General News
Making the Most of London 2012
My last assignment as a sports journalist was at the 2006 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta and Ijebu Ode, Ogun State – the same year Germany hosted FIFA’s World Cup Finals. Six years is a pretty long time, and I was wondering how the London Games would go by without me putting a word.
But times have also changed. I moved from being a sports reporter to a technology writer, after a spell as Communications’ Consultant with one of the nation’s brightest firms in Lagos. But what do the Games of the XXX Olympiad hold in stock for humanity? Are Nigerians really in the mix for a better outing? What new technological innovations are we likely to experience with the London 2012 Games?
For starts, the London 2012 Games would be the most viewed programme on television in the history of humanity. Olympic officials estimate an incredible four billion people across the world would atleast watch one sports of the games through the 17 days of this summer.
That would double the figures of Beijing, China in 2008 where it was recorded that 1.3 billion Chinese (alone) watched the closing events. Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), noted then that it was the most watched event in human history.
“We had more broadcast coverage to more people, in more places than ever,” said Rogge during his closing news conference in the Chinese capital. Now, South Sudan would be added as a nation of people who watched the games this summer.
Each games come with its own peculiarity: broadcast innovations, marketing breakthroughs and entertainment values. The London 2012 Games are already awash with what it would bequeath mankind. Costs are mind-bugging as governments of host cities go all out to secure financing for the Games.
A BBC cost overview of the London 2012 Games shows why poor countries would never afford to host the Olympics. “On 15 March 2007 the government announced the budget for the Games had risen from £2.4 billion to £9.35 billion, although it said the cost of the Games would be £5.3 billion.”
So how did that work out? “New venues cost £3.1 billion – these include the Olympic Park at Stratford and the athletes’ village. £1.7 billion spent on regeneration and infrastructure. £600m spent on extra security – the government of David Cameron is already crossed with the private security firm contracted to provide security for the Games. The UK government had to call in over 3, 500 soldiers to help provide additional security.
“The government set aside £2.7 billion in a contingency fund in case costs rise further. The Olympics will have to pay an £840m tax bill. £390m will be spent on other costs, such as the Paralympics and community sport.
“Income: The government will provide £6 billion, with other funds coming from London council tax payers and the National Lottery. Further income will come from International Olympic
Committee TV and marketing deals (£560m); sponsorship and official suppliers (£450m); ticket revenues (£300m); licensing (£60m) and London Development Agency (£250m).
Other revenue sources for the Games will include: “9.6 million tickets for sale – 8 million for the Olympics and 1.6 million for the Paralympics.”
It shows the details LOCs take in planning and running the Games.
When Nigeria failed in its bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Canada, I remember asking a colleague how we would have succeeded in hosting the Commonwealth Games, seeing that we made a mess of the 2003 All Africa Games in Abuja.
For the Beijing Games, one of America’s TV network, the National Broadcast Corporation (NBC), paid $894 million for the exclusive broadcast rights to the United States and it succeeded in generating more than $1 billion in advertising revenue.
The same cannot be said of Nigeria or any other African country – perhaps South Africa being an exception.
London 2012 would also present the most diverse mix of media coverage than at any other Olympics.
The internet will be awash with Olympic contents, especially on social media platforms like twitter, google+, facebook or youtube.
Viewers are expected to plant themselves through either of these platforms to follow the Olympic trends.
For the Nigerian viewer, it is still light years behind the technological age.
The irregular public electricity supply is nolonger news worthy for media outlets.
The promised Eldorado after the landing of two submarine fibres has not delivered the much hyped broadband freedom.
Download speed is still not faster than a snail crawl.
Watching internet TV is laborious and tasks the eyes and brain.
Transmission on the local terrestrial TV networks would not give accurate account, as most events won’t be broadcast live. Viewers would be limited to DTH options for the full Olympic experience.
But even then, I gloss over what would excite the Nigerian viewer to budget for extra fuel cost just to power his generator set to view any of the events?
The Nigerian contingent to the Games didn’t provide any gold medal excitements.
The qualification of the men’s basketball team was as exciting as it come – no medal prospect.
Perhaps one sport Nigerians might think of watching could be in the men canoeing where the Anglo-Nigeria Johny Adeyemi, 23, competes having eliminated the Beijing 2008 bronze medalist to get listed for London 2012.
Akinyemi’s feat over the much rated Benjamin Boukpeti, in canoe slalom, men’s kayak (K1) early this year makes him the most exciting individual Nigerian to watch-out.
Traditionally, track and field used to be a favourite medals prospect for Nigeria, but not anymore with several elite athletics defecting to European countries where there are better remunerations and affection for the athlete.
Last Friday, Benedict Efe, a Lagos based sports journalist was bemoaning the absence of the Nigerian football teams having watched Brazil made a mince-meat of the Cameroonian Lionesses.
But you can be sure that after London 2012, the government would go back to the drawing board for a better performance at the next Olympics!
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, on Wednesday said that no fewer than twelve federal universities will benefit from high-fibre digital infrastructure before the end of the year.
In addition, some Nigerian universities are set to begin enjoying 24-hour electricity supply to enhance teaching, research, and learning on campuses, according to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa.
Dr. Tijani disclosed this at the commissioning of a High-Fibre Digital Facility at the University of Abuja’s old Boys Hostel. He said the initiative aims to equip students with digital skills and access needed to explore emerging opportunities in the global tech ecosystem before graduation.
Citing examples of young Nigerians who have successfully built billion-dollar online payment firms, Dr. Tijani urged students to leverage the digital infrastructure being provided by the current administration to develop themselves and build a future in tech.
The project is a collaboration between the federal government, Galaxy Backbone Nigeria Ltd, Huawei Technologies Nigeria, and other tech firms. It will deliver free Wi-Fi services across campuses, serving as a digital equalizer for students.
