By Funmilola Gboteku

The Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Lagos State Chapter, has urged the Federal Government to initiate more friendly policies to promote sustainable agricultural practices by farmers.

Mr Olugbenga Aina, the Lagos State Chapter Chairman, NIFST, said this during the 10th Regional Food Science and Technology Summit/NIFST Day celebration on Thursday in Lagos.

The theme of the event is, “Attaining Sufficient, Safe and Healthy Food for Nigerians Through Food Science and Technology”.

According to him, farmers are responsible for producing the food that feeds the population.

Aina said that ensuring that farmers had the resources and support they needed to produce an adequate supply of food was essential for national food security.

He noted that supporting farmers could help stabilise rural economies, create jobs and contribute to overall economic growth.

He explained that many farmers lived in rural areas where economic opportunities may be limited, adding that by supporting farmers, governments could help promote rural development.

“Presently the government needs to deal with the insecurity that is affecting farmers and keeping them from farming.

“We need food, especially now when there is inflation, insecurity and food hunger in the land.

“This is one of the reasons why we are gathered here today to discuss this issues; food safety and security are two intertwined topics that are crucial to the development of any country,” he said.

On cholera, the chairman said promoting good hygiene practices among communities was key to preventing further transmission of the disease.

Aina said the government had done a lot in creating awareness on the need for citizens to maintain good hygiene.

He, however, said that eating food bought from the road could make people subsceptible to cholera.

Aina advised that people should not consume food bought from the road without knowing how it was prepared.

He said the environment or the kind of water used to prepare food was vital.

The chairman said other causes of cholera included eating of uncooked and contaminated foods.

He also advised that people should always wash their hands at all times before eating.

On empowerment, he said that NIFST, through its partnerships with businesses, industries and government agencies had been able to provide job opportunities for over 100 youths between 2023 and 2024.

In his address, the National President of NIFST, Prof. Abu Oneh, said that academic institutions and research organisations must continue to lead in scientific research, development and innovations needed to address the current and future challenges of food security.

He also said private sector partners, including food producers, processors and retailers must play the crucial role of bringing innovation to the market and ensure its widespread adoption.

Also, Mrs Taiwo Ubany, the Chairperson, Local Organising Committee, said it was necessary for Nigeria to be able attain production of safe and healthy foods.

She noted that there were so many technologies that were available or could be employed to ensure food safety and security in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a food basket, we have the people and the soil, all we need to do is harness the resources along with technology in order to cater for the needs of Nigerians.”

She said food sufficiency was key, and that food was available but not getting to the people because of so many issues.

Mrs Veronica Alaba, NIFST Adviser, said that the government needed to find a lasting solution to the issue of terrorism which was hindering farmers from planting crops.

According to her, the attacks have made so many farmers to stop cultivating crops, which in turn has led to food inflation. (NAN)

Edited by AbdulFatai Beki/Salif Atojoko

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

Nigerian government and the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA) from Delaware, USA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to send the first Nigerian to space.

Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said on Wednesday at the signing of the MoU in Abuja, that human spaceflight was a major aspiration of Nigeria.

“Human spaceflight is not just a random aspiration of our country but a major objective of the Nigeria Space Policy and Programme which was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2001.

“Reviving and implementing all abandoned national plans is a cardinal point of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“This partnership provides a way of achieving our long-time aspiration as a nation,” he said.

The minister said the slot could be available from now till December, or in 2025, as SERA would still be test-running the platform.

Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director- General of NASRDA, said the cost of sending a Nigerian to space had been fully sponsored by SERA.

Adepoju said the event marked the commencement of the agency’s efforts to implement part of its roadmap of having a human spaceflight.

He also said the event was worth celebrating at a time that Nigeria was marking the 25 years of its space programme.

“The Human Spaceflight programme is one of the cardinal objectives of National Space Policy and Programme.

“It was with this in mind that we established the Department of Physical and Life Sciences about three years ago to forge this mandate.

“This is also coming as one of our deep space explorations because there are many spinoffs that will come from the collaboration and opportunities opened for Nigerians,’’ he said.

