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NCS Reassures Nigerians on Building Knowledge Based Economy

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Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has reassured Nigerians on its commitment to facilitating the emergence of the country’s knowledge based economy.

To provide the strategies and solutions, NCS said that it will be organizing 2014 flagship conference under the theme, “Building a Knowledge-Based Economy in Nigeria: The Role of IT”.

NCS, the nation’s foremost and largest network of Information Technology (IT) Professionals, Interest groups and Stakeholders has been consistent in playing its change agent role in society through sustainable and inclusive Information Technology (IT) advocacy and empowerment.

In over 35 years of existence, NCS advocacy has led to the establishment of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Ministry of Communication Technology.

Jide Awe, chairman, Publicity, Events and Trade Services (NCS), reads that, “2014 is another year for the delivery of value to the Nigerian economy and society by the IT profession and industry, and for NCS the priority focus is on building a knowledge based society. Nigeria’s developmental challenges of unemployment, poverty, disease and low quality of life are daunting and must be resolved. This urgently calls for vision that is both audacious and innovative. Achieving social and economic development requires the building of a knowledge economy through significant IT driven change in finance, education, health, agriculture, governance and other critical sectors.

“For NCS, 2014 is a year of Innovative Vision and Opportunities requiring strategy and action to connect IT to growth opportunities for job creation, income generation, enterprise development, capacity building and export. Focus areas to enable such growth in 2014 include mobile apps, e-government, social media, software education and entrepreneurship, local content development, youth innovation, research/development and IT security. A strengthened and strategically positioned IT sector is integral to progress. The policy and environmental issues are also critical. In line with the vision of NCS the solution lies in actively facilitating the development of an inclusive, globally competitive and prosperous Nigeria that is significantly information technology-based and knowledge-driven”.

He added that aligning with this innovative vision, the NCS 2014 conference will therefore explore the challenges, opportunities and strategies.

The NCS conference is Nigeria’s largest annual gathering of high-level stakeholders in IT which brings together scholars, business persons, IT practitioners, government policymakers, educators, civil society and the general public.

“It will provide unique opportunities to share insights and experiences towards building a knowledge-based economy in Nigeria. What is the role of information technology? What are the priority issues? What are the critical success factors?

“Already a Call for Papers has been issued for the conference holding in July 2014. To ensure full stakeholder involvement NCS is seeking participation and submissions (papers, products, innovations etc.) from academia, industry and civil society related to the theme and sub themes. Sub-Themes include: “Broadband Access for All: Strategies and Tactics”; “Training and Education for the Youths and IT Industry in Nigeria”; “Mobile Application Technology in Nigeria: A Case Study for Innovation & Transformation”; “Application of knowledge Technologies and Engineering in National Development,”’ he added.

NCS is also looking forward to other stakeholders to join in embracing the possibilities, setting the agenda and shaping the future. For NCS building a knowledge based economy is not an end in itself.

It is a means to overall prosperity. It is about enabling Nigeria and Nigerians to live their dreams and fulfill potentials by making sure the nation effectively leverages on IT to survive, thrive and be globally competitive in the digital economy.


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PalmPay, Jumia Reward Users in Festive Campaign

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This holiday season just got a whole lot more exciting! PalmPay, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, operates Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and has teamed up with Jumia, the continent’s e-commerce giant, to launch a festive campaign that’s all about convenience, rewards, and enhancing your shopping experience.

Running from December 11th to 28th, 2024, this holiday campaign is set to reward shoppers who use the new “Pay with PalmPay” feature on Jumia with cash prizes. Every purchase made using the direct payment method automatically enters participants into a draw, giving them a chance to win exciting cash rewards while enjoying the seamless shopping and payment process.

A Strategic Partnership To Enhance Digital Payments

The integration of the “Pay with PalmPay Wallet” feature on Jumia marks a major milestone in the partnership between the two industry leaders.

Speaking at the media announcement, Mr. Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay, highlighted the broader mission driving this collaboration: “We are thrilled to join forces with Jumia to redefine convenience for shoppers. At PalmPay, our mission has always been to drive economic empowerment through accessible and user-friendly financial services. This partnership is a natural step forward in achieving that goal.”

