The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned against illegal operation by automated vehicular tracking (AVT) operators, saying it would invoke sanctions against anyone operating without licenses.

Emilia Nwokoro, Enugu Zonal Controller of the Commission, disclosed that it was illegal for people to operate vehicular tracking services without registering with the commission, stressing that registration would help regulate their services.

Speaking during the unsealing of the D-Tech Multi Services, she stated that the commission’s enforcement procedures empowered it to seal off AVT services operating without license, explaining that D-Tech Multi Services was sealed off on October 31, last, following the refusal of its managers to regularize their operations with the commission.

She explained that the aim of registering the operators was to enhance security of services and ensure that vehicle owners deal with genuine auto- trackers in the state and called on members of the public to furnish her office with information concerning illegal operators in the state.

Africa Code Week (ACW), a continent wide initiative of SAP, supported by partners such as Google, UNESCO, BMZ, Camden Trust, Cape Town Science Centre is set to run for 2 weeks from today the 15th to 26th October, in schools, communities and ICT centres across Nigeria.

It’s envisaged that hundreds of thousands of students will be trained on coding language during the 2-week period.

Training will be carried out in many States across the country as many teachers have been ramped up through a series of TTTs carried out by SAP and some of the ACW Network Partner Organizations (NPO).

Notably, in Edo and Enugu states where TTTs recently took place in August and September respectively, the events were organized by SAP and coordinated by ACW NPO Coderina.

The governments of these states have already thrown their full weight behind the program with a common goal of ensuring that all students in post primary education are introduced to coding during these 2 weeks.

The training session for teachers

They believe that success will be achieved through a combination of plans put in place by the government to leverage the newly acquired knowledge of the teachers and support from NPOs.

In Edo State, for instance, the government working through the Chairman of Edo State Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) Mr. Gabriel Oiboh and the Director of ICT agency Ms. Yuwa Napps,  have set aside 38 ICT centers in schools across the state to cater for students in schools where there’s lack of or shortage of computers.

The government ICT center with over 300 computers will also be used to train students in batches, with students transported to the center by government vehicles.

The approach is also similar in Enugu State where a team led by the SSA to the Governor on Development Aid, Dr. Kingsley Udeh and his ream, acting under the instructions of the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, plan to reach every student in post primary education and ensure that no child is left behind.

The Governor in his address delivered on his behalf by the State’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecelia Ezeilo at the ACW teacher training in Enugu, stated that youths are the engine of economic growth in the State hence digital literacy powers this engine.

“That is why my Administration has sought and attracted to the State this largest digital literacy initiative ever organized on the African continent”.

Some of the teachers who participated in the training

“Enugu State Government is committed to working with stakeholders towards achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth through digital literacy.

“This software coding training therefore comes as a welcome complement to the various ICT development initiates of the State Government.

“We will want to work with SAP and partners to infuse software coding into our school curriculum, in line with our ICT policy”, the State Government said.

According to the National Ambassador of Africa Code Week Olajide Ademola Ajayi at the TTT in Enugu, “It is highly anticipated that government interest in the program will help move the needle on Nigeria’s Digital Literacy drive.”

MTN Nigeria over the weekend emerged the biggest winner of the night at the 2nd edition of the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecom Awards (NTITA), 2018, held by the Instinct Wave and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) at the Oriental Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The ICT Company carted five (5) awards – Telecom Company of the year, Social Impact Award, Digital Transformation Award, Customer Experience Award and Telcom CEO of the year awards.

Tobechukwu Okigbo, Corporate Relations Executive, MTN Nigeria, who was one of the executives present for the company, received the awards and expressed the organization’s gratitude to the organizers and the independent judges.

“We are honored to not only receive these but to have been considered nominees in such lofty categories.

“MTN Nigeria has always and will continue to strive for excellence in all frontiers.

“Recognition for the work that thousands of us come together for every day is incentive to do more, create more and be more,” he stated.

Akin Naphtal, Group Chief Executive Officer, Instinct Wave, explained that the prestigious award has quickly become the benchmark for outstanding performance and a symbol of excellence in leadership in the highly competitive technology industry.

The award which is in its 2nd edition, has judges formed from an independent panel of industry experts recognizes organizational performances products and services, innovations, executives.