Mr Joshua Skurla, Co-Founder of SERA, said that 80 per cent of astronauts, globally, had exclusively emanated from three countries.

Skurla said that Nigeria had a rich history of scientific, technological innovation, thus, SERA was excited to partner with NASRDA to extend the legacy into space and create new opportunities for Nigerian space explorers.

Mr Sam Hutchison, Founder of SERA, said that the application to be in space was open to any Nigerian older than 18 years, in spite of their discipline.

“The Nigerian people will choose the citizen to go to space, the process of application will be open to anybody who is over 18 years, and there are no other qualifications required.

“You will be able to sign up and then encourage others to vote for you; as part of democratic process, the Nigerian people will select four potential astronaut candidates before a final selection process.

“The important thing to understand is that anybody can apply, you don’t have to be a Scientist, Mathematician or Engineer.

“This is about opening up access to ordinary Nigerians and giving them the opportunity of being the first Nigerian in space,” he said.

He added that they chose Nigeria because the country had already indicated serious intent towards space exploration through its obvious space programmes and initiatives.

Hutchison further said that they paid attention to the country knowing that it is a country of Scientists, Engineers and most importantly entrepreneurs.

“We hope to raise the awareness of young Nigerians that by choosing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, they can go to space.”

Hutchison noted that the selection process would be through SERA’s platform, and that it would be open and transparent.

Dr Anne Agi, President, Learnspace Foundation, who was instrumental to executing the partnership, advocated for Nigeria to be chosen for the mission.

Agi who expressed optimism that the mission would serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for Nigerian youths noted that space had the power to inspire future generations.

“It will show that even in challenging times, with global collaboration, great achievements are possible.

“We are therefore thrilled to have played a part in this groundbreaking partnership and we encourage Nigerians to key in.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that under the partnership, SERA will reserve a seat for a Nigerian citizen, on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital spaceflight.

This is part of a broader SERA-led initiative, in partnership with Blue Origin, to send six individuals from nations historically underrepresented in space exploration.

SERA, is a company from Delaware, U.S., and was founded to build a global community dedicated to space exploration, research and democratising space exploration and exploitation for all nations of the world.

The SERA-NASRDA collaboration builds upon SERA’s previous success in sending Victor Hespanha, a 28-year-old Brazilian Civil Engineer, to space in 2022, which demonstrates the transformative power of an inclusive and accessible space ecosystem. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne

By Sylvester Thompson

Dr Olushola Odusanya, Director-General, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) has affirmed the centre’s commitment to revamp interest in vocational education in the country.

Odusanya disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that the move was crucial, considering that 70 per cent of job opportunities abound in vocational training and need to be tapped.

He explained that a reliable way of infusing knowledge into the informal sector was to focus on vocational training.

He, however, said that revamping interest in vocational education called for right investments and issuance of quality certificates as well as quality accreditation.

He disclosed that NACETEM, a Certiport training and certification centre, had structured training in which certificates were offered.

“These certification schemes are now for vocationally trained people and their numbers are also very large, probably larger than other trainees.

“These are people required in the economy and we feel this would be of particular interest to politicians because they need to empower their voting population,” Odusanya said.

The NACETEM boss explained that the Academy which was formed in partnership with a private firm was a huge Learning Management System, which provided for the training, thereby allowing several people to come on board.

He restated that acquisition of vocational skills was quite important, especially to people who were not necessarily educated but required some form of skills.

He reiterated that vocational training encompassed all of these. (NAN)

Edited by Deborah Coker and Abiemwense Moru

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Minister of Youths Development, Dr Jamila Ibrahim says artificial intelligence is pivotal to electoral development of youths.

Ibrahim said this at the unveiling of Naija Elections, a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, developed by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) with the support of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Abuja on Thursday.

According to her, the naija electoral AI tool herald a new era in which every Nigerians can participate meaningfully in our electoral process.

“In an era where technology and information are pivotal to ensuring our young people have the tools and knowledge to engage in the democratic process actively is essential.

“This platform will empower our youths by giving them easy access to accurate real time electoral information enabling them to make informed decisions and participate actively in electoral processes.

“This could not have come at a more appropriate time than when we are celebrating 25 years uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria.

