CS2 hacking contest 2017 gains momentum

ITRealms:

The 2017 Hacking Competition is gaining momentum as the organisers seek to assist bourgeoning hackers to test their skills and go home with N.4m, reports ITRealms.

The contest powered by the Abuja-based Consultancy Support Services (CS2) Limited, is a two-day search for Nigeria’s top hackers.

The Executive Chairman of Consultancy Support Services (CS2) Limited, Alhaji Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola told ITRealms that the search for Nigeria’s top hacker is now on.

The competition trending online as #HackBossNigeria 2017 @CS2Nigeria, he disclosed, has a total of N.450.000.00 (Four and Fifty Thousand Naira) up for grabs.

As said by him, the first prize at the end of the two-day hacking competition slated for April 28 and 29, 2017, would be going home with the sum of N200,000.

Also, the second prize, CS2 chairman said, would be heading home with N150,000, while the third place winner would smile home with the sum of N100,000.

This skill testing, he said would afford participants in the competition to be noticed by potential employers.

Ajijola equally advised interested persons to register free or visit www.cs2.com.ng, this would be followed by a 30 minutes online test.

“Only invited candidates receive accommodation for 2 nights in, and reimbursement of road transport fares to, Abuja,” Ajijola said.

Further, he said, CS2 would test candidates hacking skills in five key areas including systems, mobile, networking, forensics and reporting.

“Only the best will be crowned #HackBossNigeria 2017,” Ajijola assured.

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

CSEAN unveils theme for ‘Cyber Secure Nigeria’ Confab’17

ITRealms:

The Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) has unveiled the theme for the 2017 annual Cyber Secure Nigeria conference, slated for Abuja in May, this year, reports ITRealms.

President of CSEAN, Mr. Remi Afon, made this disclosure to ITRealms at the weekend, saying that the theme of this year conference is "Building Resilient Cyber Defence".

He also said that Cyber Secure Nigeria conference has become an annual event which this year is the third of its kind and provides unparalleled cyber security gathering of Industry giants, government, academia, information security professionals from Nigeria and international community.

The three-day conference, he said, would take place between May 16 and 18 at the CBN International Training Centre, Maitama Abuja.

Afon noted that cyber threats and attacks are becoming commonplace, sophisticated and damaging. Governments, organisations and individuals are faced with an evolving complex threat landscape. State and non-state actors are capitalising on vulnerabilities to launch attacks.

He pointed out that through workshops, plenary and breakout sessions, Cyber Secure Nigeria 2017 will prepare participants to defend their networks and operations against growing sophistication of cyber-attacks by building resilient cyber defence.

CSEAN President underscored the fact that the global cost of cybercrime will reach $6 trillion by 2021, a threefold increase from the 2015 estimate of $3 trillion according to Cybersecurity Ventures. “Unfortunately, over 80 per cent of organisations and government agencies in Nigeria believe that since they have not suffered a major cyber-attack, there is no need for security to be implemented in their business plan,” he said.

Afon also quoted a recent report by Kaspersky as showing that North Korean hacking operation linked to Lazarus group targeted banks in 18 countries of which Nigeria was among the targets.

“Clearly, this has shown that Nigeria is not immune to cyber threats,” he said, stressing that the vast scope of cyber threats we face today makes a compelling case for legislation that will compel organisations to have minimum cyber security controls in place and also mandate them to make full disclosure once they are breached. This will assist the nation in understanding attack vectors we face and aid security experts in implementation of adequate security controls,” Afon said.

ITRealms recalls that CSEAN is a non-profit organisation composed of information security professionals in Nigeria and diaspora, recognising the need for unified effort and framework across board to tackle cyber crime. Hence, CSEAN was established as an advocacy group to galvanise the movement and development of Information Security in Nigeria.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

ITU competition for headquarters architecture opens till May 5

ITRealms:

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council has unveiled a competition for its headquarters architecture, reports ITRealms.

