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Relevant IT Skills Give Dream Jobs-Akano

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Tim Akano, chief executive officer of New Horizon Training Institute, has over 17 years of corporate experience in three multinationals Unilever, Dunlop & NBC. He has vast experience in sales, marketing, corporate planning, supply chain management, public relations and general management. Akano has successfully deepened Nigeria’s IT knowledge with New Horizon. He spoke to emeka okafor.

Century Nigeria Project
New Horizons is coming up with a programme called Century Nigeria. The whole concept of it is to ensure that the current 21st century will count for Nigeria. We did our analysis and realized that the only window of opportunity left for Nigeria in the world today is in the area of Information Technology because when we talk in terms of manufacturing for instance, the Japanese have already perfected in that area in terms of automobile and electronics, they have cornered that market. When you talk in terms of aero plane, America has already cornered it, so the only window of opportunity left for any country is in the area of Information Technology and that is why New Horizons is coming up with a programme called Century Nigeria.  The programme is to reposition this country  to ensure that this century  counts for Nigeria and not  to make  the century pass like other centuries without making Nigeria relevant  in the international system. We can only become relevant through the instrumentality of IT. We want to use IT to reposition Nigeria to make it a relevant part of the comity of nations and the programme is in phases.  The last  IT job fair we did was the first phase of Century Nigeria where we tried to  bring all the youths in Nigeria together to actually  put on their laps the latest trends in IT and how also they can optimize  the opportunities in IT. So that was the first phase of Century Nigeria. The second phase will be launched in a big way from January next year and we are now going to take it out of Lagos to so many state capitals to ensure that not only the youths in the west, but the youths all over Nigeria are empowered, mobilized and energized enough to the level that they will see the opportunities in IT and they will equally optimize these opportunities. Of course in the last one we did, we brought in the president of EC-Council from the United States of America that is part of the Century Nigeria project. We intend to actually bring the best people in IT internationally as of today to ensure that the Nigerian youths see them, touch them and feel them. We let them know that all those things which those IT greats like Bill Gates at age 19 that Nigerian youths can do the same. For us as a company, we know that it becomes easier for the youths when they feel these people, they see them, they hear from them and as well touch these people. Having done that, they now put the message across that for Nigerian youths like the New Horizons slogan would say “Everything is possible”.
IT Job Fair For Youths
Well, the biggest problem facing this country today is that of joblessness. When we did our survey, we realized that that problem is not totally that of unemployment but that of lack of skills to make people to be employable. So the problem with the youths in this country today is not that of unemployment but that of unemployability. The youths are unemployable in the sense that they don’t have the relevant skills that the industry needs today to actually give them jobs. So the purpose of the job fair we are organizing all over the place now is to ensure that we bring the relevant skills to the youths of this country. We let them see where the gaps are and we need to confirm it that all the youths that have the relevant skills have jobs of their dreams within a period of one or two months because all the businesses you see in this country today, there is none of them that will not expand if they get right skill from their staff whereas they can not expand if the people don’t have the right skill. With the right skill companies will expand and the economy will also expand and become more buoyant. So for us as a company, we saw a gap and we are filling that gap to ensure that we situate the problem the way it is – that the problem is not unemployment but unemployability of youths. To solve the problem, we are giving them a training that will make them to be employable and we are not stopping at that, we are also doing it the way it will be affordable for them. Our dream is that before long, all these youths roaming the streets and make you and I insecure will get jobs as a result of training they have undergone. Then, there won’t be any need for you to build a fence before the house. you build a house because the number of people outside the fence  are more than the number of people inside the house. In the face of insecurity there is nothing you can do, you have to first protect yourself. The source of this problem is that nobody is interested in how to take the youths off the streets and as a company, we are so much interested to take the youths off the streets and that is what informed all the job seminars and fairs we are doing so that in the next two to three years, we would have become a country that is driven by IT so that this century will count for Nigeria.
