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CITAD Launches the Nigerian School of Community Network

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As part of the Work Package 2 of the Supporting Community-led Approach to Addressing Digital Divide in Nigeria Project which the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is implementing with support from Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) through Association for Progressive Communication (APC), today CITAD launched the First Nigerian School of Community Networks for Micro-organizations.

The aim of the project is to connect the unconnected areas in Nigeria where conventional market players find it unprofitable to deploy their networks and the purpose of the School of Community Networks is to build capacity of community based organizations called the micro-organization who are working to deploy community networks in their communities to meet local communication need.

The first School, which holds at Stonehegde Hotel, Kaduna began with an opening ceremony where we have number of speakers gave goodwill messages to the participants.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD Malam YZ Yau gave the background of the project as well as a ran down of the activities the organization had been doing over the last two years, culminating with the School.

The Executive Director Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) stated that over the last two years, CITAD had been working tirelessly to catalyze the emergence of community networks in Nigeria, given that there has been no policy to guide the growth and flourishing of the of Community networks, CITAD took step to engage with policy makers and regulators in the sector such as Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the ministry of communications as well as other relevant agencies to ensure that an appropriate policy is developed for Community Networks in the Country.

He also stated that part of the objective of the School is to train champions with technical skills on how they can design, deploy and manage community networks. The school will hold in two phases, the phase one is an intensive physical one-week residential training which starts today, followed by four-month online training which is part of the phase two activities.

While giving reports of the efforts CITAD has made to engage policy makers on the need for community network policy, the Director of CITAD called on both the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy Prof. Isah Pantami and the Management of NCC to honour their promises they made about setting up the processes to develop a national policy on community networks for the country. He said this urgent because at the moment more than 88 million of Nigerians remain unconnected and excluded from the benefits of digital technology.

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The opening ceremony also received goodwill message from the Executive Director of Fanstuam Foundation Mrs. Comfort Kazanka, Mr. Olusola Taniola, National Coordinator of Alliance for Affordable Internet and Mrs. Edith Udeagu, the immediate past COO of Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) who expressed their gratitude for being part of the project as well as advising the participants to be good ambassador of their communities by applying the knowledge gain. In her goodwill message, Mrs. Kazanka urged that the School of Community Networks be turned into a either a institute for community networks or a specialized university.

On his part Mr. Olusola Taniola said, his organization was ready to join hands with CITAD to push the advocacy for a national policy on community networks in the country.

Mrs. Edith Udeagu who offered her Goodwill message on her personal capacity noted that “The National School of Community Networks provides this opportunity for all to learn and share knowledge. We thank CITAD, its CEO, Mr. YZ Ya’u and team and its partners for providing this opportunity for all and pray for its success. I say congratulations to CITAD. I congratulate its partners and contributors for their participation. In this country, we need to address the issues of digital divide. People in various communities face various challenges. We need to assist as much as possible to address these issues and give them the opportunities to better their lives”.

The keynote address was given by the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, represented by Mr. Abdulmalik Suleman, staff of the company. He stated that one of the objectives of Galaxy Backbone is to help in connecting the underserved communities. He commended CITAD for embarking on this project, noting that it was not an easy thing to do. He disclosed that Galaxy Backbone currently is implementing the second phase of the National Information Communication Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) which he said would provide access to backbone across the country. He welcomed communities to take advantage of this in their plans for their community networks.

He also appreciated the effort of CITAD for setting up the School of Community Networks, which according to Galaxy Backbone is another important step will help strengthen the impact of shared internet experience and shared Network in our Nation. The opening session was chaired by Dr. Sana Mauz of the Department of Software Engineering, Bayero University, Kano. Dr. Muaz urged the participants to make the best use of this opportunity which is a crush programme to acquire critical telecommunication knowledge.

Shortly after the opening session the first technical session of the School began with a presentation on Spectrum and how Spectrum is Allocated as well as applying Spectrum by Dr. Abdulkari Yusuf of the NCC. The presentation explained to the participants what Spectrum was all about, how was allocated and how it is deployed and shared. Twenty-one youth leaders from different parts of the country are attending the school, which is proposed to run annually. Most of them were from underserved and unserved communities such as Pasepa, Laileyin Gwari, Tugan Ashere and Dakwa in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, rural Kafanchan in Kaduna State and Itas as well as Jamaare in Bauchi.

The Nigerian School of Community Networks is the first attempt in the country to build local skills and expertise for the organic development of grassroots telecommunitions infrastructure in the country. Community networks is a telecommunications infrastructure deployed and operated by a local group to meet their own communication needs and also a communications infrastructure, designed and erected to be managed for use by local communities. This communication needs can be voice, data, etc. and can be point of convergence for community to come together to address their common community problems.

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Unregistered POS Operators Risk Ban as CAC Issues Registration Ultimatum

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has mandated all Point-of-Sale (PoS) operators nationwide to register with the Commission by 1 January 2026, announcing that any unregistered operator will be prohibited from conducting business after that date.

In a public notice issued on Saturday, the CAC cited a significant increase in the number of unregistered PoS businesses across the country.

The Commission emphasized that operating an unregistered PoS enterprise is a violation of both the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Agent Banking Regulations.

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The CAC also faulted some fintech firms for onboarding unregistered agents, describing the practice as reckless and harmful to the stability of Nigeria’s financial system.

It warned that the trend exposes millions of Nigerians, including small business owners and rural users, to economic and investment risks.

