Connect with us

Telecom

Coderina, Unilag Ink MoU to Empower Undergraduates with Entrepreneurship Skills

Published

on

L-R: Chairman BOT, Coderina, Femi Niyi; Lead/Coordinator, AI & Robotics Lab (AIROL), Dr Chika Yinka-Banjo; VC of Unilag, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Dvc-DS -Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa and the Director of Entrepreneurship Centre Unilag, Dr Adebisi, during the donation of Robotics Kits to Unilag Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Laboratory by Coderina Education and Technological Foundation
Kindly share this post

University of Lagos has partnered with Coderina; one of Africa’s top EdTech not-for-profit organizations that leverage technology as an enabler for social, economic, and gender inclusion.

Coderina lowers the barriers to entry for Africa’s youth to acquire skills and prepare them adequately for the future of work and entrepreneurship.

This partnership model promises to be successful in many areas than robotics, AI, ML Programs such as COUCH (Coderina University Challenge) will help students hone their creativity and entrepreneurial skills.

At the same time, the Coderina Project Fair will also ensure that students and researchers approach their university dissertations and research work to provide solutions to social and economic problems.

Workforce readiness and skills mismatch are issues of great national and societal importance. These need to be tackled headlong. Through this partnership, Coderina plan to democratize access to practical, experiential skills while also helping students gain competencies and lifelong skills

In signing the MOU, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, reaffirmed his confidence in this relationship as what can build enduring skills in our young adult in preparation for the future of work.

He also extolled the quality of work that Coderina is doing in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, introducing coding and robotics to all 104 Federal Unity Colleges.

The VC stated that “Addressing Africa’s skills gap in the age of technology would require bold steps to be taken in the area of capacity building”

Ogundipe stressed further quoting the World Economic Forum, “The root of unemployment is not only a lack of jobs; a key underlying issue is also the inadequately educated workforce. And this challenge is likely to be amplified in the coming years due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by fast-paced technological progress combined with other socio-economic and demographic changes, which will further transform labor markets.” Hence the time to start to address skills shortages is now.”

Speaking at the event, Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo, lead/coordinator of the University of Lagos AI & Robotics Lab (AiRoL), enthused at the prospect and potential of the collaboration.

She stated that the benefits of the relationship are already far-reaching. Coderina has donated some robotics kits to the lab, provided training, and has already prepared young learners for the FIRST Lego League Championship, a World Robotics Challenge, and now put together a UNILAG team for FIRST Tech Challenge. This partner will not only benefit the University, but it will also help create an outreach program for youth in the neighboring underserved communities.”

On his part, Dr Sunday Adebisi, Director of the Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre (ESDC), welcomed the University of Lagos’s relationship with CODERINA through the AI-Robotic Lab and ESDC as a development that will enable the students build rare and competitive skills of the future for decent jobs.

He said given that this generation will have to change careers more than ten times in their lifetime, as a result of many jobs that will go into extinction and other ones that will be birth, there is no better time than now that this quality relationship that supports students to build AI skills should be consummated.

The director said: “I am optimistic that our students with the present training arrangement will become globally competitive in employability opportunities, job creation, and entrepreneurship development.”

According to the Founder of Coderina, Mr. Ajayi, “This partnership brings a unique dimension to academia-third sector collaboration where both organizations mutually benefit through research, knowledge-sharing and practical execution on research findings in the field of robotics, drones technology, AI, entrepreneurship, solve practical problems and unlock vast potential for impact at scale.”


Kindly share this post

Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Federal government has abolished the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, a levy that had long sparked public concern over rising costs for subscribers.

FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

Pic credit… Itedgenews

Aminu Maida,  executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced the development during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

Maida explained that the duty, which was earlier suspended, had now been completely removed by President Bola Tinubu under the new tax legislation.

“The excise duty, it was the 5 per cent or so, that is no longer there. Before it was suspended, but now the president has been magnanimous to remove it entirely. I was in a room when it was raised, and he said, No, no, no, we cannot put this on Nigerians. I was very pleased when the bills came out and we saw his words were followed through,” he disclosed.

Maida stressed that eliminating the charge would ease cost pressures on subscribers and enable wider industry growth.

He added that reforms within the sector were now guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and stronger consumer protection.

The EVC revealed that the regulator was moving beyond traditional rule-based supervision to incorporate behavioural economics, which includes providing more information for consumers and operators to make informed choices.

According to him, one key initiative is a nationwide public map of network performance, expected in September, that will provide independent data on download speeds, latency, and other service indicators.

“There will also be a quarterly network performance report based on user data. It extends accountability beyond mobile operators to also include infrastructure providers who play a critical role in reliability,” he said.

The NCC boss further emphasised the importance of corporate governance as a tool to attract investment and improve industry efficiency. He noted that the ultimate goal is to nurture a telecom company that is wholly Nigerian-owned, well-structured, and globally competitive.

He listed some of the NCC’s recent achievements, including the conclusion of the NIN-SIM audit, settlement of USSD debt disputes, transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal.

On call tariffs, he pointed out that competition had helped keep rates low, with the highest in the market today at about N18 or N19 per minute, compared to N50 per minute two decades ago.

Addressing frequent consumer complaints, he disclosed that the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had developed a new framework to standardise electronic recharge processes. In addition, Tier-1 audit firms were hired to investigate billing systems after reports of unexplained data depletion.

The results, he said, showed no systemic manipulation. Instead, factors such as background applications, device settings, and complex tariff plans contributed to user dissatisfaction.

“We are not trying to punish anyone. We want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better, and the government benefits from a broader tax base,” Maida added.

 

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

Roqqu, SiBAN Unite to Drive Blockchain Innovation Across Nigeria

Published

on

Kindly share this post

In a strategic move to propel the Nigerian blockchain ecosystem, Roqqu, a prominent digital finance and blockchain solutions provider, has officially partnered with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN).

This new alliance will leverage the combined expertise and resources of both organizations to foster innovation, drive development, and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across Nigeria.

The partnership comes shortly after Roqqu was welcomed into the SiBAN network as a corporate member, solidifying a joint commitment to building a more credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem.

The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.

In a statement, the organizations detailed a range of initiatives to be launched as part of this collaboration, all aimed at promoting financial inclusion and responsible innovation.

Key initiatives to be carried out by the two organisations include jointly hosting events to educate both the public and industry professionals on blockchain technology, developing training programs to equip developers and the public with the skills needed to thrive in the blockchain space and actively engaging with regulators and policymakers to help shape a more informed and compliant blockchain community in Nigeria.

“We are delighted to have this collaboration. Our collective strength lies in the diversity and commitment that we both bring to the table and ultimately, contribute to the growth of the blockchain ecosystem,” said Obinna Iwuno, President of SiBAN in the statement.

Roqqu has seen remarkable growth in recent years, establishing itself as a leading force in making cryptocurrency and digital finance accessible. With a focus on providing fast, reliable, and user-friendly services, the company has expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria into other key African markets, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This expansion, along with a virtual currency license to operate in the European Economic Area (EEA), positions Roqqu as a truly international fintech company.

Reacting to the partnership, the Chief Compliance Officer of Roqqu, Roimot Ajiboye-Ibitoye, said partnering with SiBAN is a natural step to make blockchain technology and digital finance accessible, safe, and beneficial for everyone, insisting that together, the two organisations are not just talking about blockchain adoption. Rather, actively building the frameworks, trust, and education needed for it to thrive responsibly in Nigeria.

“This collaboration represents a united front between innovators and industry advocates to create a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By combining our expertise with SiBAN’s strong advocacy and regulatory engagement, we are setting the stage for a future where blockchain becomes a trusted driver of financial inclusion and economic growth across the globe,” he said.

This partnership highlights a shared vision between Roqqu and associations like SiBAN that play a crucial role in bridging the gap between industry innovation and responsible adoption to ensure the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience, creating a safer and more robust future for digital finance in Nigeria.

SiBAN as a body provides a platform where stakeholders can share knowledge and experiences, where companies can engage in constructive policy discussions with regulators, where communities can learn about safe, responsible participation in the blockchain space and where businesses can collaborate on solutions that serve both economic and social development goals.

Industry watchers believe that this partnership highlights a shared vision of creating a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By working together, Roqqu and SiBAN aim to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, ensuring that the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it has successfully eliminated users of unregistered subscriber identity modules (SIM), from the Nigerian telecommunication network, a development that can boost national and cyber security.

NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC,

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC, who disclosed the information at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, said, however, that it was beyond the scope of the agency to control the names with which some customers used in registered their SIMs.

The NCC CEO pointed out that while the commission had successfully removed unregistered SIMs from its network, some strange names being attached to some of the subscribers reflect what the owners used while registering with their operators.

“No unregistered SIM is operating on the network as of today, but there may be people using names they did not register with, apparently to mask their identities. We cannot control the names attached to each SIM, as they reflect what the owners used at the time of registration with their respective operators,” the EVC said.

“While NCC cannot control that behaviour, it is to be noted that it is an offence to use fake names to make or receive calls in Nigeria,” Maida warned.

The EVC, however, said that the commission has put necessary measures in place to ensure sanity and stability in the industry so that every user can determine the best network operator to patronise based on performance, service delivery and charges.

He said the commission would, in September this year, launch a public map to show subscribers which of the telecoms networks provides the best service and tariff plan to determine which to patronise based on their locations.

Mr. Maida said for the industry to make the required progress and serve the interests of the people, there is a need for a fresh injection of capital from outside the industry, adding that the commission had already revised a series of good governance guidelines to guide operators in the industry.

According to him, the guidelines are aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and boosting investors’ confidence and customers’ trust in the industry.

He said, “The need for good corporate governance guidelines requires that operators in the industry must provide audited reports to boost investors’ confidence and earn the trust and confidence of their customers”.

The ECV explained that the commission approved the recent tariff hike for the industry due to the fact that there had not been any cost-reflective tariff adjustment for a decade, adding that the commission was mindful of the need to protect the interests of both the operators and Nigerian subscribers.

On the issue of threats to telecoms infrastructure nationwide, the EVC announced that he would soon meet with governors to discuss the need for them to team up with NCC to protect telecoms infrastructure in their domains and to also eliminate multiple taxes on the operators so as to improve service delivery and ensure national security.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending