The South-East needs to embrace digital transformation and innovation to unlock its economic potential and strengthen the region’s position as a major commercial hub in Nigeria, organisers of the forthcoming Pivot Conference 4.0 have said.

The conference, organised by The Pivot Africa, is expected to bring together thousands of stakeholders to discuss ways technology and digital tools can be deployed to accelerate business growth, entrepreneurship and shared prosperity across the region.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists at Kodex Africa in Awka, Anambra State, over the weekend, Executive Director of The Pivot Africa, Ifedi Ralph Eze, said the initiative was designed to help people in the region define their digital and economic future.

Eze said the South-East was lagging behind other geopolitical zones in digital awareness and adoption despite its reputation as one of Nigeria’s major centres of commerce.

According to him, technology is increasingly disrupting traditional business models, making it important for traders, entrepreneurs, students, professionals and other stakeholders to understand and adopt digital platforms.

He said digital platforms could increasingly enable people to access products, services and markets without depending solely on traditional forms of importation and physical transactions.

Eze urged residents of the region to take advantage of emerging digital opportunities, stressing that access to knowledge, networks and technology would be critical to turning business ideas into sustainable enterprises.

“The Pivot Conference is for digital transformation, shared growth and prosperity for all. Digital transformation is no longer a conversation reserved for technology companies.

“Across our communities, there are people building businesses, developing skills, creating solutions, leading organisations and solving problems. There are young people with enormous potential, women building remarkable enterprises, professionals creating value, and businesses looking for the right connections and opportunities to grow.

“But potential alone is not enough. People need access. They need knowledge. They need networks. They need platforms. And sometimes, they simply need someone to open the right door,” he said.

Conference to connect businesses with opportunities
Eze explained that The Pivot Africa had continued to create different platforms and experiences throughout the year to connect people with knowledge, mentorship, business opportunities and professional networks.

He identified the Pivot Challenge Bootcamp as one of the initiatives designed to encourage participants to develop practical solutions while gaining exposure to entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.

The bootcamp, he said, would challenge participants to think creatively, build solutions and explore ways technology could be applied to address real-world problems.

The journalists’ engagement also featured selected speakers and digital economy advocates who discussed the role of digitisation in business development and community transformation.

Participants shared experiences and practical perspectives on how businesses, community leaders and women in technology could use digital tools to improve productivity, expand their markets and connect with new opportunities.

5,000 participants expected in Awka
The organisers said no fewer than 5,000 participants are expected at Pivot Conference 4.0, scheduled to hold at the Stanel Dome in Awka later in October.

Expected participants include policy leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, educators, women in technology, grassroots innovators and students.

The conference is expected to provide a platform for participants to exchange ideas, establish networks, access mentorship and explore opportunities within the digital economy.

One of the speakers, Favour Ogidi, who spoke on women in power, said women were increasingly being empowered to contribute to transformation through the digital revolution.

The organisers said the broader objective of the conference was to close digital gaps in the region and create an environment where technology, entrepreneurship and innovation could contribute to inclusive economic growth.

For the South-East, the discussions come amid growing attention on how digital adoption can complement the region’s established commercial and entrepreneurial culture by opening access to wider markets, financing, skills and business networks.

The Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have agreed to collaborate on the implementation of a 24/7 Energy Zones pilot aimed at delivering stable and reliable electricity to homes, businesses and industries across Lagos.

The agreement was reached during a high-level technical meeting between the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House, Marina.

The Federal Ministry of Power disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the initiative was approved by President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to improve electricity supply in major commercial and industrial centres across the country.

According to the ministry, Lagos will serve as the starting point for the Energy Zones pilot, which will subsequently extend to the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridors.

The initiative is expected to provide a framework for addressing challenges across the electricity value chain and improving the reliability of power delivered to high-demand areas.

Tegbe said the Ministry of Power had engaged electricity distribution companies operating along the Lagos corridor and secured commitments from them to increase their power offtake and deliver more consistent electricity to consumers.

