Road safety: 1,500 Dangote cement truck drivers undergo screening exercise - ITREALMS

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Over 1,500 Dangote Cement truck drivers have undergone intensive screening exercises to ascertain their mental, psychological and physical fitness for safe driving.

Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak disclosed this to journalists after his presentation at the 2025 Annual Drivers Retreat held at Ilaro, Ogun state.

NDPC can generate 500,000 jobs - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) Act 2023 has potential to generate some 500,000 jobs in the country reports ITREALMS.

This was disclosed this, the Executive National Commissioner, NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, while addressing participants at a capacity building on data protection and privacy for the national members of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) in Lagos.

500,000 hectares: IDA president, Fanawopo urges FG on mechanised farming - ITREALMS

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The President of Igbajo Development Association (IDA), Mr. Sola Fanawopo, has urged the Federal Government to optimise technology via mechanised farming to achieve its proposed 500,000 hectares farmland policy, reports ITREALMS.

Reacting to the recent pronouncement by the Federal Government’s agriculture revolution policy geared at cultivating 500 hectares of farmland to tackle food shortages in the country, he said assured of his community open arms to boost output based on Igbajo landmass.

Renewable energy: Zinox to invest $250m, retrain over 500 Nigeria engineers - ITREALMS

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Africa’s leading integrated technology group, the ZINOX Technologies Limited, has unveiled a plan to invest over $250,000,000 after years of research, test running of durable and cost efficient multifaceted renewable energy solutions for Africa particularly Nigeria, with leading renewable energy companies in China, UK, South Africa and Dubai as partners.

For 23 years, Zinox has pioneered innovative technologies and boasts of an enviable track record of efficient delivery of critical tech solutions in Nigeria and various African countries. 

CBN revisits withdrawal limits, fixes .5m & 5m for individuals, corporates - ITREALMS

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In obvious surrender to the public pressure and outcry over the recent proclamations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the apex bank, has increased the weekly limit for cash withdrawals across all channels by individuals and corporate organisations to N500,000 and N5 million, in that order, reports ITREALMS.

A letter to financial institutions on Thursday, dated December 21, 2022, and signed by the Director, Banking Supervision at CBN, Haruna B. Mustafa, alluded to the fact that they are a listening organisation by increasing withdrawals against earlier announced.

ACSIS membership grows to over 500 in 40 countries

ITREALMS:

The African Civil Society on the Information Society (ACSIS) has revealed that its membership has continued to gain momentum from over 170 to over 500 within the last one year, reports ITRealms.

Disclosing this in an end of year message, ACSIS president, Dr. Cisse Kane told ITRealms that 2017 was a pivotal year in the development of the pan-African organization with several acts of recognition and strategic positioning that will promote ACSIS participation in the reflection and actions for sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Africa.

Some of this achievements, he outlined to include “Obtaining consultative status at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), accreditation to the Economic and Social Council of the African Union (ECOSOC-AU).”

He also listed the acceptance of ACSIS to E-trade For All Initiative facilitated by (UNCTAD).

Today, he said, ACSIS is present in over 40 countries in Africa and in the Diaspora comprising France, Switzerland, United States of America (USA), Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany to name a few.

In addition, he revealed ACSIS now has over 500 member organizations, just as national ACSIS coordinations are being set up and “we regularly welcome new memberships and partnerships.”

Kane further commended the ACSIS executive board members and all members of ACSIS network, who have participated both physically and remotely and often at their own expense in numerous local, national and international meetings to promote sustainable ICTs in Africa.

“To raise the voice of our continent, by sharing with us valuable information, press articles on developments, activities of member organizations, etc. All this contributed greatly to making our network vibrant,” he said.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Mission accomplished: Google Digital Skills for Africa surpasses 500,000 trainees

ITRealms:

It was a mission accomplished for Google as it confirmed training over 500,000 persons on the Africa Digital Skills programme, reports ITRealms.

Confirming this, the Google Country Manager for Nigeria, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, said in Lagos while unveiled a portal for the programme, that over 500,000 received trainings in programme which launched in April 2016.

“Though 500,000 people have acquired digital skills since trainings begun six months ago, there are people in Nigeria and across the continent who are unable to attend face-to-face training sessions and who want to acquire digital skills in their own time, from their own phone or computer,” she said.

The online portal, she explained will make it possible for these people to take advantage of the free digital skills training programme. The portal which contains 89 online courses on a wide range of digital subjects including web analytics, social media management and mobile marketing, will be available in English, French and, in the near future, in Portuguese.

“We’re excited that over 500,000 people in Africa have acquired digital skills training through our program and we’re grateful to every organisation that has partnered with us to make it happen. But we are only halfway towards our goal. As we mentioned when we launched the program in April, we want anyone in Nigeria and across Africa to get trained in digital skills. 

