News
Phone-for-Farmers Slides Into New Storms
Opinion
Last December, Ibukun Odusote, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, saw a need to let Nigerians know what impressive work her ministry was doing. She disclosed that they were in the process of procuring some 10 million mobile phones worth about N60 billion from China and the US for free distribution to rural farmers across the country.
According to Mrs. Odusote, the funds had already been appropriated with distribution expected to take off first quarter of 2013.
She pointed that the plan was part of the e-wallet project under which her ministry planned to educate, inform and communicate with the farmers in the rural areas on the latest and best agricultural practices, as well as the current prices of commodities in the market.
To the ears of the technocrats, Mrs. Odusote’s words sounded like music. But to Nigerians, long-accustomed to being ruled by a thieving, wasteful class, this was a further evidence to confirm their fears.
There was a national outcry on all media platforms regarding the size of the appropriation, and the purpose for which it is budgeted.
Sensing that could potentially backfire, the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adeshina, hastily took the podium, and argued that the agricultural transformation agenda was carried out with the aim of connecting farmers to information, expanding their access to markets, improving their access to savings and loans, and helping them adapt to climate change dynamics affecting them and their livelihoods.
With its hand most likely forced by the criticism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development eventually released more details about the project.
Initial reports had indicated that the government planned to spend NGN60 billion (US$381 million) to buy phones and distribute them to farmers; but the minister in charge has since stated that there will be no direct procurement of phones by the federal government and that there is “no NGN60 billion anywhere to be used to buy cell phones.”
According to the minister, farmers will acquire mobile phones through network operators in their locality, paying for the devices with vouchers issued by the government. Mr. Adesina did not state how much value in monetary terms could be placed on the vouchers that government would issue to the estimated 10 million farmers.
The authorities say they will work in partnership with mobile operators, which will sell the devices through their retail outlets. Once a farmer buys a phone and a SIM card, an e-wallet account will be opened through which he can receive vouchers to buy fertilizers, seeds at subsidized rates and access certain information.
The Minister’s explanations sounded better thought-out than the initial press reports of random distribution of free mobile phones to farmers, but the details failed to altogether wipe out the public misgivings on the project.
The initiative seems not targeted at benefiting the already funded federal government rural development projects. For example, the Nigerian Communications Commission runs the Universal Service Provision Fund, which is dedicated to improving information and communications technology in underserved areas, including rural zones, yet at the time the project was conceived, it appears, there was no interface between the two offices.
Strangely, inquiries at the ministry over the procurement process have revealed little information. Officials at the procurement unit of the ministry are not involved in any part of the process. In fact, an official who spoke here on condition of anonymity said that “the whole thing is between the minister’s office and the Presidency.
It is actually called presidential project” and at such, procurement processes are never followed. This is part of why the public procurement statute was enacted to ensure that all public procurement processes followed clear and transparent steps.
Beyond the zero public procurement process attributable to this “phone-for-farmers” controversy, the Public and Private Development Centre, (PPDC) that monitors adherence, or lack of it, in procurements made by government agencies, has found out that a swirl of additional controversy is building dramatically around the project.
Two other public agencies have literally drawn a line in the sand over the project. The Federal ministries of Women Affairs as well as Communications have petitioned the Presidency over the implementation of the project. In effect, the project is bedeviled by official intrigues and power-play.
The Communication ministry has argued that irrespective of who the target beneficiaries of the project are, they consider themselves better equipped technically to implement the project and bring value to the end users.
On its part, the Women Affairs ministry has raised issues with focus on the number of women targeted to benefit. Not only, according to findings by our investigation, is the Women Affairs contending for a size able percentage of beneficiaries to be of the womenfolk, officials of the ministry argue in their petition to the Presidency that they are the only ministry capable of ensuring that justice on this matter was meted out to the womenfolk.
Our inquiries suggest that the Women Affairs ministry may have obtained the valuable listening ears of the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, making further progress by the Agriculture ministry nearly unattainable.
A 2007 World Bank report on developing countries including Nigeria, seems to have strengthened the argument in favour of the project along the lines developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
The report affirms that most small-scale farming systems in the third world would be much more productive and profitable than they presently are if they obtain access to inputs and credit as well as the ability to bear risks. It concludes that access to information was key for farmers to overcoming their unproductive status.
Irrespective of which of the ministries gets the final Presidential nod to handle the project implementation, it has become obvious that the project will not benefit from any transparent public procurement process.
