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Microsoft & Journey to Nigeria’s Education Transformation Via LP+365 Solution

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Learning is not a destination nor can it be solved by just the introduction of technology, but it is indeed a journey, as emphasized by Jordan Belmonte, education programs manager, Microsoft Nigeria at the recent launch of the anticipated LP+365 learning solution by Microsoft in partnership with Dynamiss Digital Learning Solutions Limited, a teaching and learning digital solutions company and Learning Possibilities, the largest learning solutions provider in United Kingdom.

Belmonte went ahead to remind the pious gathering comprising of education scholars, teachers, technology developers, government functionaries, among others: “A human behavior that involves constant transformation and evolution in which multiple stakeholders need to come together, obviously the student themselves, the parents also have a role to play, teachers, educational institutions, and the local community – it’s a very important journey in which we all embark upon together – And Microsoft sees it’s self as one of the partners/players in furthering this journey”.

Here, learning prettily focused on the learning outcome is surly inevitable, because such outcome has a lot to do with helping individuals, students to realize their true potential.

Obviously and as she would put it, “to make sure that they find a job, employment and opportunity in life that accomplishes their passion and at the same time ensures their communities and economy as a whole works”.

As a country, we are in a crossroad, a zigzag occasioned by soaring rate of Unemployment.

With unemployment up to 8.2% of the population. A disproportionate number of those unemployed are youth as it was reported recently that almost 18% of youths between the ages of 15 and 24 were unemployed. Yet at the same time employers and companies tell us that there is a short supply of skilled and talented people!

Yet, about 33.7 million out of 173.6 million people in Nigeria aged 15-35 are youths.

Of the about 57 million out of school children globally, 10.5 million of them are Nigerian children, making Nigeria the country with the second highest concentration of out of school children globally.

There is no need flogging ourselves for missing the industrial revolution, however, posterity will judge us should we remain ‘idle’ in the face of, “Globally, job opportunities are shifting away from manufacturing economies to information economies that services largest sector of the 25 largest economies”.

Microsoft aptly captures the trend thus, “We have shifted to an information society that is based on Information economies… It used to be important for people to be able to calculate complex math in their head or to know how to memorize and repeat an action. But most of those things can now be completed through technological compensation. This means our global job market has changed. Services, Information Technology and E-Commerce are some of the fastest growing economies”.

And the biggest impact of this shift is what has happens to the occupations available. Most jobs today are unrecognizable to what they were 15, 10 or even 5 years ago. So true!

The International Data Corporation reported in 2014 that “More than 50% of today’s jobs require some technology skills, which percentage will increase to 77% in the next decade. And within ten years, 60% of the jobs that will be available are ones that don’t even exist today”.

Aside computer jobs or ICT jobs at tech companies like Microsoft, the fact is that majority of the jobs already require some degree of understanding of technology, everyday jobs in the community, bankers, store clerks, doctors, civil servants, name it!

Unfortunately, the gap is just too big without the majority of classrooms in Nigeria not inspiring and becoming more and more obsolete; complete opposite of today’s working style.

Technology induced system is the only way out of an education system that still relies on the old formula of memorize, regurgitate and flush and caters to a learning environment that more closely mirrors the modern workplace and sets student up for professional success.

That is why we at Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believe that LP+365 learning solution by Microsoft is timely and should be embraced by the Government, and other education stakeholders to move the sector to a better status.

We are reliably informed that LP+365 digital learning classroom solution is a cloud-based learning platform which transforms the Microsoft Office365 into a school’s virtual learning environment, enabling teachers to design and plan the curriculum, deliver subject material, manage coursework and communicate with learners using simple drag and drop technology.

Thus, LP+365 solution provides 24 hours access to learning for both teachers and students, virtually everything you are learning in the classroom is on line and it can be accessed anywhere you are.

The Dynamiss LP+365 offers educators and students the opportunity to access Always-On access to knowledge, Personalized learning, Better engagement, Improved communication and collaboration.

The apparatus is such an expedient measure on rethinking how to develop technology competency skills in Nigerian youths and equip them to solve real world problems. To remain relevant in today’s world demands our problem solving capabilities.

To this end, Hakeem Adeniji-Adele, public sector director, Microsoft Nigeria, enlightened attendees on the evolution in education.

According to him, “Youth Empowerment and life-long learning is core to Microsoft’s identity and we have made a huge investment in Nigeria in this area. 1.66 Million Nigerians have gone through Employability and Entrepreneurships programs in the past 1 year and 6 months; 60,000 + Youth Trained on ICT skills; 10,000 + youth Trained with Build youth Business Curriculum and 5,000 + Teachers complete train their trainer ICT training”.

