Final: Meta launches Reels on Facebook and New Ways for Creators to Make Money across SSA

Final: Meta launches Reels on Facebook and New Ways for Creators to Make Money across SSA

22 February 2022 Today, Meta is expanding the availability of  Facebook Reels for iOS and Android to more than 20 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. Meta is also introducing better ways to help creators to earn money, new creation tools and more places to watch and create Facebook Reels.

Prior to this launch Reels was available on Facebook in India, Mexico, Canada, the U.S, and is now available across sub-Saharan Africa in: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Swaziland, South Africa, Seychelles, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, Namibia, Mali, Malawi, Lesotho, Kenya, Guinea, Ghana, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Burkina Faso.

Commenting on the launch Nunu Ntshingila, Regional Director for sub-Saharan Africa at Meta says, “We’ve seen that video now accounts for almost all of the time people spend on Facebook and Instagram, and Reels is our fastest growing content format by far. This is why we’re focused on making Reels the best way for creators to get discovered, connect with their audience and earn money. We also want to make it fun and easy for people to find and share relevant and entertaining content.”

Meta is also creating a variety of opportunities for creators to earn money for their reels. The Reels Play bonus program, part of Meta’s $1 billion creator investment, pays eligible creators up to $35,000 a month based on the views of their qualifying reels. In the coming months, the bonus program will be extended to more countries, so more creators can get rewarded for creating reels that their communities love.

NCC Committed to Tackling Telecom Infrastructure Deficit – Danbatta

NCC Committed to Tackling Telecom Infrastructure Deficit – Danbatta

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is irrevocably committed to the implementation of various regulatory initiatives and programmes, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the telecom ecosystem, towards bridging identified gaps and shortages in critical telecom infrastructure in the country. The overarching objective is to fulfil Commission’s mandate and support extant and emergent policies and strategies of the Federal Government focused on providing ubiquitous, accessible and affordable broadband services in Nigeria.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, stated this during an in-house interview which took place at the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja recently. The EVC emphasized the centrality of infrastructure to telecom service provisioning by asserting that availability of broadband in sufficiency was non-negotiable and irreducible in the nation’s strategy towards delivering pervasive telecom services.

Danbatta also put the efforts of Government in context towards addressing infrastructure gaps, and commended both state and non-state actors for the vision, diligence and continued dedication to the implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, an initiative of the Federal Government, being driven by NCC and conceived to address infrastructure gaps in the telecom and ICT sector. The EVC said he was gratified that the new plan particularly took into consideration, the identified gaps and challenges in its precursor, the National Broadband Plan 2013-2018, which implementation the NCC was equally central to.


According to Danbatta, one of the identified gaps to robust connectivity was the fact that inadequate infrastructure remained a bane to achieving desired broadband penetration to boost access to services that will enhance economic growth and development. He emphasised that the Commission recognises the importance of infrastructure expansion and this explains its unequivocal commitment and desire to see the licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) work speedily and with precision to cascade fibre to the hinterland, in order to enhance robust telecom service provision. He said the InfraCo licensees, expectedly, also prioritize stipulated licensing conditions to ensure expected milestones set by the Commission are achieved.

The EVC stated that Commission’s target for licensing the infraCos was to ensure the deployment of fibre infrastructure needed for pervasive broadband penetration across the 774 local government areas (LGAs). This, he said, will ensure access to telecoms services in the hinterlands of the country, and by so doing address the challenges of access confronting the unserved and underserved areas of the country.
Danbatta also placed on record Commission’s desire for inclusiveness as seminal to erecting sustainable telecom architecture. This, according to him is critical in ensuring the achievement of Federal Government’s target on digital access and financial inclusion.

One visible area of beneficial financial service riding on telecom infrastructure is the provision of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) for financial transactions across various financial institutions’ platforms. This feat, Danbatta asserted, has brought ease to financial transactions, even as he recalled that NCC is providing support for e-payment initiatives and policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the e-Naira project, which is the digital currency issued and regulated by the apex bank.

“So, the Commission is committed to ensuring inclusiveness by ensuring the provision of affordable and pervasive accessibility to the Internet as emphasised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations (UN). We are aware that until commensurate infrastructure is deployed in the country, the country may not hit the required target necessary for the desired economic development,” the EVC added.