The traditional procurement units in these ministries seem ill-equipped. Nor do they have the requisite political clout to subject to scrutiny and question a project over which the serving minister had endorsed as being central in the President’s transformation Agenda.
Several organizations have requested from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development copies of procurement records with regards to the ministry’s procurement process under the GES Scheme. Documents made available to this writer showed a duly acknowledged request for information was made using the combined provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 on the 21st of January, 2013 PPDC. As of date, the PPDC is yet to receive a response from the Ministry which is a clear contravention of the provisions of the FOI Act.
For Mr. Adesina, farming is becoming a more time-critical and information-intense business. A push towards higher productivity will require an information-based decision-making agricultural system. Farmers must get information at the right time and place.
Research in Sri Lanka recently found that the cost of information, from planting decision to selling at the wholesale market, can make up to 11% of total production costs.
An official of the ministry, in agreeing with the minister’s understanding of agriculture as a business, puts the farming cycle – and the use of mobile applications in agriculture – into a broader perspective and adopts a view of agricultural activities within their entire economic, social and institutional environment.
It tries to understand existing initiatives and experiences as well as the potential of mobile technologies to foster the productivity and performance of individual farmers, of the agro-food value chain including its supporting services, and the agricultural sector as a whole.
However, Nkem Ilo, the team leader at PPDC, it is not entirely so much of technological application as it is about the evident “secrecy” surrounding the process.
She argues that even the absence of commodity stock market in Nigeria makes the tracking of process to productivity as well as profit untenable and therefore bound to fall short on goals achievement.
She argues that countries that have successfully placed climate change and food security within their policy purview in agricultural initiatives have tended to be more successful, indicating an inclination towards a ‘bottom-up’ approach rather than ‘top-bottom’ approach indicative of this policy.
Dr. Bukar Usman of Srilgroup limited, an agricultural company based in northeastern Nigeria, sees the ‘phone for farmers scheme’ differently, agreeing with the minister that ‘it is the next best thing for farmers in Nigeria’.
“It is no doubt a brilliant step to transform agriculture in the country to compete with oil revenue but my fear is the initiative seeks to address the problem of agriculture from the top to bottom instead of from bottom to the top. They also need to eliminate corruption, build infrastructure, create enabling environment for grassroots farmers in Nigeria to compete with their counterparts in developed countries”.
For Mrs. Nkem, people should not lose sight of cost and sustainability of the project. “Averagely, it will cost the Ministry at least 70 kobo per SMS and when you multiply that to 10 million farmers it gives you N700 million for only a batch of SMS.
The average months for the raining season in Nigeria is 6 months, a time the farmers may require frequent information flow, at least, twice a week. This will give us a minimum of N33.6billion”.
Salkida is an independent investigative journalist.
The website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), www.nigerianstat.gov.ng, has remained offline for three weeks following a cyber attack that compromised its operations.
As at 12am today (Friday), attempts to access the site returned an error message, indicating the page is still inaccessible.
The breach was initially confirmed by the NBS on December 18, 2024, in an announcement made on social media platform X.
In the statement, the bureau urged the public to disregard any information published on its website until further notice, signaling ongoing efforts to recover from the attack.
The hacking incident occurred shortly after the NBS released its Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey on December 17, which revealed alarming statistics about crime in Nigeria.
The survey indicated that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion in ransom over a year, from May 2023 to April 2024, and that 51.89 million crime incidents were reported across the country. The northwest region recorded the highest number of incidents, while the southeast had the least.
The day after the report’s publication, rumors surfaced that the Department of State Services (DSS) had summoned Adeniran Adeyemi, the Statistician-General of the Federation, for questioning regarding the survey. However, the NBS promptly denied these claims, clarifying that no such invitation or arrest had taken place.
Despite the confirmation of the hack, the NBS has not provided any additional updates on the restoration of its website or disclosed any developments regarding the breach.
AI in Nigeria today announced that InnovateAI Lagos 2025, the second edition of its flagship annual artificial intelligence (AI) conference, theme “Scaling AI Adoption in Nigeria: Catalysing Cross-Sectoral Innovation and Fostering Inclusive Growth” is scheduled for February 21, 2025.
