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i4ITCB partners Oracle Academy, NCS to hold Seminar for STEM lecturers in South East

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L-R: Sefunmi Fadahunsi; Country Programs Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oracle Academy, Engineer Iyiola Ayoola; Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dele Bayo-Osibo; Founder, Initiative for Information Technology Capacity Building, i4itcb, Prof. Hettie Abimbola Soriyan, Lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State and Dr. Olufemi Oyenuga, Chief Customer Architect, ECEMA, Oracle Africa at the seminar.
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The Initiative for Information Technology Capacity Building (i4itcb) has called for improved pedagogy among Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) tutors in the South Eastern part of Nigeria.

 

The Non-Governmental Organization, made this emphasies at a one-day Academia’s & Technology Seminar for STEM lecturers held at Universal Hotel, Indepedence Layout, Enugu in collaboration with the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and Oracle Academy which demonstrated educational curriculum resources to aid the educators impart their students.

 

Speaking at the seminar themed: Teaching for Industry Relevant STEM Skills’, Prof. Hettie Abimbola  Soriyan, Lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, said that STEM teachers need a change in their mindset to be able to win-back students to the classrooms.

 

She said, “They are working with a generation that does not show as much interest in class room lectures as it was in times gone by, because their interest in technology, especially social media has increased in leaps, almost as a disadvantage.

 

“So, lecturers need to leave our comfort zones to train ourselves to use that technology to reach out to the students. Engage the students; give them some things to think about, analyse and present their thoughts.

 

“From the exercise we did here, the participants now have a better understanding of areas that need improvement on their part.

 

“If teachers transpose skills learnt from the exercise into system development analysis, it is clear, more work is required on the part of the Lecturers.

 

“I recommend that programs like this should be spread over two to three days; as there are still lots to discuss about how to win-back the students”.

Cross section of Speakers and participants at the seminar.

Prof. Soriyan, emphasised need to transform the same technology students are using to their advantages.

 

“When you want to give assignment link it to social media and recent topics. They like watching videos like cartoons. Let’s test them based on those areas.

 

“We have to appreciate the fact that their’s is a generation that is tech-savvy only for use and consumption and are not interested in developing technology parse. So, teachers need to change the dynamics”, she added.

 

Engr Iyiola Ayoola, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS),  said that from the theme it is obvious that participants have been exposed to the need to teach computer science or IT courses in the relevant way; that is, to galvanize the economy into fourth industrial revolution.

 

“When we refer to the fourth industrial revolution, it implies that IT has penetrated every facet of human endeavour. As a result, we are seeing technological disruptions today.

 

“So, we are talking about lecturers and teachers of Computer Science courses; they should be able to stay ahead of the class and the result is graduates who are ready to conquer in this technological dispensation.

 

“We have many IT courses now in Big Data, Robotics, Mobile Internet, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Virtual Reality; these are disruptions in the IT industry that should be taught with the relevant tools and revamped curriculum.

 

“Definitely, there is no dull student; when taught in the right manner, each student will find one area as relevant to him or her”, Engr. Ayoola reechoed.

 

During her presentation, the Country Programs Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oracle Academy, Sefunmi  Fadahunsi, reiterated the global IT giant’s determination to impact next generation of professionals through free educational resources around STEM that teachers and schools can leverage on to deliver quality teaching and learning experience.

 

In her words: “It means that students need to be engaged practically to be able to learn STEM so that they can have skills relevant in the industry.

 

“All the resources Oracle Academy has for them is free. The resources are industry relevant. In other words, what the students will learn through Oracle Academy is the same as our customers are subscribing to, to drive their businesses; Java, Database, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning resources, curriculum and software resources – all free for both the teachers and the students.

 

“That is what we have brought to the South Eastern States and we hope to continue working with them for the advancement of Computer Science Education”.

 

Meanwhile, the Founder, Initiative for Information Technology Capacity Building, i4itcb, Dele Bayo-Osibo, explained the rationale behind the seminar.

 

“What informed our coming to the South East is that, we have a vision to improve the footprints of Information Technology professionals in the polity.

 

“What we have decided to do is to move from region to region and carry out this impartation of knowledge.

