By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

A former Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Isa Yuguda, has called on the Federal Government to consider reactivation of the country’s river basins and construction of more dams.

Yuguda, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, APC Professional Forum, made the call at the 2-day Abuja Tech Converge organised by Thrive Agric in collaboration with OCP Africa and other partners.

He said that the projects would boost agricultural yields in the country.

Yuguda listed the Basin in Maiduguri, Lower Benue River in Makurdi, Sokoto-Rima, Upper Niger, Hadeija-Jamaare in Kano, among others.

He said that revitalisation of the river basins could address the problems of food insecurity across the country and reduce hunger.

“Back in the day, river basins like the Chad basin had the capacity to produce tons of rice and wheat which was in excess and thrown on the streets for anyone interested to carry.

“The Federal Government needs to invest a lot; involve in all kinds of interventions, development of irrigation facilities all over the country.

“There is need to engage in extension services to educate farmers how to improve their yields and most importantly investing heavily in infrastructure, in canals, dams,’’ he said.

Mr Uka Eje, Chief Executive Officer of Thrive Agric, said the goal of the meeting was to emphasise the need for collaboration in the use of technology for agricultural value chain.

Eje also said that over the years, they have engaged in impacting rural under-served smallholder farmers with the aim of expanding their scope to ensure inclusivity among youths.

“This conference will spark off a new interest in many people who see agriculture as a difficult sector to understand.

“We want to ignite collaborative agriculture; we want to make the sector look more attractive; have more people; attract interest from youths, government, technology enthusiasts and innovators; so we can build the country of our dream,’’ he said.

He added the group had no fewer than 500,000 smallholder farmers and working to increase the number through its programme called Fida.

According to him, Fida is a programme designed to help everybody do the same thing as Thrive Agric for a wider reach and nation building.

Mr Akintunde Akinwade, Head, Business Development and Digital Projects of OCP, said, the Tech Converge will showcase the potential of technology in reshaping the future of agriculture which will engender sustainable communities.

Akinwade said the group had built an app named Udongo that provided farmers, agricultural extension workers, distributors and other people involved in the farming supply chain with online self-service applications.

He added that part of activities for the conference would be a techathon, where students from the first Tech-Talent Accelerated Project of Thrive Agric would showcase innovative projects they embarked on.

According to him, OCP Africa will be presenting gifts to the best performing groups and students.

Thrive Agric is a technology-driven agricultural company aimed at ensuring food security, providing farm inputs,machinery and advisory services to smallholder farmers for better income.

OCP Africa is a company involved in the production of and exportation of phosphate-based fertilizers ,phosphoric acid, phosphate derivatives and nutrient additives for plants and animal health. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Justina Auta

The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD) has trained 110 women on solar installations, maintenance, masonry and other artisanship skills to promote inclusion in male dominated fields

Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir, Director-General of the centre, stated this at the graduation ceremony and distribution of tools on Thursday in Abuja.

She said the training was to empower women to function well in the fields, be self-sufficient and contribute to national development.

Vilita-Bashir, added that the training would also ensure that the female artisans gained access to houses in communities that restricted men from entering due to religious or cultural reasons.

She said that over 1,300 female artisans had been trained under the project to enhance sustainable livelihood and national development in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

” By training a new corps of skilled female artisans who will in turn have access to affordable, and excellent basic required skills in today’s construction industry in collaboration with the Association of Professional Female Builders of Nigeria.

“Moreover, they will address basic artisanship needs in the rural communities, especially in areas where men are not allowed to enter places habited by women for cultural and religious reasons,” she added.

Vilita-Bashir while advising the beneficiaries to utilise the skills and equipment freely given to them, urged partners to support the centre to set up businesses for their students.

Mrs Ebi Emezue, the centre’s Director on Training encouraged the participants to be outstanding and utilise the skills learnt towards excelling in the male dominated field.

