THE INSTRUCTIVE GOD’S NARRATIVE INTENTION TOTALLY EXPANDED (IGNITE) SUMMIT CONFERENCE 2022 (AN INITIATIVE OF THE YOUNG ADULT AND YOUTH AFFAIRS OF RCCG)
THEME: SOAR
MINISTERING: MR. ASAWO IBIFURO (SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANCE (SSA) TO GOVERNOR NYESOM WIKE ON INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY).
SESSION TOPIC: DIGITAL ECONOMY AND MARKETING.
DATE: 20TH AUGUST 2022
BIBLE TEXT: GENESIS 30:31-34
Hallelujah! Go ahead and celebrate Jesus. Shout Hallelujah – Hallelujah.
Can we worship the Lord! Lift your hands and just bless the Lord.
SONG:
Glorious God, Beautiful King,
Excellent God I bow before Your Throne;
Glorious God, Beautiful King,
Excellent God I bow before Your Throne.
Bow before Your Throne
Worship at Your feet;
Bow before Your Throne
You are the Glorious God.
Your Name is Alpha, Omega, Ageless, Changeless, Almighty Jehovah;
Glorious God, I bow before Your Throne.
OPENING PRAYER:
Father we bow before You! We submit to Your Authority – This Gathering is unto You and not unto any man.
Take Your Place, teach us Oh Lord, help us to understand and increase in knowledge. In the Name of Jesus Christ.
Thank You Father! In Jesus’ Name we have Prayed – Amen.
Hallelujah! You may be seated, Please. God Bless You!
Once again, Welcome.
I want to say Thank You to the Leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Young Adult and Youth Affairs (YAYA) for this Ignite Summit.
I am representing my Managing Director, who is unavoidable absent – Mr. Ibifuro Asawo. So, I am speaking on his behalf.
He is to talk on DIGITAL ECONOMY AND MARKETING.
My aim at the end of this Presentation is to Ignite fire in us. It is to Ignite the desire in us – A Passion to go and Change our world, using Technology; using the Digital System.
At the end of the Presentation, you will know where you belong in the Chain of the Digital Economy.
There are three (3) Places to be: Some of us are in all three (3), some of us are in two (2), while most of us in one (1).
So, my desire at the end of this Presentation is Ignite in us so that we can move: Those of us in one (1) can move to two (2), and probably three (3).
… And I Pray that God will help us – Amen!
DIGITAL ECONOMY AND MARKETING.
First of all, when we hear Digital, most times we hear Plenty Grammar around Digital.
Digital is simply Digits – Your numbers.
And then we bring it to Technology and Computer.
So, we are talking about Zero’s and one.
That is the Language of the Computer.
Everything you do, Computer translates it as Zero and one.
These two (2) Digits – one is Positive, and the other one is Negative.
But before I do the Digital, we are talking about SOAR – What Does It Mean To Soar?
It means to maintain Height in air without flapping wings or using Engine Power.
A clear example we normally use is the Eagle.
When we say the Eagle is soaring, what does it do?
The Eagle before it soars, it flies. Alright! It glides its wings until it gets to a height where it just opens the wings and allows the wind to carry it.
So, at that Point, the Eagle is Soaring – It’s just there, it’s like it is not expending energy anymore. But before you get to that Point, you must have used some energy.
There is a Process – You can’t just wake up and say you are Soaring.
So we are on Earth to Soar like Eagles.
Soaring entails continuous training, having a Lifestyle that helps us become highly effective.
Soaring further requires a Mindset that takes full responsibility of one’s Action and Inaction. And a Mindset that trust God for its Guidance.
So, the Power to become – We know as Christians, we have that Power.
The Bible says in John 1:12 – “As many as believe to them gave He Power to become…
… So you have the Power to become whatever you want to become in Life – It’s in us!
Genesis 30:31-34:
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32 I will Pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33 So shall my Righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Jacob was speaking to Laban he said: I will spend a little time here.
Sometimes we have opportunities where People discuss with us and they enquire ahead of us and then they ask a Question – “What do you want me to give to you?”
We measure the People and then we make our requests based on what they have.