“The Idea is that we will, overtime, close the gap between the industry and the academia. We believe in moving from ‘Knowledge to Impact’; which is our slogan.

 

“And as such, we want to impart knowledge in the academia because we believe they are critical stakeholders in this move to improve IT technicians, professionals in the polity”, Bayo-Osibo said.

 

Highpoint of the seminar was a debate on the positive and negative impacts of Artificial intelligence in human society with two lecturers emerging winners; and took home new laptop each presented by i4itcb.

 

Assessing the debaters, the Chief Customer Architect, ECEMA, Oracle Africa, Dr. Olufemi Oyenuga, said: “I can feel the energy among the Teachers in the South Eastern part of Nigeria.

 

“The energy is really positive. There is also the DNA of South Eastern part of Nigeria wanting to learn. I have never seen quite an astonishing debate on AI as these University professors and doctors did.

 

“They actually connected the knowledge, application and future of AI to some basic things about our life and culture.

 

“I think the convener of the programme has done a fantastic job because she had planted a seed, let’s watch out it grows and bears much fruits.

 

“Secondly, I think it is going to connect and open up tributes of knowledge on fourth industrial revolution in Nigeria looking at things like 5G, AI, IoT, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, as the fulcrum to the next technological advancement we are in; not necessarily looking at the entire gambit rather taking it in bits.

 

“So, the learning methodology must change for a transmission and transformation of knowledge into fourth industrial revolution”.

 

Nodding in agreement, Mayowa Ajiboye of TechX Innovation Hub located in Enugu State, said, “I believe that there should be synergy between the universities and technology innovation hubs in the South East, because universities possess the brain-power for innovation.

 

“But I noticed that over the years, it has never been so with regards this part of the country. That is why hubs are springing up.

 

“Nevertheless, the bulk of the ideas are still in the universities, so they need to synergise with all the hubs around as fast as possible to translate the energy and ideas into valuable products. With the hubs, they can easily get their models very correctly”.


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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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NCC Wins Global ICT Award for Digital Awareness in Schools

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L–R: Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, receives the WSIS 2025 Prize (Category C3: Access to Information and Knowledge) from the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, following the selection of the Commission's Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) as winner of the category.
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Nigeria, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has won the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) prize for its project, the Digital Awareness Programme (DAP), under Category C3, which is on Access to Information and Knowledge.

L–R: Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, receives the WSIS 2025 Prize (Category C3: Access to Information and Knowledge) from the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, following the selection of the Commission’s Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) as winner of the category.

The DAP, one of hundreds of projects submitted for the WSIS Prizes competition 2025, received the highest number of votes in its category, earning it the top honour. The programme equips secondary schools across the country with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and provide internet connectivity to support teaching, learning, and research. Since inception in 2006, over 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have benefitted from the programme.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, received the award during the WSIS Prizes Winners 2025 Ceremony held on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Maida thanked the hosts, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and WSIS, for recognising Nigeria’s efforts in promoting inclusive digital access across Nigeria, noting that the award would serve as further motivation for the Commission.

“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts—it is an encouragement to press forward. It affirms that investing in digital inclusion is investing in national development, and that Nigeria’s work is being seen and valued on the global stage,” Dr. Maida said.

Four other Nigerian projects—the Women Techsters and the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI) under Capacity Building, the Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative under Enabling Environment, and the Digital Learning Initiative under e-Learning—were also celebrated for their nomination for the Champions Category of Projects at the WSIS Prizes Ceremony. Although they were not among the top-voted entries, they were acknowledged for their significant merit and impact.

The WSIS Prizes competition recognises and promotes projects that effectively leverage ICTs to advance sustainable development. The competition showcases how technology can serve as a powerful tool for addressing global challenges and achieving the SDGs. Projects from around the world are recognised annually, highlighting diverse approaches to building an inclusive information society.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations (UN) initiative aimed at building a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. It provides a multi-stakeholder platform to address issues related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their role in achieving sustainable development.