”As we inaugurate this platform today, I wish to emphasis the government’s determination to deploy technology that will enhance our democratic processes,” Ibrahim said.

Speaking also at the launch, Mr Bukola Idowu, Executive Director, KDI, said the tool would facilitate easy access to the Nigerian election ecosystem by youths.

“The tool is going to combat misinformation and disinformation, enhance voter education and electoral knowledge.

“Every information on Niaja elections is from the official sources that is, the Constitution and INEC.

“What we have done is that we give you information that you can rely on and you can actually use the platform without signing in you just log on to the address and it does not store an individual’s data.”

Speaking more on the features he said it had the three major Nigerian languages- Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

He was optimistic that it would have up to 150 languages before the next election in 2027.

In her remarks, Cynthia Rowe, Development Director, FCDO said ”for a country that is as large and diverse as Nigeria a well informed electorate is pivotal.”

According to her, an educated voter is better equipped to make informed political choices and engage in the democratic process in a way that is meaningful.

According to her, technology is bridging digital gaps in business, education , security that ensures much better efficiency.

“As we celebrate this launch it’s important that we look at the broader context, democracy around the world is all facing exceptional challenges of misinformation and disinformation, which encourages scepticism.

“And, it is important we know that our collective efforts in putting forward correct information using platforms like this, we are also strengthening democracy in Nigeria and contributing to global efforts on democratic values.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the App is developed by Nigerians and built to supply any kind of electoral information that concerns Nigeria and can be accessed by logging on to www.naijaelections.ng.

KDI is an independent non-profit and Non-governmental Organisation that inspires citizens-led-democratic development anchored on principles of participation, data -driven, advocacy, strong institutions, gender equality and public policies. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has called on Nigerians to trust the data collection and digital identification systems by the government.

The commission said that the call became necessary as the national identification systems served as foundational identification means to protect their information.

Its National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, said this on Tuesday at a news conference to mark the one year implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NDPA bill was signed as an Act of parliament by President Bola Tinubu on June 12, 2023.

Olatunji said this was a major achievement and requirement for the country to participate in the comity of nations in the area of digital identification.

He said that issue of privacy was still vague to a lot of citizens which was not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that people needed to repose confidence in the process of digital identification.

“On June 12, 2023, President Bola Tinubu signed the bill as an act of Parliament and that was a testament that this ecosystem is beyond anybody. It is a global phenomenon that no forward looking country can afford to neglect.

“We are grateful that President Tinubu understands the power of technology which is at the bedrock of anything you do, digital technology is the foundational identity.

“An average transitional Nigerian needs the National Identification Number which is the foundational identity.

“It is that foundational identity that institutions that collect data reference when the need arises and which is why we need to support the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for it to work.

“If people don’t believe in digital identity, there is no way they will understand your message on data privacy,” he said.
He said the government was working on having a proper data interface for easy interoperability.

Olatunji said that the rights of Nigerians was important to the government, hence signing of the Act which had brought positive impacts.

“Signing the law gave us more credibility in the new administration and that is why we have attracted lots of attention within Nigeria and across the globe.

“The remarkable thing about the law is that we applied for the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA) in 2022 as a bureau and our application was rejected because we did not have a National legislation on data protection.

“Having been accredited less than one year now, Nigeria is on the front page of the GPA’s news letter for this quarter which is a big deal for us.

“The law legitimised the NDPC and we have gained global recognition, and in terms of economic value, we have an ecosystem that is worth over N10 billion now. The law has positioned Nigeria for digital presence,” he said.

Speaking on the benefits of the law to Nigeria, he said the commission gained the opportunity to host Data Protection Officers (DPOs) across Africa on a conference in May 2025.

Olatunji said the conference would impact the economic value of the country in the areas of tourism and culture, perception of the country at the global level and foreign direct investment.

“In terms of job creation and training, we have done a lot to ensure we deepen data protection in Nigeria.

“Part of what we are doing in the ministry is to train 10,000 public servants on responsible data management which the portal is already open.

“We have also licensed a national certification body that has been designed in a way that there is something for everyone no matter your career.