These are commendable owing to the fact the “future of learning and innovation is in this room! Somewhere outside this room- or possibility, if any of you are sneakily working on your phone or tablets, somewhere inside this room- the next unimaginable, unpredictable innovation is about to arrive and transform education all over again. What we are doing here is democratizing education for the 21st century”, Adeniji-Adele said.

We count it as Microsoft is on “mission critical”: to help every person and every organization in Nigeria to achieve more.

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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10 Percent of Nigerians Affected by Data Breaches since 2004 

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At least 10 out of every 100 Nigerians have fallen victim to data breaches since 2004, according to a new report by global cybersecurity firm Surfshark, raising serious concerns about the country’s long-standing vulnerability to cyber threats.

10 Percent of Nigerians Affected by Data Breaches since 2004 

Surfshark’s research is based on data gathered from 29,000 publicly available databases.

Each unique breached email address is treated as a separate user account, and breaches often include additional personal data such as passwords, phone numbers, IP addresses, and postal codes.

The data was anonymised before analysis, and countries with populations under one million were excluded from the study.

Findings of the report revealed that a staggering 23.2 million Nigerian user accounts have been compromised in the past two decades, an alarming figure in a country with an estimated population of over 230 million.

This includes 7.3 million unique email addresses and 13 million passwords leaked into the public domain.

“Cyberattacks remain a persistent and growing threat globally, and Nigeria is no exception,” Surfshark stated in its analysis.

Despite a significant 85 per cent drop in new data breaches in the first quarter of 2025, falling from the previous quarter’s numbers—Nigeria still recorded over 119,000 breached accounts during the period. This places the country 34th worldwide in total breach volume.

Even with the recent decline, the scale and depth of past breaches remain troubling.

According to the report, 56 percent of Nigerian users affected by breaches are at heightened risk of identity theft, extortion, and unauthorised access to their online accounts.

“In Q1 2025 alone, an estimated one Nigerian account was breached every minute,” Surfshark noted.

The global picture also shows a dramatic shift: the number of leaked accounts dropped 93 percent year-on-year—from nearly 974 million in Q1 2024 to just 68.3 million in Q1 2025.

Countries with the highest number of breaches include the United States (16.9 million), Russia (4.4 million), and India (4.2 million).

However, when adjusted for population, smaller nations like South Sudan, Spain, and Slovenia reported the highest breach density, with South Sudan recording 61 breached accounts per 1,000 residents.

Luís Costa, Surfshark’s research lead, warned that the downturn in breach numbers should not lead to a false sense of security.

“Cyberthreats are constantly evolving, and attackers are adapting their tactics. Strong security practices, frequent password updates, and enabling two-factor authentication remain essential,” Costa stated.

The report underscores the urgent need for improved cybersecurity infrastructure and public awareness in Nigeria, as millions remain exposed to potential exploitation due to past breaches.


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NIN: FG Increases DoB Update Fee by 75Percent to N28,574

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Nigerians seeking to correct their date of birth on the National Identification Number (NIN) database will now pay N28,574, following a major upward review of service charges by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

NIN: FG Increases DoB Update Fee by 75Percent to N28,574

Bisoye Coker Odusote, CEO, NIMC


The new fee represents a 75 per cent increase from the previous charge of N16,340, making it the most expensive data modification service under the Commission’s revised price regime.

The change is part of a broader review of NIMC’s service fees, which the agency says is necessary to reflect current economic realities, including a national inflation rate of 32.70 percent, rising operational costs, and the need for self-sustenance.

Under the new structure, corrections to other personal details such as names, addresses, and gender now cost N2,000 per modification — up from N1,522, a 31 percent increase.

Re-issuance of the NIN slip, previously pegged at N500, will now attract a fee of N600.

Meanwhile, premium services offered at select enrollment lounges and visa centers will cost N20,000 for NIN enrollment, and N3,500 for re-issuance of slips.

For Nigerians in African countries, NIN enrollment now costs $50 for adults and $30 for children.

Data modifications cost $55 for date of birth changes, and $10 for other fields.

Outside Africa, name corrections are charged at $60, with other data fields remaining at $10 per change.

In an executive summary accompanying the new pricing list, NIMC stated that the adjustments followed consultations across its departments and benchmarking against charges by other government agencies like the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

“For over a decade, our service charges remained stagnant despite expanding our infrastructure and service offerings. This new price regime ensures we can maintain our systems, support national revenue goals, and align with global identity management standards,” the Commission said.

