MMS: Lagos nutrition stakeholders demand fast-tracking transfer of counterpart funding - ITREALMS

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The nutrition stakeholders in the Lagos State, have demanded for the fast-tracking of transfer for counterpart funding to facilitate timely release of the Multiple Micronutrition Supplement (MMS) and other nutritional aided medication to requisite health facilities in the state, reports ITREALMS.

This demand was made at a day policy dialogue on the MMS by the Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition in collaboration with Civil Society – Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) which brought together a diverse group of participants, including the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, government officials, representatives from civil society organizations, nutrition partners (Alive and Thrive, Nutrition International), healthcare professionals, media, representatives, and other key stakeholders.

Beware! CBN warns public against fraudulent contract, project funding claims - ITREALMS

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has alerted members of the public to the activities of fraudsters purporting to be in receipt of award letters of contracts related to construction works and special financial interventions on behalf of the Bank, reports ITREALMS.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali (Mrs.) informed ITREALMS that the clarification has become necessary due to the falsehood nature of such fraud to unsuspecting Nigerians.

Halo Solutions achieves £10m equity funding - ITREALMS

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A British technology company, Halo Solutions, has achieved the sum of £10 million, about N18,894,060,000.00 in latest equity funding as it plans for expansion across the Middle East and North Africa regions, reports ITREALMS.

Halo, ITREALMS recall developed the Halo public safety and security software platform, which was used at the coronation for His Majesty King Charles III, the King of England and the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the late Monarch of England.

Gavi, Lesotho partner on resumed direct funding - ITREALMS

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The vaccine alliance, Gavi and the Government of Lesotho have signed a Letter of Intent on the resumption of direct funding to the Government of Lesotho, following the successful implementation of pre-disbursement financial systems requirements, reports ITREALMS.

The development follows a programme launched in 2022 by Gavi to support Lesotho in strengthening its financial management capabilities to enable the country to address all Grant Management Requirements (GMRs).

WATISE 2024: Experts to tackle infrastructure funding challenges for rural telephony - ITREALMS

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After successfully hosting the first edition of the West Africa Telecoms Summit and Exhibition (WATISE), a regional gathering of telecoms players and stakeholders in the industry, all is now set for the second edition, WATISE 2.0, according to the organisers, TechnologyMirror, an ICT and Telecoms news cum information website.

Announcing the WATISE 2.0 in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, the Convener Isaiah Erhiawarien, said the theme of this edition is "Shaping the Future of the Telecoms Infrastructure Industry: Trends and Insights for a Digital Economy."

Gaza crisis: Canada allocates funding to partners - ITREALMS

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The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, on Tuesday said that Canada has allocated an initial $10 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to address urgent needs stemming from the crisis in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Israel and neighbouring areas, reports ITREALMS.

This funding supports United Nations and Red Cross appeals and will help Canada’s partners to provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance.

PHCs: SAT tasks Lagos LG on facility funding - ITREALMS

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Funding the health care facilities at the community levels topped the issues brought forward to the Somolu Local Government leadership by the Lagos State Advocacy Team (SAT) during its latest outreach, reports ITREALMS.

Coordinator, Tuberculosis Network, Mrs Ifelunwa Aipoh who spoke on behalf of the team, proposed that the LGA to allow the officer in charge of Bajulaiye PHC access to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) fund, so as to cater for pressing needs at the facility.

Loan trap: World Bank accused of setting Nigeria up with $800m funding - ITREALMS

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The World Bank Country office in Nigeria has been accused of engaging on practices considered illegal under Nigeria’s legal regime, in relation to borrowing and loan indebtedness worth $800m, about ₦368,615,712,800.00, reports ITREALMS.

Leading in the accusation, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Center) said the Bank in its engagement with some Civil Society Organizations regarding the planned $800 million loan to the Nigerian Government though is subject to the approval of the National Assembly of Nigeria before its disbursement will take effect.

EdTEch: Classera raises $40m in biggest Series A funding, set to deepen African footprints - ITREALMS

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Global edutech learning management platform with focus on emerging markets, Classera, has raised $40 million in a Series A rounded funding, reports ITREALMS.

This development, ITREALMS gathered is the largest in EdTech globally for a company with no prior funding.

