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Resolving The SIBAN Crisis

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By Barr. Mela Claude Ake

In my opinion, the SIBAN kerfuffle is as political as it is legal. We cannot divorce the two — but the legal aspect is far weightier.

Barr. Mela Claude Ake

On the political side is a power-grab. A small group of individuals who think they should be the lords and masters of Nigeria’s crypto space are fighting for control. They want control of SIBAN and they want control of the SIBAN presidency. Essentially a shadow administration that runs the show from behind the scenes. For this to happen, the president has to be a puppet. What they fail to understand is that being a pioneer of a vision doesn’t necessarily mean that you must control it in perpetuity. Succession-planning is a vital part of corporate governance. Across the world, several major organizations abound, whether they be companies, political parties, associations and even nations where the founders of these visions are alive but do not call the shots anymore and quite frankly, that’s okay.

Coming to the issue of registering SIBAN with the Corporate Affairs Commission, the detractors are doing themselves a huge disservice. It’s both ridiculous and risky that an unincorporated body was carrying on and presenting itself as it did. I mean think about it; how do you hold high-level meetings and organise national industry conversations involving the SEC, NITDA etcetera as an unregistered body? Legally speaking, the implications are better imagined.

How does a group present itself as the foremost industry association for the blockchain sector in Nigeria and by extension Africa but is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission? Whose bank account were the dues being paid to? How do you woo foreign investors? How? Do you show them your WhatsApp group? Because that’s essentially what SIBAN was reduced to. A mere Whatsapp group. Can you imagine the Nigeria Bar Association not being registered with the CAC? The excuse about organizations with words such as “Blockchain” or “Crypto” not being accepted for registration by the CAC is weak because there are records of such organizations having been allowed to be registered by the CAC even as far back as 2018. The records are out there.

Now that the detractors are wailing, kicking and screaming can they prove by law that SIBAN has not been properly incorporated by this board of trustees? Can they prove that this incorporation exercise did not satisfy the extant corporate laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? If they have a good case, they should go to court and remember to sue the Corporate Affairs Commission as well. However if they know they cannot prove it, then they should be quiet because what they are doing is simply inviting more trouble than necessary with all this brouhaha. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

It should be on record that I was invited by the president to join this board and when he extended the invitation, I was shocked, to say the least, to find out that SIBAN was yet unincorporated. I was invited because he believes I will bring some value to the association and I will.

As a lawyer and a compliance and consumer rights advocate I am personally concerned about the several sharp practices that have been happening in the blockchain sector, that have caused unwitting investors to lose millions and in turn making the entire sector appear less trustworthy. My mission as a member of the SIBAN Board of Trustees is to help us tighten the loose ends and remove the permissive environment that has hitherto allowed sleazy fellows and shady schemes to thrive unchecked. Personally, I believe that if any crypto practitioner wilfully puts investor funds or public funds at risk, the practitioner shouldn’t only be banned for life, they should be locked up.

SIBAN has what it takes to accelerate prosperity through blockchain and I think Obinna Iwuno and this BOT as currently constituted have the requisite skills, passion and grit to make that happen.

– Barr. Mela Claude Ake. Member, SIBAN Board Of Trustees


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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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Northern Broadcasters Sue Arewa 24, 7 Others over Licensing   

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Board of Trustees of the Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association (NBMOA) has filed a lawsuit against the broadcast company Arewa 24 Limited and seven other entities, alleging they are operating without proper licenses.

Northern Broadcasters Sue Arewa 24, 7 Others over Licensing   

The case, set for hearing before Justice Omotosho at the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), lists the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC), MIPAN, MultiChoice, StarTimes, and ADVAN as defendants.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, chairman of the NBMOA Board of Trustees, highlighted concerns that the unlicensed operations of the defendants pose a threat to Nigeria’s established legal and competitive media landscape, impacting media owners and audiences nationwide.

Ramalan stated, “Our objective is to ensure a fair, regulated media environment in line with established broadcasting standards, while maintaining a commitment to the rule of law.”

The NBMOA affirmed its commitment to lawful broadcasting standards and noted that it would refrain from further public comments until the legal proceedings are concluded to respect the judicial process.

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s broadcasting industry are closely watching the case, as its outcome could have significant implications for media regulation and licensing across the country


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Africa’s AI Transformation: Unlocking Potential and Driving Progress

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By Matt Brittin, President of Google Europe, the Middle East and Africa

AI has the potential to drive progress and prosperity across the world. But nowhere is this more apparent than on the African continent. The next decade is set to be Africa’s digital decade – with emerging technologies like AI and the Cloud set to significantly accelerate the continent’s development, and over half the population accessing the Internet for the first time. Simply, AI presents an opportunity too significant to ignore for Africa.

Google is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, but we’re prouder still of those driving this change. Across the region, African entrepreneurs, nonprofits and organisations are using innovation to solve complex challenges.

