By Tolu Aiyegbusi
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has ranked University of Port Harcourt (UniPort) as best Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in Nigeria.
Its acting Director-General, Dr Idoreyin Imiyoho, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the awards to the top three IPTTOs in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NOTAP presents a cash reward of N500, 000 to UniPort, N300, 000 to University of Lagos and N200, 000 to University of Ilorin.
Imiyoho was represented by Mrs Anie Osuagwu, the Director, Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination of NOTAP.
She said the ranking of IPTTOs in the country was necessary to encourage demand-driven research and launch Nigeria into the comity of technologically independent nations.
“ The IPTTO ranking programme initiated by (NOTAP) is aimed at strengthening the operation of IPTTOs in the country to promote the culture of invention and innovation.
“The establishment of IPTTOs in Nigerian knowledge institutions across geopolitical zones of the country was an initiative of NOTAP in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a UN agency based in Geneva, Switzerland,’’ she said.
NOTAP boss said IPTTO initiative was to sensitise the Nigerian knowledge institutions on the importance of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) as well as the need to engage in market driven research as against conventional research.
She recalled that the programme started in 2006 with the establishment of six centers and has progressed both in number and quality to over 60 IPTTOs across the country,’’ she said.
According to her, the world economy is driven and sustained by knowledge. So, agency is saddled with the responsibility of regulating the inflow of foreign technologies through the registration of technology transfer agreements.
She said that the criteria for ranking comprised of visibility of the center within the institution, documentation of institutional research and development results, institutional intellectual property policy in place among other.
In her remarks, Prof. Mary Iwundu, the Director of IPTTO, UniPort, who received the award, appreciated NOTAP for its efforts in recognising the efforts of researchers in the country.
“ NOTAP has done a lot for the research community in Nigeria; it has been supportive through funding and various trainings.
“ As a recipient of this award and emerging the best, as a university we are very proud that our hard work is being recognised.
`It is a good thing that there is enough sensitisation to make people understand intellectual property rights and patenting, ” she said.
She commended NOTAP for establishing for IPTTOs in universities, polytechnics and research institutions in the country, saying this will promote interaction and strengthen the linkage between university/research institutions and industries. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has generated over N400 million in ensuring compliance to data protection and its remedial actions.

The National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said this on Sunday at a news conference to mark the 2024 Global Data Privacy Day in Abuja.

Celebrated every Jan. 28, the day is being celebrated under the theme: “ Take Control of Your Data’’.

The day is a day set aside to raise awareness, promote privacy and data protection best practices.

Data privacy is currently observed in the U.S., Canada, Israel, Nigeria, Qatar and 47 European countries but celebrated in Nigeria from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, the day that marks the establishment anniversary of NDPC.

He recalled that the Nigeria Data Protection Bill which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, mandates the commission to enforce compliance in data protection.

Olatunji, while recounting the achievements of the commission in the past one year, said they inaugurated the Nigeria Data Protection Act – General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID) Drafting Committee.

“It is worthy of note that our technical experts at the commission are already driving this process in collaboration with stakeholders from the industry.

“In the area of complaints and investigations, we have received over 1,000 complaints and after thorough review, 50 have been verified and investigations are currently ongoing on 17 major cases.

“These cases are covering several sectors such as Finance; Technology, Education, Consulting, Government, Logistics and Gaming\Lottery among others.

“Through remedial actions for completed cases, we have generated over 400 million Naira revenue for government,’’ he said.

He further said that in addition to fostering compliance, they have increased the number of Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs) from 103 to 163.

According to him, our annual audit filing has increased to over 2,000 per annum while the cumulative revenue in the sector is estimated at N6.2 billion and approximately 10,100 jobs created.

He also mentioned that Nigeria has been admitted to the Global Privacy Assembly made up of about 130 countries.

Olatunji added that the week will focus on massive awareness for all data controllers and processors to register with the NDPC as enshrined in the NDPA.

The commissioner said that everybody has the responsibility of data protection, adding that the activities of dark web barons and criminal exploiters of personal data should not be allowed to thrive.

