Telecom
Nigerian Children to Apply Research, Robotics and Explore in the FIRST ® LEGO® League Challenge
Creativity and science will come together at this weekend’s (18th & 19th January, 2019) FIRST®LEGO® League Nigeria National Championship at Baze University Abuja, where 37 teams of 9 to 16 year-old children and Coaches will demonstrate their problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship, and sense of community.
More than 350 children from every Geopolitical region across Nigeria will participate in the INTO ORBIT Season event.
Teams will have to program their LEGO MINDSTORMS® robots to solve a set of missions on an obstacle course set on a thematic playing surface.
For the INTO ORBIT Challenge, FIRST LEGO League League collaborated with organizations LEGO Education, Challenge Advisory Team organizations and other specialists to create a theme and challenge missions that reflect real-world issues.
Participating teams are to explore, challenge and innovate in the demanding and inspiring expanse we call space!
The competition is judged in three areas: project; robot design, and Core Values, which embody aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores are also honored.
FIRST LEGO League is an international program for 9- to 16-year-olds (ages vary by country) created in a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Group in 1998 to get children excited about science and technology – and teach them valuable career and life skills.
Using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® technologies and LEGO® Education materials, children work alongside adult Mentors to design, build, and program autonomous robots and create an innovative solution to a problem as part of their research project.
After eight intense weeks, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments. Like any other organized “sport,” teams also fundraise, create a team identity, and go on field trips.
Currently in its nineenth year, FIRST LEGO League anticipates participation by approximately 55,000 teams in more than 80 countries competing in hundreds of Qualifying Tournaments and Championship Tournaments.
About 250000 children from approximately 80 countries will compete to win honors and recognition globally.
Teams will also have the opportunity to participate at the FIRST LEGO League World Festivals, to be held in conjunction with the FIRSTChampionships in Houston Texas in April.
The top three teams will represent Nigeria at various international tournaments including the World Festival at Houston, Texas and International Open Championships in Turkey, Lebanon, Australia and Uruguay.
The international competitions provide teams with an opportunity to test their mettle against other teams from around the world and also help them realize great learning outcomes
The Tournament is being supported by SAP, Irish Aid, NAPPS.
The program is organized in Partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria).
The program is organized annually by Coderina; a not for profit organization that leverages technology tools and computing pedagogy to foster an ecosystem of students and teachers well-grounded in applicability of computing, coding and problem solving techniques.
The organization’s trainees are empowered to create innovative solutions to solve real-life problems within their communities and globally. They also focus on gender and social inclusion for those living in underserved communities.
Their programs bring students from public and private schools together for collaborative and cooperative learning.
To learn more about the FIRST LEGO League Tournament in Nigeria and how your school, organization or company can be part of it, please check www.coderina.org or email hello@coderina.org
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
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