Unveiling the Winners of the TTSWG’s Innovation Makers Challenge

L-R: Lead Consultant, Secretariat, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), Bekeme Olowola; Founder, CE-IV and Member, World Economic Forum, Yomi Awobokun; Chief Commercial Officer, Arnergy, Omobola Omofaiye; Executive Director, Access Corporation, Lanre Bamisebi; Director, Sustainability and Corporate Communications, IHS Towers, Cima Sholatan; and Commercial Director, S&P Global Intelligence, Brent Van Wyk, at the Innovation Makers Challenge 2023 Conference and Exhibition by TTSWG held recently at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) recently concluded its first Innovation Makers Challenge (IMC), awarding the top prize to Joseph Ojighoro, founder of OJ Technologies. Ojighoro’s Health Tech company triumphed over a formidable pool of entrants, securing a ₦2,000,000.00 prize.

Designed as a youth-focused initiative, the IMC aims to cultivate innovative, sustainable, and technology-driven solutions. The competition culminated in a three-day boot camp, after which the top five finalists were selected from an impressive 1,716 participants. Valentine Nnamani and Elijah Moses, entrepreneurs in the energy and financial inclusion sectors respectively, clinched the second and third positions, receiving awards of ₦1,000,000.00 and ₦500,000.00.

L-R: John Isiekwene, Sustainability Manager, IHS Towers; Lead Consultant, Secretariat, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) and Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, Bekeme Olowola; IMC-Quest second runner-up and Founder, Kugatel, Elijah Moses; Board Member, TTSWG, Mrs Iklimatu Ramallan; IMC-Quest Winner and Founder, OJ Technologies, Joseph Ojighoro; Founder of Metaverse XYZ, Kate Hancock; Vice Chairperson, TTSWG Board, Dr Wunmi Hassan; IMC-Quest first runner-up Founder, OneGrid Energies Valentine Nnamani; and Sustainability Team Member, IHS Towers, Emmanuel Isibor at the event.

With the theme “Innovating for the Future,” the IMC also convened global experts who explored how emerging technologies can support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a Conference and Exhibition. The IMC was sponsored by IHS Towers as Lead Sponsors, Quomodo Systems Africa, amongst others. Among the distinguished attendees at the event were Founder of Metaverse, Kate Hancock; Chief Operations Officer, Tunga, Reinier Van Scherpenzeel; Deputy-Consul General, Netherlands Embassy; Leonie Van Der Stijl; and Commercial Director, S&P Global Intelligence, Brent Van Wyk.

Audience paying rapt attention during the first panel session at the event.

Bekeme Olowola, Lead Consultant for TTSWG Secretariat and Chief Executive of CSR-in-Action, stressed the need for ethical technology, saying,

Technology is the invincible hand shaping our future from the deep seas to the infinity of space. As we applaud the humanlike grace of humanoid robots, climate technology, and all the great progress among us today, we must ponder deeply the ethical tapestry of our creations.

The IMC Conference ultimately culminated with the launch of the Telecommunication and Technology Citizenship Awareness Roadmap (TATCAR), a framework by TTSWG to ensure compliance with international sustainability standards in the tech and telecom industry. For more information, click here to visit the website.

L-R: Chief Operations Officer, Tunga, Reinier Van Scherpenzeel; Deputy-Consul General, Netherlands Embassy; Leonie Van Der Stijl; Board Member, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), Iklimatu Ramallan; and Vice Chairperson, TTSWG Board, Dr Wunmi Hassan at the event.

L-R: Founder, CE-IV and Member, World Economic Forum, Yomi Awobokun; Commercial Director, S&P Global Market Intelligence, Brent Van Wyk; Executive Director, Access Corporation, Lanre Bamisebi; Chief Commercial Officer, Arnergy, Omobola Omofaiye; President, Nigerian University of Management and Technology, Dr. Babs Omotowa; and Chief Operations Officer, Tunga, Reinier Van Scherpenzeel at the event.

L-R: Lead Consultant, Secretariat, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) and Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, Bekeme Olowola; Founder, CE-IV and Member, World Economic Forum, Yomi Awobokun; Director, Internal Audit and Risk Management, IHS Towers, Temitope Yusuff; Chief Energy Officer, EnergyCrossHair Solutions & Angel Investor, Myke Oseh; General Manager, Strategy and Organisational Performance, Quomodo Systems Africa, Adedoyin Segun-Noibi; and Manager, Sustainability (ESG and Communications), IHS Towers, Suleman Ibrahim at the event.

L-R: Board Member, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), Mrs Iklimatu Ramallan; Deputy Director, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Kola Oyeniran; Chief Commercial Officer, Arnergy, Omobola Omofaiye; Chairman, Uniccon Group, Dr Chuks Ekwueme; Lead Consultant, Secretariat, TTSWG, Bekeme Olowola; General Manager, Quomodo Systems Africa, Adedoyin Segun-Noibi; and Manager, Sustainability (ESG and Communications), IHS Towers, Suleman Ibrahim; during the launch of the Telecommunication and Technology Citizenship Awareness Roadmap (TATCAR) at the event.

L-R: IT Specialist, Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG) Secretariat, Godsfavour Ukorma; Founder of Metaverse XYZ, Kate Hancock; Chairman, Uniccon Group, Dr Chuks Ekwueme; Co-Founder, Ingressive for Good, Sean Burrowes; General Manager, Quomodo Systems Africa, Adedoyin Segun-Noibi, and Founder EBH Africa, Freda Anyanwu at the event.