GRBusiness
2019 Workplan: Nigeria needs investment in education, digital and coding skills


Rise Networks, a Social Enterprise, held its first private sector collaborative platform tagged, “The Workplan” on December 17, 2019. Industry leaders emphasized that the acquisition of coding and digital skills, as well as investment in Nigeria’s education sector, remain sacrosanct, Justice Godfrey Okamgba reports.
Key players and notable speakers from different industry sectors including the President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina and Google Nigeria Country Manager, Juliet Ehimuan were all present at the just concluded conference by Rising Networks in Lagos.
The event which was themed “The Future of Work and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Powered by Local Content” specifically harped that Nigeria must take a leading role in the 4th industrial revolution by churning out a generation of people who are armed with the requisite skill set to meet industry and workplace demands.
Nigeria’s chances of becoming a globally competitive economy in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution hinge on critical investments in relevant areas.
With the continuous emergence of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Quantum Computing, industry leaders urged Nigerian youth to ensure that they are acquiring relevant skills that would make them valuable in the workplace.
With robots and machines already taking away mundane jobs from humans, It, therefore, becomes germane to take advantage of digital and coding skills.
Coding, Education and Digital Skills
According to Adesina, in his speech delivered via a video recording, he stressed the importance for more young Nigerians to learn to code – the programming language used to develop apps, websites, and software.
By learning coding which he describes as “the currency of the future,” he said youths from Nigeria and the rest of the continent can develop apps that replace popular ones like WhatsApp and Facebook.
The African Development Bank boss said he does not believe in the youth empowerment program in Nigeria instead Nigerian youth need investment.
On digital skills development in the continent, Dr. Adesina informed participants at the event that the AfDB is partnering with Microsoft to establish coding centers across the continent.
He believed coding will be one of the critical digital skills for Africans to acquire in the 21st century.
Speaking at the conference, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rise Networks, spoke about the importance of changing Nigeria’s curriculum arguing that no one can solve today’s problem with outdated methods.
To keep up with the times, she said, “Data science, machine learning, Artificial intelligence must be part of our curriculum going forward.”
She revealed that there is an ongoing conversation with Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on the need to incorporate courses like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science into the curriculum.
“After this event, we are meeting the Vice President and our desire is to achieve this course in 2020,” said Toyosi.
The future of work incorporating Machine learning will help accelerate growth – Juliet Ehimuan, Country Director, Google in West Africa.
Ehimuan said the world is currently undergoing the fourth Industrial Revolution which is characterized by Big Data, Cloud Computing Artificial intelligence (Machine Learning), Virtual & Augmented Reality, Advanced Security Systems, Internet of Things.
She urged Nigerian youth to take advantage of the Internet and learn upscale their skills. She explained that the information available to an American or Chinese is also available to Nigerians.
Ehimuan narrated instances of different persons who have tapped into the enormous opportunities on the Internet.
Religious Leaders
With the influence of Clergies and Islamic Cleric in the Nigerian society, it is believed that Nigerians would become an asset to their country and world at large if there is a balance between solving practical social-economic problems and achieving heavenly desires.
According to Godman Akinlabi, the Lead Pastor of Elevation Church has urged religious institutions to raise a generation of people who will solve a practical socio-economic problem.
The clergy emphasized that the Fourth Industrial Revolution which is the era of the internet requires that Nigeria plays a leading role and not just being part of it.
Akinlabi said it is not just enough for the religious leaders to guide its followers towards making heaven, hence, the need to start solving earthly problems.
Finance
Tinubu Launches Personal Income Tax Calculator to Improve Compliance, Fairness
By ORJI ISRAEL


President Bola Tinubu has launched a Personal Income Tax Calculator to help Nigerians work out their tax obligations under the new tax law.
The tool is expected to make compliance easier and improve transparency in the system.
In a post on his X page, the president said the calculator shows how the recent reforms protect low-income earners while ensuring fairness.
“A fair tax system must never punish poverty or weigh down the most vulnerable. With the new tax laws I recently signed, taking effect from January 2026, we have lifted this burden and created a path of equity, fairness, and true redistribution in our economy,” Tinubu said.
Some months ago, he signed four major tax bills into law to bring Nigeria’s scattered tax system under one framework. These include the Nigeria Tax Administration Law, which sets out a uniform process for tax administration across federal, state, and local governments; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, which replaces the current Federal Inland Revenue Service Act with a stronger, more independent revenue agency; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, which creates a formal structure for cooperation between revenue bodies at all levels.
The introduction of the tax calculator, together with these reforms, is expected to reduce confusion for both individuals and businesses, while also making it easier for them to meet their obligations and contribute to national growth.
Tinubu added that the reforms are part of building renewed hope for the economy and urged Nigerians to trust in the country’s future for themselves and their families.
Energy
President Tinubu Commissions WAGL’s 40,000 CBM LPG Vessel in South Korea
…Lauds Company’s Partners for Expanding Africa’s Role in Clean Energy


