Pantami Commissions 4,366 Projects Implemented Under His Supervision

Pantami Commissions 4,366 Projects Implemented Under His Supervision

 

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) unveiled and commissioned 4,366 projects, programmes and initiatives implemented under his supervision as Minister. This took place at the Communications and Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja and virtually at the remote locations of the commissioned projects.

The commissioning ceremony was graced by several dignitaries. These included the immediate-past Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Finacial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Mr. Modibbo R. Hamman Tukur and the Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST), Barrister Maimuna Yaya Abubakar, among others. The Chief Executive Officers of the parastatals under the Ministry were also in attendance.

The dignitaries poured encomiums on Professor Pantami for his visionary and inspirational leadership. They extolled his passion for the digital economy sector and for the development of Nigeria. They congratulated him for how he has shown that the Nigerian youth can excel at the top levels of leadership in the country, having himself performed extremely well as Minister.

The commissioned projects were spread across all the States of the Federation and were executed by the Ministry and all the parastatals under the Ministry. Some of the projects commissioned included the Community IT Training Centre, Ogbomosho, Oyo State; the Digital Nigeria Centre, Udi Abia Secondary School, Enugu State; IT Hub, Gashua, Yobe State; Mini-ICT Square Project, Minna, Niger State; Digital Awareness Programme Cardoso High School, Apapa, Lagos State; Digital Nigeria Centre, Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina Unity College, Bauchi State, among several others.

The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) also unveiled ten 3-ton trucks to enhance their postal services. The trucks were purchased from internally generated revenue and were commissioned by the Honourable Minister at the Communications and Digital Economy Complex, Mbora,

A 443-page Compendium of Achievements was also unveiled to provide a concise summary of the unprecedented achievements that were recorded under the leadership of Prof. Pantami since he became a Minister on the 21st of August 2019.
The participants applauded the Honourable Minister for starting strong and also ending strong. They also noted that the digital economy sector had become integral to all aspects of the Nigerian economy because of the landmark achievements and efforts of Prof. Pantami.

Uwa Suleiman

Federal Government of Nigeria partners with Canadian firm Ethnomet to Launch Digital Healthcare Platform ‘NigComHealth’

Federal Government of Nigeria partners with Canadian firm Ethnomet to Launch Digital Healthcare Platform ‘NigComHealth’

 

Centre, James Christoff, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, with Director General  NIMC, Tukur Lawal, the Managing Director NigComSat, Kashifu Inuwa, Director General  NITDA and a host of others at the event

 

 

Nigeria Communications Satellite Ltd (NigComSat) in partnership with Ethnomet, a Canadian leading firm in healthcare technology recently launched ‘NigComHealth’, a telemedicine platform that will allow millions of Nigerians to have access to quality healthcare. ‘NigComHealth’ will transform the way patients and healthcare providers connect will transform the way patients and healthcare providers connect country by providing convenient and accessible medical consultations by licensed healthcare professionals anytime, anywhere via mobile app.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami unveiled NigComHealth in Abuja this week. The Minister, who was represented by his Chief of staff, Professor Sahalu Junaidu, said the platform would promote a “more efficient and effective healthcare system that could be accessible to all Nigerians.”

The minister also added that the current situation is worsening, with “each physician attending to more than 5,000 patients. This represents a stark contrast with WHO’s recommendation of 1 doctor to 600 patients. And with 218 million people to cater for, he said that Nigeria requires at least 363,000 additional doctors to meet this target,” which he believes NigComHealth will help achieve.

The new telemedicine platform combines innovative technology with advanced medical tools and pre-vetted licensed healthcare practitioners, enabling virtual medical visits that are secure, efficient, and personalized. The Federal Government and Ethnomet have partnered with indigenous tech implementation company Sawtrax to implement the platform across Nigeria. This will make it possible for Nigerians in any part of the country, including rural and remote areas, to book and attend appointments with qualified and specialized doctors.

‘NigComHealth’ Multi-tenant Virtual Healthcare Service Platform is designed for all hospitals to be able to integrate their healthcare professionals and offer digital health services to the Nigerian population.

The Honourable Minister continued, ‘To bridge the gap, there is urgent need to leverage on the disruptive technology to improve access to healthcare services and quality medical practitioners available within Nigeria and across the globe. Therefore, NigComHealth Platform is a timely solution that could ensure that quality healthcare services are available to all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations.” He further encouraged “stakeholders in the health sector, both public and private to onboard into the initiative.”