This follows a decision by ITU Council, to organize an architecture competition for the design of a new headquarters building in Geneva, Switzerland.

ITU, the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), has been headquartered at its Place des Nations site in Geneva since 1962.

ITRealms gathered that with this project to deliver a smart sustainable headquarters building integrated into the local environment, ITU reinforces its commitment to serving its Member States, private sector members and associates and academia from a location at the heart of international organizations' activity in Geneva.

“The new HQ will provide a forum for physical and virtual meetings via accessible, state-of-the-art conference facilities,” ITU official confirmed.

They further said the architecture competition is open to all professional architects duly registered in any of ITU's 193 Member States.

“It will be held in two rounds, and applications are to be submitted anonymously to the Jury, guided by the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA), norm SIA-142” ITRealms gathered.

ITU, therefore advised those wishing to compete to find initial information at ITU's website, and may sign up at the Swiss public procurement platform, where they could find more information on the project and the invitation to tender.

“They can then follow the instructions to register for the competition by post only before May 5 2017” official said, stressing that the competition coordinator could be reached at: itucompetition@bc-a.ch. 

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Prof. Isoun heads Bayelsa Education Trust Fund, receives standing ovation

ITRealms:

The former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun has been confirmed as the chairman of the newly innagurated Bayelsa State Education Trust Fund board, reports ITRealms.

Members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, ITRealms gathered, on Thursday gave a standing ovation to former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun when he appeared before them for screening as chairman of the newly constituted Education Trust Fund board.

The lawmakers rather than screen the erudite professor unanimously confirmed his nomination by ‎Governor Seriake Dickson, describing him as the best man for the job because of his impeccable integrity and uprightness.

One after the other the lawmakers applauded his choice to head the fund, maintaining that Prof Isoun will bring his experience and honesty to bear in the new task and thanked Governor Dickson for putting so much importance to the management of the fund.

According to them, Dickson must have recognized the value and enormous benefit the new law will do to the state which ultimately necessitated him to pick Isoun, a former chairman of the‎ board of the Nigerian Communications Satallite Limited (Nigcomsat).

They asked him to take a bow, expressing delight that in no distant time the state will experience  a major boost in the education sector with his entrance and assured him and members of the board of their unalloyed support to enable him succeed.

They also used the opportunity to call on all Bayelsans to believe in the new law as it was made with good intention to give students in the state a secured future and thanked Isoun for accepting to serve his state again.

Uju N. Dominic/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Pix: Prof. Isoun and Gov. Dickson

Nigeria, China infrastructure partnership to boost tourism - Minister

ITRealms:

 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described the partnership between Nigeria and China in the area of infrastructural development as a catalyst for domestic tourism in the African nation, reports ITRealms.

These remarks were made in Abuja on Thursday when he received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pinson, on a courtesy visit.

"I think China is a good example of how domestic tourism can propel and trigger the economy. But for domestic tourism to prosper of course you also need improved infrastructure. This is why we are so glad that China is collaborating with Nigeria in the area of infrastructure such as roads, power and railways," he said.

Alhaji Mohammed expressed delight at the bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, which he described as mutual and sincere, saying China remains one of the strategic partners of Nigeria because of its genuine commitment and passion towards the country.

He said the cultural ties between the two countries can further be strengthened especially in the areas of film and cinematography, and he reiterated his earlier request for the screening of Nigerian movies in China.

He said the screening of Nollywood movies in China will reciprocate Nigeria's gesture towards Chinese movies, which are shown in Nigeria, in addition to being a deliberate strategy to ensure better understanding between the two countries while also creating a market for Nigerian films in China.

Alhaji Mohammed underscored the critical role which discipline played in the Chinese cultural revolution and said Nigeria will key into it to further enrich its National Re-orientation Programme "Change Begins With Me."

"One of the major strength of China today is discipline, it's ethics and respect for values and this is exactly what we are trying to achieve through our 'Change Begins With Me' Campaign," he said. 

