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Gov.Udom Receives Post COVID-19 Economic Committee Report
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has received the report submitted by the 20-member committee put together by his administration to reposition the state for the post COVID-19 economy.
The report was submitted on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at an event which had in attendance the governor and members of the State Executive Council.
The committee which had Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, a former Director General of the West African Institute for Financial & Economic Management (WAIFEM) as Chairman and Prof Emmanuel Onwioduokit, HOD, Economic, University of Uyo as Secretary; also boasts a number of prominent entrepreneurs including Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Group; Udom Inoyo former Executive Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil as well as other eggheads from the corporate and academic circles as well as seasoned administrators in its fold.
The 142-page report was divided into nine chapters, each of which addressed specific areas of interventions or terms of reference on what should be done in rejigging and restructuring Akwa Ibom state to navigate the post COVID-19 world.
Equally important, the report was classified into three different time frames, namely the immediate, short term and long term interventions.
They include mental orientation of the people, especially the youths; focus on agriculture, industry and service as potential mainstay of the Akwa Ibom economy in a post COVID-19 world without oil; massive efforts to continue the industrialization process in the state, increased participation of the youth in the economy and stamping out of cultism/other criminal activities in the state; completion of the Science Park to serve as a Silicon Valley of sorts for Akwa Ibom state as well as for job creation and improvement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); massive investment in infrastructure; re-visitation of the state’s waterways transportation; full autonomy for the state’s internal revenue board by disengaging it from the public service and the establishment of clear targets for it; recapitalization of state-owned financial institutions such as the Akwa Saving & Loans Ltd. and provision of credit facilities for low-income housing for residents; set-up of an independent data generation institution to aid the state’s planning purposes; inauguration of an Economic Advisory Council to assist in the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of government policies; establishment of a Reserve Fund to see the state through lean periods; recommendation of an exit plan for the state’s commercial ventures; identification of low-hanging fruits that the state can immediately take advantage of and the creation of a 30-year strategic development plan to be passed into law in the state.
Receiving the committee’s report, Governor Udom heaped praises on the members of the committee for completing its work within the one-month time frame outlined.
Specifically, he singled out two non-indigene members of the committee – the Zinox Chairman, Dr. Ekeh and Prof. Vincent Anigbogu, Director-General, Institute for National Transformation – for special praise.
‘‘On behalf of the good people of Akwa Ibom State and the Executive Council, I want to appreciate the members of this committee, beginning from the Chairman, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, the Secretary, Prof Emmanuel Onwioduokit and most especially those our brothers, Prof. Anigbogu, Leo Stan Ekeh and our sister Mary of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as busy as she’s been who still created time to serve her state irrespective of her busy schedule.
‘‘I really want to appreciate all of them specifically and convey the gratitude of our own people.
“I want to say we are grateful to Prof. Anigbogu, to Leo Stan Ekeh and all the Akwa Ibomites who have served on this committee.’’
Reacting to the recommendations of the committee, the Akwa Ibom Governor disclosed that his administration will implement every single one to the letter.
He also commended the innovative ideas for repositioning the state and empowering the youths through ICT, even as he welcomed the idea of mental re-orientation.
‘‘The only way forward and the fastest approach; I believe when I read your report, I will see as one of the low-hanging fruits, is to drive our youths through ICT.
“For this, we have to work with our brother, Leo Stan Ekeh, a friend of the state, who in fact, we must give a local government which he will adopt as the one he hails from in Akwa Ibom; so that he can help us drive the aspect of youths and ICT.’’
Referencing the growth of platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Netflix, the governor affirmed that COVID-19 had created a number of business opportunities for people through ICT, noting that a lot more are coming.
‘‘I wouldn’t want Akwa Ibom to be left behind,’’ he declared.
On the 20-year strategic development plan for the state, Udom expressed excitement with the recommendation.
Also, he stated that the Executive Council was working on a similar proposal, noting that the proposal had undergone two reviews.
Subsequently, he assured of his commitment to conclude the economic plan as quickly as possible.
Equally important, he revealed the immediate set-up of a five-member implementation committee headed by the committee Chairman, Prof. Ekpo to see to the immediate execution of the report submitted by the committee.
Others include the Secretary, Prof. Emmanuel Onwioduokit; former Executive Vice Chairman, ExxonMobil, Mr. Udom Inoyo; Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet and Hon. Eno Uwan.
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.
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