GRTech
INNOVATION: NITDA Commissions ICT Hub in Katsina


The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has today commissioned an ICT Innovation Hub in Katsina State in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to tackle unemployment among youths.
The Hub which is situated at Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management (KSITM), is one among the six (6) resolved by the National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA) to be established in all the geo-political zones of the Country.
Katsina State in the North Western region is one of the most populous states in Nigeria with a high number of productive youths, and the State also has given adequate attention to the ICT sector in the past through increasing commitment to exploit the latest trends in ICT for the development of the State.
The Executive Governor, RT. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, who was ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, noted that Katsina State has long recognized the importance of ICT and in the pursuit of using ICT for national development, the State has established Kastina State Institute of Technology and Management (KSITM) to offer training in national diploma and degree certificates for Katsina State indigenes and Nigerians at large.
KSITM, which hosts the ICT Incubation Hub has been given unrelenting attention to champion the buildup process towards ultimate e-Governance in the state through Research and Development to become a veritable platform for socio-economic upliftment of the teeming unemployed youths who will venture into competitive global entrepreneurship in ICT.
The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, PhD, FBCS, FIIM, while delivering the keynote address stated that Katsina State has been providing enabling environment that encourages strategic partnerships on initiatives that attract investments in ICT and other sectors of the economy. Citing example with the establishment of KSITM to drive technological innovations in the State and environs; the MTN Livestock Tracking Solution; and the Mobile Electricity Service are some of the strategic partnership that will transform the State. All these informed the choice of Katsina State and KSITM to host the Hub.
The DG further stated that the country under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking to minimize her dependency on oil by diversifying the economy to evolve entirely new industries and enable the existing ones.
The main driver of these industries is ICT. Therefore, we must encourage and empower our pool of young talented youths to take advantage of the digital era.
Innovation Hub is a social work space and research centre that provides the subject matter expertise on technology trends, knowledge and strategic innovation management. It is also an avenue to enhance learning and research through digital access to academic resources in educational institutions.
The Hub is designed to increase digital penetration, provide youths with access to digital and online content through eLearning applications for effective learning and self-employment.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is saddled with the responsibility of developing and regulation the IT sector of the country backed by NITDA ACT, 2007. NITDA is mandated to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and coordinate other general IT development and regulation in the country through the formation of standards, policies, frameworks, guidelines, developmental programmes and initiatives.
GRTech
The Economics of Product Decisions: Applying Behavioural Economics and Game Theory in PM


Product managers often need to make a clear-cut decision: what should we build next? But the decisions which hold real importance go beyond adding features.
It’s about getting what makes people tick.
It goes way beyond what you would expect, getting into how people behave and using game theory.
These areas give insight into how users decide and how a product’s design can improve growth and keep people interested.
This is what Amarachi Nnochiri excels at. She is a senior product manager that knows how to use economics and psychology in her job.
She goes beyond simply managing product tasks; she develops whole product systems based on how users think, feel, and use a service. Her background shows how understanding human psychology and behaviour can give you a significant advantage in the competition.
One idea Amarachi uses is “loss aversion.” In this scenario, people feel worse about losing something than they feel good about gaining something of equal value.
She uses this when designing her products, mostly when it comes to pricing and getting people to try new strategies. For example, instead of giving a free trial, she might use a freemium setup where users get some stuff for free but could lose it if they don’t buy an upgrade. This pushes them to pay.
She might also use progress bars or streak counters, since losing progress gets people to keep using the product.
Amarachi also uses ideas from “game theory” to get how users act and change their behavior. She realizes that users are doing more than operating a product, but are playing a game with other users or with the product itself. She designs things that use ideas like “Nash equilibrium,” where nobody can do better by changing what they’re doing. For a social product, this could mean creating a system where doing something good for yourself (like inviting friends) also helps everyone else. This makes the whole thing stable and positive.
Her know-how in game theory also applies to making strong “network effects.” This means making stuff that gets better as more people use it.
A good example is a social network where each new user makes the product more helpful for everyone else. Amarachi endeavours to make things go viral on purpose, not just by luck.
She might use “commitment devices,” which are things that make a user stick with a behaviour by making them depend on it socially or functionally. For example, inviting team members to a tool makes the user stick with the platform and makes the product’s network stronger.
This way of thinking is better than just following the usual steps. By using these economic and psychological tricks, Amarachi develops competitive advantages which are difficult to replicate.
She knows that a company’s best thing is not just a simple interface, but a product that’s designed to sync with how people behave.
Her product choices aren’t just about the needs of users, but equally focus on motivating them to like the product, use it, and stick with it.
In her work, choosing a subscription price isn’t just a business thing; it’s about behaviour. Designing a social feed isn’t just about the content; it’s about balancing what people want and watching how they interact. Amarachi knows extensively about the economics of product decisions. This makes her products innovative and appealing to human behaviour, which leads to more use, keeps people around, and helps the product grow. She’s a leader in product management, where identifying customer desires is backed by understanding human motivation.


Technology Company, Globacom, has announced significant reductions in its International Direct Dialing (IDD) rates, making international calls more affordable for its existing and new customers across Nigeria.
Effective August 10, the new rates began applying to over 15 popular international destinations, including United States which will has moved to ₦30 per minute, down from ₦35, United Kingdom is now N350 from ₦400, while India also moved down to ₦40 from N45.
The rates for China, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon however recorded major reduction moving to N75, N300 and ₦700 respectively.
The reduction was also extended to African countries including Benin Republic which goes for ₦650 per minute, Niger Republic ₦750, Ghana ₦500, and Togo ₦650. United Arab Emirates also moved from ₦450 to ₦325, Germany to ₦550, Côte d’Ivoire ₦700, Libya ₦700, while calls to Malawi is now N1,100 from ₦1,200.
Glo aims to provide more value for its customers through these revised rates, encouraging them to make Glo their preferred network for international calls. New IDD bundles will also be introduced, offering frequent international callers even more attractive deals.
Globacom, which remained optimistic that frequent international callers will benefit immensely from the reductions in IDD bundles, enjoined customers to take advantage of the new rates to stay connected with friends and business associates across the globe.
GRTech
Oil subsidy removal freed up resources for infrastructure – Enugu Governor
By Orji Israel, South East Correspondent


The Executive Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has attributed the financing of numerous infrastructure projects embarked by the state government to the oil subsidy removal policy of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
He made this declaration at the Govermment House, Enugu, during a courtesy visit by a delegation of federal government led by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, as part of activities lined up for the 2-day Citizens’ Engagement Series in the South East geo-political zone.
“For us in Enugu, we are able to accomplish all we promised our people during the campaign, thanks to the bold decision taken by President Bola Tinubu, which has freed up resources needed to execute humongous capital projects,” said Governor, while listing ongoing projects in the state, which include the construction of 7,000 classrooms, 3,300 hospital beds and 2,000-hectare of 260 farm estates across the 260 wards of the state.
Governor Mbah also pledged more support for the policies of the federal government, saying they are in the best interest of the people of the state.
-
Energy3 days ago
President Tinubu Commissions WAGL’s 40,000 CBM LPG Vessel in South Korea
-
News2 days ago
Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye
-
News1 day ago
70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group
-
Hospitality1 day ago
Excitements in Enugu as Gov Mbah Unveils Reconstructed Hotel Presidential
-
Agriculture1 day ago
Niger State to End Direct Supply of Live Cows, Launch Meat Processing for Southwest Markets
-
Hospitality22 hours ago
Gov. Mbah and the Rebirth of Hotel Presidential
-
Finance21 hours ago
Tinubu Launches Personal Income Tax Calculator to Improve Compliance, Fairness