The Minister said even in the area of media and entertainment, China is closely linked with Nigeria through the partnership between the Nigerian Television Authority and Star Times, and acknowledged that China also offered a loan of $500 million to revamp and upgrade the broadcasting industry in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria said culture and people-to-people relations are part of the ten priority areas which China is exploring to foster relations with Nigeria.

He said China has opened discussion with the Minister towards the building of Nigerian China Cultural Centre in Nigeria to further promote the cultural ties, which will boost communication and understanding between the two countries.

"What we wish to do with Nigeria we have outlined in the four cardinal framework and we have the bilateral document with this esteemed ministry. So, cultural activities, personnel exchanges, skills training and capacity building we wish to have firm foundation in these fields and we wish we could do more in these fields with Nigeria," he said.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!
From Left: Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjon; Hon. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Mrs Ayotunde Adesugba and Liaison Officer, Mr Lawal Sale during a courtesy by the Chinese Ambassador to the Minister of Information & Culture in Abuja on Thursday

2 Nigerians pick African woman prizes @New African Woman

ITRealms:

Two Nigerian women, Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary to the United Nations and African model and fashion icon, Joan Okorodudu were honoured with prizes at the 2017 New African Woman award, reports ITRealms.

A press statement made available to ITRealms showed that Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed has been awarded the New African Woman in Politics and Public Office, while Joan Okorodudu took the New African Woman In The Arts & Culture prize for her services to raising the profile of African models and fashion.

ITRealms gathered that prior to her new post, Mrs Mohammed had served as Minister of Environment and at the same time played key roles in both the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), on how both agendas impact Africa, more so its women.

Winners, ITRealms reports, were selected by a special panel of judges from 68 shortlisted candidates across 12 categories.

The fearless Gambian human rights activist won the New African Woman magazine’s Woman of the Year Award at the their ceremony that took place in Dakar, went to Fatoumatta Jallow-Tambajan. She was instrumental in galvanising the opposition that eventually beat long-term now exiled leader Yahya Jammeh.

In addition, the award for Women in Health, Science and Technology went to Namibia’s Dr Helena Ndume – a pioneering ophthalmologist and cataract surgeon, who has to date, performed over 35,000 sight-restoring surgeries on Namibians, completely free of charge.

Morocco saw serial entrepreneur Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch, take home the New African woman Award in Business. Zimbabwean philanthropists and educationist Tsitsi Masiyiwa, received the New African Woman Award in Education for her work with Higherlife Foundation – a not for profit organisation she runs and offers scholarships to orphaned and vulnerable children to give them a better chance in education. Over 250,000 children have benefited from the work of Higherlife Foundation.

The much-talked about New African Woman on the Rise (The Next Generation) – a category which received the most nominations - went to the Kenyan girls rights activist and UN Women youth advisor Vivian Onano.

The New African Woman in Civil Society was given to Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, who annulled over 300 child marriages in her village in Malawi, a feat that played an important role in forcing the government to ban child marriages in the country all together.

Other winners were Mali’s Binta Touré Ndoye (New African Woman – in Finance); Amira Yahyaoui of Tunisia (New African Woman in Media) and the former African Union Commissioner Agriculture and Rural Development Tumusiime Rhoda Peace from Uganda, is the New African Woman in Agriculture for pushing the importance of food security and adding value chain to African goods while she was at the AU.

The New African Woman in Sport went to the Senegal’s Fatma Samoura - the world football body’s Secretary General – a position she was appointed to in 2016, becoming the first African woman to hold the post.

The New African Woman Awards is followed by a Forum on 13 April, under the theme Changing The Game.

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

NCC, law enforcement agencies join forces against telecom offences

ITRealms:

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, Wednesday sought the support of law enforcement agencies to put out every assault and criminality undermining telecommunications operation in Nigeria, reports ITRealms.

Danbatta spoke through Efosa Idehen, NCC's Head of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement who represented him at the South East Zonal Workshop for Law Enforcement Agencies holding in Enugu.