Changing Schools Curricular to Embrace Modern IT Methods
Well, without sounding immodest, after three years of operation in Nigeria, we can beat our chest that New Horizons has added value to Nigerian universities in particular and our economy in general. We have added value in the sense that three years ago, there was nothing like ICT certification curricular in the Nigerian universities, it’s the innovation of New Horizons Nigeria. We saw that gap and realized that teaching students the old IT curricular would not take us anywhere. We have done it for certain years and we did not come up with anything. So that was the gap we saw three years ago. We are grateful for the support we got from the NUC president, Professor Okogie and even the former secretary Professor Okebukola. We are thankful for the support we got from them that we can as at today beat our chest and say that all the undergraduates in Nigerian universities where New Horizons has entered into agreement with are all being taught with latest IT curricular. Let me also tell you that these guys are the ones getting the plum jobs as graduates. For instance, there’s a guy from Covenant University as a youth corper, he is earning over N6,000 per month. Even in New Horizons, we have youth corpers that are earning N120,000  per month. So without sounding immodest, I will say again that New Horizons has added value to people’s lives, parents, students, university system and to this economy by that singular decision to introduce the latest IT curricular certification-based courses to the university academic system. The early birds in this programme are universities like Crawford, Covenant, Babcock, Crescent, University of Ibadan and Lagos State University. We are indeed grateful to the leadership of these universities who saw the trend of IT and who saw that what we were proposing was actually the way forward. Most of the graduates of these universities are the most sought after today in the labour market because most companies are looking for people they will employ and they start work immediately instead of having to train them again for up to three years. Academic training is just the background, they need professional training.
New Horizons Activities in Universities
Well, there is this concept in management which is called low hanging fruit. Low hanging fruit means the fruits which you can first harvest without struggling for a pole to harvest them. So to us, the low hanging fruits in this programme are the states in the west but having harvested the low hanging fruits, the next stage is stand up and go for high hanging fruits, the one we are going to use the pole to harvest, and that is the next phase of our programme. Some universities in the north have written to us and we are going to partner with them from 2009 and also some other universities in the east. By December 2009, we will have covered the entire country.  In terms of capacity, we have the capacity and don’t forget that what we do now is very simple in the sense that it makes it easier for us to get capacity because we train the students when they were in school, so it is not difficult when they come out with the skill to work for us to employ them. What we are doing is to train people and employ them. In October alone, we employed about twenty people.
Pact with LASU
We are starting with LASU this month. After we signed a memorandum of understanding with LASU sometime ago, we needed to do a lot of awareness because LASU is a state university and that is the first state university we are partnering with, so there was the need for us to do a lot of awareness to the stakeholders including students, parents, parents, teachers of the school. So it took us sometime to actually complete this cycle of awareness but before the end of this month, we are going to start with LASU.
 Recent Extension
We are going to be in the east, north and west by next year. The recent expansion was informed by the demand of the market. We have a lot of people who wanted us to be in Festac, so we had to open a centre there. We had the Ibadan expansion in mind as far back as last year but we just implemented it this year. Like we said , we have Century Nigeria project with the goal  to make Nigeria relevant in the world. No nation reckons with a consuming nation but only reckons a productive one and how can we be productive without capacity building. It is when we build capacity that we can have people that can produce IT solutions that the rest of the world will want to use. For me as an individual, I want to see Nigeria as a country in the next five years that when an IT decision is to be taken then will look for Nigeria. With the Century Nigeria campaign, we are bringing a number of best people ion the world to come and meet with our youths to transfer that inspiration and anointing that they have to our youths here.

