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UNESCO Seeks Digital Documentation to Help Preserve, Restore Culture
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) yesterday said digitally documenting the heritage and culture of Africa would help the preservation and restoration for future use.
Mr. Benda Fackson, the Programme Specialist for the Memory of the World (MoW), UNESCO, said this at the preparatory meeting with stakeholders on the Documentary Heritage for Sustainable Development in Africa in Abuja.
UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme is an initiative to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against amnesia neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions and deliberate destructions of valuable archival materials.
The meeting was part of the activities toward an international conference to be hosted by Nigeria on ways to implement the UNESCO’s recommendations concerning the preservation and access to documentary heritage including in digital form.
“Digital documentation helps for preservation of culture, so to afford universal access to them; it will help people enjoy them as widely as possible given the fact that with new technologies there is access.
“Documents are histories, lives of ancestors and the lives of the people. By digitising them you are preserving them and in some cases restoring them.
“We need to sensitise people on the importance of digitisation not only as a medium which can give rise to new digital documents but also as a medium that can be used to preserve analogue documents.”
Fackson said that documenting Memories of the World should not be seen as a tourist venture, rather a development initiative and a way of knowing people and their cultures.
He said that Nigeria was keen on the MoW programme, adding that the country was part of the international advisory committee on the world programme.
“We believe that Nigeria has the capacity to host a conference of this type. It is entrenched in rich documentary heritage across institutions of the country both in public and private sector.
“We have held conferences of this sort in Nigeria and they have been successful and UNESCO member states are focusing on implementing the report on the 2015 Cultural heritage.”
He, however, commended the country for its political commitment toward MoW programmes and hosting the conference.
He called on the Federal Government to support the conference as a way of increasing the documentation level of African heritage and revamping the region’s committee on MoW.
The officer said that over 25 countries of sub-Saharan African countries are expected to be at the conference which would hold from June 25 to June 27.
Prof. Folarin Shyllon, the Chairman, Nigeria Committee on Memories of the World, said that the National Archives of Nigeria was underfunded and these had contributed to its setbacks.
“There is the need to pay attention to documenting the heritage of Africa through implementation of policies on cultural heritage.’’
He said that stakeholders were committed to ensure the sensitisation of culture centres in Africa for documentary heritage.
Some of the stakeholders at the meeting include Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, National Council of Arts and Culture, National Library of Nigeria and they pledged their commitment toward the success of the conference.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has warned local investors and foreign businesses about the activities of fraudsters falsely claiming to represent the company.
The state-owned company said the impostors are reportedly soliciting illegal fees under the guise of arranging meetings with the new NNPC board members, executives, and management.
The disclaimer comes following the change of the NNPCL board.
On April 2, 2025, President Bola Tinubu appointed a new 11-member board with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Ahmadu Musa Kidano as executive chairman.
In a statement signed on Monday by Olufemi Soneye, chief corporate communications officer, NNPC, t said the practice of soliciting fees is completely unauthorised and unlawful.
NNPCL said, “The general public is advised to beware of individuals and companies falsely claiming to represent NNPC Limited.
” Their tactics include soliciting fees for meetings with the NNPC board of directors, executives, and management staff. These actions are unauthorised and illegal.
“Foreign investors and international business entities are especially urged to remain cautious. If approached, report the incident to the appropriate authorities immediately.”
The company clarified that engagements with its boards or executives must follow official channels in line with company policy.
The oil giant said, “All legitimate engagements with NNPC Limited occur strictly through official channels or business units only.
“For further enquiries, please contact us at contactus@nnpcgroup.com.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to transparency, integrity, and the protection of our stakeholders in all interactions.”
The company called for public cooperation to prevent scammers from defrauding investors.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) has announced that plans to support the country’s farmers with its AgriConnect initiative have kicked off with a pilot scheme launched in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria.
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, last week launched the initiative at the Ogum State Cultural Centre Complex. AgriConnect is described as a transformative programme designed to digitally empower Nigerian farmers through real-time access to agronomic services, weather insights, financial tools and market intelligence.
The pilot scheme is being implemented in partnership with technology vendor Huawei Technologies and operator MTN Nigeria.
AgriConnect will initially benefit over 1,000 farmers, selected from the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), with over 160,000 registered farmers.
Each beneficiary will receive mobile-data-enabled smart devices, embedded with Huawei’s AI-powered tools and MTN-supported connectivity to enable smarter planting, better risk mitigation and streamlined communication with government data centres.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Tijani noted that AgriConnect highlighted the importance of food security. Referring to a target of cultivating 500,000 hectares of land, he pointed out that innovation would be an important part of the effort.
As the government builds out the framework from this pilot in Ogun State (a leader in cassava production), he said, it aims to scale the AgriConnect model across other states – “ensuring that every farmer, regardless of geography, has the opportunity to benefit from the digital economy”, as he put it.
The AgriConnect initiative reflects an FMCIDE commitment under the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to promote rural inclusion and leverage Nigeria’s comparative advantage in agriculture.
By fusing AI, connectivity, and human-centred design, the ministry says that AgriConnect stands as a scalable model for advancing food security, driving innovation, and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers across the country.
Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team following their remarkable achievement of being ranked 31st on the Financial Times’ prestigious 2025 list of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
This recognition by the Financial Times, in collaboration with global research firm Statista, highlights X3M Ideas’ outstanding performance and resilience in a highly competitive and challenging business landscape.
The agency’s ranking was determined based on its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2023, verified through independently certified financial data, underscoring the credibility and transparency of the accolade.
Founded by renowned advertising executive Steve Babaeko, X3M Ideas has consistently demonstrated innovation, operational excellence, and creative leadership. The agency’s bold campaigns and commitment to impactful storytelling have not only elevated its profile in Nigeria but have also established its presence across several African markets.
This milestone marks a significant moment for Nigeria’s creative sector, traditionally overshadowed by industries such as fintech and energy in continental rankings.
AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, in a statement, congratulated Babaeko and X3M Ideas on the remarkable recognition. He said: “Steve’s tenure as AAAN President was quite revolutionary. He raised the bar for our association and industry at large. His leadership brought bold ideas to life, executed with brilliance and a deep sense of purpose for the creative community.
“This global acknowledgment is a testament to his enduring impact, not just as a creative force but as a trailblazer on the African continent.”
The Financial Times’ 2025 list features 130 top-performing companies from across Africa, with Nigeria and South Africa accounting for a significant share, reflecting the economic strength and entrepreneurial spirit of the continent’s largest economies.
X3M Ideas’ recognition not only celebrates its own growth but also signals the rising influence of the creative economy in shaping Africa’s future.
This latest accolade adds to a string of recent achievements for X3M Ideas, including being named Independent Network of the Year at the 2025 Pitcher Awards, further cementing the agency’s status as a leader in African creativity and innovation.
AAAN commends Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team for their outstanding contribution to the industry and for flying the flag of Nigerian creativity high on the global stage.
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