The Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETFund) in Nigeria has constituted the National Contact Point (NCP) to serve as a channel for information dissemination on research and innovation.

This is part of TETFund’s commitment to its partnerships with the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU).

The agency’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, who disclosed this at the launch of the Nigerian Contact Network and presentation of the work programme for 2023-2024, in Abuja, said the NCP would also provide for researchers on various workshops.

He explained that TETFund, being an intervention agency for public tertiary institutions in Nigeria, has the mandate to facilitate the institutionalization of research and development in tertiary institutions to support development.

The Executive Secretary complained that Nigeria has not been able to participate effectively in the EU research programme until now.

According to him, the Fund has initiated the process to ensure that the researchers from Nigerian higher education institutions participate effectively in the EU Research and Innovation framework programme, notably the Horizon Europe adding that the Fund is “Providing further support to the NCP Network to enable it mobilize the Nigerian research community effectively to benefit from the platform and training programme to be deployed by the EU delegation.

“The Fund has initiated several interventions aimed at resuscitating research activities in the nation’s tertiary institutions, and the interventions are intended to facilitate cutting -edged research which will contribute national developmental efforts as well as tackle global challenges.”

While stating that the Fund has supported members of NCP to participate in the AU-EU innovation Agenda Stakeholders Event held in Nairobi, Kenya in November, 2022, he said they would be supported to execute the mandate of mobilizing Nigerian researchers to respond to calls arising from Horizon Europe.

According to Echono,“TETFund is supporting research groups from various Nigerian universities through provision of training and mentoring on writing successful grant applications, project management, partnership and consortia development to further complement and extend the support being made available by EU delegate”

“Currently, the Fund has released a request for expression of interest for Nigerian researchers and research Teams. TETFUND will spearhead the formation of a bilateral agreement on research and innovation between Nigeria and the EU, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and Technology and innovation.“

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Monisola Udoh, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to foster the collaboration of the Horizon Europe/Nigerian National Contact Point network.

“And we hope that Nigeria will feature much more prominently than we do in the last circle, and I am looking forward to working collaboratively  with the focal persons network to push the agenda of Nigeria which is to change the narrative of Nigeria being a consumer nation to a productive nation; even in the area of knowledge creation.

“And we can not create good knowledge if we don’t do research and the whole purpose of this gathering is about supporting R&D for national development and am looking forward to a situation when Nigeria can trade benefits from this operation and our researchers are better empowered to do relevant research for national development.

“We need to focus on local problems that are basically human problems and if we are able to get the solution right here, Nigeria may become the provider of solution that will address humanity issues globally.

“So I also want to say that the ministry has about 17 agencies and under each of the agencies, we have between 5 and 12 of research institutes that are being supervised by these agencies, and I want to believe that we can take this network along as we develop the programmes that this collaboration will be supporting going forward, so that we can truly participate and get these research institutes to be empowered to do the research they are set out to do,  which will bring Nigeria progress to other African countries and the rest of the world,“ she added.

PIAK

The Anambra State Police Command has called on residents to be calm as the new naira notes scarcity was not peculiar to the state alone

This became necessary as the command uncovered plans by some groups of persons to take advantage of the new Naira notes scarcity to unleash violence in some parts of the state. T

According to the statement released by DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), the Command hereby warned these groups/persons to shelve their planned violence or have the full weight of the law to contend with.

He assured residents that the Nigerian Government is doing everything possible to address the situation

“The Police, in conjunction with other security agencies, have embarked on confidence-building patrols and ensure the optimal deployment of human and operational resources towards guaranteeing safety and security in the state.

“The Command, therefore, enjoined residents alike not to panic and urge the law-abiding residents/visitors of the state to go about their lawful duties without any fear of harassment or intimidation. In the event to request security services, the command stated the numbers to call:07039194332 or PRO 08039334002 for a prompt response. The ‘npf rescue me app’ is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and iPhone users respectively.”

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Stakeholders in Nigeria’s creative industries have met in Abuja to review the proposed draft of the Creative Industry Development Bill (CIDB).

The CIDB is a collaborative effort between Nigeria’s creative industry and the Presidency to transform the nation’s creative space through regulation

According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Country Risk Assessment & Evaluation), Mr Felix Alaita, the creative industries deserve to be recognised and supported adding that the CIDB will help make the future of the creative industry great

“The CIDB launch will mark the beginning of new era for the creative industries, as it will boost job creation and viable economic growth, as well as reshape the economy of creative industries, thereby unleashing the potential of the arts, and critical to reversing years of loss and inadequacies in Nigeria.