 


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How JustMarkets Is Empowering African Traders with Global Market Access

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Africa’s trading community is rapidly growing, evolving, and showing increasing interest in financial markets. From Lagos to Nairobi, from Accra to Johannesburg, more and more people are exploring financial markets as a way to develop skills, earn income, and participate in the global economy. But the ability to trade isn’t enough; traders also need reliable technology, fair conditions, and tools that help them make informed decisions and trade effectively.

How JustMarkets Is Empowering African Traders with Global Market Access

JustMarkets

This is where trading platforms like JustMarkets make a significant contribution to the development and expansion of the trading community in the African region.

By combining global market access with a results-oriented trading environment, JustMarkets helps African traders compete head-to-head with those in the world’s largest financial centers, providing access to tight spreads, a wide range of analytical materials, and a variety of account types.

Breaking Barriers to Global Markets

For years, traders in emerging markets have faced limitations: slow platforms, a limited range of instruments, low liquidity, wide spreads, and infrastructure that hinders professional trading and effective analysis. Today, JustMarkets addresses this significant gap by providing African traders with access to a wide range of global financial instruments through a single, optimized online platform.

Now traders have the opportunity to test short-term strategies, long-term portfolio diversification, and learn how markets work. Traders can now explore opportunities in forex, commodities, indices, and stock markets without geographic barriers or technical difficulties.

A Trading Platform Built for Performance

Technology plays a critical role in modern trading. Market conditions can change in seconds, and execution speed often makes the difference between opportunity and missed entry. The JustMarkets leading trading platform is designed to support fast, confident decisions in real time.

  • Ultra-fast execution. Engineered for low-latency order processing, the app helps ensure trades are executed quickly and efficiently when markets move.

  • Full risk management. Stop-loss, take-profit, and position sizing can be managed directly from the chart, helping traders stay disciplined and protect capital.

  • Advanced charting. Interactive charts, multiple timeframes, drawing tools, and built-in indicators provide the analytical depth needed for informed trading decisions.

  • Real-time alerts. Instant notifications about price movements, order events, and key market developments help traders stay connected even when they’re away from the screen.

  • Secure authentication. Biometric login, encrypted data transmission, and advanced internal security protocols ensure that accounts and personal data remain protected.

This combination of speed, usability, and security makes professional-grade trading accessible from anywhere, even on the go with JustMarkets mobile trading app.

Trade a Wide Range of Global Markets

Access to diverse instruments allows traders to adapt to different market conditions and explore multiple strategies. JustMarkets provides African traders with the ability to participate in major asset classes worldwide.

  • Forex. Trade major, minor, and exotic currency pairs with competitive pricing and deep liquidity.

  • Gold & Metals. Access precious metals such as XAUUSD and XAGUSD, popular instruments for active traders and those seeking exposure to global macro trends with competitive spreads.

  • Indices. Engage with leading global stock indices including the S&P 500, NASDAQ, Dow Jones, DAX, and FTSE – markets that reflect the performance of major economies.

  • Stocks. Trade shares of global companies and high-volume market leaders, opening opportunities to follow international corporate trends.

  • Energy. Speculate on key energy commodities such as WTI and Brent crude oil, instruments often influenced by geopolitical and macroeconomic developments.

This broad market selection helps traders diversify and respond flexibly to changing global conditions.

Supporting Trader Development

Expanding technical, educational, and analytical capabilities extends beyond technology. JustMarkets also places a special emphasis on helping traders build knowledge and confidence. Access to educational materials, market analysis, and structured risk management tools fosters a more disciplined and informed approach to trading, including setting trading goals.

For many African traders, this means moving from random speculation and emotional trades to a more professional mindset, and most importantly, understanding that long-term success depends on strategy, risk management, continuous learning, and a cool head.

Connecting Africa to the Global Financial Ecosystem

Financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, with traders from all regions now participating in the same global capital flow. Offering advanced tools such as flexible leverage, fast order execution, and broad access to markets and trading assets, the JustMarkets online trading platform helps African traders become active participants in this ecosystem with full access to analytical and educational materials, as well as cutting-edge technological solutions for managing trades, accounts, and open positions. JustMarkets’ commitment to empowering traders, increasing financial literacy, and enabling people to engage with global markets on a level playing field. As the African trading community grows, online trading platforms like JustMarkets, which combine performance, accessibility, and security, will play a key role in this process. But pay attention that risk management still is a key to success as CFD trading involves risks.


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Court Freezes MCSN Copyright Levies amid Record Label Legal Battle

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Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has issued an interim Mareva injunction freezing copyright levy funds due to the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN).

Court Freezes MCSN Copyright Levies amid Record Label Legal Battle

The order prevents the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and at least 20 commercial banks from disbursing these funds until further court proceedings.

