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Tag: Adebayo Shittu

  • FG pledges to promote establishment of digital classrooms

    FG pledges to promote establishment of digital classrooms

    The Federal Government says it will involve commissioners of education and school proprietors in its partnership with a Chinese Firm to promote the establishment of digital classrooms across the country.

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the inauguration of a digital classroom donated by NetDragon Websoft limited.

    The project was executed by the Chinese Firm in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) under its “Education and Smart School Initiative”.

    Shittu commended the Chinese firm for supporting OSSAP-SDGs to implement its digital based teaching and learning initiative with a view to ensuring rapid social economic development.

    “It is my hope that what we have seen today will be replicated in all schools across the country.

    “I would have loved that we have all the states commissioners of education and managers of private schools here to witness, see for themselves and try to replicate same in their institutions.

    “We will try to see how this project can be brought to the notice of potential stakeholders, who would be given the opportunity to meet with your team and see how the project can be replicated across the country,” he said.

    The minister said that scientific and technological advancement had transformed lives and helping to provide quality education across the world.

    According to him, the frontier for quality education is moving faster than ever and so we must begin now to prepare our children to face the challenges and opportunities being driven by technology.

    He called for concerted effort to ensure quality education for all to forestall the danger of being excluded from future prosperity.

    “We must do the needful so that our children will not blame us for the deficiency and lack of prosperity that goes with failure to plan properly for the future.

    “Our ministry is committed to the achievement of goal four of the SDGs considering the fact that education is key to national development,” he added.

    In his remarks, Sen. Isa Maina, FCT Education Secretary, commended the Chinese firm and the OSSAP-SDGS for choosing FCT for the pilot project.

    He said the project would no doubt make learning easier for pupils, adding that it would also complement the efforts of the FCT Administration to provide quality education for its residents.

    Maina pledged that the facility would be judiciously utilised to justify the purpose of its donation.

     

  • 2019 Budget: Communications Minister inaugurates ICT working team

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu on Thursday in Abuja, inaugurated the ICT Sector Working Team (SWT) to consider important aspect of the 2019 budget.

    The team comprises of the Minister of Communication, who will serve as chairman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Nkechi Ejele as Deputy Chairman.

    Other members of the team are Heads of Major Departments of the Ministry, Heads of Agencies under the ministry and other identified parties.

    Mr John Emeawa, Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Ministry of Communications is to serve as Secretary of the team.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Shittu said the inauguration was part of government strategy to ensure fiscal efficiency, adding that the medium term strategy has been made an integral part of the annual budget process.

    According to him, toward preparation of the 2019 budget, the Federal Ministry of Budget and the National Planning Commission has requested for the constitution of the SWT, which will oversee the preparation of the 2019 ICT sector medium term strategy.

    Shittu listed the terms of reference for the team to include authoring the 2019-2021 MTSS- Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), identifying and collating projects, undertaking project priorisation to fit 2019-2020 MTSS ERGP.

    “Updating the projects’ costing and obtaining the sector’s budget ceiling from Budget Office of the Federation.

    “ Other assignments include ensuring capital projects fit into Budget Ceiling and phase projects implementation over 3 years (2019-2021) and obtain a sign-off of the permanent secretary and the minister.

    He said timeliness and milestones have been prescribed for the team to work assiduously with.

    “ I am already aware that some of our officers participated actively in the budget training conducted by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

    “ I am also glad that a consultant from the ministry of budget and national planning has been working with officers to help collate inputs to the budget proposal for 2019.

    “ Going forward, the work of our officers will be subjected to scrutiny and validation by the SWT, which will prepare a report on same for signature.”

    The minister also urged the SWT to take the assignment seriously to provide a budget that will support realization of government agenda for ICT sector.

     

  • FG working tirelessly to purchase 2 additional satellites

    FG working tirelessly to purchase 2 additional satellites

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, on Thursday said the Federal Government was working tirelessly to purchase two additional satellites for the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd. (NIGCOMSAT) to boost its services.

    Shittu disclosed this when the Chairman, Board of NIGCOMSAT, Mr George Moghalu, led the management team of NIGCOMSAT on a visit to the Ministry of Communications in Abuja.

    “ We had lived with the problem of having one satellite in orbit and this is not the first time that journalists will appreciate that we are working tirelessly to have two more satellites.

    “By which time we will really enforce Nigerian companies and establishments to patronise only Nigerian satellite communication and this is a challenge we are working on.

    “We are reaching new heights and getting new breakthroughs and I hope that in another one month we would be able to address the Nigerian public on what we have achieved.

    “I believe that before the end of the tenure of this board we would have attained that, ‘’ he said.

    According to the minister, NIGCOMSAT is a business and an important entity of the federal government as it was set up to provide facility for satellite communication.

    The minister said that when the board was inaugurated he urged it to see its assignment in NIGCOMSAT as a rescue mission as the establishment was where government had spent a lot of money and it expected much more.

    “ We have resolved to take major steps which will advance the business of NIGCOMSAT.

    “ I want to assure all Nigerians that we are all collaborating to ensure that the agency becomes one of the most preferred satellite company on the African continent, ‘’ he added.

    Earlier, Moghalu said the team was in the ministry to express the board’s gratitude to the minister and staff of the ministry.

    He said the team appreciated the support that NIGCOMSAT had consistently received from the ministry in the agency’s efforts to reposition and be in the comity of satellite organisations all over the world.

    “There are other issues we have brought to the knowledge of the minister especially in the areas we think that the ministry can be of help so that we can achieve our set objectives.

    “Let me also thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the confidence he had in us as a team by appointing us as the board of NIGCOMSAT with a clear mandate to turn the place around to occupy its rightful position,” he said.

     

  • Ministry restates commitment to provide online security

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu on Tuesday in Abuja restated the ministry’s commitment to ensure adequate cyber-security in the country.

    Shittu said this at the 2018 Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) with the theme: “Internet: An Enabler for Good Governance’’.

    He said that the ministry was putting in place necessary measures to check cyber-crime which he noted was militating against economic growth of the country.

    “We are aware of the negative activities of some users in the past, so government has taken cyber-security with all seriousness and has enacted the Cybercrime Act that leaves no hiding place for criminals online,’’ Shittu said.

    He said that the Federal Government was aware of the difficulties faced by Nigerians in transacting businesses online due to cyber-crime.

    According to him, (Internet Protocol) IP addresses that are traceable to Nigerians or Nigeria are sometimes restricted or out rightly blocked by major e-commerce sites.

    The minister, however, said that Nigeria must leverage on ICT to reposition its economy.

    “We recognise ICT as not just an enabler but a catalyst for economic growth and development and envisage the drive to successful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the country.

    Shittu said ministry’s determination to embark on building a smart digital Nigeria as enshrined in its ICT strategic road map 2017-2020.

    “This road map is consistent with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the Federal Government.

    “We envisage a society with the knowledge and means to make transactions anytime, anywhere and by anyone.

    “It is expected that the effort will help Nigeria’s transition to a digital and knowledge-based economy that gives the private sector the latitude to innovate and easy to access government services,’’ Shittu said.

    Earlier, the President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Mr Sunday Folayan frowned at indiscriminate arrest of people with tools of ICT under the guise that they used them for cyber-crime.

    Folayan, in his lecture titled: “Impact of Internet Governance Process in Nigeria in the last six years’’, condemned persons who use ICT tools for fraudulent purposes.

    He said “in recent times people with phones and laptops were arrested by security operatives and tagged: “yahoo-yahoo boys”, but no to that because the internet ecosystem has evolved.

    He urged the minister to raise the issue at the Federal Executive Council meeting to attract the attention of the Federal Government.

    He, however, urged internet users in the country to explore the benefits as provider of information and tools for improving one’s capacity.

     

  • FG to create national artificial intelligence ecosystem – Minister

    The Federal Ministry of Communications has restated its commitment to support stakeholders in the ICT to create and strengthen a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem to achieve sustainable development.

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said this at a press conference on Thursday, in Abuja.

    The event was to mark the 2018 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, with the theme: “Enabling the Positive Use of Artificial Intelligence for All’’.

    Shittu said that the ministry was committed to focus on the potential of the AI to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, and improve the nation’s economy.

    He said that, “AI is taking centre stage with a lot of impact on peoples’ lives as its potential power is being exploited and developed at an unprecedented speed.

    “With many nations, including Nigeria bank on technology, robotics and artificial intelligence to reshape humanity, we need to encourage our youth and people to be digital literate and become multi-discipline in ICTs.

