Ict/Telecom
NCC Begins Campaign For Girls’, Safety, Security
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun awareness campaign for creation that would promote safety and security amongst girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.
The commission held an awareness event at the Government Science Technical College (GSTC), Area 3, Garki, recently in Abuja, to commemorate the Girls in ICT Day.
The Tide’s source reports that Girls in ICT is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the global body responsible for setting telecommunications standard.
Deputy Director, New Media and Information Security Department, NCC, Mrs Tokunbo Oyeleye, said the event is aimed at encouraging girls to pursue careers in Science, Techology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Oyeleye said this year’s theme, “Access and Safety”, was meant to create discussions on access and safety barriers girls faced when they pursued STEM studies and careers.
She, however, said the main focus for this year are: equal access, accessibility, gender stereotypes, and workplace environment and safety online.
“There is a need to promote opportunities for girls in STEM and educate them on the benefits they can gain from it.
“There is a need to make classes and materials in STEM more inclusive and easily understandable for people with disabilities, especially women.
“These stereotypes increase a sense to girls that they are not capable of pursuing ICT careers and are not supposed to be in it.
“To ensure girls are safe online, they need to be educated and empowered with the appropriate knowledge and tools to be used online,” she explained.
Also speaking, Mr Ebuka Nkoro, an Early Career Fellowship facilitator of Internet Society (ISOC) and partner to the Commission on Child Online Protection, said the girls should beware of their digital footprints.
Nkoro advised the students to use some tips for online safety, which were the use of very strong passwords, eight to 10 digits password, use of password managers and installation of good antivirus accordingly.
He urged girls to avoid online bullies, phishing and online gaming attacks and online swindlers.
“Do not share or post unnecessary things, especially nude pictures of yourself.
“These are social engineering attacks generated by a hacker to gain access to your personal data,” he said.
On er part, the Matron, ICT Club, GSTC, Mrs Nusirat Atoyebi, called for a better relationship between NCC and the school, adding that it needed more equipment to empower the girls.
Atoyebi said this was an eye-opener to greater opportunities in the ICT sector and the students were ready to learn, unlearn and relearn at all costs.
Thanking the NCC for the gesture and expressing hope for supply of more computers to the school, she noted that one of the technical trades in the school being computer craft, the infrastructure was not enough.
“As government school, the population is high and the infrastructure is not enough. We will be happy if NCC will help us with computers as one of the technical trades is computer craft.
“We have students that have been thought computer programming, computer electronics, computer repairs as their core subjects. So, to be able to do more, we need more equipment,” she said.
Responding, a student of the GSTC, Ms Emmanuella Freshman, said the programme had imparted knowledge into her, such that it improved her thinking and learning on online bullying.
Freshman said she had an online application called “Things Vibe”, which deals with teenagers that have no time to express themselves.
“I made this app in such a way that teenagers can express themselves.
“There is entertainment, learning, talent, quotes and mentors that can encourage and motivate you, using the App. My ICT teachers have been helpful in the success of this project,” she said.
The Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni, said Bonga, Nigeria’s first deep-water asset, has recorded major milestones, due to effective leadership, cutting-edge technology, continuous improvement and collaboration with stakeholders.
She noted that since coming on stream in November 2005, Bonga has maintained a track record of production that saw it achieve one-billion-barrel export on February 13, last year.
In her presentation, titled “The Bonga Journey to a Billion Barrels”, at the ongoing 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States, Aiboni, said: “SNEPCo is grateful for the contributions of all the parties to the Bonga story and we can all be proud of the milestones.
“Bonga has been consistent. In 2014, nine years after coming onstream, it achieved half a billion barrels of crude and doubled it in 2023. We have worked relentlessly to ensure excellent asset management, project and wells delivery and deployment of technology and innovations in our operations”.
According to her, these factors, “coupled with the supportive partnership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and our co-venturers – TotalEnergies, EP Nigeria Limited; Nigerian Agip Exploration; and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, make Bonga stand out as a world-class investment case”.
She continued that, “SNEPCo also enjoyed the support of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in the success of Bonga operations”.
Aiboni also listed the challenges of keeping the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel full as the asset ages and dealing with unexpected developments with subsea wells and equipment.
She said: “SNEPCo responded with a campaign of operational excellence, which among other initiatives, led to the creation of a programme known as the Bonga Business Improvement Plan that continually reviews and identifies improvement initiatives and drives sustainability in operations and upskilling of staff.
“The Bonga success story has been led by Nigerians who have been managing directors of SNEPCo since it was established in 1993, in a deliberate policy by Shell to develop indigenous manpower for deep-water operations in Nigeria.
“Today, some 97percent of the SNEPCo workforce is Nigerian and overall, Bonga has helped to create a new generation of Nigerian deep-water professionals.
“Our vision at SNEPCo remains to be the best deep-water business, powering growth and achieving net zero emissions in line with Shell’s Powering Progress strategy”.
Banks’ borrowings from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) fell month-on-month, (MoM) by 44 percent to N12.16 trillion in April from N21.7 trillion in March.
Analysis of latest data from the CBN shows that the 44percent drop represents the first MoM decline in banks borrowing from since January when it increased by 268.7 percent to N3.6 trillion from N976.29 billion in December 2023.
However, further analysis showed that banks’ deposits in the CBN SDF grew MoM by 118.4 percent to N428.97 billion in April from N196.37 billion in March 2024.
Banks make use of the SLF to access liquidity to run their day-to-day business operations while the Standing Deposit Facility window (SDF) on the other hand, is an overnight deposit facility that allows banks to lodge excess liquidity (money) with the CBN and earn interest.
The decline in banks’ borrowing from SLF may reflect an increase in banking system liquidity and also the decision of the apex bank last year to remove the limit on the remunerable daily placements by banks at the SDF.
According to the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN removed the cap on the remunerable SDF to increase activity in the SDF window and manage liquidity.
A Financial technology expert, Olatunji Akinrinola, has highlighted the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, which according to him, was driven by technological advancements.
Akinrinola made this assertion in a press release recently, where he stressed that the role of technology in driving this exponential growth in the FinTech sector was very outstanding.
According to him, Technology has revolutionised the way financial services are delivered, making them more accessible, efficient, and inclusive.
“Through innovations such as mobile banking, digital payments, and blockchain technology, FinTech companies have been able to reach a larger population and provided them with access to financial services”, he stated.
Akinrinola emphasised the role of technology in enabling financial inclusion, adding: “Technology has democratised access to financial services, particularly in regions with limited banking infrastructure.
“Mobile money platforms and digital wallets have empowered individuals to conduct financial transactions conveniently and securely, without the need for traditional banking services”.
He also underscored the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics in driving innovation within the FinTech industry, noting: “AI-powered algorithms and predictive analytics have revolutionised risk assessment, fraud detection, and customer personalisation in financial services.
“These technologies enable FinTech companies to provide tailored solutions and mitigate risks more effectively, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience”.
Akinrinola stressed the importance of regulatory frameworks in fostering the growth of the FinTech industry.
“While technology has accelerated the growth of FinTech, it is essential to establish robust regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer protection and maintain market stability. Regulators play a crucial role in balancing innovation with risk management, thereby creating a conducive environment for the sustainable growth of the FinTech sector”, he stated.
Akinrinola underscored the role of technology in driving the exponential growth of the FinTech industry, saying, “Technology has been a game-changer for the FinTech sector, enabling innovation, expanding access to financial services, and driving economic growth.
“As technology continues to evolve, the FinTech industry will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of financial services ecosystem”.
Corlins Walter