“We are going to launch the free training of 1000 DPOs that will be certified trainers which the process is ongoing and the portal will soon be open and that is part of the job creation initiative of the President,” Olatunji said.

According to him, there are so many things coming to this ecosystem and this is one good thing coming out of Nigeria and we all should support the process.

Mr Solomon Odole, Project Coordinator for Nigerian Digital Identification for Development (ID4D), said the news conference was an opportunity to create more awareness on data privacy.

“There are a lot of people that hear about this but they don’t understand the content of the law and its provisions.

“This is an opportunity to pass the message that we are interested in their personal information as citizens of Nigeria,” he said.

Odole said that the ID4D project was ready to support the commission to discharge its mandate and ensure that citizens’ personal information were safeguarded. (NAN)www.nannews.ng

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Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has called on stakeholders to be proactive in preventing cybersecurity threats in the country.

Ribadu made this statement on Tuesday at the Cybersecurity Forum organised by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in Abuja.

The forum’s theme was “Intelligence Initiatives and Strategies for National Cyber Security Management.”

Ribadu, was represented by Maj.-Gen. Samad Akinsode, Director of Communications, Office of the National Security Officer (ONSA).

“Effective cybersecurity management hinges on robust intelligence. Advanced intelligence platforms enable us to gather, analyse, and share critical threat intelligence with relevant stakeholders.

“By leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, these platforms can predict potential cyber attacks and provide actionable insights.

“Cybersecurity is a collective responsibility that requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. It is not one man’s business.”

He noted the need for continued sensitisation and awareness programs to educate citizens and businesses on cybersecurity hygiene, while also encouraging public-private sector collaboration.

Ribadu highlighted that the NCS emergency response team, known as the Engine Search, is the foundational component of the national cybersecurity coordination center and the focal point for managing national cyber incidents.

“The Engine Search facilitates real-time exchange of threat intelligence and best practices on cybersecurity incidents with various stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

“It operates the national cyber emergency monitoring system for effective detection, identification, and interception of cyber threats.

“It shares cyber threat intelligence with sectoral computer security incident response teams and relevant private sector players for comprehensive responses.”

The Director-General of State Security Service (SSS), Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, stressed the importance of cybersecurity, noting that the world continues to face various cyber threats.

Represented by Mr Peter Afunanya, Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communication of DSS, Bichi stated that while cybersecurity is intended for good purposes, it has been exploited by criminally minded individuals.

He called on the NCS to conduct research to find solutions to criminal activities, emphasising the need to address challenges in national security management, financial crime, fake news, and other manipulations.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by DSP Usman Iman, noted that the prevalence of cybercrimes necessitates collaboration among countries, agencies, and organisations to deliberate on safety and security in cyberspace.

The Director-General of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, advocated for process improvement and automation.

“Automation is a double-edged sword, presenting opportunities for service excellence and process improvement. The only mitigation is capacity training and building for both end users and professionals.

“This forum is of utmost importance because of the human resources involved. Investing in cybersecurity tools without building the capacity of the people will be a wasted investment.”

Adedeji, represented by Mr Kola Okunola, Director of Intelligence Strategic Data Mining and Analysis Development at FIRS, added that the forum would provide stakeholders with the opportunity to brainstorm on strategies for insider control and the tools and techniques used in cyberspace.

The President of NCS, Mr Muhammad Aliyu, stated that the purpose of the forum is to discuss national issues related to cybersecurity.

He noted that the NCS, an umbrella organization for all ICT professionals, has thrived for decades in promoting ICT advancements.

According to Aliyu, the cybersecurity forum and other programs are key flagship initiatives of NCS. (NAN)

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

A website hosting company, TFHost, has called for protection of data and cybersecurity to ensure safety online.

Head of Sales, TFhost, Mr Victor Matthias, made the call on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Matthias cautioned Nigerians that while using the internet, there was need to ensure cybersecurity, which attacks were inevitable but could be avoided.

He said there was need to engage the internet wisely, while having a personal internet experience and data protection.

Matthias said that social media platforms had great impact on digital marketing, created visibility for online businesses, but had its limitations.

According to him, most social media platforms accessible to Nigerians are internet spaces owned by other individuals who they cannot guarantee the safety of their data.