The workshop was attended by Hosea Karma, AIG Zone 9, who represented Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police; Mohammed Danmallam, Police Commissioner, Enugu State; Dr. Benito Eze, Commandant NSCDC Abia State; and many personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The Inspector General of Police in his remarks called on all stakeholders in the security sector to enlist in the partnership solicited by the NCC because it is noble and also significant considering the strategic role telecommunication services play in the growth and sustenance of the economy.

Former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase; and Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN are among resource persons at the event which featured many presentations which include: ICT - An Enabler for Effective Policing; Telecommunication Offences in Nigeria: The Challenges of Diligent Prosecution; and Enforcement Processes, Procedures and Regulations.

Participants at the workshop commended the NCC for this initiative, convinced that its outcome will help to address some of the challenges facing telecommunication service provision in Nigeria. The South West, North West, South South Zonal Workshops held earlier in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt respectively. The workshops for the North Central and North East Zones will take place in Minna and Yola respectively.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE 

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

FG insists ‘No Going Back On War Against Corruption’

ITRealms

The Federal Government has called on Nigerians not to be discouraged by the recent setbacks in the war against corruption, promising that the serial negative outcome of corruption cases that were recorded at the high court level would not dampen the anti-graft battle, reports ITRealms.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, assured Nigerians that the government has appealed against all the negative decisions, and will vigorously canvass its case at the level of the Court of Appeal.

He also disclosed that all the judgments are being rigorously reviewed ''to determine whether there were errors on our part or whether the government is the victim of mischief''.

''The war against corruption is going to be long, tough and arduous, but this administration is equipped, physically, mentally and intellectually, for the long haul. We must win this war because the law is our side, the people are on our side and God is on our side. This is only the beginning, so any setback will not deter or discourage us,'' the Minister said.

He appealed to Nigerians to continue to identify with what he described as a titanic struggle, noting: ''This is not Buhari’s war. It is Nigeria’s war of liberation from poverty, misery, sickness and wretchedness.''

Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria cannot afford unnecessary technicalities as far as the war against corruption is concerned, especially because of the adverse and devastating consequences of corruption on the polity.

''Nigerians will appreciate more the grave and dire consequences of corruption when they consider that the $9.2 million found in a village house in Southern Kaduna can finance the construction of one health centre in each of the 774 local governments in Nigeria and fund them for one year.

''Against this background, one can therefore imagine what Nigeria could have achieved with the $20 billion that was estimated to have been looted in the last 3 years of the immediate past administration, either in the areas of job creation or infrastructural development.

''The government is therefore more determined than ever to recover as much of this plundered funds as possible and use them to put our youths back to work, fix our roads and other infrastructure, equip our hospitals and universities and invest in electricity in order to bring our industries back to life and bring back some level of comfort to our homes and offices,'' he said.

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

SunTrust Bank soars in first year

ITRealms:

The SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited has released its financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2016, showing a clear message of determination to succeed and deliver value to all stakeholders, reports ITRealms.

SunTrust Bank, ITRealms gathered, began commercial banking activities last year with the vision to “offer high quality retail and commercial banking services in a modern and innovative manner” according to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Muhammed Jubrin.

“We will use technology and a new way of thinking to provide banking services to many people and businesses in Nigeria for whom access to a bank account has previously been impossible. We will offer telephone, mobile and Internet banking underpinned by the traditional banking ethics of probity and integrity,” he declared.

And going by the results of the bank for 2016, the future is very bright for all stakeholders. The bank grew its bottom-line by 160.2 per cent as profit before tax (PBT) rose from N131.9 million to N343.34 million in 2016.

In all, the bank he said recorded net interest income of N935.892 million in 2016, up from N220 million in 2015, while net fee and commission income improved from N65.389 million to N92.378 million in 2016.

