For close to two decades, he worked with national and multinational corporations like Unilever (1987-1988), DEBIS Computers (1988-1990), Dunlop (1990-1995), Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC (1996-2005) in multiple positions across Marketing, Sales, Strategic Planning, Media Relations, Supply Chain Management, Production and General Management. Within this period, he quickly rose through the ranks from being a commercial attaché to becoming a Senior Executive Manager for NBC and he won several awards in the process. As an NBC Plant Manager in Ilorin, he won the 2001 North America & West Africa Division President’s Award in the Silver category, he was responsible for generating sales revenue of over N30 Billion for NBC Lagos/North Division, and was selected as one of Coca-Cola’s 50 “Future world Leaders”.

After close to two decades of his successful working career and rising to high-profile positions, Tim decided to take a gamble and quit his job in 2005 to set up New Horizons Nigeria, an IT training institute. The idea for New Horizons was spurred by his discovery of the ICT knowledge gap in Nigeria, plus the desire to bridge the digital gap between Africa and the developed nations.

More than 15 years later, New Horizons has broken new ground within the ICT space in Nigeria and Africa. It is the largest ICT Training organization in Nigeria with a staff strength of over 350 graduates.

Through New Horizons, Mr. Tim Akano gives scholarships to about 20,000 students, Youths and NYSC members to acquire ICT skills yearly at a highly subsidized price and sometimes 100% free. Over 100,000 students receive various ICT certification training yearly as the institute is in partnership with over 25 universities, over 150 High Schools, and several Corporate Organizations and Public Institutions.

Also, through the Tim Akano Foundation (TAF), he adopted a Primary School which he attended in his hometown – Baptist Day School, Oluponna, Osun State. He fenced up the school to protect the children, and provided borehole water, and toilets for Teachers and Pupils. More importantly, he provides 10 exercise books and other writing materials for each of the pupils yearly. He also provides two pairs of school uniforms for each of the over 300 pupils. Within one year of adopting the school, the pupils’ enrolment grew by 25% in 2024 Academic Session.

Furthermore, in January 2026, he pioneered the Almajiri-to-tech Empowerment Scheme, a transformative social impact program designed to transition Almajiri/out of school children from street life into structured digital and technical education. The initiative aimed at empowering over fifteen million Almajiri/out of school children with employable technical skills, thereby integrating them into Nigeria’s productive workforce, and also foster long-term socio-economic inclusion.

Tim Akano is on the Board of over a dozen institutions, including:

• Member, Project Implementation Committee (PIC), Public Relations and Leadership University, Nigeria (PRLUN).
• Member, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).
• Member, Institute of Management Consultants and Courier, Logistics and Management Institute.
• Member, Oluponna Development Association (ODA)
• Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC)/Coca Cola Veterans Association.
• The Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC).
• Chairman, WiniGroup Inc, a leading Cyber security solutions company, Chairman, New Planets 9-13, a major player in the Tourism industry, Chairman, Knowledge Hub 365, an education platform.
• Chairman IVETEC Global Services, a hardware company. Chairman, Green Alternative Food Security Farms ltd.
• Board member and Fellow of the Courier, Logistics and Management Institute, (CLMI).
• Fellow, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS).
• Fellow, The Nigeria Institute of Management (IMC).
• Fellow, Institute of Information Management (IIM).
• Board member, Gaskia Media Limited.
• Board member, NACOSS (National Association of Computer Science Students).
• Patron, National Association of Nigeria University Female Students.
• Patron, Oodua Youth Parliament.
• Mentor, Thisday Newspaper Life Lesson.
• Honourary Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
• Board member and platinum partner at Centre for Digital Humanities, University of Lagos (2025).
• Patron, Youth Coalition for Education in Nigeria (YOCEN).

Mr. Tim Akano is a Cyber security enthusiast and is the pioneer of the “World Cyber Security Conference”, the first African Cybersecurity conference platform built to discuss issues affecting the security of Nigeria and Africa with International Experts. The 2012 edition of the conference organised in partnership with the Nigeria Defence Headquarters (DHQ) contributed to the appointment of Patience Jonathan, former First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the ITU Impact Champion on Child Online Protection (COP). It also led to the decision of ITU-IMPACT to select Nigeria as the Regional Centre for Cyber Security in Africa. The World Cyber Security Conference has attracted world leaders to Nigeria like the former Prime Minister of Israel and the most decorated Israeli soldier of all time, Mr. Ehud Barak who was the Guest Speaker at the 2014 edition that was held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

As a philanthropist, Mr. Tim Akano has dedicated his life, resources, and energy to youth development, empowerment, transformation of his community and Africa in general, and has been recognized by several notable institutes including The Hub Empowerment Foundation which in 2026, named him as part of the top 3 Nigerians building the future of the youth through innovation. He has mentored many young people who have gone ahead to work in major industries across the world, some of whom are now successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, USA. He is a writer and author and has published hard-hitting, extensive articles across topics in politics, economics, culture, mental health and more. His weekly long-form articles and Everyday Greatness Guide (EGG) are widely circulated, with a readership of over a million worldwide.

Mr. Tim Akano has received over 200 awards and recognitions nationally, continentally, and globally, especially in the areas of Youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and technology developme