“Nigeria is an evolving country in terms of internet penetration, especially with hand-held devices, people are coming into social media and then to websites and blogs.

“If you want to do online business, engage in online activities to an extent, you need a blog or a website for people to take you seriously.

“You can’t do business and leave it on social media, social media is essentially not your space, it is somebody’s space, the person is just giving you access,’’ he said.

The TFHost official said that while hosting the website of its clients, the company kept evolving to meet global best practices on data protection.

He said the company was accredited by Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA).

“TFhost mandate is to register different types of domain names for individuals, Small Medium Enterprises, Corporations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, others.”

He added that its services included email hosting, shared hosting, cloud hosting, virtual private server hosting, dedicated hosting, wordpress and reseller hosting.

According to him, the reseller hosting will give opportunity to refer others for people to earn money.

Matthias said that TFhost was committed to reducing carbon footprint through sustainable data centres and renewable energy sources.

“We support digital literacy programmes and online education initiatives plus partnerships to ensure better ICT penetration for Nigeria and Africa in general.

Mr Joshua Itebu, Technical Head of the company, said that any individual found active online was susceptible to attacks.

“If you put out anything online, you need to have an open mind of being prone to attack, whereas emails and websites are also usually prone to attacks.

“For emails, people need to do a regular change of password, avoid using common passwords that can be easily guessed and change it within three to six months.

“For the website, always install XXL certificate on your website. This can keep your files and data encrypted and engage in constant maintenance of the website,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

By Jessica Dogo

The Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, says the agency will train 10,000 civil servants on data management.

Tijani made this known at the DevsinGovernment programme organised for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is tagged “Responsible Data Management in the Public Sector.”

NAN also reports that the ministry recently inaugurated a free online data management course for public servants.

Tijani said the course was to equip them with the fundamentals of ethical data management that bridged the theoretical aspects of the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2003.

“We launched a new data management course; the idea is not to enforce or ask people to do what they have no idea of.

“The free course will start with 10,000 civil servants to equip them on effective data management.

“We live in a time when digital technology means that we are constantly collecting data and information on people; if we are careless with the data collected, we are going to put our people at risk.

“We have to enlighten people and as we continue there will be improvement on how people handle data within the country,” he said.

In his remarks, Dr Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), said data benefits the public through several key principles that sets the primary legal framework for its protection and privacy in Nigeria.

Olatunji was represented by Dr Tolulope Pius-Fadipe, Head, Research and Development of the NDPC. (NAN)

Edited by Chidi Opa and Abiemwense Moru

By Sylvester Thompson

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) says arrangements have been concluded for the inauguration of its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering and Training Centre in Abuja.

The Executive Vice Chairman of  NASENI, Mr Khalil Halilu, disclosed this while addressing a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu is expected to perform the inauguration on Friday.

He said that NASENI was committed to supporting the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on sustainable energy alternatives and a clean energy ecosystem.

Halilu said that NASENI-Portland CNG conversion and training centre was a partnership between NASENI and Portland Gas Limited.

“It is a state-of-the-art facility for the conversion of fossil fuel vehicles to CNG, a cleaner and more cost-effective alternative.’’

According to him, the centre which is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by highly trained professionals will ensure efficient and safe conversions that will build local capacity in CNG technology.

Halilu assured that the facility would also offer comprehensive training programmes for technicians, engineers and other stakeholders, fostering domestication of expertise in CNG systems and promoting the adoption of green energy solutions across the nation.

The executive vice chairman said the establishment of the NASENI-Portland Gas Reverse Engineering Centre would mark a transformative moment for Nigeria’s energy sector.

He said that the CNG Centre underscored NASENI’s unwavering commitment to sustainable innovation and the development of home-grown technological and manufacturing capabilities.

“At NASENI, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and providing affordable, eco-friendly fuel alternatives to Nigerians.

“The initiative is expected to significantly reduce vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment,” he said

He said that the adoption of CNG would offer economic benefits by reducing fuel costs for consumers and creating new job opportunities in the Nigeria’s green energy sector. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Remi Koleoso and Chijioke OKoronkwo