InnovateAI Lagos 2025, scheduled to hold at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, will be promoting the theme that builds upon the success of the inaugural edition, according to AI in Nigeria, a collective of visionary leaders and tech enthusiasts dedicated to propelling Nigeriato the forefront of the global AI revolution.
Co-convener, Dotun Adeoye comments that: “InnovateAI Lagos 2024 was a stepping stone. For 2025, we are taking it further—examining how AI can drive inclusive growth, solve economic challenges, and catalyse innovation across Nigeria.”
According to him, “the inaugural InnovateAI conference in 2024 was a defining moment, bringing together over 4,000 attendees from across Nigeria and beyond. It ignited collaborations, inspired innovation, and influenced policies, businesses, and community initiatives that have driven measurable progress.”
As momentum builds up towards InnovateAI Lagos 2025, AI in Nigeria said that this year’s event is set to be even more impactful as attention will focus on promoting AI solutions to addressing pressing challenges including unemployment, infrastructure gaps, and financial inclusion to foster sustainable growth across key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
According to Adeoye, InnovateAI Lagos 2025 is to attract over 6,000 attendees with a dynamic mix of live participation at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, and simultaneous livestreaming to 12 AI-in-Nigeria Community Hubs that have been inaugurated over the course of the last year across all six geopolitical zones in the country.
Ehia Erhaboh, co-convener, adds: “This is not just a conference; it is a movement. We are building on last year’s successes to deliver actionable outcomes that shape Nigeria’s future.”
Erhaboh said that the second edition of the flagship AI conference promises to delve into transformative AI innovations and their potential to solve Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
“The conference’s theme, ‘Scaling AI Adoption in Nigeria: Catalysing Cross-Sectoral Innovation and Fostering Inclusive Growth,’ seeks to position Nigeria as a global hub for AI by unlocking its vast potential in diverse sectors,” he said.
“The country’s unique combination of human capital, natural resources, and budding infrastructure presents an opportunity to lead in AI development and adoption.”
InnovateAI Lagos 2025: Key Thematic Track Spotlights AI and the Future of Work
As part of this year’s programme, InnovateAI Lagos 2025 will host a focused session on “AI and the Future of Work”, featuring a high-powered panel of leading HR directors from diverse industries.
This session will explore how AI is reshaping the skill sets and competencies required in the workplace, influencing recruitment trends, and redefining roles
across sectors.
Participating companies will host booths at the conference to further support this vision for capacity development, providing a unique opportunity for skilled professionals to engage directly with employers seeking AI talent.
This initiative bridges the gap between AI skill development and real-world applications, demonstrating Nigeria’s readiness to harness its human resources for global competitiveness.
InnovateAI Lagos 2025: Participants can anticipate:
● Dynamic Discussions: Gain actionable insights from industry leaders, tech innovators, and policymakers on how AI is transforming sectors and driving inclusive economic growth.
● Workshops & Skills Building: Join hands-on sessions tailored to equip participants with cutting-edge AI skills to address Nigeria’s unique challenges.
● AI and the Future of Work: Explore how AI shapes workplace demands and creates opportunities for Nigeria to become an AI talent powerhouse.
● Networking Opportunities: Forge meaningful connections with innovators, investors, and decision-makers shaping Nigeria’s AI landscape.
● Showcasing Innovation: Discover AI-powered solutions designed to tackle real-world problems in Nigeria, from agriculture and healthcare to education and finance.
InnovateAI Lagos 2025: Profiles of Speakers
The 2025 conference will feature a distinguished lineup of speakers, each offering unique insights into Nigeria’s AI ecosystem.
This year’s discussions will focus on building the infrastructure needed for sustainable AI growth. Speakers will include leaders from companies making significant investments in data centres, as well as executives from a global social media platform, sharing strategies for scaling AI to drive digital transformation and community engagement.
Additionally, a representative from a Nigerian new-generation bank will explore how AI is revolutionising financial services and fostering financial inclusion. An agricultural technology innovator will showcase AI solutions to enhance food security, while a globally renowned AI researcher will provide in-depth insights into ethical AI and localised applications tailored to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
The conference will also feature HR experts who will discuss the impact of AI on the future of work, focusing on reskilling the workforce and building AI-driven talent pipelines to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
Policy experts will explore frameworks for ethical governance, while thought leaders will address how Nigeria can develop a competitive AI talent pool.
By bringing together experts on infrastructure, innovation, workforce development, and governance, the conference will position Nigeria as a leader in building a thriving AI ecosystem.
