The Telecommunication and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), a multi-stakeholder network of corporate organisations promoting sustainability in the Nigerian ICT sector, held their quarterly board meeting on Thursday, 13 April 2023, in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
The meeting, which is the first physical board meet of the TTSWG as it works assiduously to be the go-to hub for tech sustainability leadership, was presided over by the Chairman of the Board, Engr. Mohammed Abdu-Waya, Chief Technical Officer at Intercellular Nigeria Plc.
According to a statement, it had in attendance other members of the board, including Vice-Chair of the Board, Dr. Wunmi Hassan (President, High-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youth), Dr. Chris Uwaje, Mrs. Iklimatu Ramallan, Prof. Francis Idachaba, as well as key operatives of the TTSWG Secretariat – ‘Bekeme Olowola (Lead Consultant TTSWG), Chioma Ahumareze, Isaac Emmanuel, and Pamela Babafemi who manage the TTSWG Secretariat at CSR-in-Action.
A representative of TTSWG member organisations and Member of the Planning Committee for the Innovator Makers’ Challenge (TTSWG’s landmark event to promote sustainable tech innovations among indigenous youth), Suleman Ibrahim – Manager of Sustainability and ESG at IHS Nigeria – was also present at the board meeting as an observer.
The board meeting aimed to review the activities of the Secretariat during the last quarter and strategies for the next steps to ensure that the working group is on course to achieve its goals and purposes.
Some of the activities that took place in the past couple of months which were highlighted during the meeting were TTSWG’s highly successful ‘Sip & Tech’ stakeholders’ networking event, its feature series on The Good Citizen Radio Show hosted by CSR-in-Action, the release of crucial industry research publications – including, The Growing Tech Economy in Nigeria; and Increased Taxation on ICT in Nigeria: A Barrier to the Sector’s Sustained Growth?; all available at ttswg.org-, as well as the hosting of a webinar on The Role of ICT in Deepening Democracy and Sustainable Governance in Nigeria. The group also experienced substantial growth in membership during the period under review, now boasting 21 members, including new member organisations such as Quomodo Systems Africa, TBO Consulting Group, and Arnergy Solar Ltd.
Speaking on the work done in the past year, Mrs. Olowola said, “I’m very glad that the TTSWG has been well received, even by international business players in Nigeria. Collaborations are essential to fuel growth and progress in every field, and our Secretariat has demonstrated exceptional commitment to surpassing our targets during this period. We have prioritised the creation of strategic partnerships, specifically for the upcoming IMC event. We have taken significant steps, and we are confident that these partnerships with business, government, academia, and other mediating organisations, will play a critical role in our ongoing success and the realisation of our objectives.”
The board commended the TTSWG Secretariat for their outstanding work across various metrics during the period. They also re-emphasised their commitment and willingness to leverage their influence to drive support for TTSWG, its project, and initiatives.