NBA - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Ismail Abdulaziz
Nov, Fri, 2024

Ex-NBA chair urges Nigerian leaders to complement human capabilities, technology

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By Taiye Agbaje

Mr John Peters, a former Chairman, Association of Master of Business Administration (MBA), says leaders in Nigeria should foster environment that complements human capabilities.

Peters, a renowned leadership speaker, gave the advice on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Responding to question on how leaders can ensure smooth technology adoption, he said: “For Nigerian executives striving to drive digital transformation or smooth technology, adoption demands more than new tools.

“it requires embedding technology as a driver of organisational agility and resilience.”

Peters suggested leveraging proven frameworks such as Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model and the ADKAR model.

He emphasised the importance of cultural alignment in fostering employees’ buy-in.

“Leaders need to foster environments where technology complements human capabilities. Adobe’s transition to a cloud-based model succeeded because it ensured employees’ buy-in at every stage.

“Similarly, Nigerian organisations can benefit by tailoring training to address specific challenges, as seen in Microsoft’s Office 365 rollout,” he said.

According to him, this aligns with TEXEM’s methodology, which integrates interactive and context-relevant learning to empower leaders with actionable insights.

Peters said Nigerian leaders can drive technology enhanced efficiency by aligning technology investments with organisational goals.

He alluded to Interswitch, which successfully synchronised its digital payment systems with Nigeria’s cashless policy, thereby enhancing both customer experience and national financial inclusion.

“Leaders must ensure that technology adoption translates into measurable outcomes. For instance, Nigerian Breweries leverages analytics to optimise its supply chain, demonstrating how technology can boost productivity,” he said.

The ex-NBA’s chair highlighted automation as a game-changer, particularly when it augments human roles rather than replaces them.

“Nigerian banks, like GTBank, have implemented AI-driven chatbots to handle routine inquiries, improving response times and customer satisfaction,” he said.

Peters, however, said that automation’s true value lied in enabling employees to focus on higher-value tasks.

NAN reports that Peters is expected to speak at TEXEM’s upcoming programme titled: “Thriving in this Digital and Disruptive Era,” scheduled between Nov. 25 and Nov. 28 in Oxford.

He will be joined by two other distinguished faculty members; Prof. Rodria Laline, a global technology innovator and former SVP at Oracle, and Prof. Paul Griffith, the trailblazing academic who led the first management team to launch a rocket into space.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Tosin Kolade
Nov, Mon, 2024

Environment

Nigeria, Cameroon partner to support livelihoods in Mandara region

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By Tosin Kolade

Nigeria and Cameroon have established a regional platform to jointly manage the Mandara region’s shared resources, addressing environmental challenges and enhancing community livelihoods.

This was the thrust at the Regional Workshop for the establishment and capacity building of the transboundary ecosystems of the Mount Mandara Plateau in Abuja on Monday.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, stated that the workshop aims to build capacity and create a joint platform for managing the shared ecosystem.

According to him, the initiative seeks to enhance cooperation for the sustainable management of the Mandara region’s environmental resources, benefiting communities on both sides of the border.

Utsev was represented by Adeyinka Adenopo, who discussed the transboundary ecosystems of the Mount Mandara Plateau and Sena Oura/Bouba Ndjida (BSB) within the framework of transboundary cooperation.

He noted that they have identified capacity-building needs to improve governance and sustainable management of these ecosystems and to establish national platforms in each country.

Mr Michael Shehu, representing Michika Local Government in Adamawa State, stated the significance of the new platform.

He explained that it brings together Nigerian and Cameroonian representatives to collaboratively develop strategies to address pressing environmental challenges, such as soil erosion caused by runoff from the hills.

This, he said has negatively impacted local households, farms, and agricultural viability in the Mandara region.

Shehu noted that potential solutions, including constructing dams and other water management infrastructure, could help mitigate these issues and prevent future hazards.

He added that such projects would directly benefit communities by reducing erosion and promoting sustainable land use.

Cameroon’s National President of the Mandara Platform, Mr Yama Gilbert, expressed gratitude to both governments for their support of the project.

Gilbert noted the anticipated improvements in the lives of people in the Mandara region, calling the initiative a “double pride” for Cameroon due to its focus on sustainable resource management and livelihoods.

