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Minister says Qualitative Education is Tied to ICT Development
Mallam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, says the qualitative education in the modern world was intrinsically tied to the development and deployment of ICT in education.
The Minister who was represented by the Director, ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ifegwu Orji during the inauguration of the Unites Cisco Internet of Things (IoT) Innovation Centre at Queens College in Yaba said: ”ICT as an enhancer of education has transformed education delivery from being the transmission of information by the teacher as the custodian of knowledge to the learner as the receiver of the knowledge transmitted and the school, from being a teacher-centered agency.”
He said: “Today, teachers are seen as facilitators or coaches of learning or in some cases, as change agents or activators and the students as active partners in learning.
”The school also had become an open space for learners who initiate and acquire their own learning and expand their knowledge through interaction among themselves and with the teachers.
“This kind of interaction is only made easier by the Internet of Things as it connects people, processes devices and data.
According to him, with the Internet of Thing (IoT), more engaging and measurable method of education that can provide knowledge to a greater number of students in a manner that fits their learning styles and needs are enhanced. He explained that The Internet of Thing (IoT), refers to the ever-growing network of physical objects with IP address for internet connectivity and communication that occurs between them and other internet-enabled devices.
His word: “It also enhances the volume and values of information that can be collected, thus, allowing educators and administrators to turn data into actionable insight like never before envisaged.
“In order to demonstrate our commitment towards the delivery of qualitative education with the resultant production of the requisite manpower, that can survive in the modern society, contributions to sustainable national development and compete globally, we have approved the establishment of the Cisco Unites IoT Innovation Centres in six Federal Unity Colleges in the six geo-political zones for the 2017/2018 academic session for which we are here today.
“Some of the Unity colleges that have benefitted from this project are Federal Science and Technical College Yaba as pilot, Federal Government Girls College Buari in Abuja, Federal Government College Kano and Queens College Lagos, as well as Federal Government College Enugu among others.
“They will all serve as a hub for open innovation to showcase what is with digital transformation and Internet if Things in education.
“We have also approved the establishment of the Cisco network academy in all the unity colleges under Cisco’s corporate social responsibility (CRS) in the education sector and other Cisco long term CRS programnes.
“It is our hopes that these programmes will fast track the achievement of ICT-enhanced education and would empower our students and teachers to adapt to the rapidly changing knowledge requirements and skills.
The Minister maintained that the goal of the Federal Government is to see the education sector as a whole, embrace the use of new technologies to meet the human resources requirements of nation-building for the attainment of sustainable soci-economic development.
He posited that government was optimistic of enhancing the sector for global competitiveness as well as the individual’s ability to survive in the contemporary society.
While lauding the partnership and contribution of Cisco Unites Academy for their support and donation of the IoT centres to the colleges, he added that the gesture would further boost students learning.
Meanwhile, the Director, of the Unites Networking Academy, Mr Toyin Olatayo, on his part said that the inauguration of the IoT project in Queens college was the third in the series.
According to him, efforts were underway to replicate same in all the 104 unity colleges across the country in two years. Olatayo noted that rapid changes in technology trends are forcing humans to keep up in order to stand the chance of surviving in a competitive world.
He maintained that technology has, and would continue to transform every aspect of human lives, be it education, governance, business and even personal relationships.
“There is digital transformation across countries and companies. Digital transformation driving opportunities. We want to bridge opportunities between students and the digital economy,” Olatayo said.
He added that the objectives of the Unites Cisco IoT Innovation Centre were to create technology solutions to unlock opportunities at a speed of rapid prototyping.
DataPro Rating Agency has upgraded the long-term credit rating of Dangote Cement Plc to AA+ from AA, citing the company’s strong financial performance, market leadership and ability to meet its financial obligations despite Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.
In its latest rating report, the technology-driven credit rating agency also affirmed Dangote Cement’s short-term rating at A1, with a Stable Outlook. The ratings are valid until June 16, 2027.
DataPro said the upgrade reflects the cement maker’s sustained financial strength, resilient operating performance and dominant position in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the agency, the assessment followed a comprehensive review of the company’s capital base, earnings, liquidity, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and the sustainability of its financial performance over the medium to long term.
It noted that Dangote Cement’s strong brand, leading market share, solid earnings, robust asset base and experienced management continue to strengthen its ability to meet financial commitments on time.
The agency also highlighted the company’s outstanding financial performance in 2025.
According to the report, Dangote Cement posted N4.31 trillion in revenue during the year, representing a 20 per cent increase from the previous year. Profit before tax more than doubled, rising 109 per cent to N1.53 trillion, driven by higher sales, improved operating efficiency, lower finance costs and a stronger capital structure.
DataPro said the AA+ long-term rating indicates low credit risk and reflects excellent financial strength, business profile and operating performance relative to its rating benchmarks.
It added that the A1 short-term rating signifies good credit quality and shows that the company has a strong capacity to meet its short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
The rating agency, however, noted that the credit rating has a maximum shelf life of 12 calendar months in line with international best practice and should be used only as a reference, not as an offer to trade in securities or as a substitute for investors’ independent judgement.
Xora Finance has announced it will no longer consider job applicants from Nigeria.
Xora Finance is a digital bank founded by Joren Lundgren, in February 2026 and allows users to deposit and earn interest on their XRP cryptocurrency.
Lundgren, founder, in an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), cited an ongoing pattern of misconduct, such as dishonesty and theft, from previous Nigerian hires as the reason for the decision.
This sudden blanket ban came just days after the company’s official career page was aggressively recruiting remote workers for marketing and content roles.
The announcement generated heavy backlash online, with many people upset that a blanket rule punishes honest job seekers.
Some lawyers have said that victims of Ponzi schemes have legal remedies, although recovering lost funds and prosecuting perpetrators remain major challenges.
A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new participants rather than from actual profits.
Operators lure victims by promising high returns with little to no risk.
The scheme inevitably collapses when the flow of new investors slows down.
Some lawyers who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) separate interviews with on Sunday, said that victims could pursue civil actions to recover their money.
Mr Chibuikem Opara, a lawyer at Justification Chambers, Ikeja,said many Nigerians continued to fall victim to Ponzi schemes in spite of repeated warnings.
Opara said it was wrong to attribute participation in Ponzi schemes to a lack of investment opportunities, noting that promoters often exploit investors’ greed through promises of unrealistic returns.
“What you cannot take away is the fact that many Nigerians have fallen and continue to fall victim to these schemes every time,” he said.
According to him, victims may individually or collectively institute civil actions against the beneficiary company for breach of contract or refund arising from failure of consideration.
Opara said victims could also unite to seek an order from the Federal High Court to wind up the beneficiary company.
He, however, noted that such efforts might yield little benefit if perpetrators had already siphoned the funds and left behind an empty shell.
The lawyer said available remedies largely depended on the actions of relevant authorities, adding that recipient accounts could be frozen to facilitate fund recovery and support winding-up proceedings.
Opara said regulators and law enforcement agencies often became aware of Ponzi schemes only after substantial losses had occurred.
According to him, victims frequently failed to report suspicious schemes early enough to enable timely intervention.
He added that funds are sometimes moved outside the country before authorities become aware of the fraud.
Opara also cited inadequate information and the deceptive nature of the schemes as major obstacles to investigation and prosecution.
“Most times, everything about the schemes is made to appear elusive, just like the profits promised to victims,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Vincent Aminu of A.F. Aminu and Co. advised that victims of investment scams should report such cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies on time.
Aminu said victims could petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or file reports with the police.
He said that after investigation, prosecutors could bring charges against suspects under relevant fraud-related laws, including provisions of the Criminal Code and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
Beyond criminal prosecution, Aminu said .victims could pursue civil actions to recover their money
According to him, such actions may be based on breach of contract, unjust enrichment, or fraudulent misrepresentation, depending on the circumstances.
He added that victims could petition the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which could investigate illegal operators, shut down unauthorised platforms, and freeze assets.
He identified the anonymity of online fraudsters as one of the biggest challenges confronting investigators.
According to him, many operators concealed their identities through fake digital profiles and technologies that made tracking them difficult.
Aminu also noted that victims who delayed taking legal action risked losing opportunities for redress.
He added that prolonged court proceedings often delayed justice for victims.
“Many fraud-related cases take years before the court reaches a verdict, thereby delaying justice for victims,” he said.
Also, Mr Chris Ayiyi of Ayiyi Chambers, Apapa, described Ponzi schemes as a gamble that benefited early participants at the expense of later investors.
Ayiyi said some early entrants received returns on their investments, thereby encouraging others to join the schemes.
He said the schemes eventually collapsed, leaving late investors to bear the losses
The lawyer called for a complete ban on Ponzi schemes or sustained public enlightenment campaigns against them.
He urged the National Assembly to enact laws that would strengthen regulation and provide greater protection for investors.
According to him, stronger legal safeguards are necessary in a country operating a capital-based economy.
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