WhatsApp Users Hit 2 Billion Worldwide

By Adedapo Adesanya The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, intends to close the world’s tech talent shortage by almost a quarter with Nigerian workers. He said this would be achieved through the federal government’s plan to train 3 million technical talents over the next four years. The initiative could help achieve President Bola Tinubu’s goal of creating a million tech jobs in the first two years of his administration. “I believe, based on data that LinkedIn has projected, Nigeria can fill about 23 per cent of the current global shortage in technology talents,” Mr Tijani

By Adedapo Adesanya The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, has announced a N1 billion partnership between the ministry and IHS Towers, one of the largest independent communications infrastructure firms in the world, to establish the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Learning Community. The ministry earlier this month released a 31-page policy document titled Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency which outlined plans to boost the country’s economy through the use of technology. It said it would collaborate with other ministries and parastatals, including private sector stakeholders to drive opportunities for startups to facilitate the

By Adedapo Adesanya The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, has charged Nokia Networks to increase its investments in Research and Development (R&D) to support the growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigeria. Mr Maida spoke when a delegation from Nokia Networks of Finland led by the Deputy Minister, Under-Secretary of State for International Trade from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Mr Jarno Syrjala, visited the commission recently to explore further opportunities for mutually beneficial relationships. He told the delegation that the Nigerian government is

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria plans to increase the net contribution of the telecommunications sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) by 22 per cent by the end of 2027. This is part of efforts announced by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, in the ministry’s 31-page Strategic Blueprint document titled Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency, seen by Business Post. In the document, the ministry noted that “As telecommunications continues to evolve in line with new technology and associated opportunities, it is critical to revamp our national approach to account for changing imperatives and

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Executive Director, Corporate Services of UAC Nigeria Plc, Mr Joe Dada, has urged well-meaning Nigerians to use their resources to empower youths in the country to have sound education. Mr Dada said this at the closing ceremony of the annual Free Weekend Classes organised by the company for SS3 pupils in Lagos State. According to him, more than 30 schools registered and participated in the scheme, which has been extended to the Government Senior College, Agege, for six weekends. Mr Dada, who said that individual and corporate efforts would go a long way in arresting the deterioration

By Adedapo Adesanya The United Nations (UN) has said the world population will reach 8 billion this year from the current level of 7.96 billion and in 2030, the figure could rise to 8.5 billion and to 9.7 billion in 2050 before reaching a peak of around 10.4 billion in the 2080s to 2100. In the latest UN projections, the organisation noted that more than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh Parliamentarians from Russia and Africa discussed issues of development of economic cooperation during the first day of their conference March 19 to 20, in Moscow. The objectives of the conference are to strengthen parliamentary cooperation with African countries in the conditions of formation of a multipolar world, to develop relations and develop common approaches to legal regulation in the economy, science and education and security. Round table discussions on the topic “Legislative Response to Economic Challenges” was held as part of the International Parliamentary Conference Russia-Africa events. First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, Alexander Zhukov,

By Adedapo Adesanya Food processing company, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc, posted a good performance on the floor of the NASD Over-The-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange on Friday, January 10, 2020. This helped the platform closed 0.61 percent higher at the close of market as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) went up by 4.24 points during the session to settle at 702.28 points in contrast to 698.04 points it recorded at the previous session. In the same vein, the market capitalisation increased at the session by N3.05 billion to N504.54 billion, higher than the N501.49 billion it quoted on Thursday. Business Post

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The lifting to a Nigerian grade of crude oil, Qua Iboe, to the global market seems to have commenced after ExxonMobil lifted a force majeure it declared about six weeks ago. Last month, fire gutted the facility of the company, causing a halt in production, but after things were put together, production and loading of the product have resumed. Qua Iboe is one of the two major crude oil grades from Nigeria. The second is the Bonny Light. The key buyers of the Qua Iboe are the United States, India, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands and Indonesia. Crude

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The latest edition of the NEITI Quarterly Review released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has revealed that a total of N2.28 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government comprising federal, state and local governments in the third quarter of 2018. The disbursements were made by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), with the federal government receiving the highest sum of N904.8 billion, followed by states, which received N718.5 billion and local governments receiving the lowest disbursements of N432.1 billion. “Total FAAC disbursements in the third quarter of 2018 amounted to N2.28 trillion

By Dipo Olowookere The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, has said the company will adhere strictly to the directive of the federal government to disconnect mobile lines of subscribers who fail to update their registration records with their National Identification Number (NIN). The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had on Tuesday directed subscribers to link their registration with network operators with the NIN between December 16 and December 30. According to the telecommunications industry regulator in Nigeria, any subscriber who fails to meet the requirement within the stipulated period would have his line(s) blocked. On Wednesday,

By Dipo Olowookere Residents of Lagos State have been urged to cultivate the habit of regular tree planting and as well continually seek ways of preserving and protecting the environment from degradation. This call was made by the Commissioner for Environment in the state, Mr Babatunde Adejare, during a seminar held on Tuesday. The Commissioner said environmentalists and relevant stakeholders in Lagos State must put all their hands on deck to salvage the environment and maintain the aesthetic landscape of the state. At the seminar organized by the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) for the organised private sector,