Through this new online portal, more people will now be able to gain skills and knowledge that will help them build and grow businesses and find and create new jobs” said Juliet Ehimuan Chiazor.

For Bunmi Banjo, Head of the Africa Digital Skills Programme, Google hopes the portal will enable more people in more African countries to make the most of the web.

“The training is available to anyone, and people who complete the programme will receive a Certificate of Online Proficiency,” Banjo said.

ITRealms recalls that the Internet continues to be a key engine of growth for business in Africa and globally, with estimates putting its total contribution at $300 billion within the coming decade.

Industry observers have noted that although Africa’s online population, which is currently estimated at 340 million is said to have grown by a rate of over 7,000% since 2000, the continent is yet to enjoy a corresponding increase in the size of its web economy.

ITRealms further recollects that in April 2016, Google proclaimed commitment to train 1 million people in Africa on digital skills with the aim of helping more young Africans access and create web-based jobs, and contribute to the growth of Africa's digital economy.

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FG, AVCONU agree on N2,500 for post-UTME screening

ITRealms:

The Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in the tertiary education sub-sector have agreed on N2,500 as the fee for post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening, reports ITRealms.

A press statement endorsed by Secretary-General, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCONU), Prof. Michael Faborode, on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that post-UTME is conduct by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
.
He also said that the agreement was reached after a deliberation of officials of the ministry, federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, stressing that it was agreed that the post-UTME screening should be sustained following the scrapping of the Computer-Based Test.

“From the statement made by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan at the meeting, there is no objection to screening by universities as long as it is not another CBT.
“She agreed that universities should advertise and the maximum fee that should be charged for the screening should be N2,500 – bank charges inclusive.”

According to the Secretary-General, the association will formally convey its stance to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

ITRealms recalled that the recent placing of ban on post-UTME as pronounced by the Minister of Education, Adam, had elevated some anxieties among education stakeholders.

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MasterCard, Grooming Centre sign MoU to extend electronic payments

DigitalSENSE Business News:

Leader in electronic payments, MasterCard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  with Grooming Centre in efforts to extend solutions to 500,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in peri-urban and rural parts of Nigeria, reports DigitalSENSE Business News. 

Grooming Centre, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered is a Nigerian micro-finance organization that seeks to address the gaps in financial services through provision of affordable loans to women-owned MSMEs. 

DigitalSENSE Business News also reports that till date, Grooming Centre has disbursed payments by cash or cheques, which are less efficient than electronic means.

Chief Executive Officer of Grooming Centre, Mr Godwin Nwabunke, explained to DigitalSENSE Business News that under the MoU, the Grooming Centre would pre-load the funds onto MasterCard prepaid cards. 

Business owners, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered could now use their cards to withdraw funds at millions of ATMs or pay for goods and services at merchants that accept MasterCard payments in Nigeria and in over 210 countries globally.  

“There are a huge number of MSMEs that do not have access to any form of formal financial tools or services. Through the provision of electronic payments, these business owners will enjoy more convenient access to capital, be able to better manage and track their spending, save for future needs and protect themselves against unforeseen risks,”  said Nwabunke.

MasterCard and Grooming Centre will also work with various financial institutions to rollout payment devices including Mobile Point of Sale terminals, enabling these MSMEs to accept debit, prepaid and credit cards for the first time.

In her remark, Omokehinde Ojomuyide, Vice President and Area Business Head for West Africa, MasterCard asserted that through this partnership, they are enabling financial inclusion in communities where consumers have largely been unable to use formal payment products and have had to rely on cash.

“These payment solutions will help these MSMEs reduce the amount of cash they currently handle, increase sales, and improve cash flow while making it easier and safer for their customers to pay,” she said. 

Ojomuyide also said that MSMEs are essential to the growth of Nigeria’s economy, stressing that this kind of collaboration with Grooming Centre not only supports the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Cashless Nigeria policy, but it will help this vital sector to connect more efficiently to the national and global economy,” says Ojomuyide.

 

DigitalSENSE Business News, recalls that research carried out by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency and the National Bureau of Statistics shows that MSMEs represent 95 per cent of registered businesses in Nigeria and account for 75 per cent of the workforce.

 
+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +MasterCard
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Pix: Ezediashi Ofili, VP, Prepaid Product Management MasterCard, (Centre, Left) and Godwin Nwabunke, CEO, Grooming Centre (Centre, Right) shake hands following the signing of an MoU that will extend electronic payments to MSMEs in Nigeria. Looking on are Adesoji Tayo Executive Director, Grooming Centre (Extreme Left) and Uwagbae Uzebu, Director Acceptance Development Non Traditional Channels MasterCard (Extreme Right)