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Digital Ad Expert Joins UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition to Improve Digital Advertising Education

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Digital Ad Expert, Aleph Group, Inc’s social initiative to create economic opportunities through digital advertising education, is delighted to join UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition.

Formed in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Education Coalition was established by UNESCO – the United Nations agency dedicated to bringing people together through education and science – to bring together multi-sector partners to mobilise local, national, regional and global responses to ensure the continuity of learning.

In 2023 and beyond, the Coalition has moved from pandemic response to focus on the transformation agenda, and aims to help realise the power of digital transformation, close the global educational gap, and support actions and investments for pilot projects that can be brought to scale at a national level in a sustainable way.

Joining more than 200+ partners, Aleph’s Digital Ad Expert initiative – a skills-based education platform that provides students with the fundamentals they need to manage digital advertising channels and campaigns – will specifically support UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy, an initiative that aims to help ten million young people build skills for employability and resilience by 2029.

Commenting on the partnership, Gaston Taratuta, CEO & Founder at Aleph Group, Inc, said: “As CEO & Founder of Aleph, I am incredibly proud to join this initiative to align with UNESCO’s ambitious plans to upskill ten million people by 2029.

“At Aleph, we believe that the provision of digital literacy is a fast track to helping local communities and economies unlock huge economic opportunities. Combining the experience of UNESCO – one of the world’s leading global authorities on digital literacy – with Aleph’s industry leading expertise in digital advertising, the agreement will ensure people can confidently navigate the digital landscape, access greater employment opportunities, and help shape sustainable growth for generations to come.

“The learnings from this initiative will also aid the continued evolution of Digital Ad Expert, which we believe has the potential to become the world’s leading skills-based digital advertising education platform.”

Borhene Chakroun, Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO, added: We have witnessed the positive impact of the Digital Ad Certificate program in Grenada. This is a remarkable demand-driven example of UNESCO Global Skills Academy action in the Caribbean and we are excited to expand our efforts beyond. We look forward to creating similar opportunities in other countries, unlocking the potential of digital skills for economic growth and sustainable development.

To kick start its partnership, Aleph launched Digital Ad Expert’s Digital Ad Certificate programme with a specific cohort in Grenada. During the programme, which comprises several uniquely designed modules, students met virtually for four hours per week and had access to a wealth of online resources. Approximately 200 students from Grenada took the Digital Ad Certificate programme for three months.

In addition to education for students, Digital Ad Expert launched Train the Trainers – a bespoke one-month intensive training course – to upskill more than 50 digital advertising trainers in Grenada. Combined with Digital Ad Certificate, this will provide a strong platform that initially upskills students in the country and equips trainers with the skills and resources they need to maintain digital literacy over the long term.

The programmes offered by Digital Ad Expert and UNESCO in Grenada will provide an important opportunity to improve accessibility to digital education and, in turn, drive economic growth. As part of Grenada’s National Sustainable Development Plan 2020-2035 (NSDP), the national government is aiming to create a vibrant, dynamic, and competitive economy, which will—in part—be achieved through expanding training and building national capacity in digital literacy.

Over the coming months, Digital Ad Expert and UNESCO will use the learnings from activity in Grenada to evolve the pair’s cooperative agreement, which is targeting the launch of similar schemes in other countries.

“We are hugely excited to kick start our work with UNESCO in Grenada, a country with bold national development plans that will be unlocked through digital skills,” said Francisco Anello, SVP – Education at Aleph Group. “We look forward to introducing students to our free Digital Ad Expert programme in the months ahead and look forward to playing our part in helping Grenada’s young people learn digital skills and access new economic opportunities.”


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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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Meta, FMCIDE Unveil AI Accelerator to Drive Innovation in Nigeria

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Meta, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE), has launched the Llama Impact Accelerator Program to foster AI-driven solutions across critical sectors in Nigeria.

The eight-month program will support early-stage startups developing AI innovations using Meta’s open-source Llama models. Target sectors include Agriculture, Security & Safety, Healthcare, and a wildcard category for other high-impact applications.

