National News
IT sector boosting Nigeria’s GDP – Pantami

IT sector boosting Nigeria’s GDP – Pantami
Prof. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE), said the IT sector consistently contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, with 18.44 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.
Abuja, Nov. 30, 2022 (NAN) Prof. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE), said the IT sector consistently contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, with 18.44 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.
Pantami said the sector was fast moving towards the actualisation of the government’s digital economy agenda with the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020-2030 (NDEPS).
The minister said that in different quarters of 2020, 2021 and 2022, the sector had contributed immensely to the GDP, thereby making it the sector with the highest contribution.
“The ICT sector provided three unprecedented contributions to the GDP of the country in the last three years.
“IT contributed 14.07 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, 17.92 per cent in the second quarter of 2021 and 18.44 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.
“At each time, these numbers were the highest ever contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP,’’ he said.
According to the minister, the ICT sector grew by 14.70 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020.
He said it made it the fastest-growing sector of the Nigerian economy in the last quarter of 2020 and the only sector to have grown by double digits.
Pantami added that in 2020, the sector played a critical role in enabling Nigeria to exit recession.
He said: “The quarterly revenues also generated for the Federal Government rose from N51.3 billion to N408.7 billion, through spectrum sales and taxes from the sector.’’
The minister further said that the ministry was recently assessed for its performance by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UK and KPMG, among others.
The assessment, he said, was in partnership with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the Presidency.
Pantami said: ”Being assessed on the output indicators and milestones for the eight ministerial deliverables, the ministry obtained the highest grade in each of the deliverables.
”The ministry scored 134 per cent on the Implementation of Broadband Connectivity, 127 per cent on deployment of 4G across the country and 99 per cent on Digitalising Government functions and processes.
“On the development and implementation of a National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 103 per cent, Implementation of a Digital Identity Programme -86 per cent.
“Improvement and optimisation of revenues from all operators and licensees in the agencies under the Ministry’s supervision -594 per cent, Active collaboration with the Private Sector to create jobs – 111 percent.
“Empowerment of citizens – 137 per cent.’’
Some of the policies that saw the development of the sector, he said, included: NDEPS 2020-2030, the Roadmap for the Implementation of the NDEPS and the SIM Card Registration Policy.
Others were: Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, National Policy on VSAT Installation Core Skills for Nigerians and National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Telecommunications Sector.
Pantami added: “There is the Revised National Digital Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration, National Policy on Digital Identity for Internally Displaced Persons and the Rule Making Process Regulation of NIPOST.
“We have the National Policy on 5G Networks for Nigeria’s Digital Economy, National Policy on Virtual Engagements in Federal Public Institutions, National Policy on Device Management System.
“There is a policy on National Policy for the Management of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy.
“The National Policy on the Nigerian Government Second-Level Domains, National Dig-Once Policy and National Policy on Communication Satellite (Draft).’’
The minister also recalled the recent signing of the Nigerian Start-Up Act (NSA), an Executive Bill recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 18.
According to him, the signing of the NSA as a principal legislation was a major achievement that will significantly enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Nigeria.
Over 863,372 citizens benefited from digital skills programmes and we have agreements with leading global companies like Microsoft and Huawei, to train millions of Nigerians.
On Aug. 21, 2019, the official broadband penetration figures stood at 33.72 per cent, adding, ”today, it is 44.65 per cent, representing close to 13 million new broadband users.
“Similarly, there were 13,823 4G base stations and we now have 36,751, representing 165.86 per cent increase.
“The percentage 4G coverage across the country also increased from 23 per cent to 77.52 per cent.
“The cost of data has crashed from N1,200 per Gigabyte to about N350, making it easier for Nigerians to connect to the Internet.”
Pantami said that the ministry had also developed an IT clearance portal to support inoperability, eliminate duplication and ensure value for money in the implementation of ICT projects in the country.
He said that the quarterly savings from the IT Projects’ Clearance Process rose from N12.45 million to N10.57 billion.
The minister further said that they created a pool of Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDEs) to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s digital economy, while 355,610 direct and indirect jobs were created.
“Privacy concerns are also being addressed through the newly established Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB).
“The drafting of the data protection bill has reached an advanced stage and the Digital Identity enrolments have also been very successful, with NINs rising from less than 40 million to over 90 million.
“We have been very active in the emerging technology space and even established the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), the first of such centres in Africa,’’ Pantami said.
According to him, the ministry had developed a policy for promoting indigenous content in the telecom sector to complement similar efforts that focus on the information technology sector.
He said that it was important to stem the tide of capital flight, amongst other things.
Pantami said the efforts of the ministry continued to play a critical role in the development of the different sectors of the economy.
He called on all stakeholders to persistently support the government to further accelerate the development of the sector.
National News
Eid-el-Kabir: IPCR Calls on Nigerians to Peace, Harmony

