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Lagos Supports 23 Innovators, Tech Firms with N100m Grant

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The Lagos State Government has awarded a total grant of N100 million to twenty-three young innovators and tech firms to pursue various technology-driven innovations across the six pillars of the development agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

The recipients are the first set of beneficiaries to be picked to benefit from the N250 million seed capital earmarked, last year, as Research and Innovation Fund by the State Government.

The awardees were selected through highly competitive process overseen by the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) established in 2019 by Governor Sanwo-Olu, with the mandate to facilitate and encourage the development of innovative solutions to solve local problems, using cutting-edge technology.

The Governor congratulated the successful awardees of the research funds, urging them to apply the grant judiciously and use it to transform their ideas into reality.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration was born with the sole aim to solve contemporary challenges facing the State, stressing that the innovation grant was initiated with the objective to empower local innovators and thinkers with knowledge of context and peculiarities to create specific solutions for local challenges.

He said: “Last December, we inaugurated the Research and Innovation Council with a seed fund of N250 million in demonstration of our commitment to transform Lagos into a 21st century digital economy and Smart City.

“The body has a mandate to facilitate investment in science research, innovation, and STEM education throughout the State, and to encourage the development of innovative solutions to problems, using cutting-edge technology.

“We are here today to match our words with action, by handing out grants from the LASRIC’s Research and Innovation Fund to successful applicants. I congratulate all awardees and beneficiaries of our very first set. As a Government, we believe in each and every applicant’s capacity to create and scale up ideas that can proffer solutions to our current challenges.

“We embarked on this unique project with the belief that local challenges are best solved by thinking that understands and appreciates local contexts and peculiarities.

“We believe in Lagos-supported solutions for Lagos-specific challenges. With the presentation of the grants, the responsibility now firmly rests on the recipients’ shoulders to justify the opportunity.”

Sanwo-Olu noted that science and technology remained key enablers to transform the socio-economic destinies of cities, observing that any serious Government must give total commitment to application of technology and innovation to drive improve service delivery in transport management, healthcare, education, waste management, security and governance.

He said Lagos was on a journey to properly identify, enable and build great human potential through flagship technology-driven projects, such as Metrofibre programme and Smart City initiative.

He said: “We are also working to transforming our civil service by encouraging innovative thinking and deploying technology tools and processes. Flagship projects such as the Metrofibre project and the Smart City initiative are key enablers for achieving this.”

The Governor urged unsuccessful applicants not to lose hope, charging them to re-apply for the grant in the next round of selection. He said the State Government would be increasing the grant to accommodate more innovators in the subsequent application.

The Governor’s Special Adviser on Innovation and Technology, Hon. Olatunbosun Alake, described the ceremony as “tangible development” in the history of governance in the State.

He said the awardees would be initiating innovation in key areas of manufacturing, food security and health management.

“The grant recipients represent key research initiatives and innovative start-ups ready and qualified to be resourced for the development of Lagos, and indeed the world. Today’s event is the first in many of this administration’s support and development of the science and technology ecosystem,” Alake said.

LASRIC chairman Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said the event was a testimony of Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to the development of innovative solutions to challenges facing the State.

He said the Council would continue to assist the State Government to harness human and material resources of Lagos for problem solving, wealth creation and transformation of the State’s economy.

The high point was the presentation of cheques to the awardees by the Governor.

A beneficiary and founder of Price Pally, Luther Lawoyin, who received N5 million grant, praised the Governor for creating opportunities for tech startups to push forward their ideas. He said his business depended on data management, promising to invest the grant in improving food security.


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LG Launches “Radio Optimism” Campaign to Spread “Life’s Good” Through Music

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LG Electronics has launched a new brand campaign, “Radio Optimism,” designed to help strengthen meaningful human connections and spread optimism through shared musical experiences.

This initiative aligns with LG’s brand promise, “Life’s Good,” and addresses the growing challenge of forming genuine relationships in a technology-driven world.

The Radio Optimism campaign seeks to counteract the disconnection often felt in an era dominated by superficial interactions, such as likes and comments on social media. By harnessing the power of music, LG aims to foster deeper bonds among individuals, promoting a more fulfilling life.

“As technology advances, meaningful human connections become increasingly vital to enrich our lives. LG continues its commitment to bringing optimism into customers’ daily lives, staying true to our enduring brand promise of ‘Life’s Good,’” said Kim Hyo-eun, head of LG’s Brand Management Division.

This campaign reinforces LG’s commitment to creating enriching experiences in digital spaces where today’s consumers spend significant time. Building on this mission, LG has continuously engaged with younger audiences through participatory campaigns that bring the Life’s Good philosophy to life.

Last year’s “Optimism your feed” campaign leveraged social algorithms to foster positivity on social media. This new initiative specifically seeks to address the paradoxical disconnection in an era of hyper-connectivity.

“One of the most reliable predictors of happiness is having deep and meaningful relationships,” said Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. “Yet today, many people are spending more time online and less time connecting in person. Social media in particular tends to create shallow relationships rather than the deep connections people need.

“It’s common for people to have hundreds of followers but no one to talk to in real life if they need support. We need to build more meaningful connections with those around us. That might turn around the pronounced decline in happiness that’s occurred over the last decade.”

