Science & Tech
Buhari Honours 7 ITU, WSITS Start-up Winners
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President Muhammadu Buhari has honoured seven Nigerian start-ups that won at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and World Summit on Information Technology Society (WSITS) championships/awards in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
They were presented awards of recognition and commendations on Wednesday in Abuja.
Buhari said the champions had made the country proud at the global stage, noting that Nigeria can produce the likes of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates in the near future.
Prof. Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, presented the awards on behalf of the president.
The honours comprised awards of recognition, commendation and cash prizes.
Pantami said the Federal Government was proud of the global award 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.
Pantami directed the Nigerian Communications Commission, 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.
According to him, Buhari is presently looking at the Start-ups Bill which will be a major achievement of the administration as it contain provisions that would transform the industry in terms of benefits, incentives, loans and grants.
“The Start-ups Bill when passed 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 collaborate with government to address challenges and proffer solutions to make Nigeria produce her own Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg,” Pantami said.
The champions are Chipsbrain Nigeria, 2020, Category Seven for an e-health start-up by Mr Oluwaseyi Akinola; Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre, 2020, Category three for access to information and knowledge, by Maryam Abdulsalam; and Afrilingo, an ICT start-up for Indigenous Language and e-empowerment in 2020 by Franca Igwe.
Others were Association of Women in Technology in Nigeria, Category seven, 2022, ICT applications e-empowerment by Martha Alade, and Special Needs Initiative for Growth (Africa), Career development initiative for mothers with cerebral palsy children in Nigeria, 2021, Category six, enabling environment by Rachel Inegbedion.
The last two categories were Top up and Get Reward Limited, Teleconomy, 2021, Category two; ICT infrastructure by Mr Samuel Babatunde and Green fresh Nigeria; Wizwish International farm, Category seven, e-business by Mr Wisdom Ikpechukwu.
Responding on behalf of the winners, Martha Alade, commended the present administration for its passion and commitment to the growth and development of the digital economy, adding that Start-up owners were inspired and overwhelmed by government’s dedication. (NAN)
Science & Tech
Tinubu @72: Minister Visits Inmates in Kuje Correctional Service
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Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, on Friday visited the inmates of Nigerian Correctional Service, Kuje to commemorate 72nd birthday of President Bola Tinubu.
The minister, who was represented by his aide, Nafisa Bello, said the visit was to celebrate President’s birthday with inmates by providing them packs of food to put smile on their faces.
Tijani, who wished the President a happy birthday, said the gesture was a way of commending the President’s resilience, pragmatic leadership and commitment to service.
He said even though the president had instructed that no one should organise a birthday party or place any birthday goodwill advertorial messages in newspapers, it was a special day.
“We are here to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s 72nd birthday and share love with the inmates. We have distributed food packs, we have met and had good conversations with some of them.
“We wish the president a happy birthday, long life and property,” minister said.
One of the inmate, Chiwendu Hart, who spoke on behalf of all the inmates described the gesture as an act of love, adding that they were not in the correctional service for punishment but correction.
He thanked the Federal Government and the correctional officers for rehabilitating and integrating the inmates to come out and live a crime free life.
According to him, the Nigerian Correctional Service has set up degree courses, ran by the National Open University (NOUN) and some skills to keep the inmates busy while undergoing trials.
He said that he had graduated and had a Masters in theology and waiting to enroll for his PhD.
“I am a beneficiary of NOUN, I came here with secondary school certificate but today, I am a graduate and have my Masters in theology.
“Even if after you leave the correctional centre, you can still come back and finish up the courses or the skills you started with.
“Once we leave here, we will go out there and explore what we have learnt in order to live a good life.”
He urged the Federal Government to equip some of the vocational programmes with study materials, tailoring machines, carpentry and shoe making tools.
He wished the President a happy birthday. (NAN)
Science & Tech
NDPC to Sustain Journalists’ Engagement for Better Data Protection Reportage
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) says it will sustain the engagement of journalists for continuous propagation of data privacy and protection message.
The National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, communicated this when he received officials of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) on Monday in Abuja.
Olatunji recognised that times were changing; hence journalists needed to be abreast with the dynamism in the data privacy and protection ecosystem.
He said the media had remained a great asset towards nation building and continuous engagement would ensure that they played their role maximally.