InnovateAI Lagos 2025: What is The Big Picture?
AI in Nigeria continues to drive impactful initiatives that position Nigeria as a leader in AI innovation. Since the inaugural conference, AI in Nigeria has focused on:
● Capacity Building: Training young Nigerians in AI, empowering them with skills to create impactful solutions.
● Showcasing AI Startups: Highlighting the work of 54 AI-driven startups across sectors such as agriculture, automation, content creation, financial services, fraud
detection, cybersecurity, healthcare, and logistics.
● Research: Publishing the AI Landscape in Nigeria Report (2024), an in-depth analysis spotlighting opportunities, challenges, and growth areas in Nigeria’s AI ecosystem.
● Private Sector Achievements: Collaborating with leading firms to implement practical AI solutions addressing critical needs in various industries
Why Attend InnovateAI Lagos 2025?
Whether you are a tech enthusiast, business leader, HR Manager, policy advocate, or simply curious about AI’s transformative power, InnovateAI Lagos 2025 is where you’ll find inspiration, collaboration, and solutions.
Attendance at InnovateAI Lagos 2025 is free, but registration is mandatory to secure your spot at this transformative event. Register today at events.aiinnigeria.com
Federal government has announced plans to implement surveillance measures for inbound passengers from China, following a surge in respiratory virus cases attributed to the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV).
This decision comes in response to reports of overcrowded hospitals, emergency interventions, and growing public concern in China, where HMPV cases have spiked across northern provinces, particularly affecting children during the winter season.
The Nigerian authorities aim to monitor the situation closely to prevent potential spread within the country.
Neighboring nations such as Cambodia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are also taking precautionary measures, though they have reported only a few cases and no widespread outbreaks thus far.
Health experts describe HMPV as a respiratory virus that can cause symptoms ranging from mild cold-like issues to severe complications, especially in children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
According to Chinese authorities, there has been a noticeable increase in HMPV cases, especially among children under 14 years old in northern parts of the country. Social media posts, accompanied by videos of overcrowded hospitals, have sparked fears of a larger-scale health crisis.
In response to the rising cases, the Chinese government announced measures, including constant monitoring of cases, the adoption of masks, social distancing and disinfection of public spaces to curb the increase of the virus.
The new virus outbreak is coming five years after the emergence of a novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – in Wuhan, China, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11, 2020.
So far, COVID-19 has infected 777 million people globally and killed over seven million, according to WHO.
However, while both HMPV and COVID-19 are respiratory illnesses, there are important differences. HMPV typically causes milder symptoms such as a cold or flu, while COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can lead to more severe health complications and long-term effects.
HMPV is also a seasonal virus, similar to other cold-causing pathogens like RSV, and infections usually peak during the winter months.
HMPV, like COVID-19, spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes and it can also spread via contaminated surfaces.
However, officials from the National Health Commission stated that while respiratory diseases are expected to rise during the winter months, the overall situation this year is less severe than last year.
Beijing also downplayed the developments as an annual winter occurrence.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday, “Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season.
The diseases appear to be less severe and spread with a smaller scale compared to the previous year,” she said.
A pilot programme was launched by China to track pneumonia of unknown origin, ensuring labs and health agencies reported and managed cases more effectively, state broadcaster CCTV reported, quoting an administration official at a news conference.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said HMPV could cause upper and lower respiratory diseases in people of all ages, especially among young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
The U.S CDC noted that HMPV is most likely spread from an infected person to others through secretions from coughing and sneezing, close personal contact and touching objects or surfaces that have the viruses on them, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.
“Symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. Clinical symptoms of HMPV infection may progress to bronchitis or pneumonia and are similar to other viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections. The estimated incubation period is three to six days, and the median duration of illness can vary, depending upon severity but is similar to other respiratory infections caused by viruses,” the US CDC stated.
Meanwhile, health authorities in Nigeria are already implementing emergency measures to monitor and manage the spread of the HMPV.
Dr John Oladejo, director, Special Duties, Office of the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the Federal Government would implement preventive measures by activating surveillance measures to curb the spread of the virus.
“The FG will activate surveillance measures, like quarantine, for passengers coming in from China,” Dr Oladejo said.
Earlier in November 2024, global health body WHO noted that it was closely monitoring the situation and was in close contact with national authorities in China, adding that it would continue to provide updates as warranted.
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