Development

Fed Govt lauds NCC on youths’ digital skills

The Federal Government has lauded the commitment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) towards enhancing digital skills development among youths, through the implementation of various Information Communication Technology (ICT) skill acquisition programmes.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Ibrahim Pantami, gave the commendation during the inauguration of a Digital Nigeria Centre (DNC), a project executed by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), an arm of NCC, at the Ijesa Muslim Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun State recently.

Representing President Muhamadu Buhari at the event, Aregbesola praised the NCC for timely and thorough implementation of the project, saying he was confident that the project will promote the connection of public secondary schools to broadband internet in Ilesa community and ultimately equip beneficiaries with 21st century skills.

“I would like to thank my very good friend and brother, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, for assenting to our request to have the first of this remodeled project in Osun State sited in Ilesa. I will also like to thank the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta and the entire Management and staff of NCC and the USPF, as well as their technical partners for a timely and successful completion of this laudable project,” he said.

On the sideline of the commissioning, Aregbesola also announced the establishment of President Muhammadu Buhari N100 million Technology Fund for Youth Empowerment, to nudge the emergence of world class technology experts. The Minister of Interior stated that the Fund targets 2,000 youths in the next two years, who will be provided with devices for training in different areas such as software development and design, amongst others.

Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Babatunde Olawale, expressed the gratitude of the State Government to the Federal Government, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission, for initiative and particularly for inaugurating the pioneer remodeled DNC project in Osun State. Oyetola also informed the gathering that the state government was willing and ready to collaborate with NCC to replicate the project in other parts of the State.

Speaking in the same vein, Pantami, who was represented at the event by the Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, also commended the NCC and USPF on the delivery of the DNC project on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He declared that the project and similarly instituted ones were initiated by government to give expression to its vision to effectively digitise the nation’s economy for increased prosperity for all Nigerians.

Pantami said the Federal Government is focused on promoting digital economy across the country and that this had informed the renaming of the Ministry of Communications to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. Pantami recalled that the Federal Government emplaced Digital Nigeria-oriented policies to reinforce the focus of existing policies in order to accelerate the delivery of derivable benefits of digital economy to Nigerians, regardless of their locations and circumstances.

Very central among the policies is the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030, a 10-year, eight-pillar focused blueprint for actualising Federal Government’s digital economy agenda unveiled in November, 2019.

Pantami asserted that the DNC inaugurated at Ilesa was a concrete implementation of the Digital Literacy and Skills, the second pillar of NDEPS.

According to Pantami, the overarching objective of the DNC project is to facilitate adoption of digital lifestyle in the schools as well as in the school communities. The Minister averred that the project’s significance cannot be under-estimated, considering its ability to improve digital skill for the youths and subsequently make them globally competitive.

Pantami said the Federal Government is determined to arm the youths with digital skills, strong literacy and numeracy skills, critical and innovative thinking skills, complex problem solving aptitude, the ability to collaborate, and deploy socio-emotional skills, which they require to transform their lives and build the economy.

“We have already made a number of giant strides in the development of our digital economy culture and the deployment of initiatives such as the Digital Nigeria Centre eloquently demonstrates the current administration’s commitment to connecting all Nigerians,” Pantami said as he equally expressed Federal Government’s commitment to its tripartite agenda of improving the economy, curbing corruption and enhancing national security through effective deployment of ICT in all nooks and crannies of the country.

In his remark, Danbatta, who was represented at the event by the Commission’s Director of Projects, Iyabode Solanke, said all the regulatory activities, initiatives and programmes that the Commission had undertaken since 2019, in collaboration with its critical stakeholders, including its arm, the USPF, have been targeted at giving concrete expression to Nigeria’s deliberate policy to migrate to a full digital economy.

He said the Commission achieves this by consistently committing itself to expansion of appropriate infrastructure to enhance digital literacy and skills in view of the economic and social impact of digitization on all sectors.

The NCC Chief Executive restated the Commission’s commitment to the overall objective of bridging the digital divide through the provision of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as well as broadband access to the unserved and underserved institutions and communities in the country.

