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Airtel Nigeria, a leading provider of telecommunications and digital infrastructure, has deepened its role as a catalyst for national development with a high-level workshop aimed at driving innovation in Nigeria’s Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), and utility sectors.
The two-day event, held from July 8–9, 2025, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, brought together C-suite executives, technology leaders, and ecosystem partners to co-develop digital solutions that address pressing sectoral challenges. Themed “Banking on Innovation: Powering Financial Services with Connectivity” (Day 1) and “Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Leap: Smarter Networks, Smarter Business” (Day 2), the workshop provided a platform to harness connectivity for smarter, more efficient operations across two of Nigeria’s most critical industries.
Enabling Sectoral Transformation with Connectivity
In his keynote address, Airtel Nigeria’s Managing Director and CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, emphasized the company’s expanding mission beyond connectivity to being a full digital transformation partner.
“From energy to finance, logistics to public services, we are at a pivotal moment,” said Balsingh. “The question is no longer whether to digitize, but how rapidly and strategically we can do it. Airtel is here with solutions designed to drive meaningful change.”
He highlighted Airtel’s suite of enterprise offerings tailored to industrial modernization:
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Internet of Things (IoT) for smart metering, leak detection, energy optimization, and asset tracking
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Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) to enable secure, multi-channel customer engagement across SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, and USSD
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Network as a Service (NaaS) providing agile, cloud-ready, and scalable network solutions
“These aren’t just buzzwords,” Balsingh added. “They are real tools transforming real problems—from legacy systems in the energy sector to service delivery in financial services.”
Showcasing Digital Capabilities
Abhishek Biswal, Chief Business Officer for Digital Services at Airtel India, provided a compelling demonstration of Airtel’s IoT Hub, showcasing its potential to revolutionize energy distribution and system intelligence.
“The future of finance and energy must be digital—secure, scalable, and seamless,” Biswal said. “Through partnerships with telcos like Airtel, stakeholders can build resilient digital ecosystems capable of withstanding tomorrow’s challenges.”
Collaboration and Strategic Insight
Ogo Ofomata, Director of Airtel Business, stressed the importance of co-creation and industry collaboration. She noted that the workshop exemplified Airtel’s approach of listening to stakeholders and jointly developing targeted, scalable solutions.
“As an enabler, we succeed when our partners succeed,” she remarked. “This workshop is about listening, co-creating, and ensuring every solution is aligned with actual sectoral needs.”
From a broader continental perspective, Luc Serviant, Group Enterprise Business Director at Airtel Africa, highlighted strategic investments in 5G infrastructure and LEO satellite connectivity, which are enhancing service delivery in remote and underserved regions across the continent.
“Reliable connectivity is the backbone of every digital economy,” Serviant said. “Our investments are not just about speed—they’re about inclusion, continuity, and building the networks of tomorrow.”
A Call for Broader Engagement
The workshop concluded with stakeholder feedback highlighting the importance of including regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in future editions, to ensure a well-aligned and policy-supportive innovation ecosystem.
By convening stakeholders across banking, insurance, utilities, and digital infrastructure, Airtel Nigeria is positioning itself at the heart of Nigeria’s digital transformation—providing not just connectivity, but a strategic pathway to a smarter, more inclusive digital economy.
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