News
Energy Conservation: A Crucial Process for All
By Okoko Chidozie Christian
chidochrisozonegold@yahoo.com; 090215179984
Energy plays the most important role in the economic growth,poverty eradication and security of any nation.
You might be wondering how simple it is in making conscious decision to use less energy.
But, when we lower our energy use; we slow down fossil fuel depletion thereby clean up our environment and save money for ourselves.
However, fossil fuel is a non-renewable source of energy that is created deep down with the earth’s surface over the course of millions of years.
Inevitably, we will run out of them at some point upon reliance as our primary source of energy.
These fossil fuelsnegatively impact the environment when we burn them creating an incredible amount of greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon-dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide to mention but a few.
However, these gases such as carbon-dioxide, add up faster than the atmosphere can absorb, then prevents earth from maintaining a stable temperature properly.
For example, coal when burn, leads to carbon-dioxide emission that contributes to global warming, acidic rain, smog and soot which is limited to congenital disabilities, cancer and other severe health-related conditions.
As such, we must begin limiting our energy consumption because the faster we turn through these non-renewables sources; the more time we have to develop alternative energy solutions.
Today, uninterrupted energy supply is an important issue for all countries helping to supply a wide variety of critical loads, in situations of power outage or anomalies of the mains.
The applicability of such system can be found in distributed generation, micro grids and renewable energy systems.
Hence, the future economic growth of any country will crucially depend on the long-term availability of energy from sources that are affordable, efficient and environmentally friendly.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to grasp the amount of energy consumed worldwide.
To illustrate this, the global annual energy consumption corresponds to the energy released from the Hiroshima nuclear bomb energy every four seconds which is about 1.5 x 1013 joules of energy.
Energy remains an important factor in all sectors of any country’s economy;and enhances the provision of basic needs like cooked food, piped water, essential health care services, educational aids, communications, transportation and lots more.
Research reveals that security, climate change, and public health are closely related to energy, but inability to access these energieswill lead to poverty, deprivation and possibly economic decline.
Moreover, energy conservation is a crucial process that everyone should adopt because it helps protect the natural environment and greenhouse gas emission mitigation.
This could be achieved when you apply better ways of using the same amount of available energy to perform more useful work. It will also help in reducing the need for non-renewable source of energy.
Fortunately, we can minimizethese greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of energy in our homes.
This simple act of energy conservation can help slow global warming which allows for lower impacts on mental health, injuries and fatalities caused by severe weather; improve air quality and reduce air borne allergens leading to a reduced risk of cardiovascular and respiratory issues.
Conservation of energy can be defined as “the prevention of wasteful energy use”.
For example, turning off the light in room that are not currently occupied, using a programmable thermostat, walking instead of driving among others.
Since energy conservation entails reducing wasteful energy consumption by using fewer energy services, you can agree with me that improved efficiency through technological upgrade, improved operation and maintenance, changing user’s behaviour, monitoring appliances, and providing energy-saving recommendation among others will be a crucial process that everyone should adopt.
Energy crises as essential disruption in economy’s supply of energy resources has deepened in most developing economies due to the rapid exhaustion of non-renewable energy sources such as natural gas, oil and coal among others.
But, there are various reasons behindit such as increased population growth, no renewable resource options,increased in price of products, increased global warming, energy waste and unequal distribution of wealth to mention but a few.
Transition to renewable resources can be one of the best solutions to eliminate world’s reliance on non-renewable resources while improving overall conservation efforts.
According to the Law of Thermodynamics in Physics, “energy is neither created nor destroyed, but merely change forms.”
For example,changing potential energy to kinetic energy, chemical energy to mechanical energy and so forth.
Perhaps, it is easier to talk about what energy allows us to do.The story of energy never ends because energy can never be used up; it is said to be conserved.
China has announced the full implementation of a zero-tariff scheme for 53 African countries, including Nigeria, under the Changsha Declaration, further strengthening economic ties within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The announcement, made by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed a high-level meeting between Chinese officials and African foreign ministers in Changsha. The initiative stems from commitments made during the 2024 Beijing Summit of FOCAC, which focused on building a stronger China-Africa partnership in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
According to a statement released after the meeting, the representatives of China, 53 African nations, and the African Union Commission affirmed their commitment to creating an “all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.”
The declaration highlighted the rising influence of the Global South and underscored the importance of collaboration in advancing development, multilateralism, and equitable global governance. It also criticized growing unilateralism, protectionism, and economic coercion, calling on countries, particularly the United States, to resolve trade disputes through mutual respect and dialogue.
The ministry stressed that African nations face pressing economic and developmental challenges that demand urgent international attention. It urged for increased development assistance, rather than cuts, to support poverty reduction and infrastructure growth across the continent.
In a significant move, China committed to expanding zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing, excluding Eswatini, which has no official diplomatic ties. This will allow greater access for African goods to the Chinese market.