Eid-el-Kabir: IPCR Calls on Nigerians to Peace, Harmony
By: Michael Mike
Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has called on Nigerians to promote peace and harmony in their communities, recognizing that peace is essential to national development and progress.
The advice was given by the Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, in his message on Eid-el-Kabir.
The Institute, while extending warm greetings to Nigerians, wished them a joyous and peaceful celebration, marked by love, compassion, and unity.
The Institute while noting that Sallah is a significant occasion in the Islamic calendar, symbolizing the values of sacrifice, gratitude, and community, emphasized that the spirit of Sallah should guide Nigerians in their interactions with one another, fostering a culture of peace, tolerance, and understanding.
The IPCR urged Nigerians to promote peace and harmony in their communities, recognizing that peace is essential to national development and progress, while
encouraging individuals to embrace the values of Sallah, including forgiveness, empathy, and kindness, in their daily lives.
According to IPCR, peace is critical to promoting national stability and cohesion.
The Institute also urged Nigerians to use this period of Sallah celebration to address conflicts and promote dialogue, which could help to build trust and understanding among Nigerians and also contribute to a more peaceful society.
It recognized that the country’s many ethnic and religious groups can work together to build a more harmonious society, celebrating their differences and promoting a culture of tolerance.
End
National News
Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing

Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing
By: Michael Mike
A community leader and the Waziri Mushere of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Chief Yohana Margif has expressed dismay over the incessant killing of innocent citizens of the community.
Margif made this known in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Abuja.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene to halt what he described as genocide against the people, which he said was being perpetrated by suspected herdsmen.
Margif also called on Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, and other security chiefs in the country, to rein in the alleged culprits.
He said: “I would like to draw the attention of the topmost leadership in Nigeria to the deteriorating dire security situation in Plateau, particularly in Mushere Chiefdom of Bokkos LGA.
“I urge President Tinubu to take immediate decisive action to halt these endless and senseless killings, protect lives and properties, and secure the future of the Mushere people, and other victims of obvious genocide against the people.
“Herdsmen are killing our innocent people, burning their homes, looting their foodstuff, property, livestock, and taking over their ancestral lands,” he said.
According to the Abuja-based real estate mogul, the attacks and attendant killings have intensified recently since the onset of this year’s farming season.
Margif further said that the people had been displaced from their villages and ancestral homes and were forced to become internally displaced persons in the country.
He emphasised that the situation required immediate intervention by all stakeholders in order to prevent further escalation and inflict an irredeemable harm by wiping out the entire community from the surface of the earth.
He lamented that: “Since President Tinubu’s administration began, Plateau State has witnessed an unprecedented escalation of violence and loss of lives.
“This is the current sad reality. Our people are constantly under the threat of the enemy’s bullets and can’t sleep with two eyes closed due to the perpetual unleashing of violence against them by external forces.
“Something urgent must be done to stem the tide of violence and end this war against the people in order not to
harm this administration’s reputation,” Margif said.
In the past couple of days, suspected herdsmen militia killed no fewer than 35 people in the localities of Hokk, Pangkap, Fokoldep, Kopmur, Margif, Horop, Mbor, Mushere and Kwahas localities in Mushere Chiefdom.
Chairman, Bokkos Community Peace Observers, Kefas Mallai, who confirmed the killings to newsmen, said the victims included a 70-year-old Pastor of COCIN LCC Kwakas-Mushere, Mimang Lekyil, who was attacked and killed in the church.
He said that the pastor’s wife was also shot in the leg and was admitted at the Jos University Teaching Hospital for treatment, he said.
“Bokkos has never been this insecure, with the people being butchered as we are currently witnessing,” Lilian Madaki, from the Mushere community told journalists.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Emmanuel Adesina, also confirmed the incident in a statement saying security forces including police and military personnel, had been deployed in the affected communities.
Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing
National News
VP Shettima Leads Mourners At Funeral Prayers For Late Prof. Jibril Aminu

VP Shettima Leads Mourners At Funeral Prayers For Late Prof. Jibril Aminu
** Says Nigeria has lost an intellectual giant
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima today led other Muslim faithful for the Jana’iza (funeral prayers) of the late elder statesman, renowned medical scholar and former Minister of Education and Petroleum, Prof. Jibril Aminu, at the National Mosque in Abuja.

Prof. Aminu, a one-time President of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (OPEC), passed on in Abuja on Thursday after a prolonged illness.
The Vice President, who arrived at the National Mosque at 1:52 pm, commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed Allah to comfort them and make Aljanna Firdaus the final abode of the late elder statesman.

Noting that the late Prof Aminu’s demise is a great loss to the nation, VP Shettima described the late surgeon, educationist and administrator as a man who saw it all, just as he said the deceased was an intellectual giant who can hardly be replaced.
“It is a very sad loss. Prof Jubril Aminu was the last of the great titans, an iconic figure who enormously contributed to the development of the nation.
“He was variously the Executive Secretary of NUC, Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri and Honourable Minister of various ministries across the country and left his landmarks on the sands of time.
“He is irreplaceable. May Allah grant him Aljanatul Firdaus and give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. His loss is not just to the good people of Adamawa State but to the nation and Africa at large,” the Vice President prayed.

Born in Song, Adamawa in 1939, Prof. Aminu was a towering figure in Nigerian public life.
The late Consultant Cardiologist served the nation in different capacities, including as Federal Minister of Education and later Federal Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (1989–1992), Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States (1999–2003), and Senator representing Adamawa Central (2003–2011).
He was also President of OPEC in 1991 and President of the OPEC Conference between 1991 and 1992 while he was Petroleum Minister.
Other mourners who joined the Vice President at the National Mosque in Abuja for the Jana’iza included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), Dr. Aliyu Modibbo; former Secretary to the Federal Government, Yayale Ahmed; former Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako; former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje; former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai (rtd); former Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman; former Minister of State for Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, among many others.
VP Shettima Leads Mourners At Funeral Prayers For Late Prof. Jibril Aminu
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