Emezue, also warned beneficiaries against selling the working tools, adding that the organsation will conduct continuous monitoring to encourage, bring business and ensure the essence of the training is achieved.

Miss Felicia Waziri, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to the government for the opportunity given to them to participate in the two weeks training.

Waziri assured the management of the center that they will make good use of the tools, and the training acquired to better their lives, train others, as well as contribute to national development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

By Gift Bayo

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has called for government, Non Governmental Organisations’ (NGO)and other stakeholders support for ‘FUN STEM’ to motivate young girls to choose science and engineering related careers.

Dr Elizabeth Eterigho, an Engineer, made the call in Abuja at the second edition of introducing Fun and Excitement into STEM learning.

The event was organised by APWEN and sponsored by Worley Foundations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

FUN STEM refers to engaging and hands-on activities that involve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts. designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity, and encourage problem-solving skills in students while having fun..

Eterigho said that APWEN was committed to erasing stereotypes by using community projects to grill young girls in STEM learning.

“There are learning crisis, which lead to skills crisis including difficulty in accessing quality learning opportunities in STEM subjects traditionally credited to and dominated by boys.

“Girls tend to outperform boys in reading skills in most regions, however, they continue to be under-represented amongst top performers in STEM subjects, which in turn leads to under-representation of women in the STEM workforce,” she said.

Eterigho said the mission of APWEN was to increase the awareness that engineering is an absolute career for girls, thereby improving the numerical strength of female engineers in Nigeria.

She added, “Last year got alot of good feedback from schools to carryout another edition and we have 100 students that participated so far in the two sections.”

Eterigho said that the programme was to prepare the next generation of girls in rural areas to inculcate interest in STEM education at a young age as well compete convinently in those careers.

“There is every need to bring up students who attend public schools to same level as those that attend private schools in terms of STEM teaching,” Eterigho said.

She described the first edition with a three-day programme for training of teachers and students on hands-on-training in Lagos and Port Harcourt as fruitful.

” This year is the second edition and we are capturing two major cities in Nigeria, Abuja and Sapelle in Edo,” she said.

Project Manager, DeltaAfrik, Adedoyin Talabi, advised students to be interested in learning new things and develop themselves.

She said there were so many things students could learn online instead of wasting their times on social media.

“I want to challenge you today that if you are on Facebook go and sign out yourself.

“Use that avenue that you have to access internet to learn new things. Don’t use it for Facebook and Titok. Even if it 30 minutes a day go and learn coding, data analysis.

“You don’t have to learn from you own experience. Larn from your parents and your mentors’ experience to build your life, ” Talabi said.

She said that everyday comes with a gift, which every young student must embrace for his or her benefits.

The President, Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Tasiu Gidari, stressed the need to inculcate the study of science into young ones, which will help them in the future.

Gidari, represented by a National Exco member, Rachel Ugye, commending APWEN for carrying out what he described as a good act, expressed the NSE’s support for APWEN’s activities.

“Today , we don’t need graduate with certificates we need graduate with skills.

“So, if you start teaching them at the tender age, by the time they get to senior secondary school, they would have already chosen their paths which is engineering and have skills to exploit, ” Gidari said.

Mr Agaba Dunia, the representative of Chairman, FCT Universal Basic Education Board, described FUN STEM platform as an opportunity for children to learn and take science as a career as they progress in educational pursuit.

Dunia advised students to make use of the opportunity and learn things that would mould their future.

Idris Rabiu, a student of Junior Secondary School P.W Kubwa said that FUN STEM has helped her to make the right decision to study science.

” I never had any interest in science before. before, I thought science was difficult and I made up my mind that I want to study art.

*Now I know science is easy and simple, I decided to study science,” Rabiu said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

Chief Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, emphasised the need for Nigeria to leverage the global nanotechnology market, projected to be worth $3 trillion by 2025.

Nnaji spoke at the 7th International Nanotechnology conference in Abuja, with the theme “Nanotechnology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Opportunities for Emerging Economies”.

He highlighted nanotechnology’s role in solving problems and driving commercialisation for national growth.

The minister urged a shift from laboratory testing to practical applications of nanotechnology across various sectors such as medicine, food, and agriculture.

Stressing the potential for Nigeria to benefit from the growing nanotechnology industry, he emphasised the importance of participation in a market expected to reach $3 trillion by 2025.

Dr Halilu Shaba, the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), representing Nnaji, highlighted the commercial potential of nanotechnology for national development.

Shaba noted NASRDA’s involvement in synthesising nanoparticles, leading to innovations such as high-capacity batteries, waterproof cement, and advanced textile materials, which are undergoing patenting.

Prof. Agbaje Lateef, Lead of the NANO+ Group at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, emphasised Nigeria’s potential to deploy nanotechnology for growth and development, utilising natural and intellectual resources.

He stated that nanotechnology could contribute trillions of dollars to the world economy and generate millions of jobs.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, highlighted the relevance of nanotechnology in defense, particularly in reducing the size and weight of components for enhanced research efforts.

He expressed interest in collaborating with researchers to leverage nanotechnology in addressing challenges, especially in the fight against insurgency.

Prof. Razaq Kalilu, the acting Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH, called for government support in establishing a Center of Excellence in NanoScience and Nanotechnology at the university.

Prof. Umar Gaya, the Coordinating Director at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), stressed the need for strategic addressing of automation and robotisation in line with 4.0 developments.

The conference aimed to explore opportunities for Nigeria in the global nanotechnology landscape, focusing on applications that could drive economic growth, job creation, and innovation.

The Nanotechnology Research Group (NANO+) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria was formed 2014 to advance the course of research in the multidisciplinary subject of Nanotechnology at the university (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ijendu Iheaka/Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Funmilola Gboteku

Cybervergent, a cybersecurity technology company, on Thursday, urged companies to prioritise protection of customers’data to foster trust and maintain positive brand image.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cybervergent, Adetokunbo Omotosho, made the call during a media briefing organised by the company in Lagos.

According to Omotosho, in today’s data-driven world, customer trust is paramount, noting that a breach could erode trust and damage a company’s reputation.

He said in 2022, the Nigerian financial sector recorded financial losses worth more than N2 trillion to cybersecurity breaches.

Omotosho said, hence, there was an urgent need for the Nigerian business community to build a robust cybersecurity solution and resilience to manage future losses.

“Many industries have stringent regulations regarding the protection of sensitive information, but cybersecurity measures ensure compliance with these regulations, avoiding legal consequences and financial penalties for organisations found wanting.

“As businesses embrace digital transformation, cybersecurity becomes an enabler for innovation. This is because secure digital platforms and emerging technologies empower organisations to explore new business models and stay competitive,” he said.

According to Omotosho, cybersecurity is fundamental in securing critical national infrastructure such as power grids, communication networks and financial systems.

He explained that a cyber-attack on these infrastructure could have severe consequences for the nation’s stability and well-being.

Omotosho noted that cybersecurity was closely tied to the economic health of a nation, adding that successful cyber-attacks could disrupt national activities leading to economic losses and potential job cuts.

“Constant monitoring and analysis of cyber threats provide valuable intelligence for national security agencies.

“Collaboration between the public and private sectors is crucial to sharing threat intelligence and responding effectively to emerging cyber threats.

“In essence, investing in robust cybersecurity measures is an investment prosperity,” Omotosho said.

He noted that his company understood that cybersecurity was not just a defensive measure but a strategic asset that empowered businesses to thrive in the digital landscape.

Speaking on the company’s name change, Omotosho said Cybervergent was formally known as Infoprive, a pioneering technology company dedicated to revolutionising the cybersecurity landscape in Africa.

He said the strategic shift marked a significant milestone in the company’s unwavering commitment to pioneer Africa’s cybersecurity through innovation, automation and all-encompassing scaled solutions.