Earlier, the Principal of Ijesa Muslim Grammar School, Ramota Ilesanmi, thanked the President Buhari-led Federal Government for the project, saying that it will go a long way in meeting the ICT needs of students and residents of the city.

The DNC, formerly known as School Knowledge Centre (SKC), is one of the projects in the Access Programme framework of the USPF, conceptualized to promote the availability and utilisation of ICT and resources of the Internet in teaching and learning in public schools in underserved, unserved and rural areas.

Specific objectives of DNC are to increase ICT literacy among school teachers and students; provide a platform for accessing online educational resources; equip students with ICT skills; facilitate ICT adoption in teaching and learning; as well as increase pass rate in Mathematics, English language and other science subjects.

Development

FG revokes houses of defaulting NHP subscribers

The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced the revocation of the offer of provisional allocation of houses under the National Housing Programme (NHP) of defaulting subscribers.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, made this known in a statement signed by Mr Salisu Haiba, Director, Press and Public Relations on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Belgore, the revocation affected all recipients who failed to make full and outright payment within the stipulated period of 90 days and the additional eight-week grace granted.

“This decision aligns with the terms and conditions outlined in paragraph 2 of the provisional offer of allocation letter issued to beneficiaries.

“It reinforces the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring transparency, compliance and efficient management of the National Housing Programme.

“The revocation strictly applies to those who did not fulfill the payment requirements within the designated time-frame,” he said.

Belgore further clarified that all beneficiaries who successfully completed their payments on or before Feb. 28, 2025, remained unaffected by the action.

He also advised that they should come to the Ministry to collect their letters of allocation and proceed to take possession of the houses immediately.

The permanent secretary said that for ease of reference and public accountability, the full list of individuals whose provisional offer of allocation had been revoked would now be available on the Ministry’s official website https://fmhud.gov.ng.

He added that it would also be published in the Daily Trust, Nation and Leadership newspapers, in the first week of April, 2025.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the Ministry remained dedicated to providing accessible and affordable housing to Nigerians, and the measure was part of ongoing efforts to streamline the housing allocation process for greater efficiency and fairness.

Business

Dangote Refinery to Power Nigeria’s Economy, End Fuel Scarcity, Save Forex – Gov. Abiodun …praises President Tinubu’s intervention

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Alhaji Aliko Dangote

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said the commencement of fuel production by the Dangote refinery will strengthen the nation’s economy by eliminating constant shortages and conserving foreign exchange.

Petrol produced from the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery is expected to hit filling stations in the next 48 hours as modalities with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have been formalized.

Prince Abiodun, in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, said that with the refinery coming on stream, one of the most significant challenges faced by Nigeria for more than three decades—reliance on fuel importation—will be solved.

According to the statement, with the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries also being prepared to begin production, Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief from constant fuel shortages, while the economy will also receive a boost.

Prince Abiodun praised Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his determination in seeing through the multi-billion dollar projects against all odds.

The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in ensuring that the refinery comes on stream during his administration.

He praised the President’s commitment to the revitalization of other refineries in the country, which, he said, will drastically reduce fuel prices when all of them start production.

He said: “This significant achievement marks a transformative milestone not only for you as an entrepreneur but also for Nigeria and the broader African continent. The establishment of this refinery represents a pivotal shift in the energy landscape of the region, showcasing the power of vision, resilience, and unwavering commitment to economic development.

“The Dangote refinery is poised to be a game-changer in the production of petrol, addressing one of the most pressing challenges faced by Nigeria: reliance on imported fuel. This dependency has not only strained our foreign exchange reserves but has also hindered our potential for self-sufficiency.

“By producing petrol locally, the refinery will drastically reduce the outflow of foreign currency, thereby strengthening our economy. This move aligns perfectly with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s efforts to achieve economic diversification and reduce reliance on oil exports alone.