The injunction stems from Suit No. FHC/L/CS/207/2026, following an ex parte application filed on February 5, 2026, by the Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative on behalf of 11 major record labels and music companies.

Plaintiffs include industry heavyweights such as Mavin Records, Davido Music Worldwide, Chocolate City Music, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Africa, and Warner Music South Africa.

The plaintiffs, through their attorney, sought to restrain the CBN from releasing any copyright levy funds related to sound recordings earmarked for MCSN.

They also asked the court to bar MCSN and its agents from accessing, transferring, or using the funds, whether received directly from the CBN or routed through commercial banks.


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NITDA, HORSA Empower Lawmakers’ Spouses with Digital Skill

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the House of Representatives Spouses Association (HORSA), organized a specialized two‑day digital literacy and capacity‑building workshop for the spouses of members of the House of Representatives.

The initiative, themed “Empowering Women for a Digital Future: Leadership, Wellbeing, and Opportunity,” is designed to equip spouses of lawmakers with the tools needed to navigate the modern digital economy and the unique demands of public life.

Moving beyond basic computer literacy, the workshop offers a comprehensive suite of skills, including financial and digital literacy—focused on using digital tools for business growth and personal finance management; cybersecurity and digital wellbeing—promoting online safety, data protection, and mental health resilience; and economic empowerment—unlocking opportunities in remote work, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), and digital entrepreneurship.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, said the workshop underscores the crucial role spouses play in supporting public office holders. He described spouses as trusted advisers whose understanding of legislative responsibilities helps lawmakers perform more effectively.

He noted that the demanding nature of legislative work often places strain on family life, adding that empowering spouses with digital and leadership skills would strengthen their capacity to provide informed support and constructive feedback to their partners in public service. He urged participants to take full advantage of the training, stressing that continuous learning is essential in an increasingly digital world.

Kalu further observed that many spouses already lead humanitarian and development initiatives in their communities, and that the skills gained from the programme would enhance communication, strategic planning, and resource mobilisation, thereby deepening their contribution to community development and national growth.

In his welcome address, the NITDA Director‑General, Kashifu Inuwa, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to build a sustainable digital economy by ensuring that no group is excluded from digital opportunities due to skills gaps. He noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu places digitalisation and innovation at the heart of economic diversification and inclusive growth.

He added that NITDA is implementing a national digital literacy framework aimed at achieving 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, driven through three key focus areas: integrating digital skills into formal education, upskilling public servants, and expanding community‑level digital inclusion.

Inuwa described women as critical drivers of Nigeria’s digital transformation, noting that empowering spouses of lawmakers with digital skills would strengthen leadership at home and positively influence legislative processes at the National Assembly. He explained that NITDA is working with the Ministry of Education and global technology partners to train teachers nationwide, while over 54,000 public servants are currently enrolled in the Agency’s digital literacy programmes.

He also stated that through community champions deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, millions of Nigerians are being reached annually with basic digital skills training, stressing that national leaders must not be left behind in Nigeria’s digital transition. According to him, digitally literate spouses can play a vital role in encouraging technology‑driven governance, including ongoing efforts to digitise legislative processes.

In her goodwill message, the Leader of HORSA and wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, described the workshop as a historic milestone and the first comprehensive capacity‑building programme organised by the 10th Assembly for spouses of lawmakers. She noted that public life in a digital age now extends beyond physical spaces into online platforms, making digital and financial literacy, cyber protection, and digital wellbeing essential skills for spouses of national leaders.

Hajiya Abbas emphasised that the sessions on mental health, emotional resilience, entrepreneurship, and leadership were timely, as spouses of public office holders often shoulder invisible emotional responsibilities. According to her, empowering women economically strengthens families and communities, adding that the knowledge gained from the workshop would not only support lawmakers behind the scenes but also enable women to contribute more meaningfully to national development in the digital economy.

The event also featured goodwill messages and contributions from senior government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim; the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Prof. (Mrs.) Olufolake Abdulrazaq; the Chairman of the House Committee on ICT, Hon. Stanley Olajide; the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara; and the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Offiong Akpabio.


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