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Datacrest Technology unveils its smart city, cloud solutions in Nigeria

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… Displays technology solutions to solve traffic gridlocks, energy-efficiency, waste management

Datacrest Technology Limited, an Information Technology and Software Developer organisation that partners globally recognised Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), has unveiled its Smart City solutions in Nigeria.

The Company introduced these solutions at the recently concluded Oracle Cloud Day 2019 held in Lagos, with a promise to assist Governments, Corporate Organisations and Individuals solve issues around traffic gridlocks, energy efficiency, and waste management.

Speaking to the press during the event, the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Datacrest, Mr. Kehinde Olashore said that as a data-driven company, they are passionate about offering practical solutions with the aid of Data to meet the growing needs of corporations and governments. We have a suite of products on offer; from CRM to ERP, business intelligence to artificial intelligence technologies.

“We are also focusing heavily on groundbreaking technologies like Blockchain. We have a number of use-cases, which we are currently deploying in Nigeria. We also deal with intelligent Chatbots, and we have a vast range of IT solutions for different aspects of industries”.

Smart City Solutions

“There are issues we are trying to solve in the Smart City space. We look at the pain points for different industries by either saving money, enabling efficiency or redefining the current solutions they have for either reduction in human power or time-related issues.

The model we have solves issues around waste management, parking, traffic and lighting management using efficient intelligent or IoT devices or sensors to identify cases or rules that need to be applied.

Where there are high-density of traffic, how best can it be resolved? We can use smart sensors to identify how many cars pass through certain roads, toll gates or bridges so as to prepare for efficient traffic management on those areas”, he said.

On waste management, Mr. Olashore said that there are sensors that can detect individual apartments, detect wastes and pick them up and take the refuse to a depot. This can be used on a vehicle that is autonomous and it works efficiently.

“There is also a way to manage your energy – to regulate usage in the morning, during the day and at night. You can maximize the use of energy by identifying your pain-points. These are smart ways of improving our society.

“In certain areas they are using trains, whereas we use buses here. There is the opportunity to use sensors to identify how many buses are needed on a particular route and at what time of the day”.

“As a company we are trying to solve problems that we have identified in Nigeria. Traffic is one of such challenges. That is why Mega Cities like Lagos should use alternative means of transportation such as buses and trains. Structures need to be built and maximized. We also believe you need to use technology to improve on our environment, because each of the States have different needs. The most important thing for the States is to identify the most cost-effective solution and maximize it”.

On the readiness of States to adopt these solutions, he said, “I strongly believe States will benefit a lot by adopting these smart city solutions. For instance, in Lagos, the Mega City project can become more outstanding with these smart solutions. I can give you an instance; the use of seat-belts in Nigeria, but today it is in the subconscious of every driver to put on the seat-belt. If the end-user benefits from the solution they will adjust and adopt the solutions. The only thing is that it must make economic, social and moral sense; we have to move on from traffic-driven cities by using technological intelligence to improve the way we do things”.

“Asked if the Company has the capacity to deploy such solutions, Mr. Olashore, said, “Capacity is a word that is ever growing. Technology is flat; adopting is a different thing and deployment is a different game. Adoption and deployment are like a joint-venture. We are ready to deploy at Federal or State government level, and also for corporate organisations”.

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group

ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran

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70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African gettyimages
Women crying during killings in Benue State, Nigeria

Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.

This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.

Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa. 

Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village. 

“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”

This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.

A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.

“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”

Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”

This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.

“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”

We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.

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Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye

….Media Sustainability: Soneye Advocates Tax Reliefs, Independent Fund for Journalism

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Femi Soneye
Femi Soneye

Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.

Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.

In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.

“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.

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Lagos NIPR elects new executives

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR
Members of the newly elected executive of Lagos State Chapter NIPR

… GFD Executive Director emerges chapter Vice Chairperson* 

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has elected a new executive council at the close of its flagship Lagos PR Fest 2025, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, innovation, and societal impact.

In elections supervised by NIPR Registrar, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, Samuel Ayetutu emerged as Chairman, while Eniola Mayowa was elected Vice Chairman in a closely contested race.

Other members of the executive include Secretary Samuel Adeyemi, Assistant Secretary Rita Ali-Nock, Public Relations Officer Ogochukwu Okeke, Financial Secretary Bassey Nta, Treasurer Olabamiji Adeleye, Welfare Officer Funmilola Akintola, and Ex-Officio Provost Marshal Quadri Adeleke.

In his acceptance remarks, Ayetutu pledged to drive professional standards, promote inclusiveness, and foster collaboration among members to enhance the chapter’s influence locally and nationally.

This year’s PR Fest, themed “Urban Farming for Food Security: The Role of Communication”, convened communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative strategies for tackling food security through effective public engagement.

Over the years, the Lagos PR Fest has evolved into a leading platform for advancing the role of public relations in societal development, with the 2025 edition underscoring the Institute’s mission to position communication as a driver of sustainable development in Nigeria.

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