Earlier this week I visited Jacaranda Health in Nairobi, who are working to reduce Kenya’s high maternal death rate by using AI to ensure expectant and new moms get the care and information they need. Then there was AirQo, tackling the huge public health problem that is pollution by using AI to track and predict pollution – including in Lagos city.

And in the past few days, I’ve been fortunate enough to explore Nigeria with our Nigerian-born Head of Google Africa, Alex Okosi, and our wonderful local team of Nigerian experts. We’ve had inspiring conversations with business leaders already at the forefront of their industries and explored how to leverage the power of AI to scale their businesses. We also engaged with startups like Towntalk, Farmspeak, and BetaLife, who are using AI to solve some of Nigeria’s biggest challenges.

But AI’s opportunity can only be realised when everyone is included. This week, to help unlock the benefits of the digital economy to everyone, our Speech team in partnership with Google researchers in Accra, launched Voice Search, talk-to-type and voice input on Translate for 15 more African languages – enabling 300 million more Africans the freedom to interact with the web and communicate with their friends and family in the way that comes most naturally to many people: their voice. This includes Nigerian native languages Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin, and is another great example of AI built with Africans for Africans.

We believe AI has a pivotal role to play in developing Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. For Africa to fulfil its potential as an AI leader, we need to invest in the skills and knowledge base of local talent. That’s why we’ve backed several initiatives to boost AI skills among developers, individuals and businesses in Nigeria and beyond.

Our Google Career Certificates are enabling Nigerians to develop work-readiness in skills like AI, cybersecurity, digital marketing and programming languages like Python and SQL. Meanwhile, skills-based initiatives like our Hustle Academy provide AI-focused training for small and medium-sized businesses in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

And this week, we’ve announced an additional $5.8 million in funding to support foundational AI and cybersecurity training across these countries. That includes $1.5 million for Data Science Nigeria, who will train unemployed and at risk Nigerians in foundational digital and technology – while Raspberry Pi will also work with Data Science Nigeria to roll out AI literacy for Kenyan and Nigerian youth.

To further inspire the next generation, we are launching a program to train 25,000 educators, equipping them with the knowledge and resources to bring AI education to 125,000 students across Nigeria. By fostering an understanding of AI’s potential among young people, we can inspire them toward sustainable future jobs and empower them to shape a better future for themselves and their communities.

This progress is underpinned by infrastructure. In late 2022, our Equiano subsea fibre-optic cable launched in Lagos – providing a new generation of Nigerians with greater connectivity to expand their horizons. Technology alone is not the answer to everything, but it can provide the foundation that enables the next generation of African businesses to thrive. Ultimately, technology is the means by which we can improve lives.

If we measure this progress numerically, AI is a bet worth taking. For every $1 invested in Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital economy, we can generate $2 in economic value by 2030. For some nations, like Nigeria, the growth will be even greater, with an $8 return for every $1 invested.

But beyond the numbers are the stories of the lives we can transform. For every student at the start of their journey, or the budding entrepreneur with a great idea, investment truly matters. We can empower individuals with the knowledge to understand the digital tools at their fingertips. And just as importantly, we can inspire a mindset shift – a renewed belief in the power of education and skills to shape a better future.

We’re proud to have seen this development up close. Our commitment to the digital transformation of the continent began in 2007 with the opening of our first office in Nairobi, Kenya, where we later announced the launch of our Product Development Center in 2022. And in 2018, we opened an AI research centre in Accra, Ghana, where our teams on the ground explore how AI can be used to solve problems in Africa and beyond.

Collaboration is key, and we’ve worked to foster partnerships and develop programmes with institutions and innovators across Africa. By enabling governments and businesses to integrate technologies like AI into the way they operate, we believe we can improve efficiency and bridge divides.

But this is not just a Google story – it’s a true African success story in the making. AI is not something to be imposed on Africa from the top-down, but rather, built from the bottom-up. It’s about collaboration, partnerships, and putting local entrepreneurial talent in the driving seat.

The task now is to ensure that all Africans benefit from these technological breakthroughs – and to use AI responsibly and equitably. Africa is no stranger to leveraging technology for the greater good. African innovators have pioneered technology like mobile money systems – starting with M-Pesa in Kenya – that have influenced financial inclusion and the way the world does business.

So there is nowhere better placed than Africa to ensure the future of AI is in good hands. And if we succeed, it’s not just Africa that will benefit – but the whole world.


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Fire Razes 3 Radio Stations in Abia

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Three radio stations lost their electronic broadcasting equipment worth millions on Saturday night in Aba, Abia state, when they were gutted by fire.

Fire Razes 3 Radio Stations in Abia

The affected radio stations were Enyimba 94.3 FM, Rose 101.9 FM and Legend 98.3 FM which were all located in the same building located o on the PZ axis of Aba-Owerri Road.

But for the intervention of the officials of the Abia State Fire Service, the fire may have spread to other buildings within the vicinity.

No life was lost in the raging inferno.

According to The Nation, a personnel of the Abia State Fire Service, who pleaded anonymity, called on owners of big factories and companies to procure fire extinguishers and hydrants to help assist manage and attack fire during such incident.


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