Alright! For instance, a man who has two (2) cars and a house – Maybe ten Million Naira (#10,000,000) asks you “what you want you?
You think, ten million Naira (#10,000,000), what can he give? So you ask for one Million Naira (#1,000,000) and maybe one of the cars.
Sometimes you get what you asked, sometimes you don’t get.
Laban asked Jacob, “what do you want?”
Jacob could have ask for what Laban had. But he said, don’t give me anything I don’t want anything. I want to work for my own – And this is how I am going to do the work.
And at the end of the day, Jacob had more than Laban had.
If he had requested from Laban, he would have gotten a little.
Amen!
But because he had a Mindset of wanting to become more, he said: don’t give me anything, because if I ask I will limit myself. You will only give me what you have! You can’t give me what you don’t have.
And then he worked for it and got it.
Esther also, when she had the opportunity to meet with the king’s Chamberlain, she said: everything you have given me is enough for me. I will just make do with this.
… And of course, God blessed her and she became a Queen.
So what we need to Soar is already residenced in us – Everyone of us who is Born Again, you have Christ you have everything you are required to Soar.
Digital Economy describes Electronics Technology that generates, Stores and Produces Data in terms of two (2) Stages – Positive and Non-Positive.
Digital Economy, also known as the New Economy, is the Economy driven by Digital Tools and Devices.
So, when we say Digital Economy, it is not “Rugged Science” – It is just an Economy driven by Digital Tools.
Everyone of us, you are into Digital Economy because you use your Phones to do Transactions.
Those are digital tools.
You use your Phone to transact on the Computer – You buy, you sell.
Whatever you do, that is Digital Technology.
There is no Special description for Digital Technology even though you can go deep.
When we go into Digital Marketing, People can say a lot of things.
It is the replacement of the Physical. So, the bricks-and-mortar Location, Processes, Procedures and Practices with Digital Equivalence substitutes to Promote Goods and Services to Consumers.
… It is now replacing what we used to do before.
I was discussing with someone last week and I said, I can’t remember the last time I walked into a Banking Hall. I don’t know how many of you still go into Banking Halls.
Everything, you are just doing it at home.
Somebody says, send me money – You just transfer you and you receive the alert.
Everything!
You want to buy something, you Pay from your App.
The only thing that we have not been able to do is to deposit money through our Phones. You can’t put the money inside the Phone and it appears in your Account.
But that is also something somebody can think of because what I want to do today is to broaden your Mindset.
There are Problems all around us and it is Solution to those Problems that bring about your Soaring. Amen!
And you don’t need to be a Computer Literate to have the Solution. You don’t have to be a Programmer to have a Solution. Your own is to think! “How can this work?” And then you can collaborate with Someone who has the Knowledge.
So, in this Economy, Computers Mobile Phones, the Internet Related ICTs, and Digital Platforms play very important roles.
The Digital Economy is gradually changing the way and manner businesses are conducted in the Physical, Traditional Economy; with the view of increasing Productivity and reducing cost.
These are the Advantages we have:
I. We have the e-Commerce in Business.
Those of you who buy things on Jumia, you Order things on eBay – That is e-Commerce in Business.
II. e-Learning in Education:
One Pastor has already mentioned how exams are conducted Online.
Before JAMB started CBT, we had started CBT. And by the time we went to JAMB to tell them that, “you can do exams on Computer”; the Head of Jamb then told us it was not Possible. That in Nigeria, exams on Computer is not Possible.
And then we pushed further – The first time we did it in Rivers State University for their Post UME, we said it was going to be Online. As a matter of fact, we were summoned by The Rivers State House of Assembly then, to tell us that what we are asking for is too much:
“How can you tell People who are coming from Rural Areas to come and write exam on the Computer?” But the Vice-chancellor then was very firm, and had also the backing of the Governor.
So, the exam held of course! The People from the Rural Places who had not seen Computer before, we gave them the Option of the Manual. But it started and they saw the results!
I mean, you finish your exam and you are seeing your result immediately – No issue of running away with Paper. You can’t carry the computer and run away. You can’t!
