In a historic announcement, António Guterres, United Nations secretary-general  has named Professor Rabia Sa’id, a Nigerian physicist, to a newly established global independent scientific panel tasked with assessing the devastating consequences of nuclear war.

Professor Rabia Sa’id,

This appointment positions Nigeria at the forefront of a critical international initiative focused on the future of global peace, health, and security.

The independent panel, comprising 21 world-renowned experts, was constituted following the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 79/238, titled “Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research.”

The body will deliver the most comprehensive scientific analysis in decades on the potential physical and societal impacts of nuclear war at local, regional, and global levels, including climatic disruptions, environmental contamination, radiological effects, and socioeconomic fallout.

Professor Sa’id, a distinguished researcher in atmospheric and space-weather physics at Bayero University Kano and co-founder of Nigeria’s Association of Women Physicists, will bring unique African and Nigerian perspectives to the critical study.

Her expertise in atmospheric sciences is expected to play a pivotal role in the panel’s examination of post-nuclear climatic and environmental changes.

This marks a significant milestone for Nigeria, highlighting the country’s growing influence in global scientific diplomacy and peacebuilding initiatives.

Professor Sa’id joins a select group of experts from 21 countries spanning fields such as nuclear science, radiation studies, climate and environmental sciences, public health, agriculture, and economics.

The panel has been mandated to produce a comprehensive scientific report by 2027, to be presented at the United Nations General Assembly’s 82nd session.

Their findings will provide crucial guidance to the international community on the long-term risks posed by nuclear conflict, revisiting the issue almost four decades after the UN’s last major scientific report on the subject in 1988.

In keeping with the resolution, the panel was carefully constituted to ensure global geographical representation and gender balance. Professor Sa’id’s inclusion is a testament to Nigeria’s scientific excellence and commitment to global peace.

The Secretary-General underscored that the panel will consult widely with international organisations, civil society groups, and communities worldwide, ensuring local and regional concerns are adequately represented in the final report.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the appointment, noting it as “an important recognition of Nigeria’s voice in shaping a safer, more secure world.”

Professor Sa’id herself expressed pride in representing her country, stating, “Africa must have a seat at the table when global security and human survival are discussed.”

Other prominent panel members include scientists from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Austria, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Turkey, China, and others, reflecting a broad spectrum of expertise and perspectives.

As global tensions and nuclear risks resurface on the international agenda, Nigeria’s participation in this critical scientific endeavour underscores its continued advocacy for disarmament and a nuclear-free future.

Geeks and Founders Alliance for Soludo (GEFAS) on Thursday 17th July, 2025 unveiled its new office space in a significant event that further strengthens the group’s mission to drive Governor Soludo’s “everything technology, technology everywhere” vision across Anambra State.

The unveiling was performed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who could not contain his excitement and amazement at the level of sophistication of the facility and the vibrancy of the young professionals and tech enthusiasts behind the initiative.

Prof. Chukwulobelu commended the GEFAS team for building such a dynamic platform, uniting diverse sectors under a common goal to support Anambra’s digital transformation and Governor Soludo’s re-election bid at the November 8 Governorship Poll, without requesting a dime from the government.

He noted that their efforts reflect growing youth support for his administration.

“Our goal is to secure victory in the upcoming election and continue delivering good governance to the people of Anambra. Anambra is APGA, and APGA is Anambra

There is no vacancy in Government House come November 2025,” he added.

He urged GEFAS members to remain steadfast and resilient in the face of opposition, adding that the government would collaborate with and complement GEFAS to ensure its vision is further integrated into governance for greater impact.

Also present to lend credence to the movement was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, who described GEFAS as a strategic and dynamic angle to the campaigns.

He lauded the initiative, stating that it exemplifies the power of digital tools in modern political campaigning and governance, and expressed optimism that a second term for Governor Soludo would unlock even more innovative solutions for Ndi Anambra.

In her remarks, Ms. Odili Jombo, a coordinator with GEFAS, shared the impressive results of the Alliance’s outreach so far.

She revealed that the GEFAS Call Centre, with its team of 21 dedicated agents, has already reached over 20,000 Ndi Anambra, gathering valuable insights on citizens’ sentiments about Mr. Governor’s performance and their disposition towards the upcoming elections, an experience she described, has recorded more positives than negatives.