Additionally, Danbatta stated that the Commission has recorded remarkable progression with respect to contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is besides facilitating investment, enhancing Quality of Service (QoS) to enhance consumer quality of experience and stakeholder satisfaction in line with the expectations of the Strategic Management Plan 2020-2024. He assured that Commission will heightened efforts in all areas of the Plan as streamlined in new Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVIP) 2021-2025, including facilitating strategic collaboration and partnering through which it has forged quantifiable strategic alliances with its ever-expanding array of stakeholders.

Concerning NCC’s pioneering strides in the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network in Sub-Saharan Africa, Danbatta explained that the rollout of 5G network in Nigeria will require more infrastructure for the service to reach all parts of the country. He called for concerted efforts and unwavering commitment of all stakeholders for the nation to achieve steady, timely and accurate deployment of 5G services because of its benefits to individuals, businesses and the growth of the country.

FG TO SANCTION IOC’S THAT FAIL IN ITS STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO THE HOST COMMUNITIES

FG TO SANCTION IOC’S THAT FAIL IN ITS STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO THE HOST COMMUNITIES

The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has hinted moves by the Federal Government to give legal teeth to deal with any of the International Oil Companies (IOC’s) that fail in its statutory obligation to oil producing communities.

The Minister made this observation during an interactive session with members of “Course 15 Executive Intelligence Participants of the National Institute for Security Studies” (NISS), at the Minister’s office recently in Abuja.

“A law that will compel IOC’s engaged in oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta region has already passed Second Reading in the House of Representatives. It is expected that when the bill is passed into law, there would be sanctions and punishment for any defaulter”, he said.

Sen. Akpabio who noted that environmental pollution resulting from the activities of oil and gas exploration in the region is real, commended the institute and participants for opting for this year’s theme, “Global Climate Challenge Practice & Prospects for Economic Development and Conflict Resolution in Africa”. He explained that such study would help participants to identify practices responsible for the situations and proffer solutions that would promote peaceful co-existence.
According to the former Governor, the theme is a clear example of the emerging situations not just in the Niger Delta area but also in the Lake Chad region bordering Nigeria, Cameroun and Niger Republic that has been experiencing serious climate change recently.

Speaking further, the Minister said that the drying up of Lake Chad from its initial 25,000-sqkm water logged area to just 6,000-sqkm has lead to the disruption of the economy and social life of the people around the area, therefore encouraging Migration of farmers and herders across the length and breath of Africa and giving rise to conflicts among different groups.

The former Senate Minority Leader explained that the Ministry, which was established in 2009, has the mandate of coordinating the activities of interventionist agencies in the aspect of development and also ensure that total peace is achieved in the region. The Ministry does this by organizing workshops, seminars, engaging different stakeholders to douse envisaged tension in troubled areas, it also encourages International Oils Companies (IOC’s) to adopt international best practices in their exploration activities.

Earlier, Deputy Commandant and Director Studies, National Institute for Security Studies, Mr. Didacus Egor Egbeji, commended the Minister for sustaining peace and stability in the versatile region with infrastructural development cutting across the nine States of the Niger Delta region.

The Deputy Commandant, states that this year’s course in the institute with the theme “Global Climate Challenge Practice & Prospects for Economic Development and Conflict Resolution in Africa” tallies with the Ministry’s mandate and is paramount to the Niger Delta region.

Egbeji, further maintained, that the visit among other reasons was to hear from the Minister, what the Government and Ministry are doing to curb issues emanating from oil pollution in the region. According to him, “when we talk of Global Climate Change, we mean what affects the ozone layer, concerning oil exploration and the degradation of the environment by the activities of multinational companies operating in the region”.


Deworitshe Patrici

Digital Innovation Will Boost Education Sector — DG NITDA

Digital Innovation Will Boost Education Sector — DG NITDA

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said that continued investment in Digital Innovation will boost the education sector and the economy as a whole. The agency promised to continue it’s effort at supporting and collaborating with all higher institutions of learning across the country.

The NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by the Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions, Dr. Abdullahi Gambo Usman, stated this when receiving the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Katsina state, Professor Mary Agbo, Thursday, in Abuja.

He said, “the Agency will continue to interact and listen to active and vibrant higher institution of learning with a view of discussing the challenges facing them especially in the Area of IT and Innovation.”

As the prime Agency for e-government implementation, internet governance, and overall IT development in Nigeria, NITDA is poised to actualize its mandate by providing flourishing atmosphere in Digital space.

He said it is Important to seek to explore the benefits of innovations and creativity in order to bring about functional education system for the country.

He further emphasized that there is need for mutual understanding between stakeholders and the Agency in developing Standards, Capacity building, Research and Development .

He added that IT sector played a pivotal role in getting the country’s economy out of recession, and recorded the highest growth rate in Q1 of 2020 as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He maintained that, with the positive growth of IT in Nigeria, being the only double digits growth rate sector, which made it to lead in the year 2020 and Q1 of 2021, is what prompted the need to provide support and guidelines in all sectors of development and innovation to Nigerian.

Responding to the plea and request from the visiting university, as outlined by the DVC, especially in the area of security challenges in visualisation of the Optic Fiber Cable that links the 2 campuses which where donated to the university by professor Pantami through NCC.

The DG recommended some technologies that can be deployed to ensure security which include ‘autonomous drones’ that can cut back human involvement in these often-dangerous situation. It can also help cut cost while bolstering safety at the same time.

“By using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interpret satellite images, NITDA experts have long been able to tap into satellite images to help in preventive and response efforts,” he said.

Stating further that with the availability and quality of these images, they increasingly offer an even more valuable resource for security.

He explained that, “NITDA always emphasizes on how important it is to know how to use modern technology, not just as an enabler but as a strategic design for your strategy in general which will inspire you to do more.”

NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action plan (SRAP 2021-2024)is built on seven pillars with their respective goals and objectives, which are; Developmental regulations, Digital literacy and skills, Digital transformation, Digital innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cyber security, Emerging Technologies and Promotion of indigenous content, he said.

Inuwa noted that the Agency’s focus is improving how things are being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and innovation ecosystem that will allow all universities to key in.

The DVC Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Professor Mary Agbo, in her remarks, noted that the university appreciated the kind gesture and laudable project from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy for the giant projects executed in the university. She also appreciated and solicited further support from NITDA in capacity building and training for staff of the CBT centre of the University.

Prof Agbo commended NITDA for the various IT intervention deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT, which she said plays a critical role for the advancement of the country and also towards the Educational Sector.

NCC Demonstrates World Class Excellence by setting pace on 5G in Africa— NIEEE

NCC Demonstrates World Class Excellence by setting pace on 5G in Africa— NIEEE

The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) has given the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) a pat on the back for setting the pace of 5G deployment in Africa.

The Engineering body in a statement signed by its outgoing National Chairman, Engr. Kings Adeyemi, singled out Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta and the entire management staff of the Commission for accolades.  

“Major requirements for 5G journey include spectrum availability, investor-friendly regulatory policy and stakeholders’ awareness. Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) engaged relevant stakeholders ahead of the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval of the Development of a Policy for Deployment of 5G in Nigeria,” he stressed.

“We use this medium to commend the entire Management of NCC under the leadership of the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Engr. Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta FNSE, FRAES, FAEng, FNIEEE. NCC demonstrated high level qualities of a world-class regulator indeed by setting the wheel of 5G in motion, from 5G Proof of Concept (PoC) trial in 2019 to the recently successful auction of 5G spectrum on 3.5GHz band”, the statement reads.

To put things into perspective, the respected body observed that it is worth noting that “this remarkable landmark achievement was attained by NCC at a time when COVID-19 pandemic continues to force the postponement of many highly anticipated 5G spectrum auctions throughout the world”.

Commending the in-house professionals within the Commission for the choice of 3.5 – 3.6 GHz and 3.7 – 3.8GHz. Engr Adeyemi noted that   Frequencies in the range 3.3 – 4.2 GHz (3GPP Band 78) are being used as the basis for the first implementations of 5G globally.

“This decision allays the fear of 5G services interfering with the aircraft operations as currently exercised in some countries. NCC’s choice on the 3.5 GHz band has sufficiently safeguarded civil aircraft altimeters which usually operate between 4.2 – 4.4 GHz range,” he explains.