And then, you can’t also look at your Neighbour, because the Questions are randomised. My number one is your number 30. I am looking at your Questions and saying, “that question is different from my own.” But we are doing the same Subjects – It reduced discussions inside exam Hall.
Nothing like “my Scripts are missing.” Because, Computer cannot misplaced your Scripts.
And no such thing as ‘Sorting’ the Computer – How do you sort a Computer? “Computer help me get A.”
… So the e-Learning in Education.
And of course, it is also good because I can be here and enroll for a Master’s Degree in the United Kingdom and I have not gone to the Airport.
That is the Economy we are talking about – Everything is gradually moving and there is no going back! So we should not be left behind.
III. e-Health in Healthcare Delivery;
IV. e-Payment in Banking Sector;
V. e-Court in the Judiciary:
Are you aware that there is a Virtual Hearing of cases now? – They do Visual hearing.
The Judge is in his house, puts on his System and he tells the Lawyers – “The Time for Sitting is by 9am.” And everybody logs up, and the man is in his bedroom and he looks at the System and he says okay, Counsel Proceed! And he is hearing everything, and takes notes.
Everything is going Digital.
We have gone also to the Public Sector, because we have realised that is one area that a lot of things happen, because of Human Interference.
There are things that you do, that ordinarily you should just get approval for. But they tell you your file is on this Table.
In fact, at a Point they tell you they don’t know where the file is.
What are they looking for? – Drop something so that the file will appear!
But with the Computer System, all of those things are erased!.
WHY DIGITAL ECONOMY?
I. It improves Productivity;
II. It eliminates Physical Barriers;
III. It reduces Cost based on Sales.
IV. It is flexible and offers convenience;
V. It improves the Speed of Service Delivery, etc.
We introduced recently, the e-Affidavit for Court.
For those of you who are not aware, If you need an Affidavit you don’t need to go to the Court to swear – You just put on your System or Phone, or Laptop, and then you log onto the Site: create your Account. And then you see Affidavit.
There are Templates, you pick what you want to do. You can edit, and when you done, you make your Payment there Online and then it goes to the Commissioner for Oath.
If they need to see you in court, you will be invited. And you will get a Notification that you need to come to Court and you appear in Court. If they don’t need to see you – Just Simple Affidavit, the Commissioner for Oath will Stamp the Affidavit.
You know years ago, People were afraid – Don’t put my Signature on the System, don’t put my Stamp. People will hack it and use it for something else. All of those things are going off. Hallelujah!
People just swear Affidavit – Right there in your home and then it is approved, you Print it out, then use it.
… It saves a lot of time; there is Speed in Delivery and it is convenient.
Opportunities to digitalize the Business, Industries, Sectors of the Economy, can be identified and realised when these Benefits are considered.
If you look at these Benefits, then we all need to go Digital – Everybody!
We shouldn’t stay back and say, No, No, No!
One of the things for us as Youth is that, it is our Generation.
So, we should leave the Old People (we are not insulting them) – Leave the Elders, let’s go Digital.
So,, these are reasons why we need Digital Economy..
TRADITIONAL TO DIGITAL ECONOMY: Problems Identified.
If we look around, there are Problems we have in our Society – Can they be Solved? It’s a Yes!
My Managing Director (Mr Ibifuro Asawo) sometimes we quarrel – Not bad quarrel because, anything for him is a Yes!
It is Possible he attends a Meeting and you discuss – Sir, you are into Software, I need an Application that can Cook Soup for me (for example) Is it possible?
He says Yes, it is Possible! He has not thought about it. The first answer is Yes, it is Possible!
It’s okay! So how do we do it? He replies, don’t worry I will go and work on something.
Then when he comes to the Office, he gathers everybody and says, “I have already told them Yes! So it has to be Yes.”
But what does that do? It makes everybody to think! Because he has said Yes, we must find a way.
So We begin to think – Everybody is thinking: What do we do? Where do we start from? What about the Ingredients? Where do we get the ingredients?
… Anyway, there is no Application to Cook Soup anywhere! – Sisters, cook your soup (laughter)!
So, I need to first of all identify the Problem.