For Africa’s least developed countries, the plan includes enhanced market access measures, streamlined inspection and customs procedures, and increased technical training and trade facilitation.
Additionally, China pledged support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with a focus on modernization and sustainable development.
The Chinese government also announced plans to implement the China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development, deepen cooperation in green industries, e-commerce, science and technology, artificial intelligence, finance, and legal frameworks.
The statement also reaffirmed plans to strengthen people-to-people ties, including initiatives like the “2026 Year of People-to-People Exchanges.”
In September 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed five memoranda of understanding during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking at the Beijing summit, Tinubu described the China-Africa relationship as a “true testament” to the strength of mutual respect and cooperation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar later confirmed that the agreements signed with China are in various stages of implementation.
In a major leadership transition, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc (DSR) has announced the retirement of Aliko Dangote, its founder and chairman, from the Board, effective June 16, 2025.
Aliko Dangote
The announcement was made in a regulatory filing with the Nigerian Exchange Ltd on June 11, highlighting the company’s commitment to sound corporate governance and structured succession planning.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Temitope Hassan (FCIS), company secretary and legal adviser, the Board praised Dangote’s extraordinary leadership and lasting contributions to the company.
“Alhaji Aliko Dangote is one of the founding Directors of the Company and has served with exceptional leadership, integrity, and vision since 2005,” the statement read.
“Under his stewardship, Dangote Sugar Refinery transformed significantly, navigated industry changes, consistently delivered value to shareholders, and upheld strong governance principles.”
Widely regarded as Africa’s most influential industrialist, Dangote led DSR’s evolution into a dominant player in Nigeria’s sugar value chain.
His strategic initiatives, particularly the Backward Integration Projects (BIPs) across Adamawa, Taraba, and Nasarawa States, advanced the company’s self-sufficiency goals and aligned with the federal government’s national sugar master plan.
While stepping down from DSR, Dangote will continue as President of Dangote Industries Limited.
His legacy at DSR is marked by industrial innovation, strategic foresight, and sustained operational excellence.
To ensure a seamless transition, the Board has appointed Mr. Arnold Ekpe, a seasoned independent non-executive director, as the new chairman, effective June 16.
Ekpe is renowned for his tenure as Group CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, where he championed pan-African financial inclusion and institutional growth.
His extensive experience in banking and corporate governance is expected to strengthen DSR’s next phase of development.
The leadership change signals continuity of vision, with DSR reaffirming its focus on operational efficiency and long-term value creation in a dynamic market.
For shareholders and industry observers, Dangote’s exit from the Board marks the end of a transformational era—one defined by bold ambition and strategic execution—while opening a new chapter under Ekpe’s leadership.
Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis Team researchers have discovered a new malicious campaign which is distributing a Trojan through a fake DeepSeek-R1 Large Language Model (LLM) app for PCs.
The previously unknown malware is delivered via a phishing site pretending to be the official DeepSeek homepage that is promoted via Google Ads.
The goal of the attacks is to install BrowserVenom, a malware that configures web browsers on the victim’s device to channel web traffic through the attackers servers, thus allowing to collect user data – credentials and other sensitive information. Multiple infections have been detected in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, India, Nepal, South Africa and Egypt.
DeepSeek-R1 is one of the most popular LLMs right now, and Kaspersky has previously reported attacks with malware mimicking it to attract victims. DeepSeek can also be run offline on PCs using tools like Ollama or LM Studio, and attackers used this in their campaign.
Users were directed to a phishing site mimicking the address of the original DeepSeek platform via Google Ads, with the link showing up in the ad when a user searched for “deepseek r1”.
Once the user reached the fake DeepSeek site, a check was performed to identify the victim’s operating system. If it was Windows, the user was presented with a button to download the tools for working with the LLM offline. Other operating systems were not targeted at the time of research.
After clicking on the button and passing the CAPTCHA test, a malicious installer file was downloaded and the user was presented with options to download and install Ollama or LM Studio.
If either option was chosen, along with legitimate Ollama or LM Studio installers, malware got installed in the system bypassing Windows Defender’s protection with a special algorithm.
This procedure also required administrator privileges for the user profile on Windows; if the user profile on Windows did not have these privileges, the infection would not take place.
After the malware was installed, it configured all web browsers in the system to forcefully use a proxy controlled by the attackers, enabling them to spy on sensitive browsing data and monitor the victim’s browsing activity.
Because of its enforcing nature and malicious intent, Kaspersky researchers have dubbed this malware BrowserVenom.
“While running large language models offline offers privacy benefits and reduces reliance on cloud services, it can also come with substantial risks if proper precautions aren’t taken.
Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the popularity of open-source AI tools by distributing malicious packages and fake installers that can covertly install keyloggers, cryptominers, or infostealers.
These fake tools compromise a user’s sensitive data and pose a threat, particularly when users have downloaded them from unverified sources,” comments Lisandro Ubiedo, Security Researcher with Kaspersky’s Global Research & Analysis Team.
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