestyle. By collaborating with the Internet Society on the shared vision of an inclusive and interconnected internet society for the continent, we believe that the transformative partnerships formed here will drive value for a more connected Africa.”

    Distinguished speakers at the event included Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitization; Prof. Eser Osie-Yeboah Boateng, Deputy Director General of the National Communication Authority, Ghana; and Prof Nii Quaynor, widely known as the Father of Ghana’s internet. The Minister emphasized the need of a robust peering and interconnection ecosystem for the efficient operation of the country’s digital initiatives. “This will permit local traffic and promote ICT, which is crucial for any nation wishing to participate fully in the global Internet economy. It will enhance the end-user experience, bring down access costs, and encourage the growth of regional internet ecosystems,” noted the Minister. She also highlighted the importance of supporting the aggregation of internet traffic at interconnection hubs across Africa, which would attract international operators to establish their points of presence (POPs) in the West African region.

    MainOne’s role as the host of AfPIF 2023 and its active commitment in fostering interconnections align with its broader mission of driving digital transformation across West Africa. This commitment was further solidified as the Ghana Internet Exchange (GIX) and MainOne, an Equinix Company Ghana, firmed up their partnership with an announcement of the extension of the GIX network to the MDXi Appolonia Data Center at the event. MainOne continues to lead with investments in infrastructural development and new Data Center builds across the West African region and is set to launch a new data center in Cote d’Ivoire before the end of this year.

  • Report: Over Half of Businesses in Nigeria Planning to Expand Locally Despite Supply Chain, Cyber-Security, and Recruitment Challenges

    Report: Over Half of Businesses in Nigeria Planning to Expand Locally Despite Supply Chain, Cyber-Security, and Recruitment Challenges

    Nigerian survey data also shows that 34% of IT decision-makers in Nigeria are planning to move to a new region and 33% into a new country; 58% of IT decision-makers in Nigeria view a shortage of personnel with IT skills as one of the main threats to their business; Equinix completed the acquisition of Nigeria’s MainOne (http://www.MainOne.net) earlier this year

    As part of the Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey (https://bit.ly/3P4YpHt), 100 business leaders in Nigeria were interviewed about the opportunities and challenges their organizations are facing – and their plans for the future.

    As Equinix’s survey data highlights, there are huge opportunities for Nigeria’s businesses to successfully expand into new markets and reach new customers.

    The survey in Nigeria revealed that 54% of respondents are planning on expanding in an existing country in the next 12 months, 34% into a new region and 33% into a new country.  And that 93% of IT leaders in Nigeria said enhancing customer experience is a priority.

    However, a number of potentially limiting factors were identified by businesses when it came to global growth including concerns and challenges in supply chain, cyber security, and staff retention and recruitment.

    Supply Chain Challenges

    55% said their business was plagued by global supply chain issues and shortages, while 50% specified the global microchip shortage as a threat to their business.

    Cyber Security

    There remain significant concerns around cybersecurity in Nigeria. Ensuring expansions are supported by resilient digital models is business-critical, particularly at a time of increasing volatility and emerging global threats.

    As part of their digital-first strategies, 85% of respondents in Nigeria confirmed a key priority is improving cybersecurity. 88% said complying with local market data regulations is critical, while 85% highlighted the need to future-proof their businesses. According to IT specialists in Nigeria, the most feared threats were cyberattacks (73%), security breaches and data leaks (68%).

    Staff retention and recruitment

    Despite having one of the youngest populations and workforces in the world, 58% of IT decision-makers in Nigeria view a shortage of personnel with IT skills as one of the main threats to their business.  The survey showed that among the most common concerns for businesses in Nigeria are candidates with the wrong skill sets applying for jobs (56%), pay and compensation (49%), changing expectations around ways of working (41%), and the retention of current talent (38%).

    Additionally, In Nigeria, the most in-demand tech employees are those with skills in areas such as AI/machine learning, data analysis, cloud computing specialists, data protection, security software development, IT technicians and security analysis

    Tools To Grow Businesses

    To help grow their businesses, 77% of IT leaders in Nigeria said they plan to move more business functions to the cloud including business-critical applications and security functions.

    Hybrid cloud models were the preferred approach for 36% of respondents in Nigeria, although 18% still rely on a single cloud provider and 2% not using the cloud at all.

    40% in Nigeria said they plan to facilitate global expansion plans by deploying virtually via the cloud, with over a quarter (26%) – 21% among IT decision-makers in Nigeria – doing so using a bare metal solution.

    Meanwhile, 47% globally (46% in Nigeria) said they expect increased spending on carrier-neutral colocation solutions to facilitate the planned rise in digital deployments, while even more (59% at global level, 70% in Nigeria) said they intend to increase investment in interconnection services as they plan to progress digital transformation and build resilience.

    COVID accelerates digital evolution

    The pandemic also continues to have a significant impact on businesses’ digital strategies. More than half of IT leaders in Nigeria (64%) say they are accelerating their company’s digital evolution because of the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, over half (64%) confirm their IT budgets have increased as a direct outcome of its legacy—an insight into the now broadly acknowledged necessity for robust digital infrastructure to pivot to evolving business needs in an instant. Furthermore, almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) believe the technology changes and investments implemented during the pandemic are here to stay.