1. SOLUTION AGENTS.
Now, one of the Problems in this State (Rivers State) is Waste Management – Have you identified that Problem? Can we use Technology to solve Waste Management in this state? Can we?
So, I leave that with you. Think of something – How do we use Technology to solve the Waste Management Problem?
… We have less Production, Traditional Workflow – That is the Problem.
And such can be found in Traditional Banks, Schools, Court.
Of course you know how the Banking System works! Even Hospitals.
What you have done is – I don’t want to go to the Hospital and see a long queue and then I have to wait for my turn in the Clinic.
So, there is an Application where I just check for the Hospital closest to me, check what they have, check their rating and then book an Appointment with a Doctor. The Doctor receives my Application and says, okay Appointment is fixed for Monday 2pm.
So, I know when I am seeing the Doctor. As I walk in 2pm. Doctor knows it is my time. I go and see the Doctor, I have already described how I’m feeling, so he already has an idea of what I am coming for.
And so, I just go, get my things done and then I’m out! Instead of going to the Hospital, sit down and wait for my turn. Sometimes, the crowd can be overwhelming.
So, we need to Identify the Problem and then what is the Solution – Digital Economy created by Developers of Digital Solutions and Applications.
Today we do Uber and Bolt – I mean two (2) to three (3) years ago; we didn’t have it. We had to come to the road and then flag a Taxi join others in it or we call for a Drop.
But I don’t need to do that now. I just stay at home, open my Bolt App and then I just select where I am going to and Bolt will come to my door step.
Except where I am staying is not accessible, so I have to come to a Location where the Uber Rider can find me.
… These are the Solution Agents!
Then we have the Consumers – You Choose where you belong.
We are all Part of Digital Economy. Everybody!
It is either we are Producing or we are Servicing or we are Consuming.
While Most of us fall under the Consuming Part of the Digital Economy, it is worthy of note that this Consuming Part is not as Profitable as the other Parts of the divide.
Everyone of us, we are in need. But then you fall into one of these.
Some of us fall into two (2), some of us fall into three (3), because the Application reproduce, we also use it – We will consume it. But for some of us, No! it is just the consuming Part (everything).
And all of us can actually be somewhere. Like I said, the Producer does not necessarily mean you are the one developing the Software or the Application. No!
If you have an idea and you bring the idea; there is usually a Percentage that comes to you because you are the Owner of the Solution when it works eventually.
For Servicing, you can also be there!
Today, in Rivers State University, they have the e-Agents – Those guys make money!
Those People are the ones that use the Solution for the Students.
So, Students who do not want to do things for themselves, especially the Year One Students – Of course, you are afraid because you are fresh. “I don’t want to make mistake; can you help me Process my Registration?”
The guy says Yes, I can do all your Registrations for you Online; just Pay me such and such amount. And then you Pay them and they help you to Process your Registration.
Those are the Agents – We have the Quickteller Agents.
In the e-Affidavit, that is what we did!
Oyo State is Presently using the e-Affidavit. They have Agents, so they say everybody shouldn’t come to the Court, you now swear affidavit Online.
They registered those Agents, who are like Business Centres Owners.
You go to them – Affidavit is one thousand Naira (#1,000) for example.
The man who is doing the business says “I have to buy fuel for my Generator, I am using my Paper to Print for you. So, instead of one thousand Naira (#1,000), you will Pay me me extra one thousand Naira (#1,000)” – That is two thousand Naira (#2,000)!
The man makes one thousand Naira (#1,000) for every Affidavit.
By the time that opens up, I tell you, Affidavits increased. Because every Business will go and advertise for People to come. So, you can find yourself in one of these Places.
… If you discovered that you are only consuming, you can actually move to the Servicing Part.
2. THE PRODUCERS
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCERS: WHO ARE THEY?
They own the Digital Trajectory of the Economy – They are Major Stakeholders.
They are those who see Needs, Problems, Challenges, Pinpoints, and then create Value and Solution to solve those Problems.
They try to understand the Problem, and come up with Innovative and Creative ways of solving the Problems to the admiration of the Problem Owners.
They use Digital Tools.
