Mr. Tim Akano, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons, has disclosed that the ICT training organisation has empowered more than 500,000 young Nigerians with practical digital skills over the past two decades, positioning the company as a major driver of human capital development in the country.
Akano disclosed this at the annual end-of-year meeting of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), held on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the headquarters of New Horizons.
The meeting provided a reflective forum for IT journalists to revisit the company’s entrepreneurial journey and its enduring partnership with the technology media community.
Speaking during an interactive session with NITRA members, Akano said New Horizons, which have earned over 300 awards for excellence, including emerging as “Africa’s Best IT Company of the Year 2025” at the prestigious CompTIA Africa Awards, has consistently focused on equipping youths, particularly students in tertiary institutions, with industry-relevant IT competencies.
He explained that the organisation has entered into strategic partnerships with several universities nationwide to complement academic curricula with hands-on digital skills, noting that its most recent agreement was signed with Afe Babalola University.
Tracing the company’s evolution, Akano recalled that New Horizons began operations with just a handful of staff but has grown into one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, and explained that today, the company employs about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
He acknowledged the role of ICT journalists in supporting and amplifying the company’s vision during its formative years, noting that the media’s consistent engagement helped to build public trust and awareness around the New Horizons brand.
In appreciation of that support, Akano reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining free IT skills training for members of the media, stressing that continuous capacity building is essential for journalists to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
NITRA members described the gesture as consistent with Akano’s long-established support for the association.
Over the years, New Horizons has hosted several NITRA meetings and trained numerous ICT reporters. Notably, IT journalists were among the earliest beneficiaries of the company’s world-class training programmes when it commenced operations about 20 years ago.
Beyond corporate achievements, the meeting also highlighted Akano’s culture of giving back, particularly to the media community.
Veteran IT journalist and publisher, Aaron Ukodie, recounted how Akano supported one of his daughters, an Accounting graduate of the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, by offering her a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) placement at New Horizons, alongside a scholarship for IT skills training.
Similarly, Mr. Yemi Adeyemi of The Guardian shared how Akano promptly approved a request for mandatory IT training for a child of a journalist after several ICT firms had declined the appeal.
Participants described these gestures as clear evidence of Akano’s commitment to human capital development and his deep appreciation of the media’s role in documenting and supporting the growth of New Horizons over the past two decades.
For NITRA members, the meeting was not just a reflection on the progress of New Horizons but also a reaffirmation of the enduring bond between the IT press and one of Nigeria’s most influential technology entrepreneurs.
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