Speaking further, the Chairman said: “from expert’s perspective, the choice of two (2) slots of 100 MHz (TDD) bandwidth each on 3.5 GHz band (precisely 3GPP Band 78) is a highly laudable choice to launch 5G network.

Such wide channel bandwidth, according to him, is required to deliver the multi-Gbps data speed required of a 5G network.

“It is technically proven that wider channels lower network density which ripples into lowering the cost of 5G services to consumers. Other advantages include less base stations sites and lower environmental impact. The 3.5 GHz band is the best choice to balance capacity and network coverage which in turn encourages operators to commit investment in 5G infrastructure,” he observed.

AI, the internet, social media and the Christian.

AI, the internet, social media and the Christian.

Digital technology is intricately woven into our lives.

It is almost impossible to do without in our tech-economy and data or byte-driven world.

Every day technology is advancing to such a level that more and more universe of information systems are compressed into small silver wares and metallic devices called phones.

ROM and RAM sizes of phones and computers are increasingly and foreverly being upgraded.

Whole libraries of assorted information are stored on phones and smart phone opens up access to unimaginable vistas of information resources.

Less than 80 years ago, if you wanted to do research, you traveled far to distant libraries and swam in an ocean of books in attempt to find what is relevant.

Today, the same is a matter of entering the approaiate keywords in the relevant search engines and databases. And then, viola. You come face-to-face with a mass of helpful and relevant resources.

The world has changed, and continues to change.

One recent estimate puts the number of mobile phones currently in the world at 15 plus billion.

Virtually all adults today, use phones even if not smart ones and even though not all have internet access.

But the world would get there. Right to freedom of information (access to it, dissemination of information, and expression of knowledge) is considered fundamental in international human rights law.

Accordingly, Mark Zuckerberg is already working on a project designed to bring free internet to neglected/underserved peoples in developing countries based upon the principles exposed in the preceding paragraph.

But the people would have to access the internet only through enabled devices pre-installed with his metaverse platform. And the question would then arise, how free would such an intervention be, if only it works through compulsory subscription to the metaverse? Apparently, it leaves the beneficiary with no choice. Opt in and have the internet or opt out and lose your access to it. Even whilst on the platform, big brother Mark would retain some right to censor your expressions.

The tech paradox is like so:

It is that we continue to design the most advanced AI systems with the hopes that it would bring us increased freedoms and liberties, but it turn deprives us of other less obvious but perhaps more important freedoms.

We once lived on farms – in natural, rural and agrarian communities. Then we advanced in technology and we started to live in cities – in industrialised urban areas. During the industrial revolution we also transited from living on wood an papyrus to paper. And now the next revolution is driving us to live on the internet. We are netizens.

Zuckerberg and all the guys in big tech would ensure that. Every passing day, there’s one more new app, designed that you may download onto your device to make life easier.

Perharps, someday there might just be an app which helps us to download food into our own stomach or helps a man to impregnate his own wife. Ridculous, I know. But you do get my point. Slowly but steadily, we’re getting to the very extremes of tech, where many an ethical issue would arise, especially about the fate of humanity.

Nay, rather. We’re matching there at rocket speed.

Research is currently ongoing as to how to imbue robots with superintelligence or at least the same intelligence as man. And should the day come when those robots go out of man’s control, that would spell disaster for humankind. Yet, this agenda is seriously being pursued.

Elon Musk currently funds research into how much of the cureently existing knowledge on anything may be downloadable into a microchip that can then be implanted into the human brain.

And so many other mind boggling stuff been researched or developed.

I have often wondered. Scientists say that man is hundreds of millions years old on the planet. Yet, is it not surprising that all of the major advancements in science and technology have happened in less than 150 years of his entire existence on the planet.

So, I ask: what on God’s heavens has the early man been doing all those years? Scientists would have us belief that he was running around half naked for hundreds of thousands of years chasing antelopes. Then, only a few years ago, his brain evolved at such a rate that has led him to the most witty inventions nearing the capacity of a god. Something certainly doesn’t add up about evolutionary theory, here. And I would rather not get into that now.

Sorry, that was a digression.

My point is, man has achieved the unthinkable in the last 100 years or so. And it would seem there is nothing stopping him.