These are the Producers, they make money from it!
Service Agents are those who now take the Solution and then use it on behalf of the Consumers.
For instance, the Bolt Riders: they didn’t create the App, but then they are Agents – They take the Solution on Bolt App, and then use it to work to carry us.
We are the Consumers, they are the Service Agents.
So, Service Agents are those who do not solve the main Problems that would have led to the Digital Economy.
However:
I. They Provide Services that close the gap between the Service Provider and the Service Consumers and End-Users.
II. They also meet Needs in Digital Economy.
III. Those Bolt Riders also help to Update the App:
As they are working, they take feedback from the People: “Why don’t you add this? Why don’t you do that?” And they send Message to the Developers.
IV. In that way, they also help the System to Improve.
V. They sometimes serve as the go-between to help less Service People access Digital Economy.
VI. These Agents get a fee for the Service they Provide for the End-Users – The Consumers.
3. THE SERVICE CONSUMERS
Service Consumers (the Last Category) are the People that only use the Service for the Purpose of Communication and Socializing.
They do not make any Financial Gains from it.
For Example, Bolt Riders – Users of it; any of the Banking Apps and others.
So many Persons fall within this Category – That is where most of us fall into.
However, this Potents danger for our Digital Economy – The more Persons are in the Producer and Service Agent Parts, the better for our thriving Digital Economy.
Most of us are in the Consumer section.
Some of us, of course on Radio, you must have been hearing Presentations of People who tell you, “That your Facebook Account that you have, you can actually make money from it.”
… Have you heard it before?
The Smartphones you have, you can use it to make money. Alright!I
Have we ever ask, “how do I make money with my Smartphones?”
So, don’t just be a Consumer – You have access to these things, let’s learn, let’s get New Skills on how to earn from it.
Every Growing Digital Economy has overtime adopted Newer and more efficient ways of handling Marketing.
Actually, that is where Digital Marketing comes from.
Since we have Digital Economy, since we are going Technology, we must also find a way of Marketing these Products and Applications Digitally.
Digital Marketing simply means – Selling your Products Online; using the Digital Tools.
… That is what it simply means!
Digital Marketing is the component of Marketing that uses the Internet and Online based Digital Technologies, such as: Desktop Computers, Mobile Phones and other Digital Media.
We have different areas of Digital Marketing – The Social Media Marketing, Influencer Marketing.
We have People who are Influencers Online.
So, a man has like one hundred thousand (100,000) Followers – You know that if you give him something to Post for you, at least fifty Percent (50%) of his Followers would see that Post he has made.
Those are Influencers!
You can use those means to Market your Products.
WHY DIGITAL MARKETING?
Why do we talk about Digital Marketing?
With the gradual and steady Shift from Traditional or Physical Economy to Virtual or Digital Economy; Digital Marketing is gradually replacing Traditional Market trend.
Before, we used to have Plenty Marketers – Especially the Bankers.
You just see People who are moving around trying to Market Products and other things. They are Marketers.
There are other Products as well being marketed.
It is gradually reducing. Why? – Everybody is going Digital.
If I can do something, Post it on my WhatsApp, on my Instagram, do Facebooking: I know it is even going beyond the Shores of the Country.
If you have People who are Marketing for you, it is just within a Particular Locality or Area where they are.
But Online, the reach is beyond the Country – It goes outside! And everybody gets it.
These are reasons why we do Flexibility – Ability to reach Wider Network of Audience; Real-Time Performance Tracking.
When you are doing that, you are able to track – You know how many Persons have viewed and seen your Posts.
That is a kind of report you have.
So, these are reasons why we do Digital Marketing – Direct Communication with Potential Customers, and Opportunity to have Multi Media incorporated easily in the Marketing Strategy.
You can do a Video and then use it for Marketing. You can do Animation and use it for Marketing.
Few years ago, I was heading the ICT Centre at Air Force, Port Harcourt – That is the Rivers State ICT Building and then what we do is train Young People on different areas.
We have a Programme we call “Code Geminators”: Coding,Game Application and then Animation.
Young People come based on their interest – Either you are doing a Coding Program or you go for Animation or Games Development.
