News

Buhari recognises seven tech startups, awards winners at ITU/WITS championships

Published

2 years ago

August 11, 2022

By Ogaga Ariemu

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended seven Nigerians whose Startups solutions won International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and World Information Technology Society (WITS) championships for three consecutive years.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami presented the awards on behalf of President Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday.

In his remarks, he said the tech Champions who emerged winners of ITU/WITS competitions from 2020-22 have made Nigeria proud at the global stage and their stories have become testimonies that Nigeria is capable of producing Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates in the near future.

Pantami said the President and the Federal Government is proud of the global Awards winners in various categories in ICT and Digital Innovation sector, especially those who bagged the Awards at a time he (Pantami) chairs the global body.

For those who won the 2022 awards, Pantami explained that 996 applications were submitted online with 360 selected for votes, while 1.3 million people voted across the world in 193 member countries for the winners to emerge.

He directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), and Galaxy Backbone Limited to pick the solutions that won the awards with a view to support them to become global brands.

The Minister said President Buhari is presently looking at the Start-ups Bill which would be a major achievement of the administration as it contains provisions that would transform the industry in terms of benefits, incentives, loans and grants.

“The Start-ups Bill when pass into law will become the major achievement of the digital transformation era of President Buhari because there are provisions in the Bill that will change the narratives of the sector. There will be a Council on Start-ups and Mr President as the Chairman.

“The Private sector will collaboration with government to address challenges and proffer solutions to make Nigeria produce her own Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg,” Pantami stated.

The champions are Chipsbrain Nigeria, 2020, Category 7, e-health, Mr Oluwaseyi Akinola, Women’s Techology Empowerment Centre, 2020, Category 3, access to information and knowledge, Maryam Abdulsalam, and ICT for Indigenous Language, Afrilingo, 2020, e-empowerment, Franca Igwe.

Others are Association of Women in Technology in Nigeria, Category 7, 2022, ICT applications empowerment, Martha Alade, and Special Needs Initiative for Growth, (Africa), Career development initiative for mothers with cerebral palsy children in Nigeria, 2021, Category 6, enabling environment, Rachel Inegbedion.

The last two categories are: Top up &Get Reward Limited, Teleconomy, 2021, Category 2, ICT infrastructure, Mr Samuel Babatunde and Green fresh Nigeria, wizwish international farm, Category 7, e-business, Mr Wisdom Ikpechukwu.

Speaking on behalf of the winners, Martha Alade commended the present administration for its passion and commitment to the growth and development of digital economy, saying Start-ups owners are inspired and overwhelmed by government dedication.

News

Installation of e-gates at airports is to enhance national security – Minister

Published

8 hours ago

April 19, 2024

NewsDirect

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo says the installation of e-gates at the five international airports in the country will enhance national security.

He also said it would ensure seamless processing of passengers coming into and going out of the country.

The minister made the remarks on Friday when he inspected the newly installed e-gates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Tunji-Ojo said that from the preliminary test conducted, it will take less than 30 seconds to process passengers with valid passports, thus reducing the delays and inconveniences hitherto faced by passengers.

He said about 21 e-gates would be installed at Lagos airport by the end of April, while those in Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu would be ready by the third week of May.

“Having tested it on various scenarios, we saw that a Nigerian carrying a valid passport will only take less than 30 seconds to be checked in, which I think is a record time.

“We have also tested it with people carrying other people’s passport, and we saw that it is practically impossible for people to use another person’s passport to gain entrance into the country unlike in the past.

“With what we have also seen, it is practically impossible to enter into the country with an expired passport,“ he added.

According to him, the scanners will enhance the nation’s security architecture and enable immigration officials to work seamlessly.

The minister thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support towards making the project a reality.

News

Plateau varsity suspends exams over killing of student

Published

8 hours ago

April 19, 2024

NewsDirect

The Management of the Plateau University, Bokkos, has suspended ongoing examinations in the institution over the killing of a 200 level student .

Mr Yakubu Ayuba, the Registrar of the institution disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gunmen had on Thursday night attacked Chikam, a neighbouring community to the university ,killing the student, identified as Dading Jordan.

Ayuba said that the university had also declared a two-day mourning in honour of the slain student.

”The Vice-Chancellor and the entire management convey their condolences to the family of the deceased student, the student body and the university community.

”In view of this sad development, management has declared a two-day mourning, from Friday, April 19 ,to Saturday, April 20.

”Accordingly, all the examinations earlier scheduled for Friday and Saturday are hereby suspended

”While we call on our students to remain calm and law abiding, we wish to urge the security agencies to beef up security around the university in order to secure staff and students”,he said.

NAN reports that the Gov. Caleb Mutfwang had condemned the attack ,calling on residents to remain calm.

He said that government and security agencies were doing everything to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

News

Customs seizes N126.2m smuggled goods in Kebbi

Published

8 hours ago

April 19, 2024

NewsDirect

The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Kebbi Area Command, says it has seized smuggled goods worth N126.2 million within two months in its intensified fight against smuggling in the state.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Iheanacho Ernest-Ojike, made this known on Friday while briefing newsmen on the command’s activities for March and April in Birnin Kebbi.

He said that the command had intensified the fight against smuggling to curb its menace by engaging in intense patrols throughout the nooks and crannies, barely two months after the comptroler was posted to the state.

“Our operations so far have yielded positive outcome leading to several seizures of items within the period under review.

“We have seized 212 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50Kg each, and 28 bags of 25Kg each; 200 bales of used secondhand clothing (Jumbo size) and 50 bales of normal size,” he said.

Others according to him, are; 10,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 39 lumps of Indian Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) and 78 rolls of Diclofenac Sodium.

“300 wraps of diazepam tablets 5mg each, 57 packs of sex enhancement drug (Black Diamond) and 150 Expired Powdered Milk, among others.

“The combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is N126.2 million.

“The PMS value is not included in the DPV because it is given at our revenue generation section as receipts from auction sales,” Ernest-Ojike said.

He also said the command’s achievements was as a result of the resilience and courageous effort of the operations teams, intelligence unit, Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and collaboration with sister agencies.

According to the controller, the Indian hemp will be handed over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the Diazapem tablets will be given to NAFDAC as the appropriate agencies to attend to the respective substances.

He added that just recently, the Federal Government had authorised the re-opening of Kamba border as the only import/export outlet for the state.

“Even with this challenge, the command manages to generate the sum of N7.2 million in the two months under review, which is 125 per cent increase as compared to the two previous months.

”The 10,025 litres of seized PMS, which is valued at N2 million, is expected to also increase the revenue when auctioned to the public,” Ernest-Ojike said.

On trade facilitation, he said that the command had been engaging stakeholders on the need for legitimate trade.

“We also collaborate with relevant sister agencies to also enhance our operations in terms of security and intelligence to improve legitimate cross-border trade with our neighbours.

“It is notable to mention that exportation of grains are still restricted, and we are here to ensure they do not leave the shores of this country as it has become imperative to secure our locally produced grains.

“We need to prevent our country from plunging into food crisis,” Ernest-Ojike said.

The comptroller appreciated all well-meaning citizens who helped the command with useful information to nip smuggling in the bud.