She further announced that GEFAS will soon unveil a mobile WiFi bus, among other top-tier initiatives designed to change the campaign landscape and further position Anambra as a leading tech state.

The event was well attended by top government officials, members of the media, tech stakeholders, and other well-meaning Ndi Anambra, many of whom expressed amazement at what GEFAS has created and pledged unwavering support for them and Governor Soludo’s continuity at the November polls.

Explaining the passion behind GEFAS, the Convener and MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the Alliance as a continuity-driven force working to align with Governor Soludo’s vision of moving Anambra from a departure lounge to a destination lounge.

“We believe that together, leveraging technology, we can drive the real change Anambra truly deserves,” he said.

With this milestone, GEFAS remains committed to driving technology-driven engagement that delivers practical impact and amplifies the Solution Government’s transformational strides.

In a significant move towards accelerating the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, paid a strategic working visit to Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited, Nigeria’s foremost ICT infrastructure and shared services provider.

The visit, which took place at GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) and Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of the HCSF’s efforts to deepen collaboration and assess the technological infrastructure supporting the government’s ongoing digitalisation reforms across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre, and a delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Directors from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the visit featured an extensive tour of GBB’s cutting-edge Digital Infrastructure facilities. These included its Network Operations Centre (NOC), Security Operations Centre (SOC), and Uptime Institute Certified Tier III Data Centre; all built to ensure a secure, scalable, and sovereign digital infrastructure for Nigeria’s public sector.

In his welcome address, Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre described Galaxy Backbone as a critical institution under the supervision of FMCIDE, tasked with providing the nation’s core digital infrastructure and shared ICT services. “Today’s visit is an important opportunity to showcase the significant progress GBB has made in building the infrastructure necessary for a truly digital government,” he said.

“I believe this engagement will foster stronger alignment and collaboration between MDAs and GBB as we move towards a more connected and efficient public service.”

The Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, expressed appreciation for the visit, noting its alignment with GBB’s mandate to support Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.

“A visit of this nature by the Head of the Civil Service is highly symbolic,” he remarked. “It reinforces the central role that the Civil Service plays in national development and highlights the importance of strategic ICT infrastructure in driving effective governance.”

He went on to emphasize that GBB’s mission to design, build, and manage Nigeria’s digital infrastructure aligns seamlessly with the Civil Service’s digital reform agenda.

“Our platforms; including the 1Government Cloud, GovMail, and our extensive fibre optic network present in 28 states, are designed to support a digitally enabled, secure, and efficient government,” Prof. Adeyanju added.

He also called for greater collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service to drive the adoption of GBB’s infrastructure, particularly the fibre optic connectivity already terminated at Federal Secretariat buildings across 28 states of the country. He further appealed for support in expanding Local Area Networks (LANs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) secretariat buildings to integrate more MDAs into the digital ecosystem.

In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the world-class infrastructure and strategic digital solutions developed by Galaxy Backbone, stating that her perception of the agency had been greatly enhanced following the tour.

“This visit has opened my eyes to the enormous potential and capacity that Galaxy Backbone brings to Nigeria’s digital journey,” she said. “I now see GBB not just as an ICT agency, but as a strategic partner in the realisation of our dream to build a modern, agile, and paperless civil service.”

She specifically praised GBB’s support for the “War Room” initiative, the widespread deployment of GovMail — currently serving over 34,000 civil servants, and the agency’s high-speed fibre connectivity provided during the 2025 International Civil Service Week hosted by her office.

Reaffirming her office’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025, the Head of Service expressed optimism that this goal is attainable with stronger collaboration and technical support from GBB.

She also highlighted several strategic areas where partnership with GBB is critical, including:

• Full implementation of the 1Government Cloud to host and manage MDA operations.
• Adoption of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to streamline records and workflow automation across MDAs.
• Synergy between the 1Government Cloud Academy and the Civil Service Academy to enhance capacity development.
• Training and onboarding of civil servants on innovative tools such as Service-Wise GPT – Nigeria’s AI-powered platform designed to transform public service delivery.

Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at GBB, in his vote of thanks, expressed deep gratitude to the Head of Service and her delegation for taking the time to visit and engage with the team. He reiterated GBB’s unwavering commitment to partnering with all stakeholders to deliver inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking digital solutions for the Federal Government.