Mr. James Christoff, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria said the platform will be a game changer in improving health outcomes especially in underserved and remote areas.

“The technology has been developed with the vision and strategic objective of having over 80 Federal and State-owned Government hospitals coexist on the platform. The platform is also meant to provide digital health services to 1.7 million public sector workers and their families in Nigeria,” he said.

He applauded both the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and the Federal Ministry for Health, for their vision, and unparalleled commitment to the promotion, technology and health innovation in Nigeria.

Engineer Tukur Lawal, the Managing Director of NigComSat Ltd said that the platform will reduce the massive capital flight spent by Nigerians on medical tourism annually.

He opined that the platform will provide Nigerians with the opportunity to access affordable and world-class services from professionals regardless of their geographic location, without the need to travel to urban areas.

Ethnomet CEO, Ms. Garnette Weber, who joined the event virtually, described the digital health solution as a demonstration of the Nigeria Government’s commitment to leveraging innovative technologies to provide quality and accessible healthcare for Nigerians in all regions.

 

Weber said that “Telehealth has proven to be very effective in addressing these healthcare challenges as indicated in the Commonwealth Fund’s International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians. In 2022, General Practitioners from 10 different countries reported that 52% of encounters would have been clinically appropriate through video interactions with patients.  Telehealth services improve health resource utilization and access to care. ”

Mike Amanyi, Product Director for Ethnomet, presented and demonstrated the technology’s capabilities. In addition to booking and attending appointments with doctors and specialists, the opportunity also exists for community virtual health centers, and integrating health data from smartwatches and other wearable devices. NigComSat and Ethnomet have scheduled training for industry stakeholder leaders in days to come”

NITDA, EMERGING TECH AFRICA TO PARTNER ON DIGITAL ECONOMY

NITDA, EMERGING TECH AFRICA TO PARTNER ON DIGITAL ECONOMY

 

 

 

The Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has expressed readiness to collaborate with Emerging Tech Africa, led by Atayero of Aramoko Kingdom in Ekiti State and Chairman of Emerging Tech Africa Communication Limited, HRH, Oba (Dr). Olusegun Aderemi Idowu (JP), on critical areas of the Digital Economy.

Inuwa stated this while receiving the Chairman, Emerging Tech Africa Communication Limited; Lead Team of JKL CAPITAL, Mr. J. Shi and Ms. Nidaa Sabbagh on courtesy visit where issues of mutual understanding and benefits in the areas of digital economy, job and wealth creation were discussed.

While emphasising importance of the agency’s National Digital Skills Strategy, which aims to achieve 95% digital literacy among Nigerians by 2030, as well as the adoption of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence to tap into the $13 trillion global market by 2030, the DG outlined NITDA’s achievements and discussed the prospects and challenges of Nigeria’s IT ecosystem.

“We have some flagship initiatives and projects which we believe can help us capture value; one of such is building and hatching talents because according to research, by 2030, there is going to be 85million talent deficit globally, making talent a huge industry itself”.

“So, we are working towards positioning Nigeria as the world’s talent factory, exporting our brains, providing talented workforce to render services for your establishments, Nigeria, the continent and the world”, the DG expounded.
Inuwa reiterated the need for continuous collaborations for higher productivity, according to him “no one can whistle a symphony; it takes a whole orchestra to play it. We believe in teamwork and we know there are things we can do as a government that you cannot do as a private sector and vice versa, but together, nothing is impossible. That’s why we are always willing to forge a common front of working together to co-create the ecosystem and prosperity for all”.

The DG also took his guests through other key focus areas of the Agency, including the implementation of NITDA Start-up Act, completion of the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, National Data Strategy Implementation, Adoption of Blockchain Technology, Implementation of the National Digital Skills Strategy amongst others.

“As we look forward to our collaboration and the possible future, NITDA remains committed to sustaining the momentum, leveraging emerging technologies, developing policies and strategies that promote digital transformation, and creating an enabling environment for our startups and entrepreneurs to thrive”, the DG affirmed

The leader of the delegation, Atayero of Aramoko Kingdom, Ekiti State and Chairman, Emerging Tech Africa Communication Limited, HRH, Oba (Dr). Olusegun Aderemi Idowu (JP) who was in company of his team members; Lead Team of JKL CAPITAL, Mr. J. Shi and Ms. Nidaa Sabbagh said the courtesy visit was to seek possible partnerships and discuss issues of mutual understanding and benefits in areas of digital economy, job and wealth creation.