NIMC also cited its role in broader policy objectives such as tax unification, social interventions, and digital identity expansion.

While the Commission insists the fee hike is necessary, many Nigerians have expressed concern about the affordability of the new charges, particularly the high cost of correcting date of birth — an error that often arises from initial registration challenges in rural or crowded centers.


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Minister Seeks Digital Tech Adoption to Improve Agriculture, Boost Food Security

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The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has called for the urgent adoption of digital technology in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to boost food production, curb rising prices, and reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.

Speaking on Thursday in Abeokuta at the Ogun Tech Forward Innovation & Startups Roundtable session, Tijani stressed that Nigeria’s vast arable land and large population could only be effectively harnessed through technological intervention.

He warned that without embracing innovation, traditional farming practices would remain inefficient and expensive, putting food security at risk.

“Technology innovation has already contributed 16 to 18 per cent, but we are aiming for 21 per cent. We need to introduce our technology into agriculture to produce enough food to feed ourselves

“Without technology, countries like Nigeria cannot practise agriculture effectively. We have the vast land, but without technology, we won’t do it well,” the minister said.

Tijani noted that the continuous rise in food prices and the country’s dependence on foreign exchange to import grains that can be grown locally is unsustainable.

He emphasised that leveraging tools such as mobile apps, drones, sensors, and data analytics could transform Nigeria’s farming landscape by enabling precision agriculture and providing real-time insights on soil conditions, pest control, crop health, and intruder detection.

He maintained that the deployment of such technologies would not only enhance farming efficiency and sustainability but also lead to higher yields, lower production costs, and ultimately, more affordable food for Nigerians.

The minister also made a broader case for inclusive innovation across the country, cautioning that Nigeria’s technological future cannot be shaped by a few urban centres alone.

He said the federal government would support emerging tech ecosystems, especially in states like Ogun, to ensure grassroots participation in the digital economy.

Tijani declared, “We can’t leave innovation in the hands of just a few cities. Every part of Nigeria, including towns and rural areas, must be part of the digital journey. The more people we carry along, the stronger we become as a country.”

Tijani, however, revealed that the federal government would back Ogun Tech Hub’s initiative aimed at creating 300 jobs through business process outsourcing as part of a broader vision to transform Nigerian states into ‘talent cities’.

He said, “If we don’t invest in our own people, we’ll keep depending on others for solutions. We must create space for local ideas to grow and become real businesses.”

The minister further called for the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and drones into key sectors, particularly agriculture, while advocating for the adoption of generative AI in education to support personalised, accessible learning across communities.

In his remarks, the President of the Ogun Tech Community, Adekunle Durosinmi, called on the federal government to provide strategic support to accelerate the growth of the state’s digital ecosystem.

He urged the minister to facilitate the establishment of a functional innovation hub and a permanent secretariat to nurture local startups.

Durosinmi highlighted the critical role Ogun State plays in Nigeria’s economic framework, describing it as a major industrial hub and strategic transport corridor linking Lagos with the rest of the country and West Africa.

He said that with 57 per cent of its 7.1 million projected population in the working-age category, Ogun State possesses immense potential for digital innovation, job creation, and youth development.

“Ogun State is uniquely positioned to become a national leader in technology and entrepreneurship. We have more than 29 tertiary institutions—more than any other state in the country—which makes us a natural home for innovation,” he said.

Since its launch in February 2022 and formal registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Durosimi stated that the Ogun Tech Community has organised various initiatives aimed at strengthening digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and grassroots tech engagement.

He noted that the community has created 19 active clusters, ranging from developers and mentors to women in tech and agritech specialists, all working together to drive inclusive growth in the tech space.

He reiterated the community’s alignment with the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2024, stressing that its programmes, governance structure, and advocacy are geared toward promoting digital literacy, supporting startups and SMEs, encouraging e-government services, and fostering responsible digital innovation.

He also stressed that collaboration between government, industry, academia, and the tech ecosystem is key to achieving national development goals.

He expressed appreciation for Tijani’s presence at the roundtable, describing it as a clear indication of the federal government’s commitment to inclusive innovation.

“We want to see such solutions replicated across the country. To accelerate this, we need your support. Ogun urgently needs a fully functioning physical secretariat and, importantly, a dedicated innovation hub to nurture and grow even more startups,” he said.

 


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