News
FIRST LEGO League: 24 Unity Schools Qualify for National Robotics Championship
Twenty-four (24) teams drawn from the Federal Unity Colleges have qualified for the FIRST LEGO LEAGUE (FLL) National Robotics Championship Competition 2021.
Students pitching their works during the Zonal Championship stage
The teams were selected after highly competitive Zonal Championships held in Lagos and Kano, respectively.
The qualified teams from the Northern Zone – Kano are: Federal Science & Technical College, Orozo, Abuja; Federal Government Boys’ College, Apo, Abuja; Federal Government Girls’ College, Bwari, Abuja; Federal Government Girls’ College, Kabba, Kogi State; Federal Government College, Kano, Kano State; Federal Government Girls’ College, Tambuwal, Sokoto State; Federal Government College Daura, Katsina State; Federal Science and Technical College, Dayi, Katsina State; Federal Science and Technical College, Michika, Adamawa State; Federal Science and Technical College, Jalingo, Taraba State; Federal Government Girls College, Bauchi, Bauchi State and Federal Government Girls’ College Jalingo, Taraba State
Also qualified are twelve teams from the Southern Zone – Lagos are: Federal Science and Technical College, Usi-Ekiti, Ekiti State; Federal Government Girls College, Akure, Ondo State; Queens College Lagos; Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State; Federal Science and Technical College, Awka, Anambra State and Federal Government Girls College, Lejja, Enugu State.
Others are Federal Government Girls College, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State; Federal Science and Technical College, Awka Ohanso, Anambra State; Federal Government College, Ikom, Cross River State; Federal Science and Technical College, Tungbo, Bayelsa State; Federal Science and Technical College, Ahoda, Rivers State and the Federal Government Girls College, Ikot-Obio Itong, Akwa-Ibom State.
The seventh edition of the Championship which is organised annually by Coderina Education and Technology Foundation was carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and the Principals of 104 Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria with supports from SAP, FIRST; National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Ford and DOW.
Coderina is an independent non-profit organisation ed-tech that works to promote ICT development, youth innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Commenting on the project, the Director, Technology & Science Education, Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria), Mrs. Elizabeth Adedigba, said that the objective is to expose the children to 21st Century technology and skills.
In her words, “The Ministry is aware of the fact that the world does not wait for anybody and artificial intelligence is gaining ground across sectors. The Federal Unity Colleges; being model schools, we have to start with the children to acquire the skills and boost their creative insights, innovation and team work progression such they can build it in them right from this stage.
“We are equipping them for the challenges of the future and the workplace of the future; we can’t afford to leave our students untutored along this line because we want them to be globally competitive, entrepreneurs. We want jobs to look for them; the reverse shouldn’t be the case.
“This is the way to go and the Ministry is passionate about including the Hon. Minister, Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary; that is why we are here to encourage the children.
She said that from the students’ performances, the future of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) is bright. “I am excited seeing what these children could conceive and develop with little incentives given to them. With this exposure they now look at the environment, pinpoint problems and proffer solutions. The future of this country is bright and these children will go places.
The Director also applauded Coderina “for bringing the laudable program to Nigeria. When they brought it to the Ministry we keyed in because we know it is the way to go. I thank them and they should continue the good work including the coaches that have been trained. All hands must be on deck; we are not stopping here.
“We shall continue until we achieve the ultimate goal. The students should not just concentrate on now rather they should be mindful of what they can carve out in the future for themselves leveraging this exposure”.
Nodding in agreement with Adedigba, the Chairperson of the Principals of 104 Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs) Tokumbo Yakubu-Oyinloye, said, “The future of science and technology in Nigeria is very bright especially with what I have seen here today. You can see talents and potential in display.
“Our children are living up to the tasks. They have learnt robotics, coding, programming, team work, corporation, innovation and inventions. If we continue to groom them they will turn out even better”.
She expressed confidence that the skills developed at this stage will assist the students to fit-in the future workplace; “not just in Nigeria, but globally”. They can design projects that will make things work faster and better across industries and homes. Some people designed the washing machine, cars, factory robots; these young talents will design better machines. They could be the ones Nigeria is waiting for to visit the space and design gadgets for our homes.
Dr. Yakubu-Oyinloye who doubles as the Director of Education & Principal, Queens College Lagos, thanked the Minister of Education Hon. Adamu Adamu; the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukuemeka Nwajiuba, the directors and the team for putting the competition together.
“They have done a great job and with the support of the Principals of Federal Unity Colleges and coaches we have been able to get our students to this level. The Minister has demonstrated a passion to drive the educational sector forward.
While assessing the program, Chairman, Board of Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, Femi Niyi, Coderina, described the participation over time as phenomenal.
Niyi said that educators, parents and teachers have all realized that technology has a significant role to play in today’s society and gaining fluency in the use of it has become inevitable.
Speaking further, he said, “We are in an unusual season which means we had to navigate the Zonal Championship in a very strategic way to ensure that students and their mentors are well protected from COVID- Strict observance of COVID protocols and adherence to guidelines limited the fun somewhat. We hope to continue to run the national championship in a way that ensures no one is put in harm’s way.
“The earlier stage of the season was difficult for teams due to school closures. However, with school resumption, it was easier to put the teams in one bubble where they work collectively while adhering to strict COVID prevention guidelines.
“Carrying out physical sites visits and interviews and feedback sessions with experts was a major problem reported by most teams. However, some teams devised creative ways of running virtual feedback sessions”, he said.
“The support we received from the Federal Ministry of Education is unparalleled. Seeing the initiative to all Federal Unity Colleges would not have been possible without the great commitment of the leadership of the Ministry and the project managers. We are really excited to have such decent collaboration.
“The coaches”, the Chairman, said, “are helping to mold their teams for the future of work, while the students are building, designing and engineering their digital future”.