During the Covid-19 lockdowns we were able to still communicate, do our jobs to some measure and reach the world through diverse adaptive technologies: Zoom, Google Meets, Skype, etc.

That is a good thing.

Man has conquered the air even more than birds, and has started to explore outer space. And even that too, is only a matter of time.

Countries all across the world have developed advanced military capabilities that modern warfare do not require plenty human capital. Drone systems, transcontinental bombastic ballistic missiles, nuclear and chemical weapons, standby robotic armies etc. There is no thought that man has not experimented with.

Today, sonographic scans exists that are just the size of a small botton-like chip. You swallow it, and it takes 3D high-resolution images of your entire gut as it travels down. You pass it out in stool, and the chip is retrieved and analysed. Thus aiding accurate diagnoses of gastrointestinal conditions.

In virtually every sector one thinks of, man has excelled the limits.

And similar contemplations led the Isreali historian and philosopher and professor, Yuaval Noah Harrari to write a book in 2015 titled “Homo Deus”.

In that book, Harrari basically traces the origins of civilisation from the early man to the mordern man who has superseded any creature before it in intellection and scientific advancement.

Harari recounts the course of history while describing key landmarks in the human experience and ethical issues in relation to his historical survey. He notes that Homo Deus (from Latin “Homo” meaning man or human and “Deus” meaning God) deals more with the supraabilities acquired by humans.

And that this acquisition of godlike capacities (by means of technology) has transformed man from homo sapiens (the wise or intelligent man) to the godlike man.

Meaning the big tech era ushers in man who has been elevated to the position of a God. Thus, there is no god but man. Man will be his own god.

This should tell you where the whole agenda on AI and big data, and metascience will ultimately lead.

The quest for superlative intelligence.

My aim in this treatise and in similar ones that may follow isn’t to make you technology-averse. Technology in it self has no intrinsic goodness or badness. But use and purpose does. And men do as well as their agendas.

A knife is a pretty good technology. But it may be used to perform a surgery or cut tubers, should it be a good knife or it may be used to murder someone.

Technology tends to be a two-edged sword. And all technological advances raises ethical problems.

My aim in the coming days or weeks will be to help you appreciate how important it is to think Christianly about technology and how it is changing our lives. As well what might be a healthy interaction of a Christian faithful with technology in a changing world.

Mark Godwin

Tranos Opens the Largest Cable Management system and Gasket Manufacturing Facility in Nigeria

Tranos Opens the Largest Cable Management system and Gasket Manufacturing Facility in Nigeria

Tranos, an indigenous engineering, and manufacturing company with a focus on providing innovative solutions that add value to lives established about 14 years ago and located in the industrial hub of Ogba, Ikeja has recently announced the addition of new product lines in the year 2021. With the opening of their cable manufacturing facility in the country, touted as one of the largest in the country and being one of the foremost firms in the country locally producing Gaskets to serve the needs of various sectors within and outside the country.

Speaking to the media, the Managing Director of Tranos Nigeria Limited, Jude Abalaka said “As an organization, we are essentially an engineering and technology-driven company. Our focus is primarily on using our products and services to influence and make lives better.
We have solutions for various sectors that span through the Oil and Gas, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Real Estate, Power & Energy sectors, etc.”

“Through, our numerous design and fabrication processes we have set a world-class standard in safety, quality, and efficiency. As a highly innovative company, our services include the manufacturing of high-quality products in power generation, energy distribution, control, and automation as well as manufacturing of enclosures.”

On the strides, the organization has made in 2021 and how they have been able to adapt and align with the pandemic-induced economic realities, the Managing Director added that “on the strides that we have made this year; we launched our production facility. As of today, we have the largest cable manufacturing facility in Nigeria and possibly in West Africa. What this means is that products that people struggle to import into the country, we have the capacity to manufacture. In addition to the cable management systems, we also manufacture gaskets for various industries, and this is a landmark achievement because we are the only company doing this in Nigeria. Even though the pandemic has slowed things down, we have been able to maintain our consistency and conclude on projects that we have started pre-pandemic. We strongly believe in improvement; we always have something that we are doing to improve either through partnerships or introducing new products and services.”

