TECHDIGEST – With the advent of artificial intelligence, automated vehicles and drones amongst many other hi-tech innovations in fighting war, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE has said that the use of technology in combating insecurity in the country can never be overemphasized.

The DG made this known when he played host to the Rector of the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, at the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
The DG said, “It is important to know how to use technology not just as an enabler but as a strategic design for your strategy in general which will inspire you to do more”.

“NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) is built on seven pillars with their respective goals and objectives, which are; Developmental Regulations, Digital Literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, and Promotion of Indigenous Content,” he added.

Abdullahi noted that the Agency’s focus is improving how things are being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and an innovation ecosystem that will allow a smooth digitized process, adding that the Agency is ready to collaborate with NACEST to deploy technologies to combat and proffer solutions to the country’s rising issue of insecurity.
He averred that innovation does not happen in isolation but rather, with proper alignment and positioning in a relevant ecosystem which necessitates the proposed collaboration between the two parties, adding that there is cross pollination between ICT and the Nigerian Army College of Environmental Sciences and Technology (NACEST).

“The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, a subsidiary of the Agency is fostering the development of emerging technologies in preparing Nigeria for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in which NACEST can partner in research, development of technologies like drones, robotics, Artificial Intelligence etc as a veritable tool in combating National insecurity,” he elucidated.

The Rector Nigerian Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) Makurdi, Brigadier General Yahaya Abdulhamid in his remark noted that the school is one of the Polytechnics that run Diploma Programme in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

He said the College is regulated by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), a National body mandated with the responsibility to ensure the quality of all Diploma certificated programmes in Nigeria.

He further disclosed that the school employs the Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the Computer Engineering laboratory, Computer Science Laboratory, E-Library, ICT centre, Management Information System (MIS), editing and Advertising Laboratory, Resource centre, Television and Radio Studios among others.

“We cannot have the best in what we are doing until we link our activities, operations and processes to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which will provide us a path way towards achieving our goals and objectives, which everything we do technology drives in achieving it.”

“Nigerian Army College of Environmental Sciences and Technology is diverting from the theoretical process and focusing more on the practical aspects to enable us provide solutions to our problems, he stated.

Abdulhamid commended NITDA for the various IT interventions deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT which plays a critical role for the advancement of the country and also towards National security.

By PRNigeria

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TECH DIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled 10 top Nigerian tech startups that have produced critical solutions to emerging technology.

The Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa said the agency has offered full sponsorships for the winners to attend the 40th edition of GITEX Technology at the World Trade Centre (DWTC) Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Inuwa who led Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami to inspect the Pavillion of Nigerian startups at the ongoing GITEX Conference, said Nigeria is fostering its participation at GITEX Future Stars on promoting youth-led enterprises to showcase innovations coming from its tech startups community, and the strong policy-thrust on digital economy.

PRNigeria reports that a panel of judges considered and scored the technology startups which meet the major requirement in providing solutions focusing on major areas of technology.

Most of the applications received from startups focused on 5G, AI & Augmented Analytics, Future Mobility, Digital Economies, Cyber Security and Resilience, Cloud and Edge Computing and Blockchain Technology.

The Successful Winners are listed below:

1. Vinsight (AI & AA), Ogun State

The product, Vinsighte, uses computer vision and sonar technology to enable anyone that is visually impaired to navigate their environment independently.

2. Powerstove (Block Chain), Abia State

The Product, Anya, is a low-power, GSM enabled, fully integrated IoT device customized for installation in clean cookstoves. Anya is integrated with Blockchain, innovative sensing and user-centric climate financing that allow Powerstove to track, quantify and monetize carbon emission in US$

3. Schoola (AI & AA), Katsina State

The product, Schoola is a gamified Artificial Intelligent learning solution that is curriculum agnostic and powered by local content generated by the individual K12 schools. It sees to leverage AI by first using machine learning to effectively help students, teachers, and schools get the best out of our solutions

4. Chekkit (Blockchain), Lagos State

The product, Chekkit run a COVID-19 USSD help service for AfricanCDC and Africa union using short code *347*03*03# to provide data and other contacts information of people requisition COVID-19 test to NCDC. The startup leverage on Africastaling’s infrastructure for USSD service but it comes as a post-paid with MTN which is free for users and pre-paid to other networks at N5-20 cost id deducted from users airtime.

5. VNTS (5G), Anambra State

The product, VNTS NetPremise Data Traffic Extender (DTE) device, is an AI-integrated LTE/5G router device with the ability to improve signal throughput and transmit it into and around a building using in-premise electrical cabling, easily allowing our devices to become the backbone superhighway, thoroughly and securely funneling all that data from the networks to those devices, ensuring the widest coverage, fast throughputs and great quality of service.

6. One Kiosk (Digital Economies), Kwara State

The product, One Kiosk, is an Instacart for Africa, using a marketplace approach to aggregate local and medium scale retailers across various communities leveraging on Geolocation and Machine learning to connect customers with sellers based on their location and preference thus achieving an efficient delivery cycle of one (1) hour to our users for the direct shopping while our open market list service achieves same-day delivery. We equally use the data generated from our system to provide access to finance for small businesses (over 14,000 at the moment). Our Solution is available on Web and Mobile App.

7. Lexchain (Blockchain), Kaduna State

The product, LexChain is a Blockchain-based Startup for data (document) verification and decentralised storage that leverages and solve the problems of the health, education and Land GIS sector.

8. Blieu Intelligence (Cloud & Edge), Bayelsa State

The product, a new valve lock System deployed with remote cloud-based correspondence Intelligence and OTP, to monitor the operation of sensitive process valves remotely, thus check-mating the problem of petroleum products siphoning from storage tanks or theft of high-value process chemicals or any relevant liquid, unauthorized operation of sensitive valves or discharge terminal valves.

9. TraceRoot (AI & AA), Katsina State

The product, Traceroot is a face recognition company, helping law enforcement solve crimes. Traceroot Watch ensures accurate face detection and recognition, even when people are moving. It offers faster, automated identification and is extremely user-friendly.

10. EduOS (AI & AA), Bauchi State

The product, EduOS is an Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Natural Language processing powered writing and research aid tool that acts a sort of personal assistant that helps you by searching for relevant materials related to what you are writing about.

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