Cinchy clinches N6.4bn Series B funding led by Forgepoint - ITREALMS

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The pioneer of dataware technology and leader of data liberation, Cinchy, has raised $14.5 million United States Dollars (USD), about N6,416,250,000 billion, in Series B financing, led by Forgepoint Capital, reports ITREALMS.

With this development, Forgepoint Managing Director Leo Casusol would join Cinchy’s Board of Directors, while Reynaldo Kirton comes on board as an advisor.

Exclusive! 2023 Presidential Elections: Labour Party to leverage crypto for funding – ITREALMS

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The leadership of the Labour Party of Nigeria (LPN) may have advanced consideration to deploy cryptocurrency for the 2023 general elections to meet its increasing financial demands of funding election, reports ITREALMS.

A cryptocurrency, crypto-currency, crypto, or coin is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it according to Wikipedia.

FGN accuses Nigerians in diaspora of funding secessionist groups - ITREALMS

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused some Nigerians in Diaspora of funding secessionist groups, reports ITREALMS.

The government made this accusation through the Federal Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during an audience he granted members of the United Kingdom (UK) chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Abuja, Tuesday.

SGF leads guest to ASURI's 2-day roundtable on research funding

ITREALMS:

Plans have been advanced for a two-day roundtable on research funding for research institutions in Nigeria slated for Abuja, between April 17 and 18, with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha as special guest, reports ITRealms.

The event to be hosted by the Academic Staff Union of ResearchInstitutions (ASURI), ITRealms gathered, represents the interest of researchers in Federal mandated Research Institutes, Agencies and Allied Colleges in Nigeria, in collaboration with Co-Heritage Hunters Nigeria and TF & Associates as organisers, is a talk shop aimed at mobilising the nation in support of adequate research funding.

A press statement jointly signed by the secretary general of ASURI, Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku, the president of Co-Heritage Hunters Nigeria, Pastor Bola Oregbemi, and the managing consultant of TF & and Associates, Mr. Toye Fawole, the event, coming on the heels of the recently-passed National Research and Innovation Council Bill 2018, will take place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, as an appreciation event to celebrate innovativeness andà beam positive light on the role of research in national development.

 With the theme, “Research our Hope,” the two-day event will feature the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, as special guest of honour while the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Muhammadu Musa Bello, and the minority whip in the Senate, Senator Philip Aduda, representing FCT in the Senate, are chief host and co-host respectively.

The main speaker at the talk shop is eminent scientist and former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, also a former president of the National Academy of Science (NAS) while the chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator (Prof.) Robert Ajayi Boroffice, and Senator David Umaru, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters who sponsored the National Research and Innovation Council Bill 2018, will lead the team of the 60 Senators who co-sponsored the Bill and several other federal lawmakers from both chambers to the event. 

In attendance as well will be the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe; and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, and many other Ministers who superintend over federal mandate research institutes and agencies.  

The event is also expected to feature members of the Diplomatic Corps, Executive Directors and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Research Institutes, Director-Generals (DGs) of Federal Agencies, Captains of industry, opinion leaders and the civil society, among others.

The two-day roundtable will feature over 1,000 researchers while over 100 Nigerian research institutes will showcase their activities at the adjoining exhibition, alongside other exhibitors from both private and public sectors.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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3D Printing: US-based Beta Ventures advances funding to Elephab Nigeria

ITRealms:

A United States-based Beta.Ventures, has advanced undisclosed funding to Nigeria’s Elephab Company, to facilitate the Third Dimension (3D) print towards reproducing parts almost instantly as an alternative to importing them, reports ITRealms.

The investment, ITRealms gathered, would help ElePhab.Co quickly establish themselves as the first major source of 3D printed replacement and emergency parts for various industries across Nigeria.

Regarding the investment, co-founders: industrial designer and engineer Anjola Badaru and Damilola Akinniyi, said, they will use the funds to prove the business model in Nigeria before exploring expansion to other African countries.

“We truly believe the future of manufacturing for products used in Africa is in Africa. We can’t keep importing parts from overseas and then wonder why our economy is struggling,” they were quoted as saying, pointing out that power is no longer a barrier to entry for manufacturing in Africa.