On the expansion and diversification to other countries, Tranos made it known to the media that they are yet to consider having a physical presence in other African countries but admitted that they have clients in other countries, and they have been exporting to these countries and will consider setting up a physical plant when the times comes, the organization reiterated that they are very open to any form of partnership.

“We do not have plants in other West African countries for now, but we have active customers who are constantly ordering products from there. Whether we might set up a physical facility there or not is a decision we are yet to make but our goal is to ensure that we have customers spread around Africa”.

Tranos has a hybrid power solution that has been developed especially for the telecom base stations. ”We have been in that industry for many years. We have a generator system that works with solar power and diesel. We integrated this technology where if there is enough sunlight, there is no need to have the generator run on diesel but if there isn’t, then the generator switches automatically to diesel”.

”We also came up with a solution that runs on gas, not on diesel. The advantage of this generator is that it doesn’t run on natural gas because there is no need to start building gas pipelines to all base stations. We do not use compressed natural gas (CNG) we developed a generator that runs on cooking gas (LPG)”.

Speaking on the various innovative power solutions that Tranos offer to the Telecoms industry since its inception, The Managing Director of Tranos said ”we have been actively proffering innovative solutions for various industries in the past 14 years, we have over the years partnered with world-class firms to bring globally acknowledged products into the country”

With the production of superior enclosures in Nigeria, Tranos has serviced clients like Schnieder, Biswal, Cummins, Shell BP, Chevron, Total and so many others. Tranos has undertaken many projects such as the design and fabrication of 48 inches pipe repair clamp for Hydrodive and Shell BP

Tranos Limited has designed Warehouse racks for MTN Nigeria, fire water remediation design projects for Chevron, and other projects across the country. These projects are a testament to Tranos’ capability to deliver world-class solutions in the various sectors across the country and beyond.

HACKATHON 2022: NITDA TRIGGERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPIRIT AMONGST SOUTH-SOUTH YOUTHS

HACKATHON 2022: NITDA TRIGGERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPIRIT AMONGST SOUTH-SOUTH YOUTHS

A challenge has been thrown to the youths from the South-south geopolitical region to be spirited in utilizing their God-given talents through digital innovations to become entrepreneurs and job creators.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by Dr. Salihu Abdulkareem of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, threw the challenge during the south-south HACKATHON, held at the Senate Chambers of University of Calabar, Cross Rivers.

Inuwa said “driving digital innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging Nigeria’s youth to create and develop solutions from inception to commercialization will, no doubt, boost the country’s economy.”

The challenge’s theme is “Innovation-Driven Ideas for addressing local challenges in Health, Government, Transportation, Financial Services and Smart city in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development.”

The DG asserted that digital innovation and entrepreneurship would help fast-track the recovery of other traditional economic sectors by supporting the provision and adoption of indigenous and tailor-made solutions for nationwide implementation of the policy through automation, intelligent processes, and ICT solutions.

He further revealed that NITDA Hackathon 2022 aims to find solutions towards building a digital Nigeria, adding that talented Nigerians are challenged to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototypes of solutions around agriculture, logistics, and security for the swift growth and development of the country.

According to Kashifu, “African continent is full of problems waiting to be solved, this presents the next biggest market worldwide. Nigeria, in particular, has a rapidly growing youthful population by which taking advantage of the market will lead to the creation of jobs, solutions, and revenue flow for the country”, he added.

The DG maintained that collective responsibility is needed to achieve the positive impacts, for which the nation yearns for solutions. He encouraged the young innovators not to relent in their various efforts towards tackling the problems bedeviling the country, saying that such solutions will go a long way in addressing development issues.

He appeals to teeming youths from the region to always showcase their talents which will serve as channels for solutions to some of the problems that require immediate panacea.

He revealed that the program also provides an avenue for young Nigerians to contribute their quota in the solution-finding and provides opportunities for creating jobs both directly and indirectly, keying into the Digital Economy policy that will facilitate the swift growth and development of the country.

The Vice-Chancellor, University of Calabar, Professor Florence Banji Obi, ably represented by Professor Idingesit Akpabio, Chairman, Committee of Deans, the University of Calabar, in her earlier remarks, appreciated NITDA for choosing the University of Calabar for the program. She commended the initiatives and the manner of their implementation across the country for the growth of our nation.

