Thursday <strong>20</strong> <strong>Jul</strong>y <strong>20</strong>17 C002D5556 BUSINESS DAY 15 COMPANIES & MARKETS Reliance Infosystems wins Microsoft-Partner- Of-The-Year Award Business Event MIKE OCHONMA Reliance Infosystems Limited, an information technology service provided has won the <strong>20</strong>17 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for Nigeria. Microsoft recognized Reliance Infosystems Limited as its top Nigeria partner, based on the company’s outstanding field service, innovation, and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Microsoft awarded winners from several countries at the Microsoft Inspire Conference in Washington, D.C. United State recently. Commenting on the award at the award ceremony; Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner, Microsoft, Ron Huddleston said that the <strong>20</strong>17 Partner of the Year Award winners and finalists represent the most valued and innovative solutions within our partner community. “It is an honour to recognize our top partners providing their expertise and solutions to solve complex business challenges. Hearty congratulations to each winner and finalist on this tremendous achievement.” He said. When asked why the company was selected for this award, CEO, Reliance Infosystems Limited; Olayemi Popoola said expressed how elated he was to be rewarded. “I am happy because we strive to provide impeccable innovations and solutions to customers. I believe we are now in the spotlight in terms of leading the partner ecosystem in Nigeria for Microsoft because we imbibe creativity and innovation in most of our engagements with Microsoft customers.” “Furthermore, we organize periodic workshop for different industries on how they can leverage Microsoft solutions in enhancing business processes. One of these is the Technology meets manufacturing events held in May, <strong>20</strong>17. Reliance Infosystems specializes in designing and implementing business critical information technology solutions, uniquely combining our proven intellectual property with premier partner technologies to provide our customers with the competitive edge needed to succeed in today’s business and technology. L-R: Retired Justice George Oguntade; Adegboyega Kazeem, managing director, IBILE Microfinance Bank; Akin Oyebode, executive secretary, The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF); Wale Raji, member, Federal House of Representatives Epe Constituency, and Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, Oloja of Epe, during the cheque presentation ceremony to LSETF for Hon. Wale Raji Women Empowerment Scheme in Epe – Lagos. Free Trade Zone receives N1.8trn China boost . . . As UNIDO Partners Oyo on Industrialisation L-R: Emeke Ikade; Nath Orji; Anselm Madubuko, Apostolic Leader, and Paul Obazele, all of Revival Assembly, at a press conference to announce the 15th Azusa Conference in Lagos. AKINREMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan China plans to inject up to $5bn (N1.8tr) into the development of the newly established Polaris-Pacesetter Free Trade Zone, located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the first instance. This is as United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) partnered the Oyo State Government to develop an industrial policy and strategic document poised to give the state’s industrialization initiatives a major boost. Abiola Ajimobi, executive governor of Oyo State, disclosed that close to150 investors from Asian countries, especially China, had signified their preparedness to invest in the state’s FTZ, with assurances that seven of the companies would begin business by the end of the year. Ajimobi said that the state had comparative advantage for massive industrial development, judging by its vast arable land mass, huge population, concentration of research institutes, as well as its peaceful and secure environment. “We are proud and happy to have been recognized as worthy of being the first state to benefit from this industrial development policy in Nigeria. Without sounding immodest, this is in acknowledgment of our commitment to industrialization,” Ajimobi said, adding that Oyo State is ranked 5th in ease of doing business in Nigeria because of the enabling environment it has created. “We have made peace and security the cornerstone of our pyramid of development. Similarly, we have provided social and physical infrastructure. These are the sine qua non of industrial development. We are happy to announce that China alone is investing $5bn dollars in our free trade zone.” The document of the partnership with UNIDO was presented to Ajimobi by Jean Bankole, UNIDO’s representative to ECOWAS and regional director of Nigeria regional office hub at the Governor’s office, Ibadan. Bakole said, “Our main job is to support economic growth and transformation in Africa. We are here to see how we can build a roadmap to develop various sectors. Oyo State is the first to benefit from the partnership because it already has an industrial policy in place. ``UNIDO is now developing a new country programme. The document we are presenting today was prepared in collaboration with the state government. This document raises a number of challenges, which is not peculiar to Oyo State. “Our business is now to turn these challenges to opportunities. Few of the challenges include poor power supply, dominance of informal sector, low level technology, lack of interagency synergy.” The Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Cooperatives, Taibat Adeyemi- Agaba, also said that UNIDO developed new industrial policy with active collaboration of the state. According to her, the policy had the input of internal and external stakeholders, which she said would make it the best in the Southwest region when its implementation began. L-R: Eason Duan, brand manager - West Africa, Tecno Mobile; Nnamdi Ezeigbo, MD/CEO, SLOT Systems Ltd.; Attai Oguche, deputy marketing manager, PR, Offline Events and Sponsorships Tecno Mobile Nigeria; and Jesse Oguntimehin, deputy marketing manager, Digital, Tecno Mobile Nigeria, at the launch of the Tecno Camon CX Manchester City Limited Edition at Renaissance Hotel Ikeja Lagos L-R: Munzali Jibril, president and chairman of council, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), (Chartered); Akpan Ekpo, director general, West African Institute of Financial and Economic Management, Lagos/guest speaker; Pat Anabor, national treasurer, NIM, and Tony Fadaka, registrar/CEO, NIM, at the NIM <strong>20</strong>17 distinguished management lecture, with the theme “Overcoming the Knowing-Doing Gap: Filling the Void between Economic Policy Formulation and Implementation’ in Lagos, yesterday. Pic by Olawale Amoo
16 Thursday <strong>20</strong> <strong>Jul</strong>y <strong>20</strong>17