General

9mobile Partners Girl Effect, iSON to Empower Girls

Published

6 years ago

07/08/2018

By Olubori Oduntan

Nigeria’s innovative telecommunication company, 9mobile, has reiterated its commitment to the development and empowerment of the girl-child by partnering with Girl Effect, a not-for-profit, and iSON Group, an IT company, to facilitate delivery of a unique service that enables girls to listen to pre-recorded inspiring stories on their mobile phones and then connect to a specially trained role model who provides answers to their questions.

Tagged Girls Connect, this initiative is a pioneering partnership created by Girl Effect, which uses media and mobile technology to empower girls, and IT company, iSON Group.

Together, they developed the innovative service that enables girls to draw inspiration using an interactive voice response platform on their mobile phones, and also learn more from qualified women that talk through the stories they have heard to make them more meaningful to the girls’ lives.

With 9mobile’s support for the initiative, girls and young female adults will be able to access on-the-go and free of charge, information that can enhance their economic wellbeing, state of health and wellness as they interact with the specially-trained role models on their mobile phones.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Kano on Tuesday, July 24, Chief Human Resource Officer of 9mobile, Abigail Isokpan, said the partnership was borne out of the telecom company’s passion for development of its customers, host communities, and indeed Nigeria.

“We are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to create value; and one of the ways we are achieving this is by aligning our business agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We have been consistent in seeking ways to drive sustainability of our business through platforms and programmes that ensure progress of our critical stakeholders, in recognition of the fact that their success is our success. Girls Connect is one of such platforms,” she stated.

Describing the initiative as ground-breaking, she said Girls Connect is designed to improve the lives of girl-children in Nigeria in line with the key objectives of the SDGs, which include elimination of poverty, promotion of good health and wellbeing, economic growth, and bridging inequalities especially for the girl-child.

Isokpan added that, “All these goals tie-in to the ideals and objectives of Girls Connect, therefore we are pleased to be partnering on this initiative. At 9mobile, we are mindful of our responsibility as a corporate citizen, and as such we are appreciative of opportunities such as this, that enable us to build on our work in making the Nigerian society healthier, safer, and more productive.”

She also revealed that the Girls Connect initiative further enables 9mobile to utilise its core competence as a telecommunications company and to affirm its position as a leader in leveraging technology to promote social good.

Girl Effect and iSON Group ran a successful pilot of Girls Connect across five locations in Kano last year. 44,000 calls were made to the service during the eight-week campaign, five times more than originally expected.

With the support of partners including 9mobile, Arewa24, and respective state governments and Ministries of Women Affairs, the initiative is now live in Kano state and will be launched in Edo State later this month. The service is accessible in Hausa language and Pidgin.

9mobile over the past nine years has been at the forefront of promoting and supporting initiatives that make positive impact on its stakeholders across Nigeria. It instituted the first taught Master’s Programme in Telecommunications Engineering in West Africa at the Ahmadu Bello University; and has awarded scholarships to undergraduates in more than 30 universities across Nigeria under its Merit Awards programme.

Through its Adopt-a-School initiative, it has built and renovated educational structures as well as provided ICT equipment to primary and secondary schools, and conducted teacher’s training programmes in three states. It has also distributed tens of thousands of insecticide-treated nets to communities most affected by the malaria scourge; and continues to tackle HIV/AIDS by enabling subscribers make toll-free calls to receive information on its prevention and control.

General

British Council Hosts Going Global Africa Conference in Abuja

Published

18 hours ago

13/01/2025

Business Post Contributor

The British Council, a UK-based organization dedicated to fostering cultural relations and educational opportunities, hosted the Going Global Africa Conference 2024.

The event, which took place from November 26 to 28 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, was themed Building Sustainable and Relevant Tertiary Education Institutions and Systems in Africa.

It brought together policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and youth advocates to address critical issues in tertiary education across the continent.

At the opening session, which spotlighted youth aspirations and actionable strategies to bridge the gap between tertiary education and workforce demands, the Minister of Education, Mr Olatunji Alausa, unveiled the Nigerian Educational Sector Renewal initiative, a six-pillar agenda aimed at modernising the education system.

The session, titled The Future is Now: Realising the Vision of Africa’s Youth, was used by him to emphasised the importance of STEM and vocational training.

According to him, one of his takeaways from the opening plenary session is starting up student-led ventures, a good initiative the government would take on.

Throughout the three-day event, critical sessions explored the role of partnerships and innovation in strengthening tertiary education.

Another session titled Maximising Impact through Tertiary Education Partnerships, chaired by Prof. Sir Steve Smith, examined frameworks for sustainable education partnerships.

Also, at another session, Transitioning to the World of Work, led by Femi Taiwo, Founding Partner of F.I.T. Africa, delved into career-readiness strategies and the systems required to prepare graduates for industry demands.

Contributors such as Prof. Colin Riordan from the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Ms. Nadia Waggie from the University of Cape Town enriched these discussions with their expertise.

The conference also included a variety of focused sessions and panels, such as Learning Labs on technology integration, employability, and international research partnerships. Discussions highlighted access to education for marginalized groups, including women and persons with disabilities, with sessions such as Disability Inclusion in Tertiary Education led by Prof. Tracy Bhamra and featuring disability rights advocates.

Business Post reports that the conference coincided with the British Council’s 80th anniversary in Nigeria, celebrating decades of impactful partnerships in education.

“Hosting this conference in Sub-Saharan Africa underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable partnerships and innovation in education,” the Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at the British Council, Lucy Pearson, remarked.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment to bridging the skills gap in Africa’s tertiary education.

The Acting Country Director for the council, Chilufya Besa, said, “By bringing together industry stakeholders, we have made significant progress in aligning education with workforce needs.”

General

Thailand Gifts Nigeria 32-Tonne Rice Shipment to Tackle Food Crisis

Published

21 hours ago

13/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has received a 32-tonne shipment of rice from Thailand as part of foreign relief to tackle escalating hunger and food insecurity.

The shipment, the first of its kind in a decade, has arrived in Lagos, according to DUCAT, the logistics company that facilitated its delivery.

The rice from Thailand was exported following Nigeria’s decision to implement a tariff moratorium on wheat, corn, rice, and other food crops last year, DUCAT revealed.

Although the duty waiver was introduced, purchases have largely been cautious, driven by concerns about its potentially harmful impact on local producers.

“Nigeria has been working hard to find solutions to broaden and strengthen its food supply accessibility,” DUCAT Chief Executive Officer, Mr Adrian Beciri said in a statement.

Several months ago, Nigeria unveiled a set of measures to combat soaring food inflation, which is rising at its fastest rate in three decades.

According to the last inflation update, food inflation reached 39.93 per cent year-on-year in November from 39.16 per cent the previous month in October 2024, caused by price rises for staples such as rice, maize, bread, potatoes and cooking oil.

Inflation quickened sharply in the second half of 2023 after President Bola Tinubu devalued the Naira and cut petrol and electricity subsidies to try to lift economic growth and shore up public finances.

Inflation has still not let up as it remained at 34 per cent as of November.

Many of the policies have failed to materialise including a 180-day window to allow duty-free imports of wheat, corn, and other critical food crops— a move promised would crash food prices.

A survey of market prices by Business Post indicates that food prices remained elevated during the last Christmas period.