He warned that failure to obey the law will attract penalties.

According to him, no organisation in the public and the private sector will be allowed to treat Nigerians as second-class citizens when it comes to respect for the data privacy of citizens.

He said it would be in collective interest to work together to secure Nigeria’s present and future in the frontiers of the 4th Industrial Revolution. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

Dr Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has reiterated that the Federal Government is on the verge of digitising its processes to harness benefits of digital economy.

Tijani said this at the news conference to mark the Global Data Privacy Day in Abuja Sunday, which has its theme: “Take Control of Your Data’’.

Data Privacy Day (DPD) is established to raise awareness, promote privacy and data protection best practices, which is currently observed in the U.S., Canada, Israel, Nigeria, Qatar and 47 European countries.

Celebrated as a week in Nigeria from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, the event is designed to join the globe to create awareness and ensure that data subjects know their rights.

Tijani said, “a lot of gadgets we use today are interconnected which means the data we are producing daily must be protected and the people producing it too being enlightened.

“President Bola Tinubu has given us the mandate to transform public services with technology, it means a lot more of the things we do in public service will be digitalised.

“A lot of the services that citizens consume in the coming months, years will also be digitalised.

“There may be dangers as we collect and share data, so there is need for us as government agencies to protect the data appropriately, we need to invest in innovative ways to protect data’’.

According to him, NDPC will be able to provide that role while Galaxy BackBone will help manage the data exchange system and ensure it follows laid down regulations.

The minister also said that companies that produce digital gadgets have a role in ensuring that the data of people they collect is not compromised.

He added that the week would focus on enlightenment because there is a huge gap in the knowledge about data protection.

“The knowledge is lacking because there is no capacity and it is a new way of doing things and we need to consider behavioural change,’’ he said.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Stanley Adedeji, said the National Assembly would ensure compliance in its mode of data collection.

“In performing our constitutional duties as legislators, we collect a lot of data, we have to make sure the mode in which we collect data is in compliance with the Data Privacy Law.

“This means that we must automate the process of our interaction with MDAs and other organisations,’’ he said.

Adedeji further urged organisations also to be compliant and not chose the part of litigation when found culpable.

According to him, the data protection ecosystem is still at the primary stage of development which every institution should be part of the process.

He added that capacity building is needed for people to get acquainted with the law of data protection, as well having attitudinal change on data privacy.

He pledged the National Assembly’s support in terms of legislation and collaboration by amending laws that will make NDPC to be more effective and transparent.

Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of NDPC, recalled that they developed a five-year Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan with five pillars in 2023.

Olatunji said that within one year, they have been able to achieve two of the three most challenging targets of the roadmap but for the awareness part, which requires intensive capacity building.

“The commission is keen on building a globally competitive pool of Data Protection Officers (DPOs), who will be able to discharge the duties required of them under Section 332 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

“We have identified at least 500,000 data controllers and data processors who need qualified DPOs in order to meet their obligation under the law.

“We cannot afford to subject this pool to compulsory foreign certifications as this will put pressure on our local currency and defeat the aims and objectives of Federal Government’s Executive Orders 003 and 005.

“We have concluded arrangements for the licensing of an indigenous certification body with global standard and international spread to fill the gap,’’ he said.

Zenith Bank, National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited, among other agencies, were part of the day’s event. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

The Federal Government says it plans to design indigenous solution for the implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) disclosed this in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the forthcoming 2024 Data Privacy Week.

NAN reports that Data Privacy Day is celebrated globally on Jan. 28 but commemorated in Nigeria as a Week, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4. to mark the establishment anniversary of NDPC which came into being on Feb. 4, 2022.

NAN also reports that Data Privacy Day is an annual campaign with the goal of educating the public about the importance of online privacy and to encourage citizens to be more aware of their personal data protection.

Olatunji recalled that President Bola Tinubu, in June 2023, signed the Nigeria Data Protection Bill into law thereby providing a legal framework for the protection of personal information and the practice of data protection in Nigeria.

In implementing the legal framework, the NDPC commissioner said the government was considering strategies of using indigenous solution.