Omotosho said: “For us, Cybervergent represents not just a name change, but the convergence of cutting-edge technology and our resolute commitment to safeguarding businesses in the digital age on the continent, starting from Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.

“With our refreshed brand identity, we are poised to evolve the cybersecurity landscape, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to thwart cyber threats, streamline security operations, and enhance overall business resilience.

“We are setting a new standard in the cybersecurity space with our advanced automated platform leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.

“This innovative approach empowers businesses to fortify their digital assets, detect real-time threats, and respond swiftly to evolving cyber breaches.” (NAN)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Nana Musa

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), on Thursday in Abuja trained 8,000 persons under the Technical Skills Development Project (TADP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was done in incollaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NACA).

The Director-General/Chief Executive of ITF, Dr Afiz Ogun, said this when he declared open the ITF/NACA TSDP stakeholders dialogue forum and award of 28 outstanding trainees.

The TSDP is a joint initiative of the two agencies with the overriding objectives to promote the availability of manpower with appropriate technical and vocational skills to meet the identified needs of industries and the economy.

Ogun said that the ITF/NACA TSDP was initiated in order to tackle the problems of unemployment and skills mismatch in the country.

“It is aimed at providing employable and entrepreneurial skills to youths to address skills needed in the country by promoting technical and vocational skills development for economic growth.

“In other words, it is a functional and result-oriented model for employability and job creation to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through strategic intervention in Technical Colleges, set standards and monitor adherence,” he said.

Ogun said that to ensure the success of the project, ITF and NECA adopted a robust management structure that had not only guaranteed its effectiveness but also ensured its efficiency and numerous achievements.

“The organ responsible for policy formulation, implementation, and the attainment of set milestones is a 10-man policy board.

“This comprises the directors-general of ITF and NECA as the Chairman and Co-Chair, respectively, with four other representatives from each organisation.

“The TSDP adopts the “brown-fields” approach for the skills acquisition programmes, which entails leveraging existing facilities for training.

“In this regard, the project uses training facilities of NECA member companies (participating organisations), ITF Industrial Skills Training Centres and other selected organisations.

“Also involved in the project are selected Federal and State Technical Colleges from the six geo-political zones and the FCT, which have been provided with the requisite equipment, tools for practical work and workshops.

“These were either newly constructed or renovated to bring them in sync with laid down standards for all facilities that are used for Project,” the chairman said.

The Director-General of NACA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said that the project was designed to provide employable and entrepreneurship skills to youths to address skills needed in the country.

Oyerinde said that it was also to promote technical and vocational skills development for economic growth, set standards and monitor adherence in the implementation of the project.

He said that the two agencies were promoting TVET through strategic intervention in technical colleges, demonstration to policy makers a functional and result-orientated model for employability and job creation.

Dr Vanessa Phala, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, commended the project describing it as essential for development.

Phala, who commended the 28 exceptional participants, said
that the ILO would continue to support the project.

One of the award recipients, Mr Bongshin Edward, commended the government for the initiative and efforts of all the coaches for the project.

He advised other trainees to take the programme seriously and encourage people to enroll for any skills acquisition programme. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Dr Aminu Maida as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This followed the presentation and adoption of a report of the Committee on Communications by its Chairman, Sen. Bilbis Ikra (APC- Zamfara) at the Committee of the Whole on Thursday.

Presenting the report, Ikra urged the Senate to consider the request of President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of Maida for appointment as the NCC Chairman.

He said the request was in accordance with Section 8 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Establishment Act, 2003.

Ikra, who said the committee had screened Maida, added that he passed all security clearance and possessed the requisite qualifications.

The lawmaker also said that Maida has professional experience, competence and regulatory capacity to further ensure success of the commission.

Ikra, therefore, urged the senate to approve the nomination.

Senate, thereafter confirmed the appointment of Maida, as Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC.(NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Sadiya Hamza