He added that Coderina’s readiness to partner with schools and parents to future-proof their students or wards should contact Coderina via: Planning@coderina.org.
“To all child-friendly organisations out there, there’s no better way to stretch your philanthropy budget than sponsoring a school, team or child and help prepare them for the future”, he said.
Bismarck Rewane, renowned economist and chief executive officer of the Financial Derivatives Company, has warned that the recent outbreak of the tomato leaf miner, commonly referred to as “Tomato Ebola,” is a disruption to Nigeria’s agriculture value chain.
Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company
Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning programme on Thursday, Rewane emphasised that the impact of the outbreak extends far beyond tomatoes, triggering a cost ripple effect across the broader food basket.
“The effect of an increase in the price of tomatoes leads to cost elasticity which means that the price of other substitutes will begin to increase, including the price of carrots, the price of tomato paste, price of tomato puree and other things.
“One for the reddening, two for the effect and the thickening on the sauce you’re making.
“However, because tomato is a perishable commodity, it also means that if there is tomato ebola, then the price has increased, and also the supply has reduced, it has a knock-on effect on so many other things,” Rewane explained.
He added that Nigeria’s lack of food storage and preventive mechanisms has worsened the crisis, causing severe supply chain disruptions.
Rewane’s comments come amid a sharp increase in the price of tomatoes, with a 50-kilogramme basket of the commodity which used to sell for N5,000, now selling for N10,000 to N30,000, thereby compounding food inflation and straining household budget.
The Federal Government said Nigeria has so far lost over N1.3 billion to the outbreak of the invasive pest in key tomato-producing states like Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna.
Abubakar Kyari, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, explained that the outbreak has significantly disrupted tomato supply chains, causing a surge in prices.
He noted that the outbreak of tomato Ebola highlights the fragile nature of Nigeria’s horticultural systems, and that the invasive pest can destroy tomato crops within 48 hours, resulting in catastrophic yield losses.
He added that this crisis highlights the urgent need for integrated pest management strategies, investment in resilient crop varieties, and enhanced support for farmers to safeguard the country’s food supply chains.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the N12.3 billion loan controversy case involving the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, and three others, to June 11, 2025.
Oba Otudeko,
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke postponed the case to allow time for either a peaceful settlement or the formal arraignment of the suspects.
The decision followed reports that negotiation are still ongoing between the parties involved for out-of-court settlement as advised by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who is trying to mediate.
During Thursday’s hearing, Otudeko’s lawyer, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), told the court that negotiations for an out-of-court resolution were still in progress.
Similarly, the lawyer for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilikisu Buhari, acknowledged the discussions but asked the court to set a new date for arraignment in case the negotiations fail.
It will be recalled that at the last sitting of the court on March 17, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had informed the judge that a meeting involving all counsel had been convened at the instance of the Attorney General of the Federation.
He said that this was aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the case.
Olanipekun had also stated that substantial progress was made, and the AGF directed all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the resolution process, including filing further applications.
The court will reconvene on June 11 to hear the outcome of the settlement talks or proceed with the arraignment if no agreement is reached.
The Zamfara State government has signed an agreement with Oracle to invest in youth development, workforce capacity building and the digital economy under Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative (SDI).
The agreement was signed at Oracle’s Offices in London, United Kingdom, with Governor Dauda Lawal representing the Zamfara State government.
A statement on Wednesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the development will foster collaboration between the Zamfara Information and Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) and Oracle.
Secretary to the State Government, two Special Advisers and the Executive Secretary of ZITDA were also present at the event, along with Siobhan Wilson, Oracle UK Country Leader and Senior Vice President, EMEA.
The statement said, “Zamfara State government has signed a strategic agreement with Oracle to drive digital skills development across the state.
“Facilitated through the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, the collaboration will use the expertise and learning services of both Oracle Academy and Oracle University in their digital transformation efforts.
“The collaboration signifies a commitment to education and a strategic investment in the future of Zamfara’s youth, workforce and digital economy.
“Oracle Academy, Oracle’s global philanthropic educational programme offers a robust portfolio of technology education teaching and learning resources, including curriculum and software access, to educators and students worldwide.
“With the support of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, these resources will be made available to validate higher education institutions across Zamfara.
“ZITDA will help lead efforts to integrate Oracle Academy offerings into Zamfara’s higher education curriculum, equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to guide students in learning hands-on tech skills and toward Oracle’s professional certifications and foster a new generation of tech-savvy leaders.
“In addition, Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative, a global programme that provides access to world-class learning and certification programmes at no cost to eligible learners, will further expand opportunities for learners in Zamfara.
“Through a co-branded Learning Portal in collaboration with ZITDA, Oracle University plans to provide free access to digital learning paths and foundational certifications for eligible participants across Zamfara. This includes curated learning journeys offering over 200 hours of professional-level training in high-demand areas such as Cloud, AI, Data Science and APEX development.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Dauda Lawal restated that the collaboration with Oracle is part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Zamfara into a hub of innovation, education, and digital excellence.
He said, “on behalf of the government and the good people of Zamfara State, I extend my deepest appreciation to Oracle for believing in our vision and for partnering with us on this transformative journey.
“What we are doing today goes beyond technology, it is about giving hope, creating opportunities and unlocking the future. By investing in digital education and innovation, we are offering real alternatives to poverty, to joblessness and to despair. I sincerely thank Oracle for standing with us, believing in the power of partnership, purpose, and shared dreams.
“Today, we are not just signing a document, we are making a promise, promise that every child in Zamfara will have a fair chance to dream, to learn, and to succeed. A promise that technology will be our bridge to a stronger, more inclusive economy. And, a promise that Zamfara will not merely participate in the digital revolution, we will lead it.”
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