“Moreover, the economic impact of the refinery extends beyond just fuel production. It is expected to generate thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, thus contributing to the reduction of unemployment rates. The ripple effect of this employment generation will invigorate local economies, stimulate growth in ancillary industries, and enhance the livelihoods of countless families across Nigeria.

“In addition to bolstering local employment and economic activity, the refinery’s operations are expected to enhance energy security in Nigeria. With the capacity to produce a substantial volume of petrol, the country will be better equipped to meet its energy needs, reducing the volatility associated with fuel shortages and price fluctuations.

“This stability will inevitably create a more favorable environment for businesses and attract foreign investments, further boosting economic growth.”

Development

Sanwo-Olu commissions 270 housing units in Egan-Igando

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, inaugurated 270 units of two-bedroom flats at the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate, Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos.

The project located in the Ikeja Division of Lagos State is Cluster One of the proposed 101 blocks of 846 home units made up of one, two and three-bedroom apartments on a land area of 17.358 hectares to provide decent accommodation for sub-urban dwellers.

The housing project, which defied all efforts at completion for several years, was successfully delivered on Thursday by Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration to reduce the housing deficit and provide decent accommodation for residents in the State.

The Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate (Cluster One) has infrastructural components that include a network of well-structured roads, a well-channeled drainage system, an ingestion station, ample car parks, potable water, a perimeter fence, a central sewage treatment plant, and electricity transformers.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Sanwo-Olu promised to complete the remaining 576 home units in Clusters Two and Three of the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate for more residents to benefit, irrespective of their ethnicity or political affiliations.

Sanwo-Olu, who appealed to beneficiaries to take ownership of the project and protect it from vandals, said his government is ready to partner with the private sector to build more affordable housing estates in Lagos State.

He said, “The completion of this project will address the urgent need for affordable housing and also foster a sense of community and belonging among our residents. This project is designed to cater to diverse economic groups, reflecting a vision of an inclusive society where everyone has a home.

“We must innovate and partner with private investors to bridge the gap, which we cannot do alone. We need to enhance our public and private investments in housing. We must continue to build decent homes. I will like to appeal to future occupants to please ensure good maintenance of these facilities.”

Sanwo-Olu also urged traditional rulers and community leaders to provide more land for the government to build more infrastructure in rural areas.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate is a landmark project that stands as a testament to Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to providing affordable and quality housing for the residents of Lagos State.

Akinderu-Fatai, who noted that the project experienced a lot of challenges due to a paucity of funds, appealed to the private sector to partner with the Lagos State Government to provide more affordable housing for residents.

The Commissioner disclosed that Sanwo-Olu, in his magnanimity, has graciously approved that all existing subscribers with full payment for either a unit of two bedrooms or three bedrooms be given allocation from Cluster One at no additional fees to the selling price.

Akinderu-Fatai, who noted that the gesture by the governor is to appreciate the trust and commitment of the subscribers over time in Lagos State, said other subscribers with more than 50 percent commitment on the initial selling price shall be considered with an option to balance up at the current selling price.

He said: “This significant occasion marks the completion of 270 units of two-bedroom apartments, a vital step towards alleviating the housing deficit in Lagos, hence bringing succor to the beloved people of the Igando-Ikotun LCDA in Alimosho LGA.

“Today, we are proud to present Cluster 1, with 45 blocks consisting of 270 units of two-bedroom apartments with complimentary infrastructure. We not only celebrate the completion of these units but also the resilience, dedication, and hard work that have brought this vision to reality.

“As we hand over the keys to the new homeowners, we reaffirm our commitment to completing Clusters 2 and 3. We will continue to work assiduously to overcome any challenges, ensuring that every promised unit is delivered. This project is a clear indication that when we combine vision with dedication, the results are transformative.”

Akinderu-Fatai commended Sanwo-Olu for his great determination and unusual support for the housing sector, particularly on the completion and delivery of the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate.

The Chairman of Igando-Ikotun LCDA, Lasisi Akinsanya, and Onigando of Igando Land, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, praised Sanwo-Olu for the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate, saying they appreciated the good gesture.