Beyond the holidays, this partnership with Jumia m,k is a signal of bigger things to come. Mr. Chika added: “This is more than just about payments—it’s about creating value for our customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will unlock in 2025, including campaigns and innovative initiatives that will further transform the online shopping landscape.”

Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, highlighted the shared vision between both companies, stating: “At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience. This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform. By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions.”

How to Join the Holiday Fun

Participating in the campaign is simple. When shopping on Jumia, select the “Pay with PalmPay” option at checkout, and your entry into the draw is automatic. It’s that easy!

Bonus Entry: Share a screenshot of your purchase on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #PalmPayXJumia to increase your chances of winning. Additional winners will be selected from participants engaging with the campaign on Twitter.

Whether you are shopping for gifts, or gadgets this festive season, PalmPay and Jumia are making sure your experience is not only seamless but also rewarding.

To learn more about the campaign, stay tuned to the official  X accounts (formerly Twitter) of @palmpay_ng and @JumiaNigeria. for updates, announcements, and more chances to win.


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Corruption: ICPC Threatens Sanctions as 330 MDAs Fail Financial, Governance Tests

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Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has revealed that none of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in the country complied fully with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures in the passing year.

Corruption: ICPC Threatens Sanctions as 330 MDAs Fail Financial, Governance Tests

This was following the findings from the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) for the MDAs.

The Commission warned that henceforth, non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.

According to the EICS scorecard released on Thursday in Abuja by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, no MDA out of 330 MDAs that were assessed through physical deployment by ICPC teams achieved full compliance.

The EICS serves as a preventive tool used to assess and enhance the compliance of MDAs with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.

Findings from the report indicated that no MDA achieved full compliance, while 29.55 per cent of MDAs captured attained substantial compliance, and 51.62 per cent had partial compliance.

The report also observed that 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance, while 292 per cent were non-compliant.

According to the report, common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports.

Commenting on the report, Bakare noted: “This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 MDAs non-responsive and categorised as high corruption risk.

“It is imperative to inform you that this initiative has yielded some positive and value-driven impacts, and these are, but not limited to, increased awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures, enhanced competition among MDAs to meet criteria, and improved procurement processes and data reliability.

“The Commission recognises the MDAs with substantial compliance and will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability.

“Non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives. We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption.”


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Dangote Refinery Denies Liquidity Challenges, Dismisses NNPCL’s $1Bn Loan Claim

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has dismissed claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) used a $1 billion loan secured through a crude forward sale agreement to support the refinery during a liquidity crisis.

Dangote Refinery Denies Liquidity Challenges, Dismisses NNPCL’s $1Bn Loan Claim

In a statement on Wednesday, Anthony Chiejina, company’s chief branding and communications officer, said the NNPCL’s stance was a distortion of the facts.

“We would like to clarify that this is a misrepresentation of the situation as $1bn is just about 5% of the investment that went into building the Dangote Refinery,” Chiejina said.

Chiejina stated that the refinery’s decision to enter into a partnership with the NNPCL was based on the recognition of “their strategic position in the industry as the largest offtaker of Nigerian crude” and at the time, the sole supplier of petrol into Nigeria.

“We agreed on the sale of a 20% stake at a value of $2.76 billion. Of this, we agreed that they will only pay $1 billion while the balance will be recovered over a period of 5 years through deductions on crude oil that they supply to us and from dividends due to them,” Chiejina said.

“If we were struggling with liquidity challenges we wouldn’t have given them such generous payment terms. As at 2021 when the agreement was signed, the refinery was at the pre-commission stage.”

According to the statement, the agreement would have been cash-based rather than credit-driven if the refinery struggled with liquidity issues.

The refinery’s spokesman said the NNPCL was subsequently unable to supply the agreed 300,000 barrels a day of crude (bpd).

He stated that the shortfall was because the NNPPC “had committed a greater part of their crude cargoes to financiers with the expectation of higher production which they were unable to achieve”.

“We subsequently gave them a 12-month period for them to pay cash for the balance of their equity given their inability to supply the agreed crude oil volume,” he said.

“NNPCL failed to meet this deadline which expired on June 30th 2024. As a result, their equity share was revised down to 7.24%. These events have been widely reported by both parties,” he said.


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