“The Ministry had engaged and secured commitments from the distribution companies to offtake more power and deliver steady and reliable electricity to customers along the Lagos corridor,” he said.

The minister also said the Federal Government was prepared to work closely with the Lagos State Government on four priority areas identified for the implementation of the initiative.

The areas include grid stabilisation, market liquidity, grid expansion, and governance and regulatory harmonisation.

The collaboration is expected to address technical, financial and regulatory challenges that have continued to affect electricity supply and the efficiency of the power market.

Sanwo-Olu commended the Federal Government delegation for its commitment to addressing challenges in the electricity sector.

The governor said Lagos was ready to support practical solutions aimed at improving the state’s electricity market, stressing the importance of collaboration between the Federal Government, the state government and other stakeholders.

“We need to work out pragmatic solutions to make the sector work for Nigerians, and Lagosians in particular, creating a bankable, collaborative and competitive electricity market in Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said.

As part of efforts to move the initiative from planning to implementation, the meeting agreed to establish a joint technical committee.

The committee will be responsible for resolving outstanding technical and operational issues and recommending the next steps required to implement the 24/7 Energy Zones initiative.

The committee will report to a steering committee headed by Sanwo-Olu and co-chaired by Tegbe.

Other members of the steering committee include the Special Adviser to the President on Power, Dr Lanre Babalola; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Alh Mahmuda Mamman; and the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy, Biodun Ogunleye.

The meeting was also attended by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat; managing directors of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Nigerian Independent System Operator and Rural Electrification Agency; as well as senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Power and Lagos State Government.

The development followed an earlier engagement between the Federal Government and electricity distribution companies over the proposed Energy Zones.

Last week, Tegbe held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of selected distribution companies to discuss the proposed zones, which are designed to deliver stable 24-hour electricity to homes, businesses and industries in the country’s major demand centres.

The targeted areas are the Lagos axis, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor.

The Federal Government said the initiative was designed to tackle electricity distribution constraints and ensure that power generated and transmitted through the national grid reaches consumers more reliably, particularly in locations with high commercial and industrial demand.

For Lagos, the pilot is expected to bring together federal and state authorities, power distributors, transmission operators and other sector stakeholders to address the technical and operational issues limiting reliable electricity supply.

The establishment of the joint technical and steering committees is expected to provide the coordination structure for translating the government’s 24/7 electricity commitment into concrete implementation measures.

The Guild of Medical Directors has called for stronger infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities following an assessment which found that 48.8 per cent of 415 facilities evaluated in Lagos had inadequate infection prevention and control systems.

The Guild warned that weak infection prevention and control systems could increase the risk of healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and the spread of infectious diseases.

The call was made at the GMD Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting held on Friday at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, where healthcare professionals discussed infection prevention, disease surveillance and preparedness for emerging and re-emerging diseases.

Speaking on the theme, “Infection Prevention and Control: The Role of Healthcare Services,” Dr Olayemi Daudu said infection prevention should be regarded as a standard of care and driven by healthcare leadership, rather than treated as the responsibility of a particular department.

“Infection prevention is not a department or a department of activity, but a standard of care that is driven by governance, and we as directors are charged with that responsibility,” Daudu said.

She disclosed that an assessment of 415 healthcare facilities in Lagos using the World Health Organisation Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework showed that 48.8 per cent had inadequate IPC systems.

According to her, private healthcare facilities performed better than public facilities in the assessment, although none of the facilities assessed attained the advanced level.

Daudu said effective infection prevention could help reduce avoidable infections, antibiotic use, hospital stays and associated healthcare costs, particularly as healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance continue to place pressure on health systems.

“The hospital without an infection prevention and control system becomes an amplifier,” she warned.

To address the identified gaps, Daudu proposed a 90-day IPC compact for GMD member hospitals.