    “Also market analysts predict that intelligent machines programmed to think and reason like the human mind will revolutionise healthcare in the very near future.

    “Proponents of the transformative power of artificial intelligence usually give two examples: self-driving cars and the delivery of healthcare.”

    The minister emphasised that AI was no longer confined to the laboratories, but could be seen in many instances of human activities.

    “We are accustomed to seeing countless references to intelligent machines and robots in popular culture whether it is in movies, fiction or books.

    “But apart from computers and smartphone technology, nothing is more worthy of praise than our commitment to replicate human behaviours and thought pattern into machine and that is the world of artificial intelligence.

    “As governments increasingly rely on the internet for governance and delivery of social benefits, technology simultaneously holds the promise of transformation and potential for exclusion.’’

    He said that the ministry would engage in crucial conversations with stakeholders to manage and explore the AI regime.

    According to him, Nigeria will seek to bring industry leaders and academic experts to the forefront by identifying priorities and share lessons for sustainable growth.

    “We shall consider and explore pillars like connectivity, digital inclusion, trade, security, innovation and policy.

    “We will also examine challenges and prospects of AI to foster greater interoperability and security.

    “Since government is leveraging the internet for delivery of social services, all lesson must be internalised to make this initiative more inclusive,’’ the minister said.

    NAN reports that ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao in his message to mark ‘s day said every year on May 17, ITU members around the world celebrate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

    “Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is taking center stage with a lot of impact on people’s lives.

    “AI’s potential power is being exploited and developed at an unprecedented speed. AI brings us many opportunities and challenges. AI will greatly change our economy and society,’’ he said.

    According to Zhao, ITU in its role of specialised UN Agency for ICT services and technologies, wishes to work with academia, researchers, industries, administrations and governments, UN Agencies.

    Zhao said the union would also work with other stakeholders and partners to facilitate the AI development, to bring the benefits of AI to all.

    “ITU invites you to join us to celebrate WTISD 2018!’’, he said.

     

  • Nigeria to cooperate with India on ICT – Minister

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has assured of Nigeria’s readiness to forge closer cooperation with India to achieve meaningful growth in the ICT sector.

    Adebayo made this known in Abuja while briefing newsmen about the proposed 4th edition of the Indo-Africa ICT conference and expo organised by Indian High Commission.

    The event marked this year’s edition in the series scheduled to hold from May 22 to May 23 in Lagos.

    According to the Minister, this expo is very important because it was organised at a time Nigeria had made investment in its ICT at the front burner.

    Adebayo said “Nigeria being the fastest growing ICT market and with a young population that have capacity and innovative mind, we stand to partner and learn from India.

    “The Federal Government’s campaign on encouragement of the patronage of locally produced goods and services is on course.

    “Government also put the spotlight on local manufacturers when, via three strategic executive orders, it compelled MDA’s to channel at least 40 per cents of procurement to locally-made goods and services.

    “This expo will enable Nigeria’s start-ups, entrepreneurs and businesses to form partnerships with their foreign counterpart and pitch innovative creations for public/commercial acceptance.

    “Government is more than ever before prepared to patronise made-in Nigeria goods, instead of buying foreign products, to grow faster and stimulate economic growth.”

    Adebayo urged Indian investors to key into the numerous untapped resources and huge potential market in the country, to promote business cooperation between the two countries.

    He described Nigeria to be among the fastest growing markets in African and by extension the world that had improved in macroeconomic indicator, comfortable business environment and population.

    He, however, reiterated that the nation’s policy thrust is to step with reality of digital and fourth revolution, create viable environment for investment in network infrastructure.

    Earlier, the High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Mr Shri Reddy, said that the Third edition of the event took place in Lagos in September 2017

    According to him, the holding of the 4th edition of the expo is reflective of commitment of India to engage with African countries, to promote use of ICTs in national economic development.

    Reddy said “the choice of Lagos for this event for a second time is a recognition of the vast potentials that exists in Nigeria.

    “It is also because of the nation’s importance as gateway to the West-Africa and other parts of the continent.”

    He said that India and Africa would forge closer cooperation in efforts to accelerate growth in ICT with the view to boost economies through the use of advanced technologies and services.