The Forum is an annual event that brings together high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community, and international organisations. It serves as a global platform for implementing the WSIS Action Lines, which are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


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No More Excuses: NCC Sets Tough August Deadline to Tackle Telecom Hitches

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given telecom tower operators in the country August 2025 deadline to fix persistent network hitches in their facilities or face regulatory sanctions.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, reportedly gave the ultimatum during a high-level meeting with key industry players, attended by representatives of IHS Towers, American Tower Corporation (ATC), and Pan-African Towers, and mobile network operators (MNOs) in Abuja

According to sources, discussions at the meeting focused on the recurring challenges in the telecoms sector, particularly power failures, equipment malfunctions, and insufficient site maintenance, that have been causing poor Internet and call services in the country

Specifically, Maida tasked the tower operators on the imperative of complying with the NCC’s updated Quality of Service (QoS) framework, which now extends performance obligations to infrastructure providers, not just telecom service providers.

According to him, the timeline given by the commission is more than enough time for all parties to align with the performance standards expected of them.

Recently, to ensure compliance with the standards, the NCC introduced a Major Incident Reporting Portal for real-time outage disclosures; developed public performance dashboards to enhance transparency; mandated that telecom tower companies meet strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Although the tower operators had previously cited delayed payments from MNOs as a reason for service lapses, the NCC had dismissed the justification, insisting that all parties must meet their obligations.

The EVC maintained: “Operators must fulfill both their technical and financial responsibilities. Poor service delivery—regardless of internal disputes—will attract consequences.”

Available data on the telecom tower infrastructure shows that IHS Towers has the largest assets with 16,000–19,000 sites, (62% market share); compared to American Tower Corp’s (ATC’s) about 8,270 towers; and Pan-African Towers’ 760–1,000 sites nationwide.

The latest NCC’s August deadline is believed to be putting pressures on the tower operators to improve the quality of their facilities for improved services as the commission had hinted of its plan to sanction defaulting operators with fines or stricter regulatory actions.

Industry experts believe that the NCC’s directive is a welcomed development as it will ensure reliable Internet connectivity and improved services quality for telecom consumers in the country.


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NCC to Chart MVNO Growth Path at Telecom Sustainability Forum 6.0

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to play a pivotal role at the upcoming 6th edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 6.0), where it will lead a critical discussion on the sustainable growth of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.

Set against a backdrop of innovation and opportunity, this forum, organized by Business Remarks, aptly themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s MVNO Potential: Status, Trends, Investment, and Future Prospects,” is scheduled for August 26, 2025. This event reinforces the nation’s commitment to fostering a robust, competitive, and inclusive telecommunications landscape.

The forum will bring together a diverse array of key stakeholders from across the telecom ecosystem to deliberate on strategies for integrating MVNOs effectively into Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy. With the recent advancements in technology and the issuance of 43 MVNO licenses to new players, MVNOs are poised to significantly enhance service delivery, drive digital transformation, penetrate underserved markets, and stimulate healthy competition across the sector.

As the global MVNO market is experiencing significant growth, with projections indicating continued expansion, experts believe that with the right regulatory environment and access to infrastructure, emerging markets like Nigeria can leverage MVNOs to unlock new value for both operators (by utilizing excess network capacity) and customers. Customers can enjoy a rich array of niche value-added services tailored to their needs.

Having been proactive in introducing a five-tier MVNO licensing classification, each with distinct services and a 10-year validity period, signaling a clear path for new entrants, the telecom regulator (NCC) will deliver a keynote address outlining the Commission’s regulatory framework, interventions, and commitment to ensuring a conducive environment for MVNO operations.

Mrs. Bukola Olanrewaju, Convener of the forum and Managing Editor of Business Remarks, emphasized the importance of collaboration. “TSSF 6.0 is designed to be a melting pot of ideas, bringing together Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), MVNOs, telecoms infrastructure providers, Internet Service Providers, industry associations, and technology experts,” she said.

“Our goal is to ignite discussions that will shape the future of MVNOs in Nigeria, ensuring their sustainable growth and their critical role in extending digital prosperity across the nation.”

The forum will feature interactive sessions, thought-provoking panel discussions, insightful paper presentations, and abundant networking opportunities. This event aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, address challenges, and explore collaborative pathways for sustainable growth.


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