“The 3D printers we use consume about 100 watts when printing, which is about as much energy as a few light bulbs. We could run 2 printers off one solar panel if we wanted to,” Akinniyi said.

Co-founders and the general partners of Beta.Ventures, Ike Eze and Ovo Emorhokpor said they believe that the potential for scaling manufacturing companies in Africa is immense.

“When you remove power and access to raw materials as barriers to entry, suddenly manufacturing in Africa looks attractive to investors,” Mr. Eze said.

The company and product idea came out of the GE Lagos Garage advanced manufacturing training program. Mr. Badaru was able to refine his business idea, come up with his first fully functioning replacement part, build a pitch deck and gain access to investors through the program designed to train individuals on advanced manufacturing using 3D printing and other advanced manufacturing techniques.

Patricia Obozuwu, Director Communications and Public Affairs for GE Africa, which created and funds the GE Lagos Garage program said, ”In demonstration of GE’s commitment to skills development on the continent, the GE Garage program was conceived to produce a new wave of African innovators and entrepreneurs, by equipping them with modern technologies and business development skills. It is a springboard for Africans to compete in the fast-evolving work environment of the future”. She added, “we are particularly delighted and proud of the progress made by Anjola in turning his idea into a venture in a short time. His is another of the over forty commendable success stories recorded since the inception of the Lagos Garage in November 2016.“

The advanced 3D printing machines the company will use were purchased from Germany and the US, and are capable of much larger build volumes, speed and a higher finish quality than household 3D printers. “3D printing is not just for prototypes anymore. With these professional-grade machines, we can print fully functional parts in minutes, that now rival the original parts in quality, durability, and strength,” Mr. Badaru said.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Nigerian Team Charis shines @ Technovation 2015, wins $10,000

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Young women from Nigeria and India are celebrating their entrepreneurial success after being awarded $10,000 each in seed funding for their mobile app ideas at the 2015 Technovation World Pitch Competition recently in San Francisco, United States of America (USA), reports ITRealms.

Investigations by ITRealms, showed that estimated 400 apps were submitted to Technovation from 28 countries.

These 400 apps, ITRealms gathered were narrowed down to top 10 finalists from Brazil, India, Mexico, Nigeria and the United States, whose teams were flown into San Francisco for a series of events which culminated in the two day World Pitch Conference.

According to Events and Engagement Director, Technovation, Allie Holmes, on June 24, all teams pitched their apps to an audience of tech professionals and a panel of judges from Yahoo, Yelp, Google, Hackbright Academy and the Salesforce.com Foundation, and on June 25 learned with two teams awarded $10,000 each to develop their app and bring it to market.

“This year, the first place awards went to Team Charis from Nigeria (High School Division) and Team Pentechan from India (Middle School Division),” Holmes said.

ITRealms further showed that High School Winners, which is Nigerian Team Charis took first place in the high school division for their app “Discardious,” a mobile solution to the problem of improper waste disposal in Nigeria.

Team Charis’ members are Nmesoma Ogbonna, Sonam Kumar, Charlotte Takem, Praise Emem David-Oku, and Grace Akpoiroro, all of whom attend iKapture Afterschool Academy. They were mentored and coached by Yemurayi Chinyand and Grace Ihejiamaizu.

Also, the second place was awarded to Team WoCo, a team from Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, for their app PraisePop. Team AMEKA from Winchester, MA took third place for their app Safeguard Driving.

For the Middle School Winners, which Team Pentechan from India emerged first place for their app “Sellexo”, an online marketplace for users to buy and sell dry waste.

Team Pentechan’s members are:  Anupama Nhavalore, Navyasree Balamuralidhar, Sanjana Vasanth, Mahima Mehendale, and Swasthi P Rao all of whom attend New Horizon Public School in Bangalore, India. Team Pentechan was mentored and coached by Pratheeksha K. S., Dipika Rajendran, and Aravamudhan Narayanan

Team AAT from New York City took the second place prize in the middle school division for their app ConcussionChecker.

The two first place teams will receive $10,000 in seed funding to continue developing their app and bring it to market when they return home.

All World Pitch events were sponsored by AVG, CA Technologies, LinkedIn, Rackspace and Yahoo. 

+ITRealms DSA +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

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