About Us

Lamis S. Dikko is the Chairman, Backbone Connectivity Network.

He is also the Chairman at Eterna Plc, he served a Chairman of Unity Bank Plc, prior to being appointed Chairman, he served as an Executive Director of Commercial Banking at Unity Bank Plc. He is the Chairman at Infrastructure Bank Plc, a Chairman at Katsina State Investment & Property Dev. Co. Ltd., a Chairman at LSD Associates Pte Ltd., a Chairman at Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, Chairman of Unity Investment & Capital Ltd.

Mr. Dikko is on the Board of Directors at Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and Legacy Pension Managers Ltd. He also served on the board at Enterprise Bank Ltd. and WSTC Financial Services Ltd. He was previously employed as a Non-Executive Director by Enterprise Bank (Houston, Texas), a Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director by Intercity Bank Plc, an Assistant General Manager, Habib Bank Nigeria Ltd.

Mr. Dikko is a Member at Nigerian Institute of Management and a Member at The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Mr. Dikko is a Graduate of Harvard Business School Leadership Programme and Queen Mary College, University of London in 1984, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He attended College of Advanced Studies, Zaria from 1976 to 1978. He received his first Degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1981 where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

Dr. Boakye has spent over 30 years in the telecoms industry. He has BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, and began his career at the University of Ghana where he headed the Computer Science Department and served as a member of the University Council. Since then he has served in a variety of roles in the ICT industry, ranging from research to executive management

• Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer for Harris Corporation, an international communications equipment company based in Florida. In that position, he was responsible for providing technology leadership and management for the corporation and marshalling its technology resources into a strategic asset
• Vice-President of Technology Planning for AT&T Paradyne (also holding positions as Chief Technical Officer and Chief Architect, Director of Business Development, and Technical Director of Architecture Development)
• Technical Manager of Data Architecture Planning at Bell Laboratories

He has provided consultancy and advisory services in the areas of ICT, new and emerging technologies, technology development and strategic planning for numerous organisations, including UN agencies and a number of public and private institutions, including Lucent Technologies

He has served as a member of the Technological Advisory Council to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, a member of the board of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, the Wireless Communications Association International, the Florida Research Council, and the Growing Connection. In addition, he has sat on advisory committees and boards of other industry bodies, the U.S. National Science Foundation, governmental organisations and several universities.

Engr. E.Y Sambo is a Non-Executive Board Member of Backbone Connectivity Network Nigeria Limited. He is a seasoned professional and entrepreneur and has over 30 years’ experience in Roads, Housing, Electrification, Water and Communications Development in both Private and Public Sectors.

In the public sector, he served as the General Manager (Estate Services), Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Abuja,1999 – 2005. Before this he served as the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Works and Transport, Kaduna State, Kaduna 1997-1999. Engr. EY Sambo’s prior experience include, Member of Kaduna State Executive Council responsible for Works and Transport; Chairman, Kaduna State Tenders Board; Supervisory Commissioner for three-line Parastatals, viz, Kaduna State Development & Property Company (KSDPC), Kaduna State Urban Planning & Development Authority (KSUPDA) and Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA), in addition to his Ad Hoc Committee Membership on Facilities, Nigeria ’99 Junior World Cup. Furthermore, Engr. EY Sambo has led and participated in private sector practice in the Energy and Real Estate sector in Kaduna State.

Engr. EY Sambo holds a B.Sc in Building from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he is a Member of the Nigeria Institute of Building (MNIOB) and an Associate Member, Nigerian Society of Engineers (ANSE) he also holds Certificate in Project Management from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry, Lagos.

Mr. Mohammed Bukar Umar sits on the board as Northern Nigeria Development Company’s(NNDC) representative. He has over 27 Years’ experience in the Public-sector operations, Internal audit, New Business Development is currently the Managing Director/CEO, New Capital Properties Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NNDC Limited and has other interests.

Mr. Mohammed Bukar Umar obtained his first Degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria and a master’s degree in business administration from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

Ajijola is a graduate of Computer Applications in Geography from Oklahoma State University, he is also an alumnus of Harvard University.

He ranked #13 in the IFSEC Global Cyber Security professional’s influencers and thought leaders. He is the Executive Chairman of Consultancy Support Services (CS2) a Cyber Security, e-Library and Information Communication Technology (ICT) consultancy firm, he was the special assistant Innovation & Technology to the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria where he instigated the development of the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response team (ngCERT).

Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola sits on the Board of numerous organisations, especially those operating in the areas of ICT security, cybercrime and international development the Nigerian Cybercrime Working Group (NCWG), the Taskforce on Scan ICT Nigeria, and the Council of Regional Advisers for West and Central Africa of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Ajijola is also an advisor for a number of committees and groups, including the group of experts advising UNESCO on issues related to the ethics of outer space”, the legal sub-committee of the Presidential Committee on Cyber Crime/419 activities on the Internet, and the National ICT Strategic Action Plan Committee (SAPC)

Representative of AICL

Mr. Ibrahim Dikko is the Managing Director and CEO of Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN).

He is a seasoned professional and Entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience in the Oil & Gas and Telecommunication sectors. Prior to joining Backbone Connectivity Network, Mr. Dikko served as the Managing Director, Hambali Investment Limited (2009 – 2011).

Between 2004 to 2009, he served as the Deputy Managing Director/ COO of Eterna Oil, where he was part of the team that successfully developed and structured the most effective models that transformed the business operations. From 1987 to 2004, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko worked with the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company(PPMC) where he served and rose to the position of the Chief Marketing and Supplier Officer, S&D Department.

He obtained his first Degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State Nigeria, in addition, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko has attended numerous courses at home and abroad.