He disclosed that a hackathon that would facilitate the possible use of indigenous solutions in the implementation of the Act was part of the activities lined up for the 2024 Data Privacy Week.

“We are looking at what kind of technology that we can deploy in terms of implementation of the mandate, enforcement, investigation, reporting or any other thing that will come up.

“It is like creating a formidable ecosystem and we want to have indigenous solutions that can address some of these areas,” he said.

Olatunji said that winners of the hackathon would be awarded, as well as organisations that had done well in data protection and compliant regulation.

The Commissioner also disclosed that NDPC would partner with the Nigeria Association of Computing Students (NACOS) to deepen awareness on data privacy protection.

He recalled that the commission in the previous years, engaged a handful of schools to educate them on data privacy protection.

“We are widening the scope this year and we are encouraging stakeholders to go to schools to preach the gospel of data privacy.

“When we started, we engaged with six schools, then, it increased to 16 and also to 33 schools. Last year, we reached out to over 60 schools.

“This year we are working with NACOS to ensure that we do this in all universities in Nigeria to expand the scope,” he said.

Olatunji assured that the 2024 Data Privacy Week would be filled with activities to create awareness, evaluate performances and to map out new strategies, going forward. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu and Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Philomina Attah

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), on Thursday, trained its members of staff on Information Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance their proficiency.

The Director-General, BPSR, Mr Dasuki Arabi, stated this at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on Strengthening Capacity of BPSR Focal Officers on Monitoring and Evaluation for effective delivery of the National Public Sector Strategy Initiatives.

Arabi said that the aim of the workshop was to drive change that would position Nigeria’s public service as an institution of excellence.

He further said that the training would facilitate the building of Nigeria public service into a highly functional, professional, customer focused and result oriented institution.

“I want to reiterate that the workshop is an avenue to further understand the strengths and gaps for individual level of competencies and staffing needs.

“The development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms (NSPSR) arose from a key recommendation from the review of the NSPSR document.

“This is in line with the nine priority areas of the present Administration in 2023.

“The review noted the absence of a robust framework to support the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the components of the strategy over the years from its inception – 2007 – 2023,’’ he said.

Arabi said during the years of implementation of the strategy, not much result was reported by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), due to inadequate data, poor documentation practice and absence of a performance monitoring system.

He said this development made MDAs reports in terms of reform delivery unsystematic, reactive, and unverifiable and this could affect policy decisions.

Arabi, however, urged participants to be attentive to achieve the expected outcome.

On his part, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, said the workshop would boast the achievement of the Renew Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu led-administration.

Akume, who was represented by Mr Simon Tyongu, a director in the office of the SGF, said the workshop would strengthen the institution and individuals’ capacities and reform staff in data generation, collection and reporting.

He said the initiative was also designed to build capacity of staff members to use ICT driven approaches to manage the Reform’s Monitoring and Evaluation Framework among others.

“The NSPSR developed by the BPSR is aimed at identifying and tracking the delivery of reforms in the public service for implementation.

“Over the years, the Nigerian government has introduced laudable reforms in the public service but its implementation has come with mixed results.

“However, the development of NSPSR and Federal Civil Service Strategy Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) alongside the Mo

Edited by Jacinta nwachukwu/Isaac Aregbesola

By Jessica Dogo

Experts in technology and innovation say Nigeria needs stronger enforcement and improved capacity within law enforcement to deal with internet fraud.

They made the assertion while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Mr Jide Awe, a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor and Founder, Jidaw.com, said that this would help in addressing the challenge in the sector.

Awe said that prosecuting criminals and recovering stolen money would assist in sending the right message.

He said there was a corresponding need to raise public awareness about the risks of internet fraud and the steps taken to bolster cyber security and secure data as digital adoption grows.

“Many people still fall victim to internet scams because they are simply not aware of the risks of internet fraud. The poor level of public awareness is another factor.

“As digital adoption grows, there is a corresponding need to raise public awareness about the risks of internet fraud and to take steps to bolster cyber security and secure data.