“SunTrust Bank ended the year with a profit after tax (PAT) growth to 74.57 per cent from N121.844 million in 2015 to N212.707 million in 2016,” he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

CTO urges partnership to facilitate investments

 ITRealms:

The secretary-general of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Shola Taylor, called on delegates at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Commonwealth ICT Investment Forum for Emerging Markets (Commonwealth ICT Invest’17) to seize all opportunities to invest in ICTs to achieve the aims of the Sustainable Development Goals and connect the next billion to the benefits of the Internet, reports ITRealms.

Insufficient investment in ICTs, and in particular in affordable technologies, has resulted in significant gaps in access to the Internet between Commonwealth countries. It is well acknowledged that ICTs play a crucial role in national socio-economic development and Commonwealth ICT Invest’17 was convened in order to discuss opportunities for investment in emerging markets and also to facilitate partnerships and collaboration.

“The exceptionally high-level calibre of participants at this forum clearly indicates that the international community is well aware of the challenges and opportunities presented by the lack of investment in ICTs,” said Mr Taylor. 

“They are clearly demonstrating their commitment to seizing these opportunities and moving forward to develop their ICT sectors for the benefit of their countries, companies, peoples, the Commonwealth and beyond.”

Held in Dubai, the heart of the modern investment world, Commonwealth ICT Invest’17 is hosted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE. The event will feature discussions on issues such as regulating to attract investments, new investment mechanisms for ICTs, funding mechanisms for SMEs, start-ups and incubators and investments in ICT applications, among other topics. There will also be a number of project showcases, designed to demonstrate national projects to potential investment partnerships.

Investing for the future was a recurrent theme of the first day. During the opening ceremony, Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of du, urged delegates to develop policies that will not delay the realisation of tomorrow’s reality.

“Investment in the ICT sector is what is most lacking when it comes to ensuring that people around the world benefit from the Internet,” said Gilbert Patterson, Chairman, Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago and Chairman of the CTO Council. “We must use this event to explore together ways to attract and encourage investment in ICTs and affordable access as we all stand to gain from a world of universal access.”

Participants at the event include ICT ministers, ministry representatives and telecoms regulators, development banks, regional ICT institutions, the private sector and development agencies from Bahamas, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

The forum will continue until Wednesday, featuring discussion on innovative partnerships, investing in cybersecurity, government strategies for stimulating ICT investment and demand and more project showcases.

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Malala honoured as youngest UN Messenger of Peace

Malala honoured as youngest UN Messenger of Peace: NaijaAgroNet : The United Nations  Secretary-General  António Guterres, has designated children’s rights activist and Nobel Laureate Ma...

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

HP motivates creativity with Inking, Modern Designs

ITRealms:

At Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2017, HP Inc. announced a new lineup of Pavilion laptops with sophisticated designs, and features to inspire today’s students and tomorrow’s reinventors, reports ITRealms.

Head of consumer personal systems EMEA, HP Inc, Anne-Sophie Hadberg, said the new Pavilion convertibles and laptops deliver a rich set of features and performance options previously reserved for higher-end products, including the addition of premium materials like 3D metal, USB-C for more connectivity options and active pen support to bring Windows Ink to life on Pavilion x360s.

She also noted that in anticipation of the Creators Update from Microsoft and Windows Ink technology available on the new Pavilion x360, Coachella Festival Music and Arts Festival attendees will be able to interact with the PC in new and unique ways, witnessing how the entire HP portfolio provides unforgettable immersive experiences when technology, art and music come together.

“We are evolving our portfolio of products to meet the needs of everyone from today’s students to digital creatives, as their usage and interactions with computing devices continue to change,” she said, stressing that nowadays Pavilion products take proven innovations from our premium lineup and provides end users with the ability to play, create, connect and entertain.

The new Pavilion x360 gives customers what they want – mobility and flexibility in a convertible PC. Pavilion x360s not only morph into four modes, but also infuse premium materials and features like 3D metal, USB-C to enable more connectivity, and active pen support to bring Windows Ink to life. 

