The federal government on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with leading Chinese technology firm, Huawei, to train 2000 young Nigerians on Information and Communication Technology, ICT.
The MOU provides 2,000 Information and Communication Technology, ICT trainee jobs to young Nigerians next year under the “Huawei’s Seeds for the Future programme.”
“ICT is one of the quickest ways people can get decent jobs, so we think this is absolutely important.
“In the change agenda, how to grow the economy is important, and we want to create ICT hubs and support existing ones. We thank Huawei for this initiative of advancing technology in Nigeria, apart from the job creation itself,” said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Observing the current poor rating of Nigeria in the global rankings of business environments, the Mr. Osinbajo said that the president had already given the task of addressing the challenges of doing business in the country to the minister of Trade, Industry & Investment Minister.
The Vice President said the relationship between Nigeria and China was a strategic one, urging Chinese investors and business leaders to consider Nigeria for manufacturing plants.
He said the Chinese investors “should encourage not just the selling, but also the manufacturing of products in Nigeria.”
According to the Chinese envoy, China is in partnership with the Buhari administration in the “change” agenda, listing the nation’s plans to be involved in such areas like agricultural modernization, industrialization, infrastructure, trade and investment, poverty alleviation, and peace, security, among others.
He added that Huawei hoped to become a strategic partner to the Nigerian government in the future ICT planning and development, and would continue to expand its contributions and training programmes in Nigeria.
The ICT training initiative strives to create a platform to nurture work-ready ICT experts by providing ICT industry-relevant education.
Mr. Osinbajo was joined by the Minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and his Communications counterpart, Adebayo Shittu, at the ceremony attended by theChinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie.
Nigeria’s ministers for Labour and Communications, whose ministries would select the 2000 trainees, signed the MOU on behalf of the federal government, while Mr. Richard Cao, the Vice President of Huawei West Africa, signed for the Chinese Information Communication and Technology firm.
Premium Times
Friday, December 11, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Video - Informal sector in Nigeria booming amidst slumping oil prices
The Nigerian economy's informal sector is booming amid slumping oil prices. Oil accounts for 95% of foreign income and two thirds of government revenue,. however, low prices have led many entrepreneurs to explore other avenues, with estimates now suggesting the informal sector is creating revenues of 178 billion dollars a year.
Nigeria social media bill draws concens
The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed concern over the potential chilling effect of a controversial social media bill in Nigeria, urging lawmakers not to approve the measure and welcoming President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to veto it if passed.
The “Frivolous Petitions Bill” has drawn controversy for a provision stipulating that anyone who posts an “abusive” statement known to be false with the intent of turning the public against a person, group or government institution via WhatsApp, Twitter or through text message could face up to two years behind bars and two million Nigerian Naira (approximately €9,150) in fines.
Proponents say the bill is necessary to combat the spread of malicious falsehoods, but detractors argue that it would serve to curb free speech and target government critics. The bill, which Nigeria’s Senate advanced beyond a second reading, has been met with strong resistance across Nigeria, spurring a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #NotoSocialMediaBill and leading a presidential spokesperson to declare that Buhari “won’t assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of Nigeria”.
Another troubling provision would require that all petitions or statement intending to report misconduct be accompanied by a sworn affidavit. Failure to submit an affidavit would mean that the complaint could not be used in any official investigation, and the person who made the allegation would then face up to two years in prison and four million Nigerian Naira (approximately €18,300) in fines.
IPI’s Nigerian National Committee in a statement praised Buhari for having “rebuffed the Senate’s bid to lure him into an unwholesome anti-media dragnet” and it called on Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives to ensure that the bill does not become law.
“Like the mainstream media, social media platforms are in need of self-regulation and should embrace the best practices, but the government cannot resort to regulation by toxic legislation…,” the group said. “The people’s right to free speech is inviolable.”
Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has responded to the criticism of the bill by saying that the bill would not be passed in its current form and that the Senate would ensure that it did not infringe on Nigerians’ freedom of expression. Potential changes, however, remain to be seen.
IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis urged Nigerian lawmakers reviewing the bill to make sure not only that it complies with free speech protections in the country’s Constitution, but that it also meets international standards on free expression.