Present at the inauguration were the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa; the National Commissioner for the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji; the Managing Director of NigComSat, Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen; and the Postmaster General of the Federation, Mrs. Tola Odeyemi.
Also the Vice chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Patricia Lar and the institution’s Registrar and the Managing Director of Huawei Technologies Nigeria, Mr Teorens Wu attended the event.
Dr Tijani further said digital inclusion was necessary especially for the students to navigate contemporary challenges and become successful in the digital space without waiting for white collar jobs on graduation.
He said the University was the first of the seven universities for the first phase of the pilot scheme. And that by the end of June, they would have connected the seven universities for the first phase.
“This initiative we are launching here today is the first of the seven in a pilot scheme, and by the end of July, we will have connected the seven universities”, he said.
“Galaxy Backbone has the infrastructure in place already; all we are doing is to take the fibre to hostels,” the Minister added.
“Your challenge today is what you do with the knowledge that you’re being given. And this is why to actualise the dream of our president, we’ve taught it to be important that Nigerian university students cannot continue to learn without access to meaningful connectivity.
“It is unacceptable because we know when we give you this access that not only are you going to be better in what you’re learning, but you’re actually going to create the future that our president is asking that we create as a nation”, Dr Tijani said.
Dr. Alausa, on his part, noted that the University was a special institution selected by the government to enjoy a 24-hour power supply. And that other special institutions will enjoy 24hrs power before the end of 2026.
“The president is energising institutions. We have special institutions in the country today enjoying 24-hour electricity via the presidential renewable mini-grid project, the solarisation project.
“The University of Abuja is one of the beneficiaries. You have a 3.3 megahertz mini-grid here and everybody can attest to it now that you have a 24-hour electricity supply.
“The president is not stopping there. Before the end of next year, all the special institutions will have a mini-grid. You will all enjoy a 24-hour electricity supply, “Dr Alausa said.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Patricia Lar in her welcome address described the project as a laudable one that would benefit the school community.
“It’s a special initiative that’s going to create opportunities for students of all economic status to access data to be able to use for knowledge and education, and to feed their creativity with ease.
“We are grateful for deploying fibre to our hostels. This also works with the solar power backup that has been installed in our campus,” she said.
Nigeria has approved a fresh $500 million replenishment of the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF) at the African Development Bank (AfDB), extending the facility for another 15 years.
President of the AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, announced this during his opening remarks at the ongoing AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan as he expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their continued support.
“To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to Vice President Kashim Shettima, for your support over the past two years, I am profoundly grateful. Thank you for graciously approving the replenishment of the Nigeria Trust Fund for another 15 years for $500 million.”
The Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF) was set up in 1976 through an agreement between the Nigerian government and the African Development Bank Group. It’s a revolving fund that sustains itself over time and is designed to support the development of low-income African countries in need of concessional financing.
The fund can be used in a number of ways—either to co-finance projects alongside the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund (ADF) or to finance projects independently. It supports both public and private sector initiatives and can also be used to top up funding for ongoing Bank Group-backed projects.
Unlike the ADF, which allocates funds to countries, NTF resources are tied to specific projects. This allows for more flexible, needs-based support where it’s most effective.
The National Assembly has hinted that it may consider passing the harmonised tax reform bills by Tuesday, following a successful review of the troubling clauses in the proposed legislation.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, James Faleke, via his official X account on Sunday. Faleke is the leader of the House delegation for the bills harmonisation exercise.
He tweeted, “The conference committee set up by the House and the Senate on the Tax Reform Bills has successfully concluded its work. The joint committees thoroughly reviewed all sections and addressed the grey areas of the four bills, examining each clause strategically and resolving contentious issues.
“After an intensive deliberation that stretched through Thursday night, all day Friday, and into the early hours of Saturday, I am pleased to report that the bills are now ready for presentation to both the House and the Senate for final passage.
“I would like to especially appreciate the Senate conference committee, ably led by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, the Distinguished Senator Sani Musa, as well as all members of the Senate Conference Committee.
“I also extend heartfelt gratitude to my colleagues on the House Conference Committee, which I had the honour to lead, for their unwavering commitment to the Nigerian people. We are truly grateful for your dedication and resilience in bringing this important task to a conclusion.”
It was reported that the four tax bills were sent two weeks ago to the joint harmonisation committee made up of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to reconcile the amendments of both Chambers before it is transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for his assent.
After announcing the passage of the bills following a majority voice vote, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, praised the lawmakers for their sacrifice in ensuring that the tax system in Nigeria meets an international standard.
He said, “These four executive bills seek to transform and modernise the tax system in Nigeria.”
The move came barely 24 hours after the Upper Chamber earlier cleared two of the bills before pushing the remaining legislation for consideration on Thursday.
Addressing journalists after the plenary, the Chairman of the ad hoc committee for the tax reform bills and the lawmaker representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Sani Musa, explained that they did their best to ensure the taxation system in Nigeria meets international standards.
Musa also disclosed that parts of the tax proceeds will be used to fight cybercrime, boost defence infrastructure, the TETfund, and aid soldiers in their efforts to restore peace and safety in the country.
Continuing, the Niger Senator explained that the senators recommended that the President needs to appoint a chairman and create an ombudsman to arbitrate and adjudicate on tax-related matters.
The legislator also harped on the need for the establishment of a tax tribunal, which he said cannot be overemphasised.
“It is not à court of record. We have looked at the issue of VAT, coĺlection of taxes, development levies, and inheritance tax, which had been expunged.
“I believe Nigerians wiĺl see something nice from this. We also commend the President for giving a level playing field to all,” he said.
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