“We are an indigenous company doing excellently in the area of information technology, digital economy, job and wealth creation. Our partners, JKL CAPITAL in London are in Nigeria to partner with our company ETECHA COMMUNICATION LIMITED to do business, and we wish your Ministry could be part of government agencies that will warehouse some of the business interest to attract mutual interest and benefits for Nigeria”, Dr Idowu said.

While enumerating some of the areas of interest in Nigeria the company wishes to invest in include Blockchain Technology, Gaming business opportunities, TV broadcasting resources, and Payment Solution Service, Dr Idowu was hopeful that the collaboration will be beneficial to all parties involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NITDA DG CALLS FOR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS TO COMBAT CYBER THREATS IN AFRICA

NITDA DG CALLS FOR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS TO COMBAT CYBER THREATS IN AFRICA

 

As African continent continues to experience rapid technological growth and increasing internet penetration, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has called on governments to be resilient in minimising the impact of cyberattacks on African Nations’ operations of critical infrastructure, national security, reputation, and economy.

Inuwa said this while speaking on ‘Strategies for Boosting Africa’s Cyber Resilience’ at the ongoing GISEC Global, a leading gathering ground for the cybersecurity community, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The DG said that to protect citizens and assets and genuinely harness the benefits of increasingly complicated digital reality, Africa cannot afford to be apathetic towards cybersecurity. With the right strategies and approaches, Africa can enhance its cybersecurity posture and build resilience against cyberattacks.

“African nations must work collaboratively to build and implement robust, inclusive, and proactive cyber resilience methodologies and comprehensive approaches to the identification and mitigation of critical vulnerabilities. This includes encouraging the exchange of collective knowledge and intelligence on cyber threats and promoting international cooperation in responding to cybercrime,” he said.

The DG further cited Check Point Research Report of 2022 that says African countries experienced an average of 1,848 cyberattacks per week per organisation in 2022, compared to 1,164 globally. Nigeria, the most populous African country, accounted for the largest number of users, with over 100 million internet users, followed by Egypt with 76 million and South Africa with 41 million. However, these countries, along with Kenya, also account for 60% of the $4 billion annual cost of cybercrime in Africa.

According to Inuwa, “despite these challenges, Africa’s digital transformation projects are gaining momentum, with online shoppers reaching almost 390 million and social media users reaching over 380 million in 2022.

“This growing accessibility is due to increasing mobile device adoption and improved telecommunication systems. However, the increasing threat of cyberattacks puts our socio-economic security at risk locally and internationally.”

Inuwa added that it is imperative that all governments prioritise cybersecurity and take the necessary measures to strengthen their digital defenses to protect citizens from the threats posed by online attacks.

Citing Africa Center for Strategic Studies Report, Inuwa said “Only 15 African countries have completed national cybersecurity strategies, which lay out strategic objectives and assign government-wide responsibilities for cyber threat monitoring and response.”

To boost Africa’s cyber resilience, Inuwa said countries must adopt several key strategies including; understanding the current cybersecurity landscape in Africa; create and implement comprehensive and multi-stakeholder policies and legal frameworks to ensure accountability and incentivise investments in cybersecurity measures; and close the cybersecurity talent gap by investing in training and development programmes to equip our workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to protect themselves and our organisations against cyber threats.

“We need to invest in the development of robust cybersecurity technologies such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection. These tools can help detect and prevent cyberattacks before they cause significant harm.

“Both the government and private sector must play a role in providing institutional support for cybersecurity, including the creation of dedicated cybersecurity agencies and units, as well as public-private partnerships that allow for the sharing of resources and expertise.

“We must prioritise regional partnerships and cross-border cooperation to combat cyber threats, as they do not respect geographical boundaries. This can include African countries working together to formulate and implement effective responses to cyberattacks and share best practices.

“Finally, national cyber-response plans and specialised Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for critical infrastructure sectors are essential in ensuring cyber resilience. These plans should outline the procedures and protocols,” he said.

NISS Seeks Collaboration with NCC to Improve National Security

NISS Seeks Collaboration with NCC to Improve National Security

 

National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) has engaged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to advance strategic collaboration that would enhance the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) towards improving national security.

Speaking during a visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta at the NCC’s Head Office in Abuja recently, the Institute’s Director, Research Estimates and Library Services, Dr. Adegboyega Karim said the visit was on a fact-finding mission to enrich ongoing research that focuses on globalization and regional integration for sustainable development in Africa.
Karim led to the Commission a team delegation of Executive Intelligence Management Course Sixteen Participants (EIM16), a study group with representations from various security agencies under the auspices of NISS, typically senior officers in security agencies, including the military, police, intelligence services, and other relevant agencies.

