Telecom
Gov. Soludo Distributes 2,000 Laptops to Teachers and Principals of Public and Public-Mission Schools
In keeping with his mantra of ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere’, the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on Tuesday, 12th March, 2024, distributed 2,000 brand new laptops to headteachers, ICT teachers, and principals of public and public-mission schools across the state.
The distribution aligns perfectly with the vision of Mr. Governor, which the Anambra State ICT Agency is driving, to ensure the full digitization of all sectors of the state economy.
The implication of headteachers, ICT teachers, and principals owning laptops is that they will fully key into the digitization vision of Mr. Governor and, as such, guide school pupils and students early in their lives to join the digital revolution in the state.
In Governor Soludo’s speech, “The teachers are molders of men and women and as such, critical partners in the new Anambra project.
And if you want to predict the future of any society, look at the quality of their teachers.”
He said the state cannot be talking about Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere when the teachers and headteachers are still in analog mode.
“We have begun and as resources permit us, we will continue to prioritize work tools for our teachers and students.
We will also continue to scale up the numbers.
“We have launched the free public Wi-Fi in some strategic places and we will scale it too to the schools to begin to create the opportunity for the ingenuity and creativity of our students and pupils to find expression.
”We are deliberate about our young people because of their capacity to uptake the technological availings and make the most out of it.
“Therefore, the teachers need to be ahead in terms of technology to be able to champion 21st-century education that is technology-driven.
“We had started with the civil servants and we want to get to the point where every teacher would have their laptops as they have their phones.
“We are very intentional about it that we must provide you with the enabling work tools you require to get our children to the next level we desire technology-wise.
While we aspire to get your schools to be smart, you too must be first smart.
“We have to upscale because you can’t give what you don’t have.
“We have the Head of our ICT Agency and the Solution Innovation District here and we are looking at working with them to have structured training programs, to ensure they put these equipment to use, exploring the latest Artificial Intelligence enablements,” the governor promised.
Soludo maintained that in the last 24 months, the Anambra people have seen the transformation his administration had brought into the state governance, which has positively affected the lives of our people, assuring that more is to come.
On his part, the Managing Director of the State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, who played a key role at the event held at the International Conference Centre, Awka, said the governor has again by the distribution, reinforced commitment towards making Anambra State a technology hub, not only in the Southeast but also in the entire nation.
Agbata noted that capturing the teachers in the digitization revolution signifies a brighter future for the state, considering how critical young people are to the state’s technological advancement.
He made it clear that the state has been able to make giant strides in the technology area because Mr. Governor believes in the power of technology and has stepped out a strong foot in terms of investment in the sector.
“Today, the Governor has made Wi-Fi available in some public places where the people’s creativity needs to be enhanced in the areas of education, commerce, and public service.
“There is no doubt that with Mr. Governor’s mindset, better days are ahead for technology.
“For us at the ICT agency, the training which Mr. Governor spoke about is a no-brainer.
“Recall that the ICT Agency has partnered with relevant government agencies to bring technology to ease recruitment processes across various sectors and we are doing more.
“This is just to say that we are ready to drive the ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere’ vision of Mr. Governor, to make Mr. Governor’s dream for a digitized Anambra State, a reality,” Agbata assured.
Some of the recipients of the laptops, whose joys knew no bounds, described Governor Soludo as a proactive leader, who is conscious of the need of the times.
Promising to deploy the equipment effectively for the purpose it was intended, the headteachers and principals said they are at home with the digital revolution the governor is bringing to the state education sector.
The high point of the ceremony was the distribution of the laptops as well as solidarity chants by the beneficiaries.
Telecom
NIGCOMSAT Plans Dedicated Satellite for Military Operations
Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) has revealed plans to launch a satellite into orbit, co-designed and dedicated to the Nigerian Army to enhance the military’s capabilities and boost operations.
Mrs Jane Egerton, managing director/chief executive officer, NIGCOMSAT disclosed this during a visit to Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff.
Mrs Egerton said the decision was taken considering the severity of the service being rendered by the Nigerian Army to the nation in the fight against emerging threats.
The NIGCOMSAT boss acknowledged the long standing relations with the Army and its zeal in tackling security challenges in the country.
She noted that the partnership between the two bodies is expected to have far-reaching implications for the country’s military operations and national security and leverage satellite technology to drive economic growth and development.
In his remarks, the COAS stressed the need to partner with the NIGCOMSAT to enhance communication capabilities and improve military operations.
Lagbaja said the partnership was crucial to providing reliable and secure communication services and enabling the Nigerian Army to access a wide range of satellite-based services, including telecommunications, navigation, and surveillance, which will significantly improve its operational efficiency and effectiveness.
The army chief lauded the vital role of NIGCOMSAT, which serves as a formidable foundation for NA operations, especially in the North-East and North-West regions.
He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Executive Order 5 of President Bola Tinubu compelling departments and agencies to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods.
He described NIGCOMSAT products as top-notch and affirmed his desire to expand the frontier of cooperation and partnership that exists between NIGCOMSAT and the Nigerian Army.
Nigerian Army chief also pledged to support the communication company in the launch of its new satellite into space to improve NA operations.
Telecom
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Doubles Price for Starlink Global Roaming Plan
SpaceX’s Starlink has announced a significant price increase for its global roaming plan, which provides satellite internet service worldwide.
This plan has been used by subscribers to access Starlink in countries where the service is not officially available, such as Ghana.
Last week, subscribers to the “Mobile – Global” plan received emails from SpaceX informing them of the price increase.
Previously, United States users paid $200 per month for the service, but this will now double to $400 per month.
The new rate takes effect on August 16 for existing customers, while new customers will face the increased price immediately.
In addition to the US, the price hike affects other countries. An Australian user reported an increase from 300 Australian dollars to 670, while a customer in Zambia noted a similar rise.
SpaceX has been addressing the use of the global roaming plan in African countries where Starlink is not yet officially available.
Last month, the company emailed subscribers in Africa to clarify that the “Mobile – Regional” plans are intended for temporary travel, not permanent use.
This prompted concerns from NGOs, who urged SpaceX to maintain Starlink access in Sudan amid internet blackouts caused by civil conflict.
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Despite the increase in the global plan, the “Mobile – Regional” roaming plan remains at $150 per month.
SpaceX has also raised prices on other plans.
Some US residential subscribers have seen their monthly fee increase from $90 to $120, which the company attributes to changing capacity limits in their areas.
In Ghana, the administrative processes for licensing Starlink are underway.
Starlink, owned by SpaceX, operates a network of low-Earth orbit satellites providing high-speed broadband internet.
The standard residential internet service costs $120 per month for unlimited data, with a one-time equipment fee ranging from $599 to $2,500.
Currently, Starlink is available in seven African countries: Mozambique, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria.
However, a growing black market has enabled users to bypass local restrictions.
Reports have surfaced that SpaceX is cracking down on unauthorized access to Starlink in countries where it is not approved by regulators.
Customers in Sudan, Zimbabwe, and South Africa have received notifications that their access will be terminated by the end of the month.
Telecom
Airtel Wins Big at Maiden ICAN-NGX Awards
Airtel Africa, telecommunications provider in Africa with its stock trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX), emerged as a major winner at the inaugural edition of the ICAN-NGX Awards, carting away the Most Outstanding in Financial Reporting and the overall gold across all categories, amidst other nominations.
These honors were announced at a special ceremony held last Friday, at the NGX headquarters in Lagos.
Organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in collaboration with NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), the awards recognized excellence in corporate reporting among the top 30 most capitalized companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the 2022 financial reporting year.
Airtel Africa stood out among other nominees in the areas of Financial Reporting, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability Reporting.
In the highly competitive Financial Reporting Category, Airtel Africa was recognized as Most Outstanding, edging out industry giants such as Dangote Cement Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Seplat Energy Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, and Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc.
Speaking on the awards, Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, expressed gratitude for the awards while restating the organization’s enduring commitment to promoting transparency and accountability for the benefit of all stakeholders.
“At Airtel, we strive to set the benchmark for excellence in financial reporting and corporate reporting, and these awards validate our efforts in this regard. We have been deliberate in maintaining a painstaking dedication to transparency for the sake of our shareholders, which is also how we keep our promises to our shareholders,” he said.
Airtel Africa also received the Gold Award in the Corporate Reporting Category. This award, according to Mr. Cruz, underscored Airtel’s culture of fair business practices.
“Today’s recognition reminds us to keep upholding the fundamental principles of integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct across all facets of its operations,” he noted.
In his remarks at the award ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation Limited, Mr. Olufemi Shobanjo, stressed the significance of the award, highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in building a more productive market environment.
“It is noteworthy that integrity is an important drive in ensuring a successful business. In this vein, the Corporate Reporting Award underscores our collective commitment to fostering a capital market that operates on principles of transparency, integrity, and excellence,” he said.
While sharing this positive sentiment regarding the awards, Innocent Okwuosa, the 59th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), expressed optimism about the future of corporate reporting in the country.
“As sustainability evolves and with Nigeria adopting IFRS S1 and S2 of International Sustainability Standard Board (ISSB),” he said, “it is expected that the corporate reporting in Nigeria will get better and better.”
Airtel Africa remains committed to promoting accountability, transparency, and sustainability in its operations.
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