Tag Archives: NBM plc Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer Harold Jiya

Business, Technology

NBM plc awards ICT innovators

Maravi Post Author
Mfune gets his award as ICTAM President Bram Fudzulani (left) looks on

By Mc Donald Chapalapata, Contributor

Listed National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Saturday night awarded innovators in various categories in the ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM) Innovation Jam awards in Mangochi.

Software systems developer Samson Fiado emerged overall winner in the Fintech category with his ‘Easy Books Accounting’, a simple to use and affordable web-based accounting package developed to manage financial data for small and medium sized institutions.

As one of the overall winners, Fiado will be rewarded with an NBM plc sponsored trip to the Africa Innovations Summit where he will have the opportunity to learn of new technologies and engage with fellow innovators on the global scene.

Fiado was over the moon after being crowned overall winner and thanked NBM plc for sponsoring the Innovation Jam saying the gesture will unearth various innovations that will help improve the economy and the general welfare of the people in the country.

“I am very grateful to NBM plc for continuing to support the Innovation Jam. This will motivate more innovators to come forward with their amazing innovations,” said Fiado who runs a software company known as EasyBooks Solutions.

Amanda Phiri of Proxima emerged overall winner in the Open Innovations category which comprised of Education, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence and E-Health. Phiri’s submission in the Education Category showcased a solar powered laptop innovation to provide affordable laptops to the youth.

As an overall winner in the Open Innovations category, Phiri will also go on to attend the Annual Innovations Summit in 2021 courtesy of NBM plc.

Tadala Mtimuni emerged runner up in in the Fintech category with a Banki Mkhonde (Village Bank) innovation while Timothy Kamanga with his Worktech Insight Platform innovation was named runner up in the Open Innovations category.

The two runners up received K1 million each from NBM plc.

Other winners were Noble Agriculture and Smart Farming System by Chiku Walani in the Agriculture category, Gloria Kasambwe’s Landitseni Platform and Innocent Bvalani’s Healthpass in the Health category, Dumisani Mfune and Vocal Hospital in Artificial Intelligence category.

NBM Plc Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer Harold Jiya said NBM Plc fully understands and appreciates the pivotal role that innovations and technology play and will continue to play in Malawi’s developmental agenda.

“NBM Plc has a continuing partnership with ICTAM on ICT innovation and this investment in ICT development is a vehicle for the creation of employment for the youth and by resourcing the ICT sector we are harnessing and leveraging on the energies and determination that is latent in our youth to foster rapid economic growth by fueling the birth and nurturing the growth of businesses that start from scratch and have potential to grow into mega corporations,” said Jiya.

Minister of Information Gospel Kazako who was a guest of honour at the 2020 ICT conference also presented the awards to the winners and commended NBM Plc for supporting the awards.

Business

National Bank of Malawi dares ICT innovators on funding

Maravi Post Author
Information Minister Kazako in a black suit

By Mc Donald Chapalapata, Contributor

MANGOCHI-(MaraviPost)-National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has challenged the ICT entrepreneurs and young innovators to think globally and compete internationally, saying the Bank is ready to provide funding to help them realize their dreams of creating socio economic viability for their initiatives which will positively impact on their communities and the economy at large.

Speaking at the 2020 ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM) conference on Friday in Mangochi, NBM plc Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer Harold Jiya said NBM plc fully understands and appreciates the pivotal role that innovations and technology play in Malawi’s developmental agenda.

“NBM plc has a continuing partnership with ICTAM on ICT innovation. This Investment in ICT development by National Bank of Malawi is a vehicle for the creation of employment for the youth. By resourcing the ICT sector we are harnessing and leveraging on the energies and determination that is latent in our youth to foster rapid economic growth by fueling the birth and nurturing the growth of businesses that start from scratch and have potential to grow into mega corporations.”

“It is also the realization and appreciation of this very fact and reality that the bank recently established the NBM Development Bank. This is a subsidiary of the Bank that is offering lines of financing to business startups. It has provided an avenue where brilliant ideas find a base to anchor potentially powerful businesses.”

“The ICT sector needs a lot of resourcing and that calls for specialized financing; therefore the timing of the coming in of the NBM Development Bank is most opportune,” explained Jiya.

He also appealed to other private sector players to support the local ICT industry and young innovators by among others, utilizing local talent and local ICT companies.

Opening the conference, Minister of Information Gospel Kazako hailed NBM plc and other partners for sponsoring the ICT Innovations conference saying such partnerships are needed for the country to move forward in narrowing the digital and innovation gap.

“Each one of the partners has a stake in ICT or in knowledge and products coming from ICT thus nurturing such partnerships will go a long way towards achieving the country’s transformative agenda,” said Kazako.

The conference further honoured innovators for their submissions in the Fintech and General innovations category of the NBM Plc Innovation Jam awards.