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Expert identifies UNICEEF’s NLP As Spring Board To AI In Benue
An expert in Information technology, Michael Agaba, has identified that the coming of a UNICEF initiative, the Nigeria Learning Passports (NLP), a digital learning platform that provides learning access for students, teachers and parents, done in partnership with the Federal Government, has set the stage for the smooth adaptation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and technology in teaching and learning in Benue State schools.
This initiative, he said, has also helped the state set up AI digital learning platforms with high quality digital education aimed at improving the quality of education for school children and also enhance their capacity to learn even without being in the confine of schools.
Agaba, who works in the Directorate of Knowledge Management, in the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) Unit of the Benue State Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management, disclosed this while speaking on the 2025 International Day of Education, with the theme: “AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation”.
He observed that the coming of the NLP, “a brainchild of the UNICEF, and a platform that helps learners to learn online and teachers also to get more knowledge, one is left with no other option but to commend the global organisation.
“And in that regard UNICEF has donated alot of materials to improve teaching and learning with the aid of AI and technology in our schools.
“In 2023 alone they gave us 660 Tablets to register both teachers and students on the NLP. The devices were distributed through the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB to schools and they have been using it to register on NLP.
“Again in 2024, UNICEF was able to give us additional 50 laptops, this was after they gave us 30 in 2023. The laptops were meant for school-to-school network connectivity to help those other schools to also register students and teachers.
“And they also put measures in place to help in giving those schools data for Internet access for one whole year to enable them register the students.
“They are also training our teachers in the zones of the state. Our teachers have been trained in Otukpo, Vandeikya and Logo LGAs all with the aim of having our teachers have the knowledge of the NLP.
“Also Benue SUBEB has established Smart Schools in Makurdi where the use of AI and technology is key. And to take it farther, late last year there was a flag off of digital training and skills in schools for teachers and students alike in the three Senatorial Districts of the state. The participating teachers were trained on simple IA tools.
“So the collaboration is great and it is yielding tremendous benefits. In fact, UNICEF has done so much for us in Benue state to help us deploy AI and technology in teaching and learning in the state”.
The Executive Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba also lauded UNICEF’s invaluable contributions to education and child development in the State. While commending the support of the Benue state Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia for his unwavering commitment to Basic Education.
Dr. Adagba thanked UNICEF for its support in the training of teachers, as well as the provision of iPads, routers, and power banks among others to Basic Schools to enhance teaching and learning in schools.
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The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.
Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.
Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.
The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.
He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.
“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .
According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.
He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.
The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.
“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.
The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.
In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.
Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.
By: King Onunwor
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.
According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.
NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.
Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.
The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.
Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.
The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.
A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.
However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.
The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.
The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.
The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.
The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.
In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.
He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.
Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.
According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.
He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.
The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.
He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.
He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.
Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.
He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.
Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.
As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.
Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.
Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.
He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.
Lady Usendi