Speaking at the launch, Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa at Meta, emphasized the initiative’s role in advancing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. “We are thrilled to partner with FMCIDE in supporting local AI talent. Open-source AI should be accessible and relevant to national challenges,” she said.

The program will begin with a six-week incubation period, offering technical training and mentorship from industry experts, followed by six months of extended support, including access to technical resources.

Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, hailed the initiative as a “major step forward” in Nigeria’s AI development strategy. “AI will be a key driver of national growth, and this program equips innovators with the tools to tackle pressing issues,” Tijani stated.

The Llama Impact Accelerator aligns with Meta’s broader mission to democratize responsible AI access while fostering innovation in emerging markets.

In collaboration with academic and government stakeholders, the initiative is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s AI industry and drive impactful change.

Applications for the program remain open until June 27, 2025. More details can be found at llamaimpactssa.splashthat.com.


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Nigeria Leads the Charge in Green Innovation @MTN’s Africa PachiPanda Challenge

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In an era where climate change, youth unemployment, and food insecurity loom large over the continent, a powerful new force is rising — young African innovators building a green future from the ground up.

At the just-concluded Africa PachiPanda Challenge 2024, organised by MTN and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Nigerian entrepreneur, Olabisi Rafatu Emmanuel, emerged as one of the continent’s top eco-champions, spotlighting the potential of purpose-driven innovation to rewrite Nigeria’s climate and development story.

While Moses Afopezi of Cameroon took home the top prize with AgricFresh, a smart solution combating post-harvest loss, Olabisi’s reusable menstrual products solutions as a waste transformation model earned her national applause and a seat at Africa’s sustainability table, emerging as the second-place winner.

Speaking during the announcement, MTN’s leadership underscored that this challenge goes far beyond accolades. “Together, we have the power to shape a greener, more sustainable Africa — one bold idea at a time,” Nompilo Morafo, Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, MTN, said.

The triumph comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with the environmental menace of climate change in major urban hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, even as the Nigerian government is clamouring for smart innovations to address climate change issues such as climate funding, carbon trading and just energy transition.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) recently reiterated calls for tech-based waste management solutions – making Olabisi’s innovation timely and impactful.

MTN says this is just the beginning. With plans to expand the PachiPanda Challenge to more countries and deepen support for eco-entrepreneurs, the telecoms giant is reaffirming its commitment to socio-economic development through green innovation.

As Nigeria sets its sights on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the PachiPanda story is a timely reminder that the answers may lie not in government halls – but in the dreams and drive of Nigeria’s young changemakers.


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Innovation Will Shape Nigeria’s Digital Economy – A’isha Mumuni

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MTN Nigeria has convened alumni of its Media Innovation Programme (MIP) for an interactive training session on digital monetisation in Nigeria’s Value-Added Services (VAS) sector.

The hybrid event, themed “Understanding Digital Monetisation: Opportunities in the VAS Space in Nigeria,” was led by A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria. Participants explored evolving digital revenue models, including mobile payments, subscription billing, and telco-backed content partnerships.

Mumuni emphasized the growing significance of digital innovation. “Innovation is the currency of the future,” she stated. She cited projections indicating Nigeria’s potential emergence as the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2075, with the digital economy at the forefront of this growth.

The session spotlighted MTN Nigeria’s role in enabling content creators through platforms such as Callertunes, MTN Play, and digital storefronts. Participants were grouped into breakout sessions where they pitched digital product ideas, fostering creativity and strategic thinking.

According to industry figures, Nigeria’s digital economy contributed 18.44 percent to GDP as of Q2 2022, with ICT revenue soaring from ₦51.3 billion to ₦594 billion over a decade. Global digital services revenue reached an estimated $2.58 trillion in 2024, driven by advertising, paid content, and internet access.

Now in its fourth year, MTN Nigeria’s MIP continues to equip media professionals with the knowledge and tools to thrive in a digital-first economy. The company reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its alumni through curated development sessions that empower media practitioners in Nigeria.

For further details on the MIP programme and upcoming alumni engagements, visit www.mtnmip.smc.edu.ng.


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