He noted that the Commission has made giant strides advancing the course of digital economy development in Nigeria, and that its regulatory processes provide a good opportunity for the collaboration to enable the group to research further into matters regarding telecommunications and national security.

Director, Special Duties of the Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who received the team on behalf of Danbatta, affirmed the readiness of the Commission to collaborate with the Institute and, indeed, any private and public institution that is focused on national development.

Reiterating on the advancements made in ICTs, Adinde said it is within this context that the Commission continued to promote the deployment of robust digital infrastructure capable of supporting and improving the security of lives and property.

“As a way of consolidating on the tremendous successes that had been recorded in the telecoms industry through effective regulatory regime emplaced by the Commission, the Federal Government has formulated a number of policies such as the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), among others, which serve as a compass for our efforts at building a resilient digital economy that supports security,” he said.

Adinde enlightened the visiting delegation on NCC’s efforts towards ensuring adequate protection for telecoms facilities, across the nooks and crannies of the country where it is treated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), the building of Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as series of collaborations with relevant agencies to ensure effective connectivity to individuals and institutions.

MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION WITH MDAs on ESP

MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION WITH MDAs on ESP

 

 

The Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba has said that the Ministry will strengthen its collaboration with MDAs to ensure the smooth operation of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) in planning, executing, and evaluation of programs and projects aimed at enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing.

The Minister made this known during the evaluative workshop on the implementation of programs and projects under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) held at the Custodian Hotel in Abuja.

The Minister who was represented by the Director Economic Growth of the Ministry,Mrs Elizabeth Egharevba informed that “ESP was conceptualized by the present administration to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the effects of global recession resulting from economic meltdown worldwide, adding that the pandemic led to massive loss of jobs, disruption in supply chains, low global oil prices due to low demand and low revenue generation for the country”.

Prince Agba pointed out that “the Federal Government invested ₦500bn in the implementation of the ESP projects and programs from July 2020 and were completed towards the end of 2021, noting that about 1.3million jobs were saved through the Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) payroll support, 774,000 people were engaged in the public works program under the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and 26,021 jobs were generated from construction/rehabilitation of Federal roads under the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

The Minister further stated that about 400 units of housing were constructed in Borno, Katsina, Edo, Zamfara, and Kano State to address the housing needs of displaced Nigerians, adding that 495 kilometers of rural roads were constructed to boost agricultural production by enabling timely access to markets by farmers and to prevent post-harvest losses, 129,000 crop farmers and 38,333 animal farmers were supported from the farm input support loan facility.

He emphasized that the country also improved its Biovaccine production and testing capacity through the acquisition of reagents and establishing the state of the art laboratories in the following institutions:
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Lagos; The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and
National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).

In his remarks the Permanent Secretary Engr. Nebeolisa Anako represented by the Director of National Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Zakari Lawal said that “the objective of the meeting is to provide a platform for government to evaluate the performance of the project implementation and the impact on individuals and communities after their completion in 2021, urging participants to provide the evaluators with all the relevant information/data that will support in determining the impact of the projects on the beneficiaries”.

He further stated that the outcome of the exercise will help in addressing sustainability issues, and guide the conceptualization and implementation of similar future projects and programs of government.

Olatunji Modupe Susan(Mrs)
Senior Information Officer
For: Director, Information (FMBN)

Participants at the Evaluative Workshop with Beneficiaries and Implementers of the Programmes and Projects under the Economic Sustainability Plan, in Abuja.

Radisson Hotel Group announces its 9th hotel in Nigeria with the signing of the first Radisson Collection in Abuja

Radisson Hotel Group announces its 9th hotel in Nigeria with the signing of the first Radisson Collection in Abuja

Radisson Hotel Group (https://www.RadissonHotels.com) is bringing its luxury lifestyle brand, Radisson Collection, to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city and governmental powerhouse. Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja Nigeria marks the Group’s 9th hotel and 3rd Radisson Collection in the country, placing it firmly on track to achieve 15 hotels in Nigeria by 2025.

 

Located next to the Presidential Palace in Maitama District, one of the most sought after and exclusive areas in Abuja, the hotel will be a 45-minute drive from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the country’s second busiest airport after Lagos. In proximity to the hotel is the city’s most popular market, Wuse market, Jabai Boat Club, a water based recreational facility and family entertainment center, and Abuja National Mosque, also known as the Nigerian National Mosque, built in 1984.

Abuja have been identified as key markets within our robust development strategy to reach 150 hotels across Africa within the next five years

The new-build, 249 room hotel will be the city’s first luxury hotel in Abuja, with an expansive range of rooms, from standard rooms and apartments to lofts and presidential suites. Spanning across almost 3000 square meters, the meeting spaces of Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja Nigeria will consist of a dividable conference hall, five meeting rooms, a board room, as well as a pre-function area.

Erwan Garnier, Senior Director, Development, Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “With a vast potential for significant scale, both Nigeria and its capital city, Abuja have been identified as key markets within our robust development strategy to reach 150 hotels across Africa within the next five years. It is an honor to kick start the year by introducing our beloved luxury lifestyle brand for experience-driven travelers to the city of Abuja as its first luxury hotel.”

Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Development, Africa & Turkey at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Avalon Intercontinental Nigeria Limited, leaders in the hospitality industry with whom we currently operate three hotels in Lagos. 65% of our hotel owners have more than one property with Radisson Hotel Group, which is a testament to our commendable owner retention.”

Radisson Collection hotels are made up of iconic properties in unique locations. Each hotel is authentic to the destination while offering brand’s hallmarks of signature dining, local art, and experiences to create genuine connections. The wide-ranging dining outlets of Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja Nigeria will consist of a lobby lounge and coffee bar, as well as a business class lounge providing the ideal menu and venue for a quick meal or business meeting. The all-day dining, specialty, and roof top restaurants will offer tailored and unforgettable dining experiences. To unwind, guests will be able to relax on the pool deck and bar or enjoy their favorite workout or treatment at the onsite fitness and wellness facilities. The hotel’s onsite night club will be a new addition to Abuja’s social scene.

Asiwaju Tajudeen Owoyemi, Chairman of Avalon Intercontinental Nigeria Limited, said, “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Radisson Hotel Group with the addition of Radisson Collection Hotel & Conference Center, Abuja to our collective portfolio. Together, we will be uplifting the hospitality landscape of Abuja by debuting a luxury lifestyle hotel offering like no other within the city.”

Danbatta Bags Award for Exemplary Leadership in Public Service

Danbatta Bags Award for Exemplary Leadership in Public Service

 

 

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta was at the weekend in Lagos, decorated with an Award of Exemplary Leadership in Public Service.

 

The award was conferred on Danbatta at the 12th Anniversary Lecture and Award of Nigerian NewsDirect, one of the long-standing media players in the Nigerian Communications industry, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday.

 

Danbatta, who was represented at the event by the Director,  Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, said it was gratifying to have been considered worthy for the award in recognition of the initiatives deployed by the  Commission in carrying out its statutory mandate.

 

The EVC stated that the theme “Good Governance: Private and Public Sectors’ Roles in Raising Revenue, Growth and Positive Turnaround of Nigerian Economy” provides the veritable opportunity for all stakeholders to seek better ways of advancing the course of good governance both in public office and in the private sector of the Nigerian economy.

 

In giving concrete expression to the strategic vision of the Commission with respect to the theme of the programme, Danbatta said the Commission is ever determined to ensure collaboration with all stakeholders in the Nigerian communications industry and even beyond as it remains one of the surest ways of enabling a positive turnaround of the Nigerian economy.

 

Danbatta thanked the organisers of the programme for the award and acknowledged that it was a call for more work to be done to push the frontiers of good governance that ensures national development and economic growth.

 

While presenting the award, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Nigerian NewDirect, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi said Danbatta was eminently qualified and deserving of the prestigious recognition on the strength of the huge role he has played in the attainment and surpassing of Nigeria’s national broadband target of 30 percent in 2018 and that he is currently among those leading the charge for the realisation of the new national broadband penetration target of 70 percent by 2025.

 

Dr Ibiyemi added that with the incontrovertible facts on the ground, it was easy for the board and management of his organisation to agree that through an effective regulatory regime and various cutting-edge initiatives, Danbatta has stabilised the telecom industry and strengthened the telecommunications sector as a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and boosted telecoms investment inflows from $36 billion to over $70 billion between 2015 toll date.

 

Other eminent Nigerians who were conferred with various categories of awards at the event include the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State; Bello Hassan, Managing Director, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation; and  Mimi Adzape, Executive Chairman, Benue State Internal Revenue Service among others.