“The CIDB is believed to pave way for leveling the playing field, thereby promoting diversity and inclusivity in the arts, create future of work in the arts, and support freelance and gig workers.

“Furthermore, CIDB was envisaged as a critical legislative instrument to drive digital transformation through building bridges between the arts and technology, as well as supporting local arts communities through provision of resources for small and medium-sized arts organizations.

“The Bill is designed to help cultivate the next generation of artists, through to investment in arts education; and serve as boost for cultural tourism, by driving cultural and economic benefits through arts and cultural events.”

Stakeholders expressed their appreciation to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed for their commitment towards the success of the consultation session.

They also urged the government to continue to create an enabling environment and policies for the creative industry.

The Draft of the Bill was read and discussed by the stakeholders and media organisations present.

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Nigeria’s Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan has called on Civil Servants, who are major role-players in the delivery of socio-economic development, to rise up to their expected responsibilities of providing effective leadership, policy frameworks and direction that will speed up positive change, by adopting the culture of innovation.

She made the call at a Sensitization Webinar Session organised for Participants in the 2022 Federal Civil Service Innovation Competition.

Reiterating the increasing popularity and importance of innovation in the world today, Dr. Yemi-Esan, urged Civil Servants to view innovation as a catalyst for positive change, which helps in the improvement of governance and scaling up of service quality.

According to her, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has set up structures that will effectively support and sustain innovation in the system, among which is, tracking of annual Innovation Challenge competitions.

“This is instituted to encourage Civil Servants to think out of the box, cultivate ideas that will ensure quality service, efficiency and productivity in the public sector,” she noted..

The Yemi-Esan also said that focus is on how to bring innovative solutions to bear on the present-day governance, through cost-cutting and increased revenue generating ideas.

Furthermore, the Competition is expected to proffer solutions that will advance government business through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), as well as the adoption of new technologies.

The novel modality adopted in the ongoing Competition, according to Dr. Yemi-Esan is very apt.

“It has exposed the participants to knowledge and skills on using innovative tools such as Zoom, Slack, Google sites, amongst others, which is helping in the effective and efficient discharge of their various duties,“ She added

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office Engr. Faruk Yabo, disclosed that rapid changes in the economic and technological landscape within the field of Public Administration, has compelled bureaucracies around the globe to tidy up their organisational aspects, significantly.

“Many developing countries have realised the need for innovation to drive customer-focused, cost effective and updated methods for improved performance within the Service,“

He stated that the importance of Innovation in enhancing Public Service delivery necessitated the OHCSF, in line with the 2021-2025 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP-25), to adopt Innovation as one of the six (6) priority initiatives required to take the Nigerian Public Sector to greater heights.

Engr. Yabo explained that ninety-one (91) Civil Servants, across various Ministries, extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs), have submitted innovative ideas for consideration, which would culminate in the final stage from which three (3) winning ideas will emerge with ten (10) other consolation prizes.

The first, second and third prizes are three million Naira (N3,000,000), one million, five hundred thousand Naira (N1,500,000) and one million Naira (N1,000,000), respectively, with ten (10) consolation prizes worth of two hundred thousand Naira (N200,000), each.

There were two presentations; “Team Formation and Selection Criteria” and “How to Pitch”.

The thematic areas for the 2022 Innovation Challenge include provision of solutions to security challenges faced by Civil Servants, with a view to creating an enabling environment for excellent delivery on their jobs.

Aggrieved Youths have assembled in Abuja to protest against the Supreme Court exparte order temporarily halting the move by the federal government to ban the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023.

The protesters which grounded offices of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and Attorney General of the Federation passed vote of confidence on the Apex bank urging them not to back down.

Meanwhile, a group known as the Civil Society Central Body has warned Nigerians not to accept the old naira notes in their own interest.

The group Coordinator, Obed Agu who also led the protesters, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an executive order terminating the policy deadline.

Agu said, “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an executive order for the policy to terminate the February 10th deadline and prevent further extension. The Supreme court wants to aide corrupt politicians buy vote. Supreme exparte application has not legal basis. We are rejecting it, because it is a plot to open the bank vaults to enable vote buyers and holders of illicit wealth to have cash to buy votes. We ask the CJN to hurriedly vacate the exparte order in the over all interest of the Nigeria election.”

They also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to issue executive order for the old notes not to be in circulation.