News
@55: United Nigeria, Telecommunications Considered Top Most Achievements- Survey
The yearly Independence Day Special Edition Poll results released by NOIPolls Limited have revealed that Nigerians consider ‘unity of the nation’ (20 percent) as the most important achievement of the nation since independence; alongside Telecommunications (15 percent) and Democracy (13 percent).
These have remained consistent in the top three greatest achievements of Nigeria as perceived by Nigerians over the past three years. Moreover, security topped the list of the most important issues Nigeria as a nation should address in the next one year as reported by majority of Nigerians (22 percent each).
More findings revealed that most Nigerians (84 percent) believe the Nigerian Independence day is worth celebrating because it signifies ‘the day Nigeria was liberated from colonial rule’ (26 percent) and some say ‘it fosters Peace and unity’ (13 percent) in the country amongst other positive reasons.
On the other hand, some Nigerians (16 percent) think the Independence day is not worth celebrating, mainly due to ‘poor development’ (23 percent) in the country, hence no need to celebrate the Nigerian Independence Day.
Finally, as Nigeria celebrates 55 years of independence, Nigerians have declared they love being Nigerians and this is mostly due to the perceived ‘peace and unity’ (22 percent) that exist in the country, as well as the ‘cultural diversity’ (16 percent) as one of the key characteristics of the nation.
In addition, ‘Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe’ (13 percent), ‘Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’ (12 percent) and Muhammadu Buhari (12 percent) topped the list of Nigeria’s founding fathers/leaders who have inspired Nigerians the most.
These are the key findings from the 55th Independence Day Special Edition Poll conducted in the week of September 21st 2015.
NOIPolls’ Survey Findings
Respondents to the poll were asked six specific questions.
Respondents to the first question were asked: In your opinion, do you think Nigeria Independence is worth celebrating?
The outcome revealed that majority of adult Nigerians (84 percent) surveyed believe that the Nigeria Independence day is worth celebrating and this cuts across gender, geo-political zone and age-group.
Respondents were further asked: What is the reason for your response above? a larger proportion of Nigerians (26 percent) think the independence Day is worth celebrating because it signifies ‘the day Nigeria was liberated from colonial rule’ and that ‘it fosters Peace and unity’ (13 percent) in the country amongst other positive reasons.
On the other hand, most respondents who think the Independence Day is not worth celebrating believe there has ‘poor development’ (23 percent) ‘nothing to show for it’ (14 percent) and that the ‘economy is declining’ (13 percent), hence no need to celebrate the Nigeria Independence Day.
Thirdly, respondents were asked: What do you love most about being a Nigerian? The survey revealed that most Nigerians love being Nigerians because of the perceived ‘peace and unity’ (22 percent) that exist in the country. 16 percent say it is because of the ‘cultural diversity’ in Nigeria amongst other reasons.
It is worth noting that Nigeria has over 250 cultural heritages.
From East to West, North to South, Nigeria’s rich heritage speak volumes of the adaptability and diligence of her people.
Subsequently, to ascertain which Nigeria’s leader inspire Nigerians the most, respondents were asked: In your opinion, which Nigeria’s founding father/past leaders inspire you the most?
The findings revealed that most Nigerians (13 percent) are ordinarily inspired by Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
He was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism and the head of state of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966.
This is closely followed by respondents (12 percent each) who are inspired by Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Muhammadu Buhari.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian nationalist and statesman who played a key role in Nigeria\’s independence movement, the First and Second Republics and the Civil War.
With the aim of ascertaining the most significant issues Nigeria as a nation should address, respondents were asked: What is the single most important issue Nigeria as a nation should address in the next one year?
The 2015 responses showed that majority of Nigerians consider ‘corruption’ (22 percent) and ‘security’ (22 percent) as high priority issues Nigeria as a nation should address within the next one year.
This could also be tied to the present anti-corruption campaign by the president and the lingering security issues in the North-East region.
This is closely followed by ‘job creation’ (21 percent) amongst other issues.
In 2014, Security and corruption were considered the top most issues to be addressed. Security in 2014 was at its least and that was the same year over 200 school girls were adopted from a secondary school in chibok town of Borno state.
In 2013, ‘job creation’ (22 percent), and in 2012, ‘electricity’ (18 percent) was considered to be the most important issues Nigeria as nation should address.
Finally, to evaluate Nigeria’s greatest achievement since independence, respondents were asked: At 55 years what do you consider to be the greatest achievement of Nigeria?
The responses in 2015 revealed that majority of Nigerians (20 percent) believe that ‘unity of the nation’ has been the most important achievement since independence.
It was slightly rumoured that the nation Nigeria would divided in 2015, hence the reason for this result.
Trend analysis shows that ‘democracy’ was the greatest achievement in Nigeria in 2014 (19 percent) and in 2013 (22 percent).
However, ‘unity of the nation’ and ‘telecommunications’ has remained consistent in the top three greatest achievement Nigeria as a nation has achieved since independence as reported by Nigerians.
In conclusion, 84 percent of Nigerians believe that the Nigeria Independence day is worth celebrating because it signifies ‘the day Nigeria was free from colonial rule’ while, most respondents who think the Independence Day is not worth celebrating because of ‘poor development’ (23 percent) in the country.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
Cisco is exploring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions to support smallholder farmers in Nigeria, as part of efforts to expand digital inclusion and technology adoption.