A new global study* from LG on social connection reveals that 68 percent of people find it harder to make real friends, and a third reported having one or fewer meaningful connections in the past month, with 8 percent experiencing none at all.

Inspired by traditional radio’s unique way of connecting people through music and storytelling, the Radio Optimism campaign transforms this concept into an interactive platform where participants can create and send personalized songs to their loved ones.

Users can easily create new songs using AI-powered tools, which are thoroughly trained on a curated music dataset. These tools interpret user prompts to produce unique musical pieces and generate matching album art, providing an engaging and personalized experience. Once generated, these songs can be sent to recipients to deepen their connection and made available for others to discover worldwide.

According to the survey, nearly 9 in 10 respondents believe that meaningful connections lead to a more optimistic outlook on life. By providing a platform for individuals to express their feelings, this campaign aims to foster deeper connections and help individuals enrich their lives while spreading optimism in their own ways.

The campaign website is available in English and Spanish, with plans to support additional languages in the coming months to enable broader participation. The official website can be found at RadioOptimism.lg.com.


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Nigeria’s Electricity Output Climbs 10.92% in Q1 2025, Boosted by Thermal Plants

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Nigeria’s electricity generation rose by 10.92% in the first quarter of 2025, driven by improved operational capacity and better availability of thermal and hydropower plants supplying the national grid.

This is according to the latest report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for Q1 2025.

Total energy generated stood at 10,304.47 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up from 9,289.95 GWh recorded in the previous quarter. The increase highlights stronger performance across multiple power plants, supported by improved grid dispatch conditions.

NERC noted that average hourly generation on the grid also grew by 13.39%, rising to 4,770.59 megawatt-hours per hour (MWh/h) from 4,207.41 MWh/h in Q4 2024—an increase of 563.18 MWh/h.

“The hourly generation and the total generation increased by 13.39% and 10.92% respectively in Q1 2025 compared to Q4 2024. This rise is linked to an increase in the cumulative available generation capacity of grid-connected plants,” the report stated.

A total of 19 power plants boosted their output during the quarter, contributing significantly to the overall rise in generation.

Thermal power plants were the main drivers of growth. Out of the 23 thermal plants connected to the grid, 16 recorded higher average hourly output compared to the previous quarter.

Top contributors included Delta_1, which added 157.58 MWh/h, followed by Geregu_2 (71.95 MWh/h), Egbin_1 (68.20 MWh/h), and Afam_2 (68.03 MWh/h).

Hydropower plants also supported the growth, though at a smaller scale. The five grid-connected hydro stations posted a combined increase of 54.93 MWh/h, marking a 4% improvement. Zungeru_1 led with a 23.55% rise, while Shiroro_1 and Kainji_1 grew by 12.21% and 4.80% respectively.

This first-quarter improvement reflects ongoing efforts to stabilize power supply through better plant maintenance, enhanced grid management, and more consistent dispatch across regions.

However, challenges such as fuel supply to plants, equipment reliability, and high operating costs continue to limit the full potential of Nigeria’s power generation capacity.


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DBI, Miva Open University Partner to Advance Digital Innovation, Education

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Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and Miva Open University, Abuja, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote digital technology and academic excellence in computer science and innovation.

DBI, Miva Open University Partner to Advance Digital Innovation, Education

Mr. David Daser,  president/CEO, DBI, and Professor Tayo Arulogun, vice chancellor, Miva Open University.

DBI, a Federal Government-owned ICT training institute with headquarters in Abuja and campuses across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, hosted the signing ceremony at its headquarters.

The MoU marks a significant step in formalizing and strengthening the existing relationship between the two institutions.

Signing on behalf of their institutions were

Speaking during the event, Mr. Daser praised Professor Arulogun’s leadership and commitment to academic development, which he said made the partnership possible. He emphasized that unlike many MoUs that remain inactive, this collaboration is set to deliver tangible results.

“We value this partnership and are confident it will meaningfully contribute to Nigeria’s education sector. DBI is fully prepared to implement the agreement and drive an impact across our campuses in Enugu, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Asaba, and Yola,” Daser said.

He added that the collaboration would strengthen DBI’s National Innovation Diploma (NID) program and other initiatives through shared resources and new opportunities.

Professor Arulogun, in his remarks, highlighted the need for greater collaboration among Nigerian universities, criticizing the prevalent “do-it-alone syndrome.”

“Many institutions prefer to operate in silos, but collaboration is key. Pooling resources and working together will enhance capacity and academic output,” he stated. “With this partnership, we are ready to hit the ground running  from student exchange to joint innovation projects like hackathons.”

He noted that hackathons provide platforms for discovering hidden talents and fostering innovation, and Miva is eager to integrate such activities into its academic programs.

Mr. Emeka Nzeih, head of Learning and Development, DBI, outlined the partnership’s key focus areas: student internships, real-world project collaborations, joint research in fields like AI, robotics, and cybersecurity, and shared access to DBI’s ICT labs and equipment for Miva’s students and faculty.

According to Nzeih, the initiative aims to enhance practical learning, foster innovation, and build capacity through collaborative training, research, and mentorship.


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