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

CVL trains entrepreneurs in Delta State

ITRealms:

Estimated one hundred aspiring entrepreneurs would commence Thursday, April 13 in Warri, Delta State a year-long training in entrepreneurship in the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the Centre for Values in Leadership. The 100 young people emerged from a pool of 726 candidates, reports ITRealms.

Warri is the third of four cities where the Centre for Values in Leadership is conducting the training for 400 would-be entrepreneurs in Delta State. Other cities are Ibusa, Agbor, and Ozoro. Training has commenced at Ibusa and Agbor while it would take off at Ozoro on Tuesday, April 18 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

Participants for Warri and Ozoro training come from local governments in the area. They include Warri South, Warri Central, Warri North, Udu, Okpe, Uvwie, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Isoko South, Patani, Burutu, Sapele and Bomadi.

Under the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme, the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) would partner several organisations and individuals to teach, mentor and guide the participants. A further 200 persons would participate in a finishing school.

Prof Pat Utomi, the CVL founder, said the 400 participants would receive training valued at N3.5m per head over the period. Their curriculum would include Self Mastery, Pedagogy of the Determined, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Operations. There would also be Vocational Skills Training. The training is free.

Participants would intern in organisations in Onitsha, Benin and Asaba. They would also deploy the vocational skills developed in their training in a community service project to construct prefabricated houses from kits imported into the country. CVL would donate the homes, valued at N2m each, to widows and elderly females with housing challenges. Participants would leave with a starter pack comprising tools of the business in which they are majoring and links to funders.

Utomi said the goal of the Youth Entrepreneurship Training Programme is to combat violent extremism and youth unemployment through entrepreneurship, agro-processing and ICT engagement for young people. The programme targets people ages 18 to 40 years from the local community of the intervention.

Participants would pursue innovative ideas in agriculture and agro-processing including fish farming, piggery or poultry. They would consider the Creative Economy, covering fashion, photography, creative arts, music and film or invest in Information and Communications Technology or Retail.

The CVL founder also indicated that the empowerment programme at the end of the year would bring in sponsors to provide starter packs to participants, in addition to grouping interested graduands into cooperatives with access to loan schemes of participating banks. He said those interested in Agriculture would get land and be part of the out grower scheme of the Integrated Produce City in Edo State.

CVL trained and equipped 100 participants in Ajegunle, Lagos in the first run of the programme in 2016. CVL says the plan would extend to more states, with Adamawa as next destination.

The Centre for Values in Leadership is collaborating with international and local agencies to deliver the training aimed at equipping young people with the skills and attitudes to take on life’s challenges. Partners include The Art of Living Foundation, India, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. The organisation operates globally in 155 countries and has touched the lives of over 370 million people. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the organisation in 1981 with a guiding philosophy of enthroning peace and a violence-free society. 

The Art of Living movement has spread peace across communities through diverse humanitarian projects, including conflict resolution, disaster relief, sustainable rural development, empowerment of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all and environmental sustainability. Leadership development is one of the core areas of The Art of Living Foundation, holding a Global Culture and Leadership Festival in India in March 2016.  The Art of Living sent two facilitators.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Fidelity Bank records N152.0bn in 2016

ITRealms:

The Fidelity Bank Plc grossed N152.0bn in earnings for the financial year ended December 31, 2016 and is proposing to pay a dividend of 14kobo per share to shareholders. The full year audited results for the top Nigerian lender, released over the weekend at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), show a 3.5 per cent growth in gross earning, compared with N146 billion achieved in the corresponding period in 2015, reports ITRealms.

The chief executive officer, Fidelity, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo grew by 1.7 per cent from N60.9bn to N61.9bn, whilst total deposits, a measure of customer confidence, grew by 3 per cent, rising from N769.6 billion in 2015 FY 2015 to N793.0 billion. Similarly total assets increased by 5.4 per cent to N1,298.1bn from N1,231.7bn in the corresponding year. Profits however were moderated in the period under review by the one-off staff cost incurred during the year. Consequently PBT stood at N11.1bn down from N14bn in FY2015.  