“Public awareness and learning must be ongoing, as new threats continue to emerge and cybercriminals constantly develop new ways to commit fraud,” he said.

He said tough economic conditions can be a contributing factor to internet fraud, especially when people struggle to make ends meet, they become more vulnerable to scams that promise easy money.

“Increased internet access stands out as a major contributory factor to internet fraud.

“The dramatic rise in the number of people with internet access has consequently led to an increase in potential victims for internet fraudsters.

“The COVID-19 pandemic also forced people to spend more time online, thereby making them more susceptible to scams.

“Closely related to this is the heightened use of online banking and payments, rendering people more vulnerable to fraudsters who can steal their personal and financial information.

“As for internet fraudsters, some of them turn to fraud as a way to make money due to the harsh economic climate, lack of job opportunities, and prevailing socio-economic inequalities,” he said.

Also, Tinuola Popoola, a System Analyst and Cyber Safety Advocate, said internet fraud was on the rise due to unfavorable economic policies not encouraging the growth of small businesses.

“Poor economic state of the country, high rate of poverty among citizens, unemployment, lack of financial education and money management knowledge for youth can cause fraud.

“Greed and peer pressure effect (wanting to be like their mates) can also contribute to internet fraud among others,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi/Isaac Aregbesola

By Jessica Dogo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around since the 1950s, but its recent boom has caused exciting wave of interest, as it becomes more accessible to the public with increasing roles in man’s daily activities.

Created at a Dartmouth Conference of 1956, AI started as a field study by scientists.

It was research project in the U.S., where a group of researchers first coined the term “artificial intelligence”.

The conference set out to exam some main themes in fields of research during the period, including neural networks, the theory of computability, creativity and natural language processing and recognition.

The researchers envisioned creating machines that could simulate human intelligence.

Over the years, researchers have focused on developing foundational concepts and techniques in AI.

Alan Turing introduced the idea of machine intelligence. He also proposed the Turing Test, which tests a machine’s ability to exhibit behaviours similar to those of humans.

In spite of early enthusiasm, AI research faced significant challenges and limitations.

High expectations of AI capabilities were not met early enough, and its research funding decreased, leading to what became known as the “AI Winter”.

Eventually, researchers explored “connectionism”, in which multiple connections between nodes (equivalent to brain cells) form a massive interactive network where many processes take place simultaneously.

This later became the basis for neural networks.

In recent years AI has evolved rapidly and is being integrated into various industries, including healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles.

AI-powered assistants and intelligent chatbots have also become prevalent as customer service technologies.

Virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Assistant have gained widespread adoption, enabling users to perform tasks, retrieve information, and interact with other devices through voice command.

But there have been concerns that AI will one day drive many out of jobs thereby exacerbating poverty worldwide.

However, experts think otherwise. They consider it a force for good.

“Advancement in AI technology has come to stay and it is becoming an essential tool for problem-solving and decision-making.

” AI, as of today, is at the heart of many technologies, including smart devices and voice assistants such as Siri on Apple devices”, Tinuola Popoola, a System Analyst and Cyber Safety Advocate, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Popoola said rather, AI not only brings about changes in how work was done but disrupting how people live and how problems were solved.

“AI is not only bringing about changes in how we work, it is disrupting how we live and how problems are solved.

“Artificial intelligence refers to the general ability of computers to emulate human thought and perform tasks in real-world environments.

“AI mimics the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind.

“Simply, AI feeds on the information provided, which is used to influence the world,” she said.

She said that computer programmers and software developers enable computers to analyse data and solve problems by creating artificial intelligence systems.

She said companies were incorporating techniques such as natural language processing and computer vision which is the ability for computers to use human language and interpret images to automate tasks.

It is also used to accelerate decision-making, and enable customer conversations with chatbots.

Mr Jide Awe, a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor and Founder, Jidaw.com, said that AI had the potential to be a powerful tool for Nigeria to tackle insecurity and other development challenges.

According to Awe, when used purposefully and responsibly, AI will enable innovativeness and effectiveness.

“AI can process large volumes of data from various sources, such as social media, sensors, and satellite imagery, to detect patterns and anomalies.

