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ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

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ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

By: Michael Mike

AfricDeezayn application has been officially launched in West Africa to provide a virtual online space for designers in the subregion to showcase their creativity and talent and interact as a community.

The project, which is a creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is supported by Japan and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Tuesday, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje Toure-Litse said AfricDeezayn (a digital tool) will enabled talented designers in West Africa to contribute to the region’s industrial development by stimulating innovation.

Toure-Litse, who was represented by Dr. Anthony Elumelu, said “a design is the intentional creation of solutions with a focus on aesthetics, functionality and user experience. It goes beyond visual appearance to include usability, ergonomics, accessibility and other aspects that influence the way we, as users, interact with a product or service.”

She explained that it can be applied to a range of fields, including graphic design, industrial design, user experience design, user interface design and service design, all with a view to seducing consumers and maintaining their trust.

She noted that AfricDeezayn application developed in collaboration with WIPO and funded by Japan is closely aligned with the vision of ECOWAS to promote technological innovation, job creation and creation of an appropriate environment which will lead to wealth and economic and social progress.

She said the project was in line with ECOWAS Commission’s aims of promoting sustainable and inclusive agricultural, industrial and intellectual productivity, adding that: “This is an opportunity for us to call on the private sector players in our region, particularly those in the Design Community, to take ownership of this tool and use it as a potential vector for innovation and improved productivity.”

On his part, the Senior Director, Department for Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (DTIDGI), Brands and Designs Sector (BDS), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Mr. Marcus Hopperger, said “AfricDeezayn is a bridge between us and the people that are at the core of our institutional efforts. We represent organisations committed to promoting IP as a tool for development and growth. AfricDeezayn opens to us the virtual world of communication, helping our outreach to key stakeholders of the Design ecosystem – designers, small and large businesses, IP practitioners and agents, the academe, women and youth groups – to more effectively address their information needs so that IP rights over designs are protected and the resulting benefits are fully enjoyed by their creators.”

He added that: “They will find in AfricDeezayn an educational hub for learning about design laws, with guides in navigating the process of applying for and registering designs to obtain their protection.

“AfricDeezayn does more than inform. It also shares the stories of many designers, whether young and mature entrepreneurs – their struggles and rewards, their aspirations and journey – these are well-springs of inspiration and motivation for fellow West African artists and design enthusiasts.”

He noted that: “AfricDeezayn is the first platform in West Africa (and most likely the African continent) that is not only dedicated to Designs-related information, it also offers the Design communities in the ECOWAS countries a forum to connect with each other. AfricDeezayn honours the creative spirit of West Africa and its rich cultural heritage – and the men and women forming part of these communities. They deserve a platform through which they can easily get in touch with each other on any design-related issues while being supported in their communication needs.

“Better still, AfricDeezayn allocates space for designers to showcase their creations for optimal online visibility, empowering them to thrive in the competitive world of business and potentially generating commercial possibilities.”

He added that: “As the design communities in West Africa flourish, AfricDeezayn is their get-go tool throughout their creative journey. AfricDeezayn’s strength lies in its ability to enable designers across West Africa and beyond, transcending geographical boundaries. The prevalence of mobile phones in the region and the African continent makes AfricDeezayn a vital resource accessible to all. Recent statistics highlight the remarkable growth of IP activity in West Africa. According to World Intellectual Property Indicators [published by WIPO], the annual growth rates for the number of designs in 2022 were particularly high at the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) with a growth rate of 49.4% and at the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) with a growth rate of 8.8%. We are confident that progress will continue and that the advent of AfricDeezayn will contribute to the efforts in the region, especially through ECOWAS and its Member States.”

“I encourage everyone to download AfricDeezayn on Google Play and to spread the news. Let us usher in a movement where creativity is celebrated, protected, and empowered, while leveraging available technologies in the process. Today, we are not just launching an app, we are embracing the vast possibilities of virtual communication in mobile form to best serve our design stakeholders,” he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi said AfricDeezayn will create great opportunity for development in West Africa, noting that with resources like AfricDeezayn, designers in the ECOWAS region
can achieve great wealth.

He said: “This app isn’t just about information, it’s a catalyst for connection within the global design community.
This innovative platform, the first of its kind, connects designers with
opportunities, funding and businesses, fostering collaboration and a
robust design ecosystem in the ECOWAS region and beyond.”

He added that: “This initiative, born out of the joint efforts of the ECOWAS region
and WIPO, is revolutionising the way intellectual property is understood and used around the world. Its impact extends beyond the region and promises to raise
awareness and practice of design throughout Africa.”

ECOWAS Launches AfricDeezayn App to Boost Creativity and Talent in West Africa

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with other security elements, have repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Mayo Ladde village in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa.

The attack occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Friday in Mayo Ladde, a border community linking Askira/Uba Local Government Area and the Sambisa Forest axis of Borno.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that troops supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), swiftly responded to a distress call on the attempted incursion.

“The terrorists attempted to attack the village but were decisively engaged by the troops, who repelled them and forced them to retreat,” the source said.

According to the sources, no casualty was recorded during the incident, as residents of the village had fled the area before the arrival of the terrorists.

The source added that troops had intensified patrols and surveillance in the general area and along the border communities to forestall further attacks and deny the terrorists freedom of movement.

Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements to ensure the safety of lives and property in the North-East.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa

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BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

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BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The general manager of the Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA), Eng. Baba Tijani, has said that his agency will not tolerate “underaged” kids driving keke napep in Maiduguri and environs.

The GM warned that the brazen display of wrongdoing by Keke Napep was becoming alarming, especially with lots of underage kids being caught committing such crimes.

The Borno traffic management agency boss vowed to bring owners of such erring Keke napeps to book to check their reckless behavior on the streets of the Maiduguri metropolis and beyond.

Tijani, who spoke exclusively during the 2025 Federal Road Safety Corp RS12.2 Borno special marshals sectoral workshop, said that his management is aware of the dangerous excesses of the Keke Napep riders in the town and has never taken it lightly with them.

“I can assure you that we have details of all the excesses of the Keke Napep drivers in the city, and we are not joking with them. As long as we have their details, we can trace and deal with them, and the rest is history.

“I can assure you that there is no keke that is not registered by us regardless of their high numbers. For as long as they are registered in our data bank, we know how to trace them. Even if the keke is used for robbery, I assure you, we know how to sanction them for as long as they are within the state.

“By the way, it is not true that we are not capable of handling them in spite of their numbers and the enormous nature of their offenses. We do not overlook the misdemeanor of Keke Napep drivers in Maiduguri no matter how small they are.”

He told this reporter that under his watch kids who are under 18 were totally forbidden from driving keke napeps in Maiduguri metropolis, adding that residents should also avoid such keke napeps because they are obviously a death trap for commuters.

Eng. Tijani stressed that unless drivers are 18 years or above, they are not permitted to drive a keke napep in the entire Borno state, adding that only stable adults are registered as drivers of napep in their data bank used to sanction erring ones.

Tijani noted that for the remaining part of the year, his men will monitor the main roads in the metropolis thoroughly during the yuletide period to force the napep boys to conform to expected norms and behavioral patterns.

On staff strength, he added that the agency has been making use of what it has, hinting that “we have over 300 personnel in MMC and Jere alone, and we are trying to do our best with what we have even with the confusion at the Custom and Gamboru axis of the town.”

“We are aware of the challenges in many areas, and we believe that very soon the customs area will be handled. We are aware that the area is heavily congested in terms of traffic because the tunnel from one side to the other is not used, but I wish to assure commuters that all this will become history soon.

On the misbehavior of some of his staff, he noted that checks and balances have been placed within the system by management, adding that their provost marshals in white caps are out to oversee the erring staff and will send feedback to us on the next step.

Eng. Tijani called on the general public to cooperate with him and his management team by reporting erring marshals as and when wrongs were committed, adding that as soon as they are reported, action will be taken against such officials.

To press his point home, the GM revealed that about 30 erring marshals have been sacked so far from the agency, stressing that management does not drop their guards when it concerns portraying them in a bad light.

Speaking on the welfare of his staff, the GM agreed that there was an urgent need to boost the salaries of his marshals, as they are quite lower than the current minimum package.

He, however, announced that he was not leaning on his oars concerning their welfare because the matter has been tabled before the executive, and the governor is about to work on it, thereby taking care of his people.

Tijani regretted that they do not have a board that would assist them in putting their challenges on the front burner but is grateful to the media for doing justice to the plight of his people.

BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri

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Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

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Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

By: Our Reporter

Residents of Jabu village in Sokoto state, Northwest Nigeria reported that there are no casualties following US bomb that rock the village on Christmas Day targeting bandits terrorists.

A video surface Monday morning showing some residents carrying heavy metal, which is said to be the bomb shell fired by US into the area.

Although there are no official comments yet to what happened in the Northwest, some residents believed that some targeted areas may have yielded most results.

NEWSng observed that following the reported US military targets on terrorists enclaves in the Northwest, top islamic clerics and certain individuals known to be marking comments in defense of the bandits and Fulani militias activities have been usually quiet.

When ABC NEWS contacted few clerics to speak on the attacks, they decline comments stating that they are also waiting to hear what the government would say with regard to the claimed by US President Trump.

“This involve US and Nigeria. I also heard but I was not there not can establish facts to what happened on Christmas Day in Sokoto. ” One of the cleric, who pleaded not to be mentioned in print said.

Another clerics, Malam Usman Tukur simply said “No comments.”

Also another who refuses to speak at all holds his lips in declining comments.

Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto

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