ZULUM AND SIRIKA BOOST SKILLS WITH 12,000 COPIES OF PROF PANTAMI’S BOOKS

ZULUM AND SIRIKA BOOST SKILLS WITH 12,000 COPIES OF PROF PANTAMI’S BOOKS

 

 

The Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, and the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, have supported efforts to boost skills in the country by obtaining 12,000 copies of a recent book on Skills Rather than Just Degrees by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), who is also a Professor of Cybersecurity at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.

It should be recalled that the book was unveiled on Thursday, 24th of November, 2022 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Mr. Brad Smith, the President of Microsoft Corporation, wrote the Foreword to the book. Skills Rather than Just Degrees focused on the importance of skills and its potential impact in addressing the problems of unemployability, unemployment and underemployment. The book is a research and productive work implementing the paradigm shift advocated by Professor Pantami and is in alignment with the approach being adopted in leading educational and technological countries like the United States of America, Finland and India, amongst other countries.

The book was endorsed and unveiled by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed. Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) was one of the personalities that endorsed the book. A number of Vice Chancellors also endorsed and reviewed the book, including Professor M.A. Abdulazeez, Vice Chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill, Vice Chancellor of the University of Port-Harcourt and Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas, Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano.

In a bid to boost skilling in Nigeria, Professor Babagana Zulum obtained 10,000 copies of the book for distribution in schools and other institutions in Borno State. Senator Hadi Sirika also obtained 2,000 copies for distribution in institutions across the country. Both high profile personalities were motivated to do this after reading the book and acknowledging the high quality of the content and its capacity to inspire Nigerians to embrace skills as a catalyst for national transformation. They also encouraged well-meaning Nigerians and institutions for follow their example. It is hoped that other stakeholders will try and circulate the book in their communities.

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under Professor Pantami’s leadership, remains committed to implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in order to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light and support the country to become the talent capital of the continent and also the world.

 

In America, Pantami Meets With Space X, World Bank, Google to Strengthen Nigeria’s Digital Economy

In America, Pantami Meets With Space X, World Bank, Google to Strengthen Nigeria’s Digital Economy

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The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy of Nigeria, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, had meetings at Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (Space X) headquarters in Hawthorne, California, as well as a meeting at the World Bank Headquarters and another meeting with Google Corporation in a bid to strengthen partnerships for the development of Nigeria’s digital economy.​

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The meetings with the World Bank and Google were held on the sidelines of the US-Africa Leaders’ Forum (USALF), which took place in Washington DC, United States of America, while the visit to Space X was a follow up to the events at the USALF.

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Professor Pantami was received at Space X by Samuel (Chad) Gibbs IV, the Vice President of Business Operations, on behalf of Elon Musk, Founder and CEO of Space X. At the visit, both parties discussed how Space X can expand its presence in Nigeria, following their entry into the Nigerian market through the Starlink broadband service.​ ​

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The Honourable Minister also asked the Space X team to consider sourcing some of its engineers from Nigeria’s digital talent pool.​ During the visit, the Honourable Minister and his team were given a personalised tour of the SpaceX Rocket Manufacturing Facility, Starlink Assembly Line, and Product Development Facility.​ He also witnessed the live Space X rocket launch of 2 telecom satellites into orbit.​

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On the invitation of the World Bank Group, the Honourable Minister had a meeting with top officials of the Bank, including Vyjayanti Desai, the Practice Manager for the World Bank’s Identification for Development (ID4D) and Digitizing Government to Person Payments (G2Px) Programs.​ Also at the meeting were Franz Drees-Gross, Director of Infrastructure, World Bank West African Region and Michel Rogy, World Bank’s Digital Development Practice Manager for Africa and the Middle East.​ The World Bank team commended the Minister for his great leadership, which has led to significant development in Nigeria’s digital economy sector. The meeting also discussed how the Bank can further partner with Nigeria to strengthen the digital economy ecosystem in areas such as infrastructure, skilling, cybersecurity, and digital identity.

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Professor Pantami also had a meeting with Karan Bhatia, Vice-President, Government Affairs, and Public Policy at Google.​ Mr. Bhatia was full of praise for the Honourable Minister for the significant progress that has been made in the digital transformation of the Nigerian economy.​

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He also commended the Minister for Nigeria Startup Act, noting the potential of the legislation to serve as a catalyst for rapid development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.​The Google Vice-President discussed the company’s growing focus on Africa and looks forward to expanding partnerships with Nigeria in areas such as skilling, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, among others.

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The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under Professor Pantami’s leadership, remains committed to implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in order to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light, both in Africa and across the globe.