We tasked them – At the end of their Training, they are given different Projects to solve a Particular Problem in the Society.
… And some of them have gone ahead to sell those Products and make money.
Everyone of us, we can find ourselves somewhere – And we need to embrace it, you must desire it. You can’t say No!
There was a man I met sometimes ago – One of the Lawyers when we started the e-Affidavit. He has refused to use the Banking App. He said No!
When he wants to withdraw money he goes to the Banking Hall. And when he wants to transfer he goes to the Bank. And then on one Particular day he went! Then the Chief Judge was looking for him. He was on queue in the Bank, and it was almost his turn and so he couldn’t leave the Place.
By the time he finished, he had to Pay Fine because he was supposed to have a case in Court.
He didn’t know he was going to spend that long time in the Bank.
After that incident, he told himself “maybe I should try the Banking App.”
Please, don’t wait until you get to that Point before you go Digital (Laughter)!
Some of us are still using the Traditional Method – “You know they will hack my Phone! They will hack my System. They will steal everything.”
They can’t, if you follow the right Procedures.
As long as you are not giving out information, they cannot have access to your Data. Amen!
HOW TO OPTIMISE DIGITAL MARKETING.
1. Understanding the Digital and Physical Location;
2. Knowing the appropriate Digital Media Option to adopt.
… Knowing which one to use is very important!
3. And then Content is Key!
What Digital Content do you intend to use? – Graphics, Videos, Animation, Text is Key.
Because you want to Market your Products: I open your Video and I am not seeing anything. Next time I may not even touch your Content.
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So, whatever you are giving out is Key!
4. And it is very important that you Package your Content and use it for your Marketing.
THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN DIGITAL ECONOMY.
The Digital Age is our age! This time is for us. It is our time!
So, there’s no better time in Human History that – Innovation, Creativity Problem Solving, etc has been in the favour of the Youth than now.
It is therefore, Pertinent that we rise to the occasion – There Boundless Opportunities.
We can either be Solution Providers, Agents or we can use the Social Media Productively, to earn and learn New Skills.
There are Free Trainings Online – Free!
So, just find something, pick something: two (2) weeks or four (4) weeks Training for Free.
As you are Learning, you are improving and growing in knowledge.
We should desist from abusing the Social Media or just be Consumers. Avoid being distracted by the Social Media. Rather, we should annexe it for our own Advantage.
Let’s use it Profitably, and don’t just be on Facebook Posting your Pictures and other things – Use the opportunity to learn, to get a New Skill.
Creating a niche for yourself in the Digital Economy is not difficult! It is not “Rugged Science” – It is Nothing!
With your Mobile Phones you are already a Digital Economist.
So, if we can observe and identify the Problems and Challenges all around us – What may be difficult is the ability to focus on nurturing the Solution until it matures to the Point that many People begin to Value and Patronize your Solution.
When we started the Company; of course there was nothing!
That is where Young People would give up because we want immediate results – “Sharp – Sharp; “I do it now and make my Millions.” You want to just “Blow!”
….But Good Things will take time to actually grow!
We started the organization after NYSC. In fact from School, we started and then continued after Youth Service.
So, there was no Salary – We just sit down together and we are developing.
Who is going to pay you? Nobody!
I remembered, I was staying with my Elder Sister then. If I tell her, “I am going to work.” She will just laugh: which work? Have they Paid your Salary?
But then, we just get on! Young People; after Youth Service.
And then one of the things my Managing Director (Mr. Ibifuro Asawo) said that kept some of us was that – “This Company is going to be our own Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
He said, “we not going to apply there, we are going to grow this Company to become our own.”
And today of course, to the Glory of God; the Company is known in the Country and Outside the Country. Why? Because some Young People decided to stay, to build, to nurture and follow through.
I Challenge you this morning – Find yourself in the Digital Economy Space; especially in the Place of the Producers and Agents.
God will continue to help us, in Jesus’ Name – Amen.
God Bless You!
(IGNITE) RCCG YAYA SUMMIT CONFERENCE 2022 SESSION TOPIC: DIGITAL ECONOMY AND MARKETING