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Disruptive Technologies Critical to Agric Development – Inuwa, NITDA DG

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Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been described as critical role in the Agricultural sector that can guarantee cash flow and a major contributor to the nations’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).


Group photograph of the Director Generalof National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa during the visit by Co – Founder Corporate Farmers International(CFI), Mr Akinwale Alabi and his team to the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.

Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said this when he received the Co-Founder of Corporate Farmers International (CFI), Mr Akinwale Alabi, and his team to the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja to seek possible areas of collaboration in smart agriculture.

Inuwa noted that disruptive innovation using emerging technologies will create new markets and easy access to new products and services.

“There is a need to build these pieces of equipment locally by challenging our startups and tech gurus to come up with solutions to such problems. “The Agency has a Fab-Lab to check the product initiated through a proof-of-concept test. It then proceeds to the fabrication of the product to create a prototype for testing and then later mass production,” the DG added.

Inuwa further asserted that there is a need to create a value chain, adding that “creating platform to bring the farmers, up takers, and financial institutions together to ease the purchase of goods and services without leaving your destination. Instead, all you need is to place a request on the platform, requesting the logistics company to pick up and deliver to the point of initiation.”

“NITDA launched National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) programme to boost the capacity of young Nigerian farmers in the digital world market. NAVSA seeks to digitally transform the agricultural economy of farmers and their business models across all value chains to increase productivity.

The NAVSA pilot program was launched at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) Ogun State, with 100 (One Hundred) young farmers. And later at the Federal University of Duste (FUD), Jigawa State, respectively, to create jobs directly/ indirectly in the country.

Inuwa stressed that the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021 -2024 is a document crafted by the Agency that contains the vision of developing Nigeria into a sustainable digital economy that is prosperous and driven by technology.

SRAP has been tailored to proactively facilitate the country’s transformation into a sustainable Digital Economy but requires an elaborate stakeholder collaboration in implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria.

He said, NITDA SRAP has seven (7) pillars namely: Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy d Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation d Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies and Promotion Indigenous Content Development.

According to the DG, the pillars will foster dynamic regulatory instruments that will unlock opportunities across different sectors of the economy, enable the development of digital skills of Nigerians across different works of life, provide a robust digital platform to drive digitalization processes in the digital economy and enable innovation-driven small and medium enterprises to thrive. We expect that the outcome of this pillar will create opportunities for job creation

He cited that Cybersecurity will strengthen cyberspace and reduce vulnerabilities exploitable by threat actors to create a vibrant digital economy and protect the digital asset and allow citizens to have confidence in the digital economy.

He added that Emerging Technologies will facilitate the adoption and adaptation of emerging technologies in Nigeria and map the development of the digital economy with sustainable development goals in providing quality education, poverty eradication, good health and well-being, and reducing inequalities.

Lastly, the DG said, Promotion of Indigenous Content will create an enabling environment for promoting and adopting indigenous innovation for a digital economy, develop indigenous products and services, increase patronage, and enable iterative problem-solving by indigenous digital technology.

In his earlier remarks, the Co-Founder of Corporate Farmers International, Mr Akinwale Alabi, said the company is known for innovation around the agricultural ecosystem, building technologies, and rendering solutions for the system at large to boost production of agricultural produce.

“Our major focus is to building young entrepreneurs and youth talents that will shape the narrative of Agriculture. And build a new system that will take Nigeria’s agricultural system to the next level”, Alabi said.

“I want to commend the DG of NITDA for the giant strides, intervention, programs, and the launch of the Digital Agricultural strategy that concentrates on the Agricultural sector. Taking advantage and being part of the enterprise document will change people’s perception of farming in the country.”

Alabi further revealed that it developed a system that speaks about Agricultural digital e-learning for young entrepreneurs to plugin quickly and learns easily across the agricultural value chain. This was done in 2022 when Covid was at its peak. And this has helped many farmers gain knowledge about agricultural activities, thereby changing their perception of farming.

 


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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

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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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