“We are extremely concerned that the harm this bill could have on Nigerians’ right to share and receive information in the public interest far outweighs any potential benefit”, he said.
IPI
The “Frivolous Petitions Bill” has drawn controversy for a provision stipulating that anyone who posts an “abusive” statement known to be false with the intent of turning the public against a person, group or government institution via WhatsApp, Twitter or through text message could face up to two years behind bars and two million Nigerian Naira (approximately €9,150) in fines.
Proponents say the bill is necessary to combat the spread of malicious falsehoods, but detractors argue that it would serve to curb free speech and target government critics. The bill, which Nigeria’s Senate advanced beyond a second reading, has been met with strong resistance across Nigeria, spurring a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #NotoSocialMediaBill and leading a presidential spokesperson to declare that Buhari “won’t assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of Nigeria”.
Another troubling provision would require that all petitions or statement intending to report misconduct be accompanied by a sworn affidavit. Failure to submit an affidavit would mean that the complaint could not be used in any official investigation, and the person who made the allegation would then face up to two years in prison and four million Nigerian Naira (approximately €18,300) in fines.
IPI’s Nigerian National Committee in a statement praised Buhari for having “rebuffed the Senate’s bid to lure him into an unwholesome anti-media dragnet” and it called on Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives to ensure that the bill does not become law.
“Like the mainstream media, social media platforms are in need of self-regulation and should embrace the best practices, but the government cannot resort to regulation by toxic legislation…,” the group said. “The people’s right to free speech is inviolable.”
Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has responded to the criticism of the bill by saying that the bill would not be passed in its current form and that the Senate would ensure that it did not infringe on Nigerians’ freedom of expression. Potential changes, however, remain to be seen.
IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis urged Nigerian lawmakers reviewing the bill to make sure not only that it complies with free speech protections in the country’s Constitution, but that it also meets international standards on free expression.
“We are extremely concerned that the harm this bill could have on Nigerians’ right to share and receive information in the public interest far outweighs any potential benefit”, he said.
IPI
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Video - Nigerian refugees say Cameroon troops raided their village
Nigerian villagers fleeing the violence claim they've been attacked - by troops from Cameroon. They say at least 150 villagers people were killed in raids last week. Cameroon's military has denied the claims - though it says it is conducting operations in the area.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Video - Nigeria Lost $1B Per Month Under Goodluck Jonathan
“In Nigeria, there is no accountability at all and that is why I think Nigeria’s corruption is worse than corruption in most parts of the world. It is the worst type of corruption, it’s stealing,” Sanusi told PBS. “Frankly, I think a billion dollars under Jonathan a month was about what we were losing.”
Sanusi lost his job as Central Bank of Nigeria governor in February 2014 after he accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of failing to remit $20 billion in oil money, according to Pulse Nigeria news site. The allegation, however, led then-President Jonathan to authorize an audit into the accounts of the state-run petroleum firm by PriceWaterhouseCooper. Jonathan ordered the report’s release in April this year, after President-elect Muhammadu Buhari said he would look into the missing funds.
“Just over a year ago President Goodluck Jonathan suspended me from my position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria after I questioned an estimated $20 billion shortfall in oil revenues due to the treasury from the state oil company,” wrote Sanusi, responding to the report in an op-ed published in the Financial Times in May. “As I said then, you can suspend a man, but you cannot suspend the truth. The publication last month of a PwC audit into the ‘missing billions’ brings us a step closer to it.”
Jonathan’s administration has been repeatedly accused of rampant graft and was perhaps one of the main reasons why the Nigerian president and his longtime ruling Peoples Democratic Party lost re-election in March to Buhari of the opposition All Progressives Congress. Since taking office in late May, Buhari has vowed to clean up corruption and hold accountable those responsible. The former military ruler even asked U.S. President Barack Obama to help trace and recover “mind boggling” amounts of stolen money. In the oil sector alone, $150 billion was believed to have been stolen, according to Bloomberg.
International Business Times
Related stories: Former Nigeria Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi comments on audit that proves missing $18.5 billion
Video - Sanusi Lamido's TEDx speech - Overcoming the fear of vested interest
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