The initiative focuses on improving agricultural productivity through accessible, data-driven tools.
The move aligns with growing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States under the Commercial and Investment Partnership, which prioritises the digital economy, agriculture and infrastructure.
Speaking at the 2026 World Business Chicago, Brian Tippens, chief social impact and inclusion Officer at Cisco, said the company is assessing practical AI applications to help farmers combine local knowledge with data insights.
He said Cisco is exploring tools such as AI-enabled WhatsApp communities, geospatial mapping and weather intelligence to support day-to-day farming decisions.
The approach reflects a shift towards low-cost, mobile-first solutions suited to rural environments.
Tippens added that the Cisco Foundation is investing in early-stage startups developing technologies for local agricultural challenges.
Industry analysts note that AI adoption in emerging markets depends on locally relevant solutions, rather than large-scale enterprise deployments alone.
Beyond agriculture, Cisco plans to expand digital skills development in Nigeria through programmes such as the Cisco Networking Academy’s One Million Learners initiative.
Tippens said the programme also supports partnerships with organisations working with persons with disabilities, including those developing tools for people with visual impairments.
He added that Cisco’s social impact strategy aims to improve access to technology and promote inclusion, including in conflict-affected regions such as Borno State.
Cisco’s initiatives form part of broader efforts to link digital skills, connectivity and AI adoption to economic development in Nigeria.
Federal Government has launched a nationwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity-building programme for teachers in Federal Unity Colleges, with about 11,700 educators set to acquire digital skills aimed at improving classroom instruction and preparing students for a technology-driven future.
The initiative advanced with the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) between the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, paving the way for the nationwide implementation of the AI Teacher Capacity Development Programme.
The programme, to be implemented through the ministry’s Education Support Services Department, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s education sector, strengthen teacher professionalism and equip students with skills required in the digital economy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director of the Education Support Services Department, Gabriel Amudipe, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s teaching workforce and the future of education.
He said the nationwide rollout followed the successful completion of a pilot phase conducted in selected Federal Unity Colleges.
According to him, the implementation model developed by ICEDT Consult Limited will ensure effective coordination and quality delivery of the programme across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Amudipe urged officials responsible for monitoring the project to ensure strict compliance with the implementation guidelines and maintain the standards achieved during the pilot phase.
“The ministry remains committed to supporting innovative initiatives that strengthen teacher professionalism, improve learning outcomes and promote the responsible integration of emerging technologies into education,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Director of the Education Support Services Department, Oladele Fapohunda, described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to deepen digital innovation across Federal Unity Colleges.
He stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders would be essential to achieving the objectives of the initiative nationwide.
Also speaking, the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Learning Scientist at ICEDT Consult Limited, Dr Abdulrahman Orosanya, said the Federal Government approved the national rollout after the successful pilot implementation in six Federal Unity Colleges representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to Orosanya, the pilot demonstrated the potential of Artificial Intelligence to improve lesson planning, classroom delivery, assessment methods and teachers’ productivity.
He said the nationwide implementation would strengthen teachers’ digital competencies, improve instructional delivery and support the government’s vision of building a technology-driven education system capable of producing globally competitive graduates equipped with 21st-century skills.
The ceremony ended with the formal signing of the Terms of Reference by officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, signalling the commencement of preparations for full implementation across all Federal Unity Colleges.
The ministry said the programme would directly train about 11,700 teachers, while thousands of students across the country’s Federal Unity Colleges are expected to benefit through improved classroom instruction, increased digital innovation and the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to modernise Nigeria’s education system, improve teacher quality and deliver inclusive, equitable and future-ready education nationwide.
Police Uncover Fake Diplomatic Number Plate Syndicate in Abuja
Davido Shares Past Suicidal Thoughts, Drops Oriadé Album
Gavi Okays $500m for Vaccines, PHCs in Nigeria
82% of Organizations Concerned about AI Risks Even as Adoption Accelerates – Survey Reveals
The Journey to Financial Freedom: Priscilla, a PalmPay Agent Now Owns a Store
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
E-Financial3 days agoAccess Bank Debunks Shutdown Report, Vows Action against Perpetrators
E-Business3 days agoKaspersky Uncovers Cyber Threats Defining the First Half of 2026 in Nigeria, Others
General News3 days agoMENXTT TECH NG Offers Affordable Dell Laptops with Flexible Payment Plans
Telecom3 days agoATU Summit Ends in Abuja with Landmark Declaration to Eradicate Continental Digital Divide
Telecom3 days agoHon. Minister Dr. Kingsley T. Udeh and ASUS To Unveil First of a Kind Flagship Store in West Africa
E-Financial3 days ago$40Bn Net Reserves, Record Wealth, Relentless Poverty: Who Is Nigeria’s Economy Serving Today?
E-Business2 days agoHow Temu Helped a Madagascan Vanilla Family Business Sell Direct to Consumers Across Europe
General News3 days agoEFCC Arraigns 4 over Alleged $5.3m Fraud Scheme