“This enables the identification of areas at risk of crime and the potential indication of security threats or crises.

“Such AI systems will alert security personnel and facilitate prompt responses to threats and incidents.

“AI’s capability to enhance the analysis of network traffic patterns enables it to quickly identify unusual activities, which in turn assists in promptly detecting and responding to cyber threats.

“The speed, accuracy, and adaptability of AI contribute to more effective threat detection and mitigation in today’s complex digital landscape,” he said.

He said AI could also be used in disaster management to develop early warning systems for natural disasters, such as floods and droughts.

According to him, the ability of AI to analyse data from multiple sources can help governments and organisations plan ahead and respond proactively to situations.

“Chatbots, virtual assistants and other tools can also be used in the response and coordination of relief efforts in the aftermath of disasters.

“In the healthcare system AI can be employed to develop more sophisticated and powerful diagnostic tools and treatments for diseases.

“It can help in the tracking and monitoring of disease outbreaks by analysing healthcare and other pertinent data.

“AI can also improve communication, logistics, organisational efficiency, and patient care quality in the health sector’’, he said.

He said it could also be used to improve educational outcomes through the development of personalised learning tools and learning support for students.

“It can also be deployed to automate administrative tasks and improve efficiency in educational institutions,” Awe said.

A former Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, said Africa can overcome challenges of poverty, food security, healthcare and others by adopting and deploying AI.

According to Danbatta, AI has the potential to provide solutions to major challenges faced by African countries.

He spoke at the 11th Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition with the theme: “Artificial Intelligence and Africa,” in Abuja.

“AI-powered solutions have the potential to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges, such as limited access to healthcare, food security, financial inclusion, and infrastructure development,” he said. (NANFeature)

**If used please the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

By Lucy Ogalue

The Federal Government has reiterated commitment to promote the manufacturing and usage of Electric Vehicles (EVs), to ensure clean environment and to grow the nation’s economy.

Mr Joseph Osanipin, Director-General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), said this when he visited Possible EVs Experience Centre on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Possible EVs is an electric vehicle manufacturing company that is seeking an enabling environment to manufacture vehicles in Nigeria.

Osanipin, while acknowledging the level of investments EVs could bring to the country, said the government was committed to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to support such innovations.

He also reiterated that due to the health hazards brought about by emissions, electric vehicles was the way to go for the country.

Osanipin said, “We will key into your idea of clean environment. We are ready and will support young companies like you, as you deserve to be supported. And we are going to do whatever it takes to support you.

“Like I mentioned earlier, we are happy because we know the kind of revolution and investment EV is going to bring to the sector and the entire country, investments in different sectors.

“It will also create jobs among other things. So, we will work with you and give you maximum support.”

Earlier, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Possible EVs, Mosope Olaosebikan, said the essence of the meeting was to seek the collaboration of the NADDC to ensure clean environment for Nigerians.

“Our goal fundamentally is to impact positively on the country’s economy, move to cleaner and efficient ways of transportation, let Nigerians move in our own vehicles and improve the ecosystem.

“While we try to do that, we are going to create jobs; we have set up our own factory in Idu to facilitate the production and usage of local materials, thus increasing local content.

“We are just one year old and we have been trying to expand, to let Nigerians know that these things are possible.

“This is an opportunity for us to join other climes to advance our economy through EVs and we can only achieve that through the support of NADDC,’’ he said.

On affordability, Olaosebikan said the cost of the vehicles would be reduced, once the manufacturing of local production commenced and when government provided the right environment to do business.

The chief executive said the company was also collaborating with the federal government to deploy 100 vehicles before second quarter 2024, that would help ease transportation for Nigerians.

He said, “We are going to make the government proud by ensuring that we deliver the best in terms of quality.

“We are going to deploy about 50 taxis to compliment the buses; we hope that as more people enter the vehicles they will make a decision to switch to electric vehicles.

“We are also talking with local and foreign investors right now, to raise a hundred million dollar fund; our goal is to have 50 per cent local production by next year.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani