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Kolawole Lauds Coderina Robots Skills Testing For Kids

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Some of the competing students during Coderina inspired First Lego League (FLL) held in Lagos State recently.
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Adebola Kolawole, head teacher, Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Ojodu –Berger, Lagos has applauded Coderina for instituting First Lego League (FLL) in Nigeria, aimed at tasking the brains of pupils in various schools across the country.

Meanwhile, Kolawole believes that with supports from Government and private sectors, the competition will go places, bringing about mathematical, technological and engineering changes in the country.

Speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek at the FLL competition held at the University of Lagos (UniLag) recently, she said, “I came here to cheer up my team which is the victorious team in this programme that is being organized by SAP and First Lego League at University of Lagos Campus after the students had been given robots to carry out individual task.

“The main project that was presented by my school which is an electronic light project on how you can generate light in a dark environment and the light will be visible.

“It is the first of its kind, a pilot scheme. My expectation is that in the next one to two years a lot of schools will come up to see the importance of this, which is brain tasking  and to encourage the students to do better even in their basic correct schools because they have to task their intelligence, their medullar-oblongata. It helps to develop their brain. Next year by the grace of God I want to see many schools coming up to compete and show interest in First Lego League competition”.

She revealed that the schools success in the competition could be linked to an equipped ICT lab donated to the school by the State Government. 

“It was given to us by the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology with 24 hours internet service, with a lot of computers in the ICT room. I can confidently say that the students  are computer literate because from basic seven to nine they are all computer literate,” she said.

Speaking further on the First Lego League, Kolawole said, “The organizers of the First Lego League under the leadership of Olajide Ajayi have done very well. They gave my school and others the robots which are very expensive for us to use.

“I want to appeal to government, corporate bodies and NGOs to come and support these people. When we begin to catch them young, this will help the students a lot. The students in my school have come to embrace the robotic programme, but all of them cannot participate in it.

“It has to do with tasking the brain and it’s not everybody that is scientific oriented, some are commercial base, vocational base and others technical base. It is a new thing in Lagos state but there in abroad young children do this often because they have the wherewithal and computer at their disposal. Now that they have embraced it, I know that it will go places.

While assessing the programme in terms of awareness, she said, “The government should come in to create awareness in the schools and the country. They should help to publicise it, and advertise it with sponsors. The media should also come in by showing different forms of robotic games on television, as this will encourage and brighten the intellectual capability of these children.

“They will begin to explore how to do robotic things, while rich parents could get the materials for their children even at home. They will begin to see things in another perspective since it will enhance their children and they will start practicing at home not even in the school.

The FIRST® LEGO® League, an exciting and fun global robotics program that ignites an enthusiasm for discovery, science, and technology in kids ages 9 to 16.

She aligned her thought with Professor Charles Uwadia, head of Computer Science, University of Lagos (UniLag) who earlier said that Coderina has shown that sustainability of Science and Technology, Engineering and Education in Nigeria must not be overlooked.

Holding for the first time in Nigeria, but for the penchant interests of SAP, world leading Enterprise Application Software provider and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the number one ICT agency of the federal government led by the visionary Engr. Peter Jack; as the sponsors.

On his part, Mr. Olajide Ajayi, director, Coderina/FLL Nigeria, reiterated that technologies offer opportunities to stimulate growth, increase innovation and enable individuals and institutions to interact more productively within the global economy.

The Director said that matching resources by resourcefulness and combining such efforts with initiatives on the part of educators, government and the third sector in the quest to build capacity for our future creative leaders, has become even more essential.

 

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

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A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.

The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.

“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.

That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.

Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.

Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.

“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.

“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”


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Flaw in Microsoft SharePoint Sparks Global Cybersecurity Concern

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A Microsoft SharePoint server software flaw is causing widespread concern across the global cybersecurity landscape, exposing thousands of organisations to hackers exploiting a new vulnerability.

This critical vulnerability exposes government agencies, universities, and energy firms who are at risk of cyberattacks. The flaw, now being actively exploited by unidentified hackers, allows attackers to gain deep, remote access to on-premise SharePoint servers.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the vulnerability can enable malicious actors to access internal files, change configurations, and even execute remote code, effectively giving them high-level control over compromised systems.

Microsoft has also acknowledged the breach and released a security patch aimed at stopping the ongoing attacks. The firm urged users to apply the patch immediately, saying it is working to roll out additional protections, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg.

Despite these efforts, cybersecurity researchers warn that systems may remain vulnerable if attackers have already infiltrated networks, stolen authentication keys, or implanted persistent backdoors before patches were applied.

The United States hosts the highest number of these vulnerable systems, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The Washington Post reported that the breach has already impacted a range of institutions, including U.S. federal and state agencies, academic institutions, energy companies, and a telecommunications firm in Asia.

This latest incident adds to a growing list of cybersecurity challenges facing Microsoft. In March, the company revealed that Chinese state-backed hackers had targeted its cloud-based services to infiltrate both U.S. and international organisations.

Last year, the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board sharply criticised Microsoft’s internal security culture as ‘inadequate’ after a separate breach compromised its Exchange Online mail systems and exposed communications of high-level officials.


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NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that it has reduced incidents of extortion and unofficial charges in the identity enrolment process by over 40 per cent.

NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC,

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, who disclosed this  at an event in Lagos at the weekend, attributed the drop to improved transparency in fee structure at the commission.

The CEO was represented by Lanre Yusuf, director, Information Technology and Identity Database, NINC.

The workshop, organised by the identity regulator in partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, focused on repositioning Nigeria’s digital identity landscape and combating misinformation.

According to Coker-Odusote, the sharp reduction in illicit charges is a direct result of reforms introduced by NIMC to curb racketeering and unauthorised payments, which have for years plagued the national identity registration process..

“Enrolment for the National Identification Number remains free. We have standardised modification and authentication fees, and these are publicly disclosed. Our enforcement of a transparent fee structure has resulted in a 40 per cent drop in extortion and unofficial charges,” the regulator said.

She explained that prior to her assumption of office, complaints about exploitative fees at enrolment centres were widespread, fuelling public distrust in the system.

However, she noted that the commission had since prioritised transparency and stakeholder accountability, ensuring that Nigerians no longer have to pay above the legally mandated fees. “We are addressing deep-rooted issues that once undermined public confidence in the enrolment process,” she said.

The NIMC chief added that the commission had introduced digital tools to reduce human interference in the registration process.

These include the NINAuth mobile app, the Self-Service NIN Enrolment and Modification app, and Contactless Biometric Solutions, all designed to make the system more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.

Coker-Odusote also reiterated the commission’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that no Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital identity transformation.

According to her, over 7,167 front-end enrolment agents and partners have been revalidated and retrained to serve the public professionally, with strict monitoring mechanisms now in place.

In addition, NIMC has deployed grievance redress officers across all 36 states to handle complaints from Nigerians about enrolment centres and agents, with a 24/7 toll-free line available to report any misconduct.

The reforms are part of broader efforts by the Commission to build a unified, secure, and people-centred digital identity system that facilitates access to government services, financial inclusion, social protection, and national planning.

Coker-Odusote called on media partners to support the Commission in disseminating accurate information, countering misinformation, and raising awareness about the benefits of digital identity.

“We are asking our partners in the media to help us combat fake news and promote transparency in the identity ecosystem. We need to ensure every Nigerian understands their rights and knows that their identity is key to accessing opportunities and services,” she said.


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