Ict/Telecom
Applicants Decry JAMB Registration Process
Some prospective candidates say they are facing poor internet network, stressful and cumbersome process in registering for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Ebonyi, Abia and Imo, states.
The Tide Source who monitored the situation in these three states, reports that there are long queues at the banks and registration centres, including JAMB Offices.
In Abakaliki, the prospective candidates suggested inclusion of more banks in the sale of JAMB forms.
According to them, in Abakaliki on Tuesday using only two banks – Union Bank and Unity Bank – to sell forms to thousands of prospective candidates was frustrating.
The candidates claimed that some of them had spent many days without obtaining the form, even as some who don’t have relatives, had to come to the state capital every day in an attempt to buy the form.
They expressed fears that many prospective candidates might not purchase the forms within the specified time frame, unless urgent steps was taken to remedy the situation.
Messrs Victor Nkpuma, Richard Okafor, Philip Onwe and Miss Eunice Oko, said that the two banks were inadequate for Ebonyi and called for inclusion of more banks, to ease the process.
“The idea of using only Union Bank and Unity Bank for the sale of the form to me is not the best for the state because the two banks can hardly serve the purpose adequately.
“There was almost a stampede in Unity bank the other day because the crowd was so much and the bank’s security personnel could not control the crowd because everybody wanted to get the form at the same time.
“There should be an inclusion of more banks to ease the frustration and pain that those coming to obtain the form are made to go through and again many people may not be able to get the form within the time frame, Nkpuma said.
Okafor decried the current registration procedures, and described it as more tedious, complex, time and money consuming.
According to him, candidates are first expected to go to JAMB office and fill a profile form that would contain his or her e-mail address linked to the JAMB website.
The candidates after filling the profile, would go to a designated bank with the form issued to them at the JAMB office and buy the entrance form at the cost of N5,5000.
According to him, candidates are still required to pay additional N700 to collect JAMB brochure and a novel at designated banks.
“The procedure is frustrating, cumbersome, time and money consuming and I am afraid that many intending candidates may miss, if the board doesn’t relax the tedious process.
“Again having only two banks to serve the whole of Ebonyi in the sale of the form is an unthinkable action because many will definitely miss out,” Okafor said.
Meanwhile, Onwe and Oko have urged the board to reduce the fee payable by prospective candidates, to make it possible for indigent candidates to obtain the form.
They also urged JAMB to give more banks permission to sell the forms to candidates.
“The procedure adopted by JAMB in the 2017 sale of the UTME form is frustrating, time and money consuming unlike in the previous method where a candidate goes to a cyber cafe and do the online registration.
“The former procedure was simple, easy, less stressful, less time and money consuming,” they said.
In Owerri, the candidates told The Tide online source, that the problem of invalid Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) had contributed to delays in the registration process.
A candidate, Johnson Nnadozie, said he paid at Sterling bank and received a PIN, which he had been unable to use since, adding that he had gone back to the bank severally and was told to keep retrying with the same PIN.
Gift, said that the centre collected additional charges for creating JAMB profile and e-mail for applicants who had no personal email.
“There are some applicants who use their cellphones to create the JAMB profile, using their e-mail. Such people pay the JAMB registration fee of N2,500 only,” Gift said.
Ict/Telecom
NCC Assures Safe, Accessible Digital Space
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.
Ict/Telecom
Expert Tasks Nigerians On AI
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.
Ict/Telecom
NIGCOMSAT Expands Nigeria’s Digital Broadcast Subsector By 35%
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.
-
Maritime21 hours agoCargo Tracking System’ II Save Nigeria N900bn In Revenue Leakages ……SEREC
-
Editorial21 hours agoHYPREP And The Collapsed Water Tank
-
Niger Delta20 hours agoPINL Mulls Synergize With NDLEA Against Drug Abuse
-
Sports21 hours agoOgoni Nation Cup: Victory Against Amee Base Excites Coach
-
Niger Delta20 hours agoTraditional Ruler Seeks End To Benin Artifacts Unauthorized Promotion
-
Maritime21 hours agoNIMASA :FG Appoints Iyelolu As Registrar Of Ships
-
News21 hours agoFederal High Court Debunks Claim Of Assassination Attempt On Justice Omotosho
-
Rivers20 hours agoPoor Parenting, Pressure, Bane Of Cybercrime – Don
