E-Business
NeGSt Pushes TAS Solution to Aid Anti-Corruption Fight
The National e-Government Strategies Ltd (NeGSt) has said the Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (TAS) software solution, which it launched this week will help all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, including the private sector organisations, to curb corruption.
Dr. Felix Obada, executive vice chairman, National eGovernment Strategies Ltd, said the TAS solution, which has a complete local content, was developed by Nigerians who have attained global IT certifications, for the purpose of blocking financial loopholes, put a stop to capital flights and end corruption in the country.
According to Obada, the present government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has good intentions to fight corruption, but does not have the supporting technology tools that will block financial loopholes, which he said, TAS was developed to achieve.
Mr. Ufot Abasiono, project manager, NeGSt Ltd, who presented the keynote paper at the virtual conference, titled: ‘How Nigeria Moved Government Business from Analogue to Digital Technology’, said shortly after Independence in 1960, corruption was not noticed in government and in the private sector, and the value of naira was still strong, a situation that attracted bilateral relationships between Nigeria and the rest of the world. He, however, said corruption gradually crept into the system and spread beyond the control of government.
He further explained that corruption persisted and lingered for too long, because successive governments have not found the right technology solution, adding that TAS, which has undergone a successful pilot test, was designed to help government and the private organisations, eliminate financial corrupt practices among Nigerians.
“With Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa and with the largest population of young people in the world, the country is well positioned to develop a formidable digital economy estimated to yield approximately $1.0 trillion, but corruption has however remained an albatross on the neck of Nigerians,” Obada said.
“Having achieved great success with the pilot project, NeGSt is set to boldly fulfill her mandate and help Nigeria address her issues of endemic corruption and inefficiency in the delivery of government services with the launch of TAS.
“Working with the present generation of young, energetic and talented Nigerians, NeGSt is ready to replicate the template of the highly successful pilot project and help government and the people of Nigeria to do away with corruption and inefficiency in government businesses across the board,” Obada added.
Giving details of the solution, Obada said TAS is a technology tool that will assist government agencies to synchronize their software applications with other existing software applications.
“Government agencies and most private organisations deploy solutions that are in silos and cannot synchronize with other solutions, which gave rise to corruption because applications were running in silos. But with TAS as a software solution, it can conveniently align and connect with other solutions within and outside of the agency and organisation. If this is put in place, it will end financial leakages and other corrupt practices.
When solutions run in silos, they encourage inflation of contracts and leads to overbloated invoices, Obada said.
“With the adoption of TAS, our money will remain within the Nigerian economy and government will not have need to borrow from outside of the country to support national projects. We are putting the TAS solution at the disposal of all Nigerians in order to return Nigerians to the old good days where corruption was not known,” Obada added.
He promised that NeGSt would work with all MDAs, using TAS to improve the finances of government and the private sector organisations. “With TAS, there will be transparency in government and NeGSt will use the position of its mandate in implementing e-Government strategies, to ensure successful adoption of TAS across government agencies, Obada said.
E-Business
Expert Urges FG to Harmonise NIN, BVN to Tackle Crimes
Noble Ajuonu, head, Sydani Technologies Ltd., has urged the Federal Government to harmonise National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to tackle crimes and insecurity in the country.
Ajuonu made the call at a media roundtable, organised by Sydani Group in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable focuses on driving sustainability through a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s key development areas.
Ajuonu said that Nigeria could overcome its security challenges and pave the way for a safer, more secure future for all Nigerians by embracing technology and implementing practical solutions,
“We need to harmonise data, prioritise seamless integration of databases like NIN, BVN, and security agency records, establish clear protocols for data sharing and access, with robust safeguards against misuse,’’ expert said.
According to him, the unified data pool will empower intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
He also called for investments in smart surveillance, intelligent video analytics software, training of personnel in data analysis, interpretation of data in real-time to combat crimes.
“There is need to implement a legal framework for call interception in criminal investigations, with strict oversight to prevent abuse, encourage community cohesion, training of tech savvy security personnel with tech-enabled tools.’’
Ajuonu also urged the government to address infrastructure deficit in technology, saying that technology was all encompassing to address insecurity.
“According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of December 2023, only 104.2 million Nigerians had been enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN).’’
Ajuonu added that over 122.2 million citizens left uncaptured for NIN were people in rural areas where enrolment centres, digital services were limited.
“Most crimes are being perpetuated from rural communities and this lack of comprehensive identification creates a gap where elements not captured in the national database can constitute public nuisance, crimes.
“There is the inadequacy in the integration of NIN, BVN and Voters Identification Number (VIN).
“Advanced call interception and analysis tools, used successfully in other countries, could provide invaluable insights into criminal networks and operations but infrastructure is lacking,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Petgrave, the Agricultural Expert, Sydani Group, called for empowerment of smallholder farmers with access to finance and training to enhance productivity.
According to Petgrave, Nigeria requires policy reform and institutional strengthening to improve agricultural practices and embrace digital agriculture solutions to address food insecurity.
Mr Akolade Jimoh, another expert of the group on health, advocated for expanded community-based health insurance programmes for rural and underserved areas.
Jimoh added that the country needed to encourage Public Private Partnership to revolutionise products design and quality improvement on health services.
E-Business
Konga launches Infinix Brand Week with Incredible Deals
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce group, is thrilled to announce the launch of amazing deals at its Infinix Brand Week. Infinix, a leading global smartphone brand known for its innovative products and cutting-edge technology promises exclusive discounts and special offers on select smartphones, marking an exciting milestone in the realm of online shopping.
Shoppers can expect nothing short of extraordinary deals on a wide range of Infinix products, all available exclusively on the Konga online platform. With discounts of up to 30% off, this partnership between Konga and Infinix aims to redefine the shopping experience for tech enthusiasts across Nigeria.
Konga Brand Week has become synonymous with excitement and unbeatable deals, and this year’s edition is no exception. In addition to exclusive discounts on Infinix smartphones, shoppers can explore a diverse array of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more.
“At Konga, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible,” said Rita Ohaedoghasi, VP Marketing at Konga. “The Infinix Week during Konga Brand Week allows us to continue delivering on that promise by offering incredible discounts and special offers on some of the most sought-after smartphones in the market.”
To stay updated on the latest developments and exclusive deals during Konga Brand Week, shoppers are encouraged to connect with Konga across all platforms, including social media and the Konga website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to score big savings and elevate your tech game with Infinix and Konga.
E-Business
Study Reveals Software Programmers to make Full Use of AI Code Assistants
Gartner predicts that by 2028, 75 percent of enterprise software engineers will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) code assistants, up from less than 10 percent, currently.
According to a Gartner poll of 598 global respondents conducted in the third quarter of 2023, 63 percent of organisations are now testing, deploying, or have previously implemented AI code assistants.
AI code assistants provide for more capabilities than only code development and completion, notes the research firm.
According to Gartner, the use of AI code assistants can lead to higher work satisfaction and retention, resulting in lower turnover costs.
Philip Walsh, senior principal analyst at Gartner, comments: “Software engineering leaders must determine ROI and build a business case as they scale their rollouts of AI code assistants.
“However, traditional ROI frameworks steer engineering leaders toward metrics centred on cost reduction. This narrow perspective fails to capture the full value of AI code assistants.”
Gartner notes that software engineering leaders must “reframe the ROI conversation from cost reduction to value generations”.
Walsh adds: “Calculating time savings on code generation is a good place to begin building a more robust value story. To convey the full enterprise value story for AI code assistants, software engineering leaders should connect value enablers to impacts, and then analyse the overall return to the organisation.”
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