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NITDA Tasks Youths On Talent Upscale
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged young people to upscale their talent in emerging technologies for nation building.
Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, made the call during the 2022 Blockchain Developers’ Summit at Baze University, Abuja, recently.
Speaking on how Blockchain Technology can support Digital Transformation and facilitate the Development of Nigeria into a Digital Economy, he said NITDA was committed to creating and stimulating the ecosystem for Blockchain technology and ensuring that Nigerian innovators thrived.
“There are a lot of opportunities in Blockchain, and it is critical in every business.Talent is the human component of technology and innovations with Blockchain, and emerging technologies is about the new solutions one is bringing onboard.
“So, you need to task yourself to know which solutions or offerings the industry requires,” he said.
According to him, the time for Nigerian youths to leverage on the growing digital sector to tackle the myriad of challenges facing the nation is now, in spite of ethnic differences, because innovative ideas cannot be monopolised.
“Innovation is beyond invention, it needs to get to the point of commercialisation and until you can pitch your idea for someone to pay for your solutions, the innovation would, sadly, only be just an idea”, he said.
He noted that government was building an ecosystem that will enable young people to hatch their ideas from conception to realisation.
The NITDA boss also emphasised on the need for the participants to have venture capitalists who would invest in their innovative ideas.
The D-G also said that the organisation had developed the Blockchain adoption strategy to help stimulate the adoption of blockchain in the country.
He said it would establish the Nigerian Blockchain Consortium, which the summit would address.
Other steps to ensure developing blockchain technology include strengthening developmental regulation and law, and finding focus areas.
Promoting Literacy and Blockchain, Digital Innovation Incentivisation and the Startup Bill which has passed through the third reading at the National Assembly are also other steps.
Inuwa charged Youth Corps members to take advantage of the opportunity and start a business before the end of their service year and possibly always ensure to be among the first movers in any digital-related endeavour.
The D-G also inaugurated the Baze University Artificial Intelligence/Blockchain Laboratory in company of some international innovators.
About 1,500 participants, comprising majorly National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
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Nigeria Set To Host International Conference On Biotechnology
The Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, has disclosed that Nigeria will be hosting International Conference on Biotechnology in June.
Mustapha, who made the disclosure recently in an interview with The Tide’s source in Abuja, said the conference would take place in June, adding that the agency was determined to introduce new things for the benefit of Nigerians.
“That is why we are organising this international conference where people across the globe will showcase what they are doing in their various countries in biotechnology. NABDA will also showcase what we are doing and had been doing to engage all our people in the country”, he said.
According to him, the conference would offer a platform where industries, private organisations, universities and others would have the opportunity to showcase their works.
The Director-General said the conference would be tailored around environment, industry, agriculture, genomics and bioinformatics as well as health.
Mustapha disclosed that he had inaugurated a committee toward organising the conference, adding that it had started work.
“The Nigerian policy on biotechnology was prepared in 2000, and I have seen that its about time to effect a change.
“This is imperative because the world is moving fast from what was regarded as the norm to a certain level of precision and accuracy in terms of investigations and deliverables”, he added.
He continued that Nigeria could meet up with advanced countries’ biotechnology as it could boast of scientists and experts.
“Whatever document we are going to produce is going to look at Nigeria and its projects in the next five to 20 years. This policy is what will drive Nigeria’s biotechnology to success”, he said.
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Expert Tasks Female Journalists On Content Creation
A digital media expert, Mr. Chimodo Paul, has charged female journalists in Rivers State to generate good contents in order to carve a niche for themselves in journalism.
He gave the charge at a one-day capacity building workshop held last Thursday, at the NUJ Press Center, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.
The workshop, tagged, “Maximizing New Media Platforms: Upscaling Digital, Entrepreneur Skills of Journalists”, was organised by the Step-up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), with support from Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Rivers State Council.
Paul urged the women to upscale their digital skills in order to enable them improve their career prospects and earning potentials.
He expressed dismay that ego had prevented some veteran journalists from upscaling their digital skills, which, he said, had deprived them from reaching their full potentials and becoming visible in the present new media era.
He also urged those stucked in old fashion media to start maximizing the social media tools.
The women was further challenged to invest in themselves by acquiring good digital gadgets, subscribe to online trainings, sponsor their good contents on social media platforms.
“Most journalists do not know how to maximize the new media platforms yet. Ego and pride is not allowing them to learn digital tools. This is the major reason they are where they are and it’s not helping to build and improve professional competence in this new media era”, he said.
He insisted that journalists must identify the social media tools that aligns with their line of job and build presence on it to gain from opportunities that abound from such tools.
“Social media has made it easier for journalists to collaborate on stories with other journalists, photographers, and videographers. Collaborations can help journalists reach a wider audience, tell more complex stories”, he stated.
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Expert Wants Telcos To Prioritise Improved QoS
A Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor, Mr. Jide Awe, has urged telecommunication operators to give priority to improving Quality of Services (QoS).
Awe, who is also the Founder of Jidaw.com, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos State, recently.
He said it was necessary to improve the current poor QoS using strategic investment in infrastructure to support current and future needs.
Awe said the future needs included increased number of users and increased traffic volumes of transactions among others.
“Customer journey has evolved significantly over the years, largely influenced by the advancements in telecommunications technology.
“Customers now expect seamless and uninterrupted connectivity across multiple touchpoints, be it through their smartphones, laptops, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices”, he said.
Awe also noted that the telecoms industry was plagued with right-of-way charges, multiple taxation, and insecurity of telecoms infrastructure.
According to him, addressing these challenges is essential for consumer protection to ensure QoS standards are met, and that consumers receive the promised level of service quality.
The policy advisor added that solving the issues would also help in promoting affordable broadband services.
On the role of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) as a regulator, he said the NCC needed to adopt an innovative, supportive, and visionary regulation approach that appreciated the importance of innovation and expansion.
“As new technologies continue to emerge, regulation cannot afford to be static. NCC should inculcate a spirit of innovation and growth in the sector.
“Innovative regulation helps to cultivate an environment that attracts investment to propel sectoral growth. Investor-friendly initiatives, simplification of regulations, strategic and disruptive thinking/approaches are crucial”, he said.
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