Business
SMEDAN Equips 23 Industrial Dev Centres
Adolescent girls, receiving counselling on the dangers of rape in Lagos. The girl child has often been a victim of vicious rape in recent times.
Director-General, Small
and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN),Alhaji Bature Masari, says 23 Industrial Development Centres (IDCs) have been equipped to train millions of Nigerians on skill acquisition.
Masari said in Abuja at a news forum that the 23 IDCs were handed over to the agency in 2013 to ensure that they were properly utilised.
“The IDCs have been neglected for decades; most of them were out of use.
“But when we took over, we visited all the centres with the view to ensure that we identify the major problems that necessitated their closure.
“And we have been able to appraise all the IDCs and we have been working very hard to ensure that all of them are now in operation, even though on skeletal basis.
“Most of our IDCs have equipment and machineries that have capacity to train millions of Nigerians annually on vocational skills acquisition,’’ he said.
Masari said some of the facilities in the IDCs were used to provide training for Nigerians who wanted to have one or two vocational skills before they set up their enterprises.
According to him, SMEDAN has reached out to individual state governments and private sector to collaborate with the FG through the agency, to ensure that all the IDCs are properly utilised.
“The IDC we have in Oshogbo, we have been working in collaboration with the Osun State Government and that IDC is now fully functional.
“The state government committed more than N200 million as part of our collaboration in rehabilitating some of the machineries and equipment in that IDC.
“In Kano, we are now collaborating with Kano state government with a view that Nigerians who are living in that area take full advantage of the equipment in the IDC.
“Only last week, the Kaduna State Governor, through his special assistant, wrote the agency asking for collaboration on how we can team up to ensure that the IDC in Zaria is properly brought back to full operation.
Masari said in 2014, SMEDAN did everything possible to ensure that money was voted for them to bring all the IDCs back into operation.
“It is now time for government to take full advantage of all available avenues that can help in the area of job creation and economic empowerment, which is what most Nigerians desire now,’’ he said.
Masari said SMEDAN also went into partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to train Nigerians through the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).
According to him, the NISDP which is domiciled with ITF, is training 1,000 Nigerians in the phase one of the programme.
“With the programme, Nigerian enterprise can begin to tap from the retinue of fully and well trained personnel.
“We will continue to train more and more Nigerians until we are able to fill all the skill gaps that we have in various industries in the country; that is the idea of the NISDP programme.
“our desire and determination to foster collaboration and partnership with private sector is because of the appreciation of the need for government to collaborate with the private sector.
“Government can’t alone provide employment generation and poverty reduction and ensuring economic inclusion all over the country; that is why we are out to identify willing collaborators.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter