News
Daar Communications is Africa’s pride – Ndukwe
Executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Engr. Ernest Ndukwe last week in Abuja, said the vision and innovativeness of the broadcast giant, Daar Communications must be encouraged as the company has become the pride of Africa in the broadcast and communications industry.
Ndukwe who paid a courtesy call to the chairman of Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi at the Gbaduma Hills Headquarters of the organization, was particularly impressed with the Daarsat pay television initiative of the company which he said is a major milestone that would project Nigeria and the African continent to the world in terms of opening up competition in the market and exportation of local content.
He said Daar Communications has blazed the trail in the communications and broadcast sector, and has despite the challenges, remained focused, mobilizing a hardworking team, and has achieved success which is a big plus for the Nigerian nation.
"Your initiatives would also encourage technology transfer which is very critical to our development and I can only congratulate Daar Communications for its vision, doggedness, and efforts. We believe your efforts today have given hope for the future and we wish to encourage you to continue to do your best," Ndukwe said
Ndukwe who was accompanied in the visit by the executive commissioner, Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Engr. Stephen Bello, and other top officials of the Commission, said the NCC would continue to support Daar Communications in whatever ways possible to ensure that it realizes its aspiration and vision which has since provided the benchmark for the transformation in the Nigerian broadcast sector.
He said the Commission would seek areas of cooperation with Daar Communications, especially in areas of capacity building through the Digital Bridge Institute, DBI, the ICT training institute established by the NCC.
Dokpesi, who took Ndukwe round the complex for inspection of several installations, expressed gratitude to the Commission for facilitating some of its relationships with the international satellite companies for the delivery of signals across the world.
He said the visit of NCC’s boss to Daar Communications is an encouragement to the organisation, and urged the Commission to continue with the direction that has transformed the telecom sector for the benefit of the country.
Dokpesi, who was joined by elder statesman, Ambassador Segun Olusola to receive Ndukwe said the new initiatives by the company would bring the era of ‘one way traffic,’ which is downloading broadcast signals into the country to a close, as it will now usher an era of uploading broadcast signals from Nigerian to other parts of the country.
Newgate Holds IT Training for Children
Newgate Medical Services Limited has provided ICT training for children of its customers in Ikorodu, as part of its way of giving back to the society.
Olufemi Boyede, chairman, Board of Directors, said at the commencement of the programme that the gesture was to give back to those who have patronized the company over time.
He said his company did not only go into business to make profit but also to put smiles on the faces of the good people of Ikorodu, owing to the fact that it is a medical services provider.
Dr. Ojo Sikiru Olubayo, medical director of the company, said Newgate is an IT-driven organization.
"Most of our consultations and prescriptions are done online. While we are interviewing candidates for employment, we realized that most of the candidates were deficient in the computer knowledge, so we decided that if we should make the populace aware of the usefulness of Information Technology, they should start from somewhere. That was why we decided to set up a project tagged: Computer Awareness Training Seminar, basically for the children of our clients."
Some of the participants said they were happy about the programme as it had offered them the opportunity to learn how to use the computer.
Atte Ayodeji, a Nigerian computer scientist,has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of detecting, counting, grouping and generating healthy hair follicles during hair transplant procedures, an innovation that earned him the Best Innovative Technology award.
Atte Ayodeji
Ayodeji also graduated with a Distinction in his Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science from Birmingham City University on Friday, adding another milestone to an impressive academic year.
Beyond his award-winning hair transplant innovation, the Nigerian researcher developed a system and framework on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) as a professional responsibility in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
His dissertation received a silver award at the PGXPO2026 Winter, further highlighting the impact of his research in applying artificial intelligence to healthcare.
Sunday Dare, special adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Tinubu, celebrated Ayodeji’s achievements in a post on X, recalling how he first met him in 2019 during his National Youth Service.
“In 2019 when I became a Minister of the Republic, I met a young man of medium height, genteel with penetrating eyes: Atte Ayodeji. His words rarely come out and he could easily be passed by unnoticed. But I noticed him especially when my SA Kemi Areola brought him to me asking my approval for him to do his Youth Service in my office. I approved. From then on he was unstoppable. His brilliance shown and he developed skills beyond his frame.”
Highlighting Ayodeji’s recent accomplishments, Dare congratulated him saying, “Congratulations Atte. I am proud of you!”
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power, has said that the federal government plans to end power sector subsidies from 2027 and that there are no immediate plans for tariff increases.
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power
The minister told journalists during the media interactive session at the weekend that the government has announced plans to phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027 as part of efforts to address mounting liabilities in the power sector.
He explained that the planned removal forms part of the broader reforms aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the electricity sector, while tackling the financial challenges confronting the industry.
According to the minister, despite the planned subsidy withdrawal, there are no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs, reassuring consumers that the government is not considering a tariff hike in the short term.
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.
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