“Our financial performance in FY2016 reflects the sound fundamentals of our evolving business model as we continued with the disciplined execution of our medium-term strategy which positions the business for improved and sustainable profitability” he said.

Okonkwo explained that profits dipped due to the cost of N4.8bn cost incurred as Fidelity Bank discontinued its legacy gratuity and retirement scheme. “Excluding this one-off charge, PBT for the year would have been at N15.8bn” he said.

Meanwhile, Fidelity Bank’s retail and electronic banking strategy has continued to deliver impressive results with savings deposits growing by 30.1% to N155.0bn while customer enrollments on its  flagship Instant Banking (*770#) and Online Banking products grew by over 200% leading to a 44.6% growth in net e-banking revenues to N7.5bn. This performance he said was “driven by the upgrade of our core banking system which provides a superior architecture that enhanced our operational efficiency and deepened our electronic banking capabilities.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Africa regional spectrum tops agenda @ITU-ATU RRS 2017

ITRealms:

Arising from the Regional Radiocommunication Seminar 2017 for Africa (RRS-17 Africa), which came to a close in Dakar, Senegal recently, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Member States with focus on spectrum management on the continent, reports ITRealms.

This seminar, ITRealms gathered was organized to address the regional radiocommunications issues and notification, coordination and recording of frequency assignments.

Jointly organized by the Ministère des Postes et des Télécommunications (MPT) and the Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP) of Senegal, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) the seminar was opened by Mr Abdou Karim Sall, Director-General of the ARTP.

Some of the topics discussed during the forum, ITRealms reports, addressed challenges and opportunities for Africa, under the framework of WRC-19, in particular regarding “Emerging innovative technologies; 5G and IMT spectrum identification; and Digital terrestrial television.”

ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao said that in view of the importance these matters hold for Africa, the forum programme has been devised such as to allow experts from the region to exchange views both among themselves but also with other specialists from other regions of the globe.

Also speaking, François Rancy, Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau, pointed out that the forum further addressed difficulties encountered and solutions related to the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in a round table for the participating countries.

ITRealms recalls that over 160 participants attended the seminar and forum, from  more than 35 Administrations including Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Nonye Dom/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

LSSC unveils 9ja Safe awards 2017, urges for safety

ITRealms:

The Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) has unveiled the 2017 9ja Safe awards, which voting commenced April 11, just as the Commission urges for more safety consciousness among Lagosians, reports ITRealms.

Director-General, LSSC, Hakeem Dickson, made this disclosure on Monday while addressing newsmen in Alausa-Ikeja, urging individuals and organizations to imbibe simple safety procedures because the cost of repairing and re-organising in the course of an accident outweighs the cost it will take to prevent the accident.

He also said LSSC since its inception has embarked on massive and rigorous campaign to orientate the public on the need to embrace safety in every facet of their lives.

“The commission spearheaded the injection of safety in the curriculum of all the Technical Colleges in the state and has also developed school safety and compliance manual. We have also engaged consultants who are qualified in different domains to assist us in ensuring that all organisations conform to lay down safety laws, regulations and measures in their day to day business,” he said.

Also, Dickson said that the commission intends to introduce compulsory insurance of all buildings in the state with the assistance of insurance companies and the National Insurance Commission.

Also, the Director and Enforcement, LSSC, Aderonke Odeneye, urged the public to endeavor to report safety infractions to the commission by becoming “hazard identifiers”.

Odeneye said this will enable the commission to quickly identify accidents before they occur.

ITRealms gathered that 9JA Safe Awards is organized by Safety Record with main objective being to recognize and encourage outstanding performances of individuals and organizations towards raising and promoting safety consciousness among Nigerians.

The award, ITRealms reports has been slated for September 8, 2017 at Lagos Oriental Hotel, just as nomination has commenced today, April 11 and will close on May 9, 2017.

Ayo Midele/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!