The proposed measures include facility assessments, regular audits, stronger laboratory links, improved hand hygiene, surgical-site infection surveillance, facility antibiograms and improved outbreak preparedness through effective triage and designated isolation areas.

She also advocated closer collaboration between healthcare facilities, laboratories and public health agencies.

“Infection prevention is not a cost centre. It’s a licence to operate,” Daudu stressed.

Hospitals must be ready for emerging diseases
Also speaking at the conference, Dr Adefolarin Opawoye, who addressed participants on “Emergency Preparedness for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases,” said healthcare facilities, particularly private hospitals, must be equipped to identify suspected infectious diseases early and respond promptly.

He noted that private hospitals often serve as the first point of contact for patients and could therefore play a crucial role in preventing the spread of emerging diseases.

Opawoye identified Ebola, mpox, COVID-19, cholera, diphtheria, Lassa fever and antimicrobial resistance among the threats requiring sustained preparedness.

“The next case of an emerging disease must be identified in a private facility. The facility must be trained, ready and able to respond quickly. It must be able to isolate a suspected case,” he warned.

He said healthcare facilities should have effective triage systems, designated isolation areas, disease surveillance mechanisms, appropriate personal protective equipment and functional links with Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers.

The medical expert also called for continuous training of healthcare workers, appropriate vaccination where indicated, emergency drills and clear procedures for disease notification and referral.

“Usually, we have four things that we do: Screen. Isolate. Notify. Transfer,” he explained.

Opawoye further advised healthcare facilities not to wait for laboratory confirmation before taking appropriate precautions where there is strong clinical suspicion of a dangerous infectious disease.

Responding to questions, he explained that the WHO Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework provides healthcare facilities with a structured self-assessment covering eight areas of infection prevention and control.

He said the framework helps facilities identify weaknesses and develop measures to strengthen their IPC systems.

On vaccination and booster measures, Opawoye said decisions should depend on the disease involved, the level of risk and surveillance findings during suspected cases or outbreaks.

GMD moves to raise healthcare standards
Earlier, the Chairman of the GMD Lagos Chapter, Dr Omoniyi Fagbemi, said the need to improve healthcare standards was also behind the Guild’s decision to require members to enrol in a quality improvement programme.

He disclosed that Care Level Three is expected to become the minimum standard for members after a period of grace.

Fagbemi said healthcare providers must develop systems capable of protecting patients and healthcare workers while responding effectively to emerging and re-emerging diseases.

“Our theme today is particularly important because we continue to face emerging and re-emerging diseases. We have witnessed serious outbreaks in different parts of the world, including Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.

He recalled Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak and the role played by Dr Ameyo Adadevoh and other healthcare workers at First Consultant Hospital in containing the disease.

Fagbemi also stressed the importance of building healthcare businesses that can achieve sustainable growth.

“Growth is not enough; it must scale,” he maintained.

Medical directors urged to build sustainable healthcare systems.

Speaking on “Systems, Strategy and Leadership for a Healthcare Enterprise Built to Last,” Dr Ayobami Kuyoro urged healthcare.

organisations to reduce their dependence on individual medical directors and establish systems capable of functioning effectively beyond their tenure.

She said sustainable healthcare organisations require strong leadership, succession planning, institutional knowledge, financial discipline, effective technology and data-driven decision-making.

“The strongest leaders do not create dependants; they create capacity,” Kuyoro noted.

Kuyoro cautioned healthcare organisations against adopting technology as a substitute for fixing weak operational processes.

“The digital version of a broken system is still a broken system,” she stressed.

She also encouraged medical directors approaching retirement to prepare the next generation of leaders and establish systems that would enable their organisations to remain viable after they leave.

“The question is: what can the organisation do without you?” she asked.

The discussions at the conference underscored the need for healthcare facilities to strengthen infection prevention systems, improve emergency preparedness and develop sustainable institutional structures as Nigeria continues to face the threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.