    Funke Opeke, Managing Director, MainOne, An Equinix Company said:

    “The acceleration in digital transformation in Nigeria reinforces the need for businesses to have access to single points to interconnect locally. Increased speed of connectivity, increased flexibility of connectivity, and reduced cost of connectivity were identified by IT decision-makers in Nigeria as the most beneficial aspects of interconnection.  MainOne provides a rich interconnection ecosystem that allows customers to connect to each other on multiple telecoms networks, and Cloud, Payment and Content Providers in a single location.’’

    Earlier this year Equinix, Inc. (https://www.Equinix.com/) (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company™, expanded into Africa through the US$320m acquisition of MainOne, a leading West African data center and connectivity solutions provider, with presence in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire

    To download a copy of the Global Tech Trends Survey – Nigeria report, please visit: https://bit.ly/3Pba3ka

    To read more about the Global Tech Trends Survey or download a copy, please visit: Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey (https://bit.ly/3P4YpHt)

  • Two Scientific Works Win The Nigeria Prize for Science, 2022

    Two Scientific Works Win The Nigeria Prize for Science, 2022

    The 2022 edition of  The Nigeria Prize for Science today, announced two most outstanding works on “Gains in Grain Yield of Released Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars under Drought and Well-Watered Conditions” by Muhydideen Oyekunle and Shehu Ado;and “Development of Process Plant for Plantain Flour” by Sesan Peter Ayodeji and Emmanuel Olatunji Olatomilola, as winners of the $100,000 prize money.

    The Prize’s Advisory Board, led by Professor Barth Nnaji, announced the judges’ verdict based on the 2022 theme “Innovations in Sustainable Food Security” at a press conference in Lagos. This is coming after the 2021 cycle, which was based on the same theme, ended without a winner.

    In his remarks on the verdict, Mr. Andy Odeh, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, said the Science Prize is growing in strength as the 2022 verdict depicts. He stated that the Advisory Board and NLNG are working behind the scenes to review the prize for bigger impact and inclusiveness for the good of society. He emphasized that science can provide solutions to most of the country’s challenges and urged relevant stakeholders and the public to continue to support NLNG through the Nigeria Prize for Science to make scientific breakthroughs the biggest enabler of development in Nigeria, adding that industry and public investors should consider the commercial value of the winning works.

    While commending the winners for the big feat, Mr. Odeh called on all past winners of the prize to synergize and become a think-tank that can generate and sustain the flow of ideas, innovation, and scientific advice to the public and private sectors, adding that this will make scientific ideas and innovations beneficial to Nigerians, thereby helping to build a better Nigeria, in line with NLNG’s vision.  

    He stated further that the winning works have the potential to significantly impact the country’s food security positively, guaranteeing a stable, efficient, and sufficient system of food production.

    Referring to the judges’ report, Professor Nnaji said the work(s) addressed food security which is a key component of our national agenda. “At the global level, Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seeks sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 and to achieve food security. This entails improving the productivity and incomes of small-scale farmers by promoting equal access to land, technology and markets, resilient agricultural practices, and sustainable food production systems”, he stated.

    Professor Nnaji said the choice of the judges reflects a multi-disciplinary approach relevant to the theme in focus. He added that “the advisory board is particularly pleased that in evaluating the entries, the judges upheld the objectives of the prize which seeks to identify and promote excellence in utilizing scientific knowledge for the achievement of desired solutions”.

    Muhyideen Oyekunle and Shehu Ado’s work on “Gains in Grain Yield of Released Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars under Drought and Well Watered Conditions” provides us with a unique opportunity. The maize seeds they selected courtesy of breeding programme has been tested to be high yielding and water stress tolerant. The hybrids they selected records yields of 1.73-2.51 t/ha in stress areas and 5-6 t/ha in areas with good rainfall distribution in farmers’ fields.

    Sesan Peter Ayodeji and Emmanuel Olatunji Olatomilola’s work on “Development of Process Plant for Plantain Flour” is important for reducing spoilage of farm products and package for distribution as well as value addition for farm products. It is resourceful in scaling up from batch production to industrial scale continuous flour production relevant beyond plantain to other food items.

    He commended the Board and Management of Nigeria LNG for instituting, sponsoring, and sustaining what is arguably the biggest Science Prize in Africa.

    Winners of this year’s edition of the prize are Muhyideen Oyekunle, a Maize Breeder and Lecturer at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and his colleague Prof Shehu Garki Ado, an agricultural expert, eminent academic, and researcher of international repute. He is a professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding and is currently the vice-chancellor of Al-Qalam University Katsina.

    Professor Sesan Peter Ayodeji is a professor of Machine & Process Design and Applied Ergonomics at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and his colleague is Emmanuel Olatunji Olatomilola.

    The decision on the winning entries was reached by a panel of judges, led by Professor Christian Ugwu Agbo. Professor Agbo is a professor in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Other members on the panel are Ms. Funke Opeke and Prof Mohammed Magaji. Ms. Opeke is an experienced telecommunications executive and the founder/CEO of MainOne while Professor Magaji is a professor of Agronomy at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

    For the Advisory Board of the NigeriaPrize for Science, in addition to Professor Nnaji, are Chief Dr. Nike Akande, a two-time minister and former President Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Professor Yusuf Abubakar, a professor of Animal Breeding and Quantitative Genetics and the Coordinator of Agriculture Group, R & D Standing Committee, at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.