    He said that ICT would provide business opportunity for local entrepreneurs to pitch their solutions and products to over 50 Indian companies expected to attend the forthcoming event.

    The expo was an initiative of Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TECP), an organisation set-up by government of India, to promote telecom services.

     

  • Smart cities initiative not a mirage, says FG

    The Federal Government says it is committed to its plan to create smart cities in the country, saying Nigerians should not be pessimistic about the move.

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, who at smart cities multi-stakeholders summit last year said the government planned to create smart cities in order to reshape the way public service is managed, gave the assurance on Thursday.

    Smart city is a municipality that uses ICT to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public and improve both the quality of government services and citizen welfare.

    Shittu, who disagreed that the plan might turn out to be a mirage due to electricity and other infrastructural problems in the country, added that the project was achievable.

    His words: “We do know that electricity is very key to developing smart cities but it is not only about electricity.

    “Smart cities involve the transport system in our localities, communities and states. It involves the sanitary disposal system, it involves the electricity system.

    “It involves even the security system to ensure that there are CCTV cameras all over so that people who commit crime are captured.

    ‘’It is even about your sanitation and environment. How do you manage your sanitation? How do you ensure that your waste products are disposed properly? For that you don’t need electricity!

    ‘’You need to imbibe manners and characteristics that make you look like decent people. It is about town planning. In building houses, you don’t make your communities chocked up.

    ‘’There must be proper town planning supervision to ensure that when buildings are being constructed in the communities, they leave room for fresh air, they leave room for vehicular movement, among others.

    The minister said the government was intensifying effort toward ensuring stable power supply in the country.

    ‘’So it is not a thing that we can be pessimistic about. Of course, you must also appreciate that in this government since it came onboard, has doubled the electricity mega watts.

    ‘’Before the government came Nigeria was producing 3,500 mega watts but today, we are producing 7, 500MW.

    “So that is also an improvement and an incentive to imbibing the smart cities culture,” he said.

    Shittu, however, assured that by the end of another two years, the electricity generation in the country would have been 10, 000 mega watts.

    ‘’So smart city idea is an idea which is for our own benefit and it will bring about comfort to our lives.

    ‘’And to that extent, I think everybody will want to be part of this new revolutionary way of planning and managing our cities,” he said.

    He explained that the idea was a multi-lateral philosophy with the view to involving states and local governments to buy into it and implement it.

    ‘’And we have established a yearly award ceremony so that states and local governments can be assessed to know how far they have complied and how far they have keyed into the smart cities idea.

    ‘’So it is not about Federal Government putting up a structure here or putting up an infrastructure there. It is an idea we have sold to Nigerians, particularly the states and local governments,” he said.

    He said the ministry planned to have another conference late this year or early next year for reports to be received from various states and local governments to know how far they have gone with regards to implementing the smart cities idea.

     

  • Buhari’s minister, Shittu and presidential hopeful, Sowore attack each other on radio [VIDEO]

    Buhari’s minister, Shittu and presidential hopeful, Sowore attack each other on radio [VIDEO]

    The minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu and Shara reporters founder, Omoyele Sowore heavily traded words on a Radio programme on Saturday.

    During an interview on Fresh FM Ibadan, Shittu and Sowore went head to head over the publisher’s ambition to become President in 2019.

    TheNewsGuru.com monitored the programme and below is the exchange that took place;

    Sowore started; “Minister, it is great to see you. This is the minister of an outgoing regime; the Buhari regime will be kicked off power by 2019,”

    He had barely concluded his introductory statement when Mr. Shittu fired back saying that he is a dreamer.

    Shittu fired; “By your wish or by God’s wish? You are just dreaming. You are a daydreamer” he said in response to Mr. Sowore’s claim to which the presidential hopeful replied saying, “By the wish of the people of Nigeria, Sir. It is not a dream. It is the realization you’d wake up to on February 15.”

    “Sowore, what’s your electoral worth? Whether in your Ife (sic), home or any part of this country.” Mr. Sowore replied: “My electoral worth brought you to power in 2015. Nobody even heard about many of you in 2014.”

    “You are inconsequential…” he said.

    Sowore said; “I am consequential because you came to power on my back, on our back… on the back of young people who invested a lot of hope.”

    In response, the minister described the publisher as a mere noise-maker. “What did you invest? Did you invest more than me, No? I will not sit here and allow someone make noise…You are just a noisemaker. You are just a noisemaker.”

    Sowore replied; “This was the same way Jonathan people were sounding in 2014… you are gonna be shocked in 2019,” Mr. Sowore said. On accusations by the minister that he was a dreamer and that his statements were politically motivated, he said: “The Nigeria of the future is for dreamers like me.”

    Shittu shot back: “You think the presidency is for people like you? Go and start from being a councilor. I have been a member of the House of Assembly, I was a commissioner twice, I was already a lawyer… you wouldn’t know, you were too small. How old are you? How old are you? This is not a platform for minions like you to come… you think the presidency is something you can just buy in a marketplace? You are a giant in university politics (and) by the grace of God you will be put to shame.”

    Kindly watch the video below to see the full interview and exchanges;

  • Minister inaugurates agencies’ boards, charges on synergy to facilitate ICT development

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, on Tuesday urged agencies under the ministry to collaborate toward repositioning the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector for better service delivery.

    The minister made the call during the inauguration of the boards of agencies under the ministry of communications in Abuja.

    The agencies are the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT).

    Shittu attributed the major problem besetting the ICT sector as inadequate synergy of government institutions.

    He therefore urged the members of the boards of the agencies to work together toward repositioning the sector for better service delivery.

    ‘’I urge you to make this synergy a core principle in your various spheres of authority to facilitate seamless development in the sector.

    ‘’I have no doubt that you are experienced and eminently qualified for the task ahead.

    ‘’I must remind you however that your new role confers on you both privileges and great responsibilities requiring high level of commitment and urgency,” he said.

    He briefed them on the ongoing reforms in the agencies and advised them to prepare their minds and work productively toward realising the set goals.

    The minister, who congratulated the boards’ members, charged them to immediately hit the ground running.

    Mr Abdulaziz Abdullahi, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said the inauguration would provide accelerated development in the ICT sector.

    He noted that access to ICT had become critical for participation in the economic, political and social life both at the national and global levels.

    ‘’New technologies such as internet of things, cloud computing, mobile money, etc, are also introducing new possibilities and therefore it is crucial that Nigeria harnesses the potential of these technologies to promote social and economic development in the country.

    ‘’While the ministry is leading in the overall coordination and oversight of the ICT sector, the agencies under it, which boards are being inaugurated today are established to provide special services to the populace.”

    Abdullahi, therefore, wished all members of the boards a very rewarding tenure.

    Responding on behalf of other boards’ members, the Chairman of NIGCOMSAT Board, Chief George Moghalu, said members were fully conscious of the enormity of the responsibility before them.

    Moghalu, who assured the minister of their unflinching support toward realising the ministry’s goal, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for finding them worthy for the appointment.

    Prof. Adeolu Akande is the Chairman of NITDA and Mr Maimuna Yahaya Abubakar, the Chairman of NIPOST.

     

  • FG to set up ICT Development Bank – Shittu

    FG to set up ICT Development Bank – Shittu

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu has said plans are underway by the federal government to set up an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Development Bank in bid to promote and encourage young entrepreneurs and to provide funding for the ICT industry.

    The minister disclosed this in Yenagoa at the weekend during the launch of the Bayelsa Ecosystem and Ignition Week, organized by the Young Innovators of Nigeria in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government.

    Represented by the former Director of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mr. Peter Jack, the minister noted that the ICT Bank will among other services, reduced the dependence on commercial banks for funding and also offer lower interest rates and grow the ICT industry.

    He hinted that in pursuant of the ministry’s mandate of leveraging ICT in its entire ramifications and in order to promote local manpower of ICT sector, the ministry was implementing as part of the 2017 budget, incubation hubs across the six geopolitical zones in the country so as to boost empowerment and growth in the sector.

    “The ministry is also thinking of promoting the establishment of the ICT development bank just like the Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry so as to promote and assist the immediate funding of the ICT industry instead of depending on commercial banks which have high interest rates.

    “The current administration at the federal level has been conscious of the role of ICT and has therefore, been committed over the last three years to ensuring that ICT facilities and services are expended rapidly across the country.

    “We are working round the clock to ensure that very soon the broadband penetration in the country would have risen above 20 percent. Let me also state here that the achievement of 30 percent growth in broadband by the end of 2018 is sacrosanct,” he said.