He also thanked the Niger Basin Authority and the broader team supporting the platform’s establishment.

Mr Allomasso Tchokponhoué, Regional Project Coordinator of the Niger Basin Integrated Transboundary Ecosystem and Adaptation Support (NB-ITTAS) project, emphasised the workshop’s importance for the sustainable management of the Mandara Plateau ecosystems.

He outlined the event’s key objectives, including training participants on resource management and securing funding for sustainability.

“Following the workshop, attendees will return to their countries to replicate these training sessions at the national level”.

Tchokponhoué also stressed the importance of implementing concrete, on-the-ground projects that will benefit local communities and promote ecosystem stewardship.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Mount Mandara Plateau is an ecoregion that includes the Mandara Mountains, a volcanic range in northern Cameroon and northeastern Nigeria.

Conservation actions include encouraging sustainable farming techniques, restoring and reforesting forests, and establishing protected areas. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

Tosin Kolade
Oct, Thu, 2024

Environment

NIHSA to strengthen surface, groundwater reserves

439 total views today

By Tosin Kolade

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), has pledged to strengthen the management of surface and groundwater resources for the benefit of the Nigerian population.

NIHSA’s Director General, Umar Mohammed, made this commitment at the National Regional Action Plan (RAP) Validation Workshop on the Niger Basin Iullemeden-Taoudeni/Tanezerouft Aquifer Systems (NB-ITTAS) in Abuja on Thursday.

Represented by Mrs Awoibi Joe-Ukairo, Deputy Director of Hydro-Geophysics, Mohammed stated that the workshop aims to address strategic goals for enhancing regional water governance and sustainability.

He noted that the workshop marks a major step toward achieving sustainable water management and fostering cross-border collaboration for environmental resilience.

According to him, key objectives include enhancing knowledge and monitoring of the ITTAS aquifer, promoting cooperative governance, and encouraging sustainable groundwater use.

“Additionally, strengthening climate resilience, ensuring funding, providing training, and integrating communication and gender considerations across RAP activities are crucial priorities.

“The RAP identifies 74 preliminary actions across five strategic areas: Knowledge and Monitoring; Cooperative Governance and Solidarity; Sustainable Development and Groundwater Protection.

“Others are Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change; and Resource Mobilisation, Training, Communication, and Gender.

“Our commitment to these actions is vital to sustainably managing our water resources, essential for community wellbeing,” said Mohammed.

He commended the dedication of the Inter-Ministerial Committee members and acknowledged the contributions of Dr Sauret Serge, the project consultant, along with online participants.

Mr Stephen Jabo, Director of Hydro-Geophysics with NIHSA, revealed Nigeria’s partnerships with UNESCO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to enhance groundwater monitoring and isotope analysis capabilities.

“These collaborations have advanced Nigeria’s understanding of water resources, though the country still relies on external laboratories for isotope studies on groundwater renewal, pollution tracing, and water age”.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has invested in a mass spectrometer intended for the Centre for Energy Research and Training in Zaria, saying security concerns have delayed its installation.

“This challenge has spurred discussions on acquiring a new spectrometer to establish domestic isotope analysis capabilities, which would benefit Nigeria and neighboring West African countries.

“While the Niger Basin Authority manages surface water in the Niger Basin, groundwater resources, such as the Sokoto Basin, lack an equivalent oversight body”.

Jabo also addressed Nigeria’s role in the Sahel transboundary water resource project, which involves 11 countries focused on shared water governance.

He stressed the need for a regional institution to manage shared aquifers, coordinated by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, to mitigate risks from pollution and over-extraction across borders.

Mr Sunday Hussaini, Consultant for the IAEA Sahel Project in the Sokoto Basin, outlined groundwater challenges, such as limited rainfall often below 600mm annually near the Nigeria-Niger border and high evaporation rates.

“Increasing reliance on groundwater for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use, combined with the lack of regulation, has led to declining water levels, further exacerbated by climate change and drought”.

Hussaini recommended that septic tanks should not be constructed near public water sources to prevent contamination.

He also called on state governments to regulate groundwater usage, implement integrated water resource management, and conserve free-flowing wells for local development. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Abiemwense Moru