Connect with us

Ict/Telecom

‘Bioethics Documents Ready For President’s Approval’

Published

on

The Director-General, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, says the National Bioethics Documents will soon be transmitted to the Federal Executive Council for President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval.
Disclosing this on Monday at the NABDA’s Bioethics Educational Programme in Abuja, Mustapha said the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, already signed the National Bioethics Federal Executive Council Memo.
According to him, Nigeria is a signatory to the 2005 UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human rights.
“As a signatory to the declaration, Nigeria is expected to develop the National Bioethics Framework and Policy Documents that will lead to the establishment of a functional national bioethics committee.
“Article 23 of the Declaration affirms that member states should endeavour to foster bioethics education and training at all levels as well as encourage information and knowledge dissemination programme about bioethics,’’ he said.
The NABDA Director-General noted that the process of establishing the National Bioethics Committee began in 2009 with UNESCO organising the first national bioethics stakeholders meeting.
He said the second was also organised by UNESCO in 2017 while NABDA in collaboration with the National Commission for UNESCO (NATCOM) organised the third in 2019.
Mustapha pointed out that the three meetings were all geared towards drafting the National Bioethics Framework and Policy Documents which were vital documents required for the establishment of a National Bioethics Committee.
“The National Bioethics Documents are to serve as guide for the establishment and proper functioning of the National Bioethics Committee,’’ he said.
He stressed that there were numerous advantages to be drawn from the establishment of the committee.
However, he noted that as giant of Africa, Nigeria should take the lead in bioethics for the rest of the continent to follow.
Dr Chitu Princewill, Deputy Director at the NABDA and Desk Officer of Bioethics unit, said three major components were required for the establishment of National Bioethics Committee in Nigeria.
“First is the development of a national bioethics framework and policy documents, second is the bioethics educational programme and the third is inauguration of the members.
“The inauguration will come after the approval of the National Bioethics programme and Policy Documents by the Federal Executive Council headed by the President,’’ Princewill said.
She said the educational programme was a continuous process due to the rapid advances in science, medicine and societal changes in the environment, local and international laws.
The Bioethics Desk Officer said that the objectives of the educational programme were to give participants the basic knowledge of bioethics as well as to understand the core principles of bioethics.
Prof. Adefolarin Malomo, a professor of Neurology and trained Bioethicist, said that bioethics would affect how Nigerians look at issues that affect human lives using different background theories, understanding and principles.
Speaking in an interview on the sideline of the event, Malomo said bioethics in a country such as Nigeria had to take advantage of all aspects of social life to strengthen everybody.
“Doing good is something that should occur at all levels, if you are a husband, a boss and above, it’s your obligation to continuously seek and do good to those who are below you.
“Bioethics is something that will beef up our understanding of ourselves because as human beings we are gifted and talented about the light we get,’’ he said.
High point of the day one educational pogramme saw five lectures delivered on Introduction to Bioethics and Theories of Bioethics by Prof. Peter Omonzejele.
Others were, Evolution of Human Research Protection and Principls of Biothics/Informed Consent by Prof. Adefolarin Malomo.
Prof. Omokhoa Adeleye also delivered a lecture on Research Misconduct and Integrity.

Continue Reading

Ict/Telecom

NCC Assures Safe, Accessible Digital Space

Published

on

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured Nigerians of accessible, resilient and safe digital space in the nation’s digital economy.
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, NCC, Rimini Makama, gave the assurance at the NCC’s Digital Economy Sensitisation Forum, with the theme, “Leaving No One Behind: Digital Access, Equity and Empowerment” in Abuja.
Makama said that the commission remained committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s national telecommunications infrastructure remained resilient, accessible and secure.
“Digital empoScientists Advocate Shared Responsibility To Boost Food Securitywerment must be inclusive. Without inclusion and equity, the benefits of the digital economy will remain unevenly distributed.
“The commission, through its Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and other initiatives, is actively extending digital opportunities to the unserved, underserved, physically challenged and vulnerable groups through several impactful programmes,” he said.
The Publicity Expert for the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Dr Nihinlola Fefa, said that the association had been an advocate of cyber security awareness and sensitisation over the years.
“ATCON has been a very key stakeholder in the ICT and telecom industry. We have always advocated for cybersecurity awareness and sensitisation.
“We have been giving our own input over the years. We interface with all the telecom companies. We do a lot of studies, and we also give our contributions in so many ways,” she said.
She commended the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, for deploying technology into rural communities.
According to her, though Nigeria is doing well in the area of cybersecurity, there is room for improvement.
“We are in a good position right now and we can do better from the government side,” she said.
Also speaking, the Head, IT and Cybersecurity, National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Olorunisomo Isola, said that the commission had rolled out the necessary framework.