“We are aware of the freedom of expression granted to you the press by the constitution, but we felt that it is important to train you to understand that part.
“I see this collaboration as a continuous thing, more importantly, now everything is changing, we need to deepen your knowledge on data privacy.
“We cannot do awareness under this building; we need media to assist us to disseminate this information so that people can comply with the data protection policies.’’
He said that the commission was collaborating with relevant institutions in ensuring that data privacy and protection policies were adhered to.
Olatunji said that the commission was working with Committee of Vice Chancellors to further deepen knowledge about data protection.
“We are also working with National Board for Technology Education for Polytechnics and others.
“All these efforts are geared towards ensuring that the message of data protection is spread and there is virtually nothing we can do without you.’’
The national commissioner encouraged NITRA members to pursue training as certified Data Protection Officers, adding that it was a lucrative area with readily available jobs.
According to him, when the training is combined it with knowledge of journalism, there is more advantage more than other data processing officers.
“It is a huge ecosystem that has something for everybody to benefit; so, we need to collaborate and ensure you catch up with the changes in data privacy ecosystem,’’ he said.
Mr Babatunde Bamigboye, Head, Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, NDPC, said many data controllers continuously breached data rights of citizens unknowingly.
Bamigboye, however, said that in spite the need for freedom of speech, there was the place of privacy and rights of the people, which the commission was committed to.
He told the journalists that it was important to learn some emerging ethics that would aid balancing the rights and privacy of individuals while reporting.
President of NITRA, Mr Blessing Olaifa, congratulated Olatunji on the adoption of Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, adding that it had empowered the commission to enforce data protection in Nigeria.
“We congratulate you on your appointment by the President Bola Tinubu; it is a measure of your hard work and tenacity for the industry growth.
‘We also congratulate you on the passage of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023; that has given you the impetus to operate in a way that people are now aware of data.
‘Before now, people were not much familiar and interested in data, some thought it was only data in their phones, but they are aware about information they give about themselves to institutions,’’ she said.
Olaifa, while commending the NDPC on its drive towards engaging the media in its activities, said it was necessary consolidating on the collaboration for more results.
“This is in view of the fact that the sector is dynamic and we need more capacity building to fine-tune our knowledge and upscale our skills while reporting,’’ he said. (NAN
Science & Tech
AU, ALPA Target 3000 Beneficiaries for Hepatitis Treatment in Nasarawa
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The African Union, Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (AU-STRC), African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (AU-ASRIC) have partnered with African Liver Patient Association (ALPA) to offer free hepatitis treatment to Nasarawa State indigenes.
The Senior Scientific Officer of AU-STRC, Dr Mohammed Kyari, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Model Comprehensive Health Centre, Shabu, Lafia.
Kyari said that the project targeted a total of 3000 persons to benefit from the free hepatitis care, tests and treatment in Shabu, Lafia.
He said the project followed a sensitization and education of communities at all levels including testing which was targeted at the age group 12-80 years old.
Kyari added that the project was a build up from the research conducted by the AU- STRC and ASRIC from 2018 to date with a priority area on “prevention and control of diseases”.
“ The hepatitis testing using the serological rapid diagnostic tests with results in 15 minutes and treatment will commence immediately for positive cases,” he said.
According to him, vaccination will be administered on those that are negative, then further testing will be administered on those tested positive through a viral load confirmation.
Kyari also said that the treatment would focus more on the elimination of mother to child transmission and timely administration of birth dose vaccines for newborns and also by raising awareness.
He added that the project was a pilot phase on the implementation of the ASRIC Flagship Project on Village free of Hepatitis in Nasarawa State, which will hold from the 6th -20th December, 2023.
“ The project is also in line with the implementation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2024) pillar on building technical and professional competencies.” Kyari said.
NAN monitored events at the Model comprehensive health centre, Shabu, which is the location of the hepatitis free village in Lafia, Nasarawa State and the theme is “ Hepatitis Free Village”..
NAN also reports that there are a total of seven Egyptian doctors on site attending to the residents of Shabu community and about 2500 persons have since benefited from free treatment by receiving free drugs and vaccination.
Among the medical personnel from the Egyptian Liver Research Institute and Hospital (ELRIAH) working on hepatitis eradication in Lafia are Dr. Ahmed Salem, Dr. Ayman Abdelfattah and Prof. Ahmed Farahat (NAN)