“Fintechs enabling illegal operations will be placed on the watchlist and reported to the CBN. All operators are advised to regularise immediately. Compliance is mandatory

“Beginning from 1st January 2026, no PoS operator will be allowed to conduct business in Nigeria without completing full registration,” the CAC said

Nigerian Tracker News gathered that this is not the first time the call regarding enforced regulatory monitoring of the PoS has been made.

There have been several calls on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take urgent steps toward curbing worsening cases of fraud affecting PoS businesses across the nation.

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Governor Yusuf Congratulated Rear Admiral Chindo Yahya Usman, 4 Other Kano Indigenes

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Rear Admiral Chindo Usman Yahaya being decorated with his new rank of rear admiral by the chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas being assisted by Rear Admiral Chindo's Wife

 

 

Kano State Government Congratulates Senior Military Officers of Kano Origin on their Promotion.

This was contained in a statement signed by Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Waiya explained that the governor was delighted to celebrate the achievements of Kano indigenes who have risen to senior ranks in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Among them is Rear Admiral Chindo Usman Yahaya, who was elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral. According to Waiya, Governor Yusuf described Yahaya’s promotion as a reflection of his professionalism and commitment to national service.

Rear Admiral Chindo Yahya Usman middle after his decoration

Rear Admiral Chindo Yahya Usman middle after his decoration

The Kano State Government, under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, joyfully congratulates the distinguished sons of Kano State who have been recently elevated to the prestigious ranks of Major General, Rear Admiral, and Air Vice Marshal in the Nigerian Armed Forces. Waiya emphasized that the governor sees these promotions as a source of pride for the state.

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The State Government welcomes the promotions as well-deserved recognitions of the officers’ professionalism, dedication, and patriotic service to Nigeria. Waiya noted that Governor Yusuf expressed profound happiness that Kano continues to produce individuals who excel at the highest levels of national security leadership.

The newly promoted officers include:

Nigerian Army:
– Major General Sadisu Yahaya Yakasai
– Major General Sani Sulaiman
– Major General Samaila Musa Uba

Nigerian Navy:
– Rear Admiral Chindo Usman Yahaya

Nigerian Air Force:
– Air Vice Marshal Mukhtar Umar

As we celebrate and commend the officers for bringing honour to Kano State, we encourage them to continue to uphold the values of ethical standards, integrity, courage, and loyalty as they assume greater responsibilities. Waiya quoted Governor Yusuf as urging the officers to serve as role models and inspiration for younger generations aspiring to pursue a career in the military service.

His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, prays for their continuous success and guidance from the Almighty as they carry out their duties in safeguarding the nation. Waiya concluded that the governor remains confident in their ability to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

 

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Jega Advocates Merit-Based Leadership in Nigerian Universities

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Professor Attahiru Jega
Professor Attahiru Jega former chairman INEC

 

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and renowned academic, Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, has called on the Federal Government to entrench merit, competence, and integrity as the guiding principles in the appointment of leadership across Nigerian universities.

He warned that the increasing politicisation of such appointments poses a serious threat to academic standards, institutional autonomy, and the future of higher education in the country.

Professor Jega made this call on Thursday while delivering the 3rd Abdullahi Mahadi Annual Memorial Lecture at Gombe state University, Gombe State. The lecture, titled “Challenges and Prospects of Improving University Governance in Nigeria,” examined the structural, administrative, and policy-related obstacles confronting university governance in Nigeria.

The distinguished Professor of Political Science and a one time Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, described universities as specialised intellectual institutions that require visionary, experienced, and academically grounded leadership to fulfil their mandates of teaching, research, and community service.

“A university is not a political platform. It is a centre for knowledge creation and human capital development. It cannot achieve its core objectives when leadership appointments are driven by political considerations rather than academic merit,” he stated.

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Professor Jega expressed deep concern over persistent political interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors, governing council members, and other principal officers. He observed that this trend has weakened governance structures, encouraged poor administrative decisions, undermined staff morale, and contributed significantly to the gradual decline in the quality of higher education in the country.

He stressed the urgent need for transparent, competitive, and merit-driven selection processes, anchored on clear criteria, academic record, leadership experience, and professional credibility. According to him, insulating universities from undue political influence is essential for restoring confidence in the system and positioning Nigerian universities to compete favourably at the global level.

Professor Jega further warned that failure to reform university governance would continue to erode the capacity of tertiary institutions to produce graduates who are innovative, globally competitive, and capable of driving sustainable national development.

The memorial lecture was delivered in honour of the late Professor Abdullahi Mahadi, a pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University, whose contributions to scholarship, leadership, and the growth of the institution were widely acknowledged during the event.

Speaking earlier as Chairman of the Occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, Professor Umaru Pate, commended Gombe State University for sustaining the Abdullahi Mahadi Annual Memorial Lecture, describing it as a worthy tribute to the late pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

Professor Pate expressed appreciation to the GSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aliyu Yauta, and the university management for sustaining the initiative, noting that maintaining such academic traditions in Nigerian universities is often challenging.

He also described the Guest Lecturer, Professor Jega, as eminently qualified to speak on the theme, noting his deep experience in university governance and his long-standing professional relationship with the late Professor Abdullahi Mahadi.

Reflecting on Mahadi’s life, Professor Pate said the late scholar left behind an enduring legacy of service, scholarship, and institutional development at Gombe State University and beyond.

The lecture attracted a wide audience of academics, policymakers, students, and education stakeholders, including the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau. Participants described the event as timely and impactful in shaping the future of university governance in Nigeria.

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