Category: Lifestyle

As part of efforts to reduce unemployment and provide youths with employable skills, Ihifix Digital Academy in Kaduna has graduated 40 individuals in software development, product design, and data analytics.

The graduates include secondary school leavers, undergraduate students, bankers, housewives, and others who were trained for several months in various tech-related skills.

One of the course instructors disclosed that, as a graduation requirement, the students were tasked with identifying a problem in their surroundings and solving it using their IT skills

Notable projects by the students include: Diety, an app to simplify meal planning for individuals with specific dietary needs; Rental App to enhance rental property management by streamlining tenant-landlord communication, rent payments, and maintenance management.

Other projects carried out by the graduates includes creation of TradeCrafts, a platform supporting young artisans and entrepreneurs by showcasing their handmade creations and providing access to mentorship and among others.

Founder of the Academy, Emmanuel Adikpe, stated that the graduates are job-ready and can apply their skills wherever they find themselves. “We will not stop until you get a job,” Adikpe said.

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc said it has registered its N200 billion multi-instrument issuance programme with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The company made this known through a statement signed by its company secretary/legal adviser, Temitope Hassan released on the Nigerian Exchange

The statement said the registration of the multi-instrument issuance programme represents a significant step for Dangote Sugar and reinforces the Company’s commitment to diversifying its funding sources in alignment with its corporate objectives.

“The management of the company will take decisions to proceed with issuances of any series of securities under the Multi-Instrument Issuance Programme in due course, subject to prevailing market conditions and obtaining relevant regulatory approvals.

“The specific details of such issuance will be disclosed in the appropriate transaction documents at the relevant time. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell securities under the multi-instrument issuance programme. Investment decisions to participate in any issuance, and subscribe for securities under the programme will be made based on the investor’s review of the information contained in, and incorporated by reference into, the Shelf Prospectus and Pricing Supplement to be published upon obtaining regulatory approval; after due consultation with its Stockbroker, Solicitor, Accountant, Banker or an Independent Investment Adviser,” it added.

The company is a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited and is engaged in the refining, distributing, and marketing of granulated sugar to wholesalers and top players in the skin care, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.

Dangote Sugar is Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest sugar refinery, with a combined installed refining capacity of 1.49 MMT per annum. In the medium term, the Company is targeting an additional 1.5MMT of refined sugar from locally grown sugarcane and is on track to becoming a leading global integrated sugar producer with its backward integration plan.

Only 106 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are currently active, out of the 252 companies licensed as ISPs as of fourth quarter (Q4), 2023, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC’s data revealed.

NCC data showed the 106 ISPs had a total of 262,206 active customers, during the period under review.

However, when compared to the four mobile network operators in the nation’s internet customer base, this number is still relatively low. Recall that 163.8 million internet subscribers were in use as of December 2023 across MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile.

A number of factors, including the high cost of operating in Nigeria, difficulties with right of way (RoW), low internet access in the country’s northern region due to security concerns, the completion of standardisation with state governments, and various taxes, were cited by stakeholders as reasons for the ISPs’ inactiveness.

For instance, ISPs made a total revenue of N92,079,251,596.26, spent N5,243,381,710.22, to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets such as property, plants, buildings, technology, or equipment, with operating cost engulfing N71,200,884,440.55, according to the 2022 year end performance report.

WTES Projects Limited’s chief operating officer, Chidi Ajuzie, responded to this by saying that Nigerian ISPs are facing a significant survival challenge, even as he urged them to broaden their operations and search for additional opportunities for growth and profitability in addition to sustainability.

Highlighting some critical challenges faced by ISPs such as vandalisation, competition, tariffs, taxes and duties, power availability and cost, Ajuzie said this sub-sector needs regulatory support in terms of licensing issues, spectrum availability and price, inter-sector policies framework, Right of Way intervention, human security and safety at the plants.

“The past two years have been very challenging for the ISPs, with lots of damages done to infrastructures, particularly in Lagos state. Federal government needs to put out laws to enforce the protection of critical telecoms infrastructure. ISP’s business in Nigeria is viable but we need to watch out and look out for governmental support at the federal, state and local levels for enabling business environment”, he stressed.