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NCS Berates Political Candidates for Neglect of IT Developmental Agenda
The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has expressed concern that those seeking votes in the forthcoming general elections are not addressing critical information technology development matters.
The Society has therefore urged the electorate to ask questions and raise issues at all levels -state, federal- with all parties and their candidates about their plans for building an innovative economy to create jobs and address the nation’s developmental challenges.
In a presentation titled, “Election 2015: IT Development and IT Sector”, Professor David Adewumi, president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), expressed the interest of the Society is for the addressing of relevant Information Technology (IT) development and IT sector issues in light of the ongoing 2015 electoral process to position and sustain democracy in Nigeria.
As the umbrella association of all IT professionals and stakeholders facilitating the development of Nigeria’s digital economy, he said, NCS is committed to playing its ADVOCACY role to ensure our nation receives the very best in processes, technologies and people.
Adewumi said, “With the highest professional regards, NCS makes the following observations and recommendations regarding Election 2015 and Election Management in Nigeria:
“NCS advocates for improved and innovative utilization of Information Technology (IT) in the organization of Free, Fair and Credible elections in 2015 and in future elections in Nigeria. While our professional association recognizes and acknowledges the IT contributions and initiatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the most recent being the introduction of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in the electoral process, there is a need for improved project management in the deployment of IT as well as security management.
“Logistic issues and delays in PVC distribution being experienced are painfully not ideal in today’s 21st century. Further innovation of the electoral management process is required with inputs from NCS and stakeholders, most especially in terms of considering electronic voting for future elections.
“The 2015 elections are about the future of Nigeria. And the role of IT is critical to development and growth. Though there has been improvement, a lot still needs to be done. As the 2015 election approaches, NCS challenges present and aspiring political leaders to prioritize IT sector productivity as well as improved impact and depth of IT development.
“NCS is concerned that those seeking votes are not addressing these critical matters. We urge the electorate to ask questions and raise issues at all levels (state, federal) with all parties and their candidates about their plans for building an innovative economy to create jobs and address the nation’s developmental challenges. In particular, answers are needed about what they will do to strengthen important government agencies in IT, most especially National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN)”.
He pointed out that, quite importantly include, “what will they do about Legislation to foster the development of IT and IT enabled activities, Growth of the IT Profession and Industry, Professionalizing the industry (Having IT Professionals on the boards of MDAs) and Preferential usage of Nigerian professionals in IT projects”.
He said therefore, with respect to the 2015 Elections, NCS calls for violence free and issue based campaigns, improved and innovative election management and the election of innovative and informed leaders. Continuing with the status quo is not in the nation’s best interests.
He said, Nigeria Computer Society is ready and willing to partner with INEC and other stakeholders in these matters towards the upliftment of our dear nation Nigeria.
Accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) adoption could increase Africa’s GDP by up to 4% over the next decade, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a report released on Tuesday, titled Africa Can Grow Faster With AI—If It Moves Now, economists from the IMF’s Africa Department say current levels of AI adoption and utilisation are expected to contribute just 0.2% to the region’s GDP over the next 10 years.
However, the report says stronger adoption, supported by the right infrastructure and policies, could raise the economic impact to about 4% by extending AI beyond today’s digitally connected firms.
Martin Schindler and other IMF economists say: “AI adoption in sub-Saharan Africa currently lags well behind every other region. If richer economies race ahead while African firms and governments lag, the productivity gap between the region and the rest of the world will only widen.”
Early signs of AI adoption are emerging across Africa, with countries including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Egypt and Nigeria developing AI strategies.
Telecommunications operators, including Vodacom, Econet, Africell and MTN, are also integrating AI into their operations and networks.
Other examples include chatbots supporting teaching and learning in Nigeria and the South African Revenue Service’s use of data analytics for targeted tax audits.
However, the IMF says AI adoption must extend beyond these early use cases to deliver meaningful economic benefits.
“For the region, AI’s main promise is not about replacing office workers, but boosting productivity across the economy—helping informal firms manage inventory, enabling farmers to increase yields, and supporting mid-sized firms to transition to formality and export readiness,” the report reads.
The IMF is urging governments to prioritise investment in reliable electricity, affordable broadband, data infrastructure and digital skills to support wider AI adoption.
Many African countries, including Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, continue to face electricity shortages, while broadband services remain costly and coverage is uneven.
The Fund believes stronger investment in power, connectivity, regional data infrastructure and digital skills would help unlock AI’s economic potential.
National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system to strengthen legal identity management and improve demographic data.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, Mr Afolabi Yori, federal commissioner representing Kogi, said the initiative became operational nationwide on July 1, through the VitalReg platform.
Yori described the development as a landmark in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would modernise birth and death registration through a technology-driven platform that meets international standards.
He said the digital platform would improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria was accurately documented and securely stored.
According to him, civil registration is more than an administrative process, as it provides reliable statistics that support public policy formulation, resource allocation and national development planning.
“Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet millions of births and deaths remain unregistered.
“Birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent,” he said.
The commissioner said that the commission had established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and was working to expand the number to about 8,000.
He added that the commission was strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to improve the capacity of registration personnel and ensure prompt documentation of vital events through the VitalReg platform.
Yori said the platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, and reduce paperwork, waiting time and unnecessary travel.
He disclosed that the platform was being operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnks-forte Technologies Ltd. as the commission’s technical partner to ensure system availability, cybersecurity and continuous technological improvement.
He called on parents, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to support the initiative by encouraging the prompt registration of births and deaths.
Earlier, Samuel Omonakpeme, director in Kogi, NPC State, described the commencement of the digital registration system as another milestone in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
Omonakpeme stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all.
He appreciated the Federal Government, the leadership of the commission, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the initiative.
The state director also urged parents, guardians, health institutions, community leaders, religious organisations and the media to mobilise public support for the timely registration of all births and deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that ICT personnel of the commission, led by Ehimoni Kolawole, conducted a live demonstration of the digital birth registration process using the VitalReg platform.
The demonstration showed that the registration process captures the biodata of both parents, while at least one parent must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration of a newborn.
Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.
In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.
According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.
The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.
YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.
The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.
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