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says Nigeria is poised to deliver clean and sustainable energy solutions not just in-country but also across Africa and beyond.
The President made the remarks today at the commissioning ceremony of a 40,000 cubic meters (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, christened “MT Iyaloja (Lagos),” in Ulsan, South Korea.
The vessel owned by WAGL Energy Limited (an NNPC Ltd. /Sahara Group Joint Venture) is a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier. This latest addition brings WAGL’s total LPG vessel capacity to 162,000 CBM. Other vessels in the fleet include MT Africa Gas, MT Sahara Gas, MT BaruMK, and MT Sapet.
Represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the President commended WAGL Energy Limited, NNPC Limited and Sahara Group, for their strategic foresight, technical excellence and unwavering dedication to expanding Africa’s role in the global clean energy value-chain.
In his remarks, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described WAGL’s LPG Vessel as a great addition to gas development efforts in Nigeria.
The GCEO, who was represented by the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye, added that the vessel will be crucial in realising the impact of gas in Nigeria’s economic development.
According to him, NNPC Ltd. is deepening its commitment to ensure LPG affordability, availability and access, nationwide.
“NNPC Ltd. is proud to be a major shareholder in this indigenous Company which in addition to the newly commissioned MT Iyaloja (Lagos), owns four (4) other LPG vessels in its growing fleet, delivering over 6 million MT of LPG across West Africa over the last 5 years,” he added.
Also speaking, WAGL’s Chairman/Executive Director at Sahara Group, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, noted that the company’s expansion demonstrates its vision of responsibly driving efforts aimed at bridging the continent’s critical energy infrastructure gap.”
“The addition of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment championed by the iconic Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, whose legacy we honour. Sahara Group is proud of its partnership with NNPC Ltd. and reaffirms its commitment to partnerships that drive energy access in Africa,” he added.
WAGL’s Managing Director, Mr. Mohammed Sani Bello stressed that the company is dedicated to expanding its integrated supply network across the entire energy value chain.
“WAGL already has plans to further expand the fleet within the next two years with the addition of a Small Gas Carrier and a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC),” he added.
The symbolic ribbon cutting of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) named in honour of Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, MFR, (the late mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu), was performed by her grand-daughter, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo.
Transport
Tinubu Approves N16.7bn for Immediate Reconstruction of Mokwa Bridge


President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of N16.7 billion for the immediate reconstruction of the Mokwa Bridge in Niger State, which was destroyed by flooding in May this year.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this in Abakaliki on Saturday after a meeting with the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi.
Idris, who is leading a Federal Government delegation on a three-day tour of projects and citizen engagements in the South-East, said the approval underscores the administration’s responsiveness to urgent infrastructure needs.
“We want to thank Mr. President and we want to thank the Honourable Minister of Works. We jointly discussed this and approached Mr. President, who graciously approved it. It means a lot to the people. It’s N16.7 billion to reconstruct the bridge — a 10-span bridge,” he stated.
The Minister also commended Senator Umahi for his swift response in the wake of the disaster, including dispatching experts to assess the damage shortly after the bridge was washed away.
According to Idris, the approval for the bridge reconstruction will be “music to the ears of the government and people of Niger State.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Works, Senator Umahi, said President Tinubu is a compassionate and listening leader, who is committed to solving the challenges confronting the citizens.
“The President approved the immediate reconstruction of the bridge as requested by the Honourable Minister. He graciously approved because of him,” he said.
Senator Umahi said the latest round of approvals for provision of infrastructure cuts across all the geo-political zones of the country.
He listed some of the approvals to include: the reconstruction of the washed-away 5-span bridge in Wukari, Taraba State; the Lokoja Bridge; the permanent repair of the washed-away section of the Afikpo in Ebonyi to Abia and Imo State; the Keffi Flyover Bridge; the Jebba Bridge in Kwara State; seven bridges in Edo State; and a bridge in Kebbi State.
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