She commented that technology is changing how we do things and has fast-tracked operations processes. “Programs like this are needed to keep the young people busy solving the problems faced by the country, more so that such programs give an avenue for teeming youth to showcase their talents which will help solve those challenges,” she added.

Prof. Obi encouraged participants not to stop at solution finding after this program but to go further in actualizing what they have started, which she believes will bring about solutions to the problems faced in the country.

Winners from the pitching context received cash prizes ranging from N1.5million for the overall Winners, N1 million for the first runner ups, and N500,000 to the second runner ups as the 3-day event came to a close with fanfare and beautiful memories.

Goya oil has become so sacred to Nigerian Christians.

Goya oil has become so sacred to Nigerian Christians.

Goya oil has become so sacred to Nigerian Christians. If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you have not at least sipped the oil for healings or applied it on your body for protection against demons or used it for deliverance, then you must be among the very few exceptions.

In Nigeria, Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered a Holy Anointing Oil that can drive away demons. In Spain where the founder Don Prudencio Unanue was from, and in America where he later founded the Goya company in 1936, Goya oil is simply a cooking oil or for Salad or for marinating.

While people in the US, Puerto Rico, Spain, and even in the UK keep Goya oil in their kitchens, those in Nigeria and various parts of West Africa, keep theirs on their Altars, sick people’s beds, and church handbags.

I am not in any way playing down on your faith because I know for a fact that with God, he can use anything he so pleases to transmit his power and blessings.

But you can’t ask a pregnant woman to be drinking a complete bottle of Goya oil every day so that she will deliver her baby like the “Hebrew women” and expect me to keep quiet.

You can’t be ignorantly applying cooking oil inside your eyes like an eye drop because you were told that it is an anointing oil that can open your eyes to see the demons around you and expect Fr Kelvin not to react.

You can’t go to bless people’s houses and empty more than 10 bottles of Goya oil at every corner of the building in the name of driving away demons and expect your ritual and ignorance to be left unquestioned.

You can’t be giving your children Goya oil on their way to school, asking them to rub it on their pens for exam success, or on their private parts to remain virgins and you expect everyone to fold hands and not talk.

You can’t take because you are an invited preacher to a crusade and come with your oil, claiming yours is more powerful than others even though they all carry the same labels. . .then you sell yours three times the original price because you claim it cures HIV/AIDS, and expect that no one will call you out.

There are many things you all should just stop. These abuses should just stop!

More disheartening is that many of what some of you consume as Goya olive oil in Nigeria is fake. Even as you read this, there are people somewhere using paraffin Oil and color to produce the oil, then they package it with the name Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil to sell to you.

Well, I do not fully understand the reason why Christians of other denominations use Goya oil, so I won’t question them. . . But I will question Catholics.

If you are a Catholic, you have to convince me why you are using Goya oil for ANOINTING? Where exactly did you get your teachings from?

First, you cannot anoint yourself by yourself. It is not theological, it is not biblical, it is not Catholic practice. Even a priest when sick, cannot anoint himself.

In the book of James 5:14, the sick person is supposed to call the elders who will anoint him or her with oil. In Leviticus 8:12, Moses anointed Aaron. In 1 Sam 16:13, Samuel anointed David. We can go on and on.

Note this: there are cases in the bible in which people were said to have anointed themselves with oil, but it was used in the same context as telling someone to rub cream and look good. For example, Matthew 6:17 says “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.” The word “anoint” here is like saying, “apply” hair cream. (This is not the type of “anointing” we are talking about.)

Secondly, the Catholic church already has provisions for Anointing and the oils to be used are clear. If you are sick, the priest anoints you with the OIL OF THE SICK. Before baptism, you are anointed with the OIL OF CATECHUMEN to exorcise you of any powers that are not from God. Then at baptism, confirmation, and priestly ordination, you are anointed with CHRISM OIL which signifies that you are a priest, a king, and a prophet.

These three oils: Oil of Chrism, Oil of the Sick, and Oil of Catechumen are blessed by the Bishop of the diocese every year during the Chrism Mass and given to all priests to use on the people of God. How did Goya oil come into the picture as anointing oil? I am asking you my dear Nigerian Catholics.

Fr. Kelvin Ugwu

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