Continue Reading

Ict/Telecom

Expert Tasks Nigerians On AI

Published

on

An economist, Dr Chinedu Amadi, has urged Nigerians to leverage the opportunities inherent in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to become competitive in the global business and social spaces.
Amadi, who is also the President, Organisation of Youth in International Trade and Commerce (OY-ITC), gave the urge during an interview with newsmen , in Abuja, Monday.
Amadi noted that humanity has always advanced by expanding its intelligence and capabilities through technology across different eras pointing out that AI now drives economic systems, social interactions and competitive advantage among nations globally.
“The world is entering a phase where humans and intelligent machines will share cognitive functions, so Nigeria should innovate or risk being sidelined in the emerging global digital order.
“The next frontier extends beyond AI tools to a deeper relationship between human consciousness and machine intelligence. This phase has the dawn of shared human machine cognition shaping future innovation and development worldwide,” he said.
Amadi noted that countries like the U.S., Japan and China already integrated AI into national planning, logistics and defence operations.
He warned that a deeper wave of collaboration between humans and intelligent systems is rapidly emerging
urging Nigeria and other African nations not to remain passive observers in this technological transition.
“Nigeria must innovate urgently or risk missing another major industrial revolution. Future global leadership will favour nations that create, regulate and ethically manage advanced technologies,” he added.
He said that the youthful population is viewed as a potential cognitive economy capable of driving digital creativity.
He advised policymakers and institutions to develop indigenous technologies, reflecting national priorities and moral values.
The president, however, noted that energy and agricultural sector can gain efficiency through predictive AI and advanced computation, adding that governance can also benefit from digital systems that strengthen transparency and curb corruption.
While noting that neural interfaces and quantum processing would soon merge human thought with computationAmadi said that the evolution demands ethical guidance, empathy and deeper human conscience in education system.
According to him, nations worldwide are racing to regulate AI and Nigeria also needs to define its strategic position.
“The future beyond AI will favour societies that balance innovation with wisdom and uphold human dignity,” he said.

Continue Reading

Ict/Telecom

NIGCOMSAT Expands Nigeria’s Digital Broadcast Subsector By 35%

Published

on

The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited says the country’s digital broadcast subsector  has expanded by 35 per cent to 75 per cent utilisation in two years.
This, it said, represented a milestone in the country’s digital transformation drive.
The Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT, Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, made the remark  at a retreat with the theme: ‘Aligning for the Future: Innovation, Collaboration, and Sustainable Growth”, in Abuja, Monday.
According to her the theme reflects NIGCOMSAT’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and positioning itself as a global satellite industry leader.
She said one of the notable achievements in its broadcast segment was the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project, describing it as not just a technical milestone but also a national service.
“This growth is a testament to the organization’s improved service delivery and stronger engagement with partners and clients.
“The DSO project, a collaborative effort with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), is a key milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“NIGCOMSAT’s contribution to the project is enabling digital broadcasting penetration across the federation, cementing the organisation’s position at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation,” she said.
Egerton-Idehen said the achievements were expected to drive revenue growth, with target of three billion naira in annual revenue and eight billion naira in revenue within three years adding that the organisation’s expansion of broadband services and private sector partnership was key to achieving the goals.
“We cannot move boldly into the future without addressing the weight of the past. Our debt profile — both financial and operational — is a reality we must confront with strategy, discipline, and creativity.
“These are our headwinds. We acknowledge them openly because honesty is the first step toward transformation.,” Egerton-Idehen said.
She said in spite of challenges such as economic barriers and competition, the organisation remained optimistic about the future.
“We must out-innovate the market, deepen partnerships, and build a culture of solution-focused, profit-driven, and people-centered excellence.”
“The key initiatives include transitioning to software-defined satellites, expanding broadband services, and the NIGCOMSAT Accelerator for the Space Ecosystem.
“The organisation is prioritising public-private partnerships, branding, and communication, as well as investing in its people,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Data Science Nigeria, Olubayo Adekanbi, said satellite-based economy could revolutionise key sectors such as agriculture, health, and education, creating new job opportunities and increasing productivity.
“By providing internet access to remote areas, satellite technology can bridge the digital divide and ensure no one is left behind.

Continue Reading

Trending