Huawei ICT Academy hosts online training for students

Huawei Technologies has not relented on its efforts to ensure Nigerian students registered under its Authorized Information and Network Academy are trained in core ICT skills in the face of the Covid19 pandemic. The company moved its classes online, engaging hundreds of students across the country on their computer screens from the comfort of their homes.

The Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy (HAINA) in collaboration with more than 70 universities in Nigeria was established to train students for free in the latest internationally relevant ICT skills in subjects such as Networks, Cloud Computing and Big Data. As at today, over 10,000 Nigerian students have benefitted.

In an exclusive interview with some of the teachers and students, we got insights into the structure of the Huawei ICT Academy online training program and its impact.

Mr. Lawal Ahmad Alassan, Head of IT Technical Support Unit, Kastina State Institute of Technology and Management, who is also a Huawei Academy Instructor in Routing, Switching, Storage and Security said his first batch of online classes held from the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 and he had between 75 to 50 students from different educational institutions from all over Nigeria. He said classes were split into 2 classes of 40 each. The training was structured for 3 hours daily with breaks in between. The entire course was broken down into 4-5 topics daily.

Speaking about his experience teaching the students online, he said “It was a wonderful experience coming from a virtual classroom organised by Huawei. The students were so overwhelmed and as we speak now we have over 250 students waiting to be trained and still making enquiries and application for training. To some of the students, it was a new experience and they never thought they could achieve such a training process while staying at home.”

Excited about the regular participation of the students, he said “the online training has made instructors and the students bother less about the lockdown because we have been made to acquire knowledge through Huawei’s training platform in the most incredible manner. With this training, the ICT industry in Nigeria would grow faster.”

“If our education sector could include virtual classes in our educational platform, it will go a long way in solving most of our educational challenges in Nigeria. On behalf of the students and myself and co-instructors, Huawei has made the stay at home caused by the covid-19 a blessing in disguise.” Mr. Lawal recommended.

Augustine, another Huawei Academy Instructor from the University of Port Harcourt, who teaches on Programming, Algorithms, Data Structures and Artificial Intelligence said he also held his classes from the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 with over 100 students from various location in Nigeria (Port Harcourt, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Niger, Anambra, Delta, etc.) According to him, “the experience was very refreshing and the students were very eager to learn.”

“The student’s participation was encouraging as most of them were always early to join the meeting. They also participated during the practical sessions. The contents of the entire content of the Routing and Switching curriculum were cover with focus on key topics.” He added.

Speaking on the impact of the training on the students, Augustine said “the training would be very beneficial to the students and the society at large as it not only provides them with the needed experience to boost their career but also a source of inspiration to spawn new ideas in network development on creativity.”

Ngei Mkpuru-mpio, a student participant said “The HCIA training was insightful and detailed though in a short time. It forms a foundation for my Huawei 5G career pursuit.”

Akpunonu Chidozie Joseph, a student participant also said “Networking is one of my favourite courses and HCIA R&S has enlighten me more about IT and E-LEARNING, showing that everything is still possible without classroom despite the challenges of network and other things. It has added to my skill base and also enriched my CV.”

Erewari Eke, a student participants said “my learning experience in the HCIA Routing and switching class was educative and I was able to understand what the lecturer explained better than the actual written explanation in the pdf. I learnt how to navigate and manage Huawei products through the virtual routing platform, built efficient data switching environments through the management of switching products and manipulation of link layer protocols, I understood the principles of routing and configure RIP/OSPF routing protocols and many more. As a Computer Scientist, It will help me a lot as I progress in real life networking. Thanks a lot.”

Elele Gideon, a student participant said “I am so happy to have benefitted from these Huawei virtual classroom happening across the country. I learnt a lot on subjects such as IP Address, subnetting, Enterprise Network Design and Implementation. The program was resourceful and helped my understanding of technology irrespective of the duration. I look forward to more trainings like this. So grateful to Huawei for organizing this”

According to Kenneth Igwe, Huawei Channel Training Manager (ICT Talent Ecosystem Development) in Nigeria, “although we live in difficult time with the Covid19, Huawei will not relent in making knowledge available to students across the nation. Huawei plans to get 2000 Nigerian students certified in core technology courses during this pandemic period, through the online training and certification.”

“Through the online home training, our partners in the Academia are staying safe, and also improving students’ knowledge capacity.”

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Oyo State records seven new COVID-19 cases

Ignorance, denial can escalate virus, says decontamination, containment chairperson

Oyo State has recorded seven new cases of coronavirus.

The state’s governor, Seyi Makinde, who disclosed this yesterday while giving an update on COVID-19, said that six out the new cases were from the Ibadan company, iSON Xperiences.

He said: “The COVID-19 confirmation tests for seven suspected cases came back positive. Six are from iSON Xperiences and one case is also from Ibadan South-West Local Council. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is 240.”

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Oyo State COVID-19 Decontamination and Containment Project Team, Prof. (Mrs.) Olanike Adeyemo, has said that living ignorantly and in denial of the prevalence of the coronavirus can increase the number of infection cases in the country.

Adeyemo, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships), University of Ibadan (UI), who spoke with The Guardian in Ibadan yesterday, added that such ignorance and denial could make the coronavirus difficult to contain.

She was speaking against the backdrop of the conspiracy theory of the non-existence of the virus, being circulated among the public.

The theory is believed to be having an impact on the public’s level of compliance with safety protocols put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic.

“It is a bit of ignorance on the part of the people who do not know as much as they should – those that may be uneducated and a bit of denial.

“We can be educated but illiterate at the same time.

“For me, this COVID-19 has shown that it is not going to school that makes you educated.

“This is because the kind of conspiracy theory that is flying around makes it even a bit difficult to separate the educated from the uneducated.

“If you hear what the educated people are saying, it is actually tedious.

“For the uneducated, if you have somebody that is educated around you, you will prefer to look up to them to guide you.

“But most people around now – even the educated ones – are buying into the conspiracy theory.

“They say, ‘Oh! COVID-19 is a scam in Nigeria’, ‘the government is just using it to make money,’” she said.

Adeyemo, who decried a situation where Nigerians make jokes of everything and the negative effect that kind of attitude could have on efforts at containing the spread of the virus, therefore, urged those at the helm of affairs at isolation centres across the states to be circumspect in disseminating some kind of information that could jeopardise the fight against COVID-19.

“We do a lot of things carelessly in Nigeria. Isolation centres should not be places where pictures should be coming out from and people begin to say all sorts of things.

“So, anybody that is not taking care of himself or herself is posing danger to himself/herself and anybody around him/her because we don’t know who is going to have the serious one.

“And even if that is not the case, you have loved ones that may contract the serious strain of the virus and it leads to death,” she further said.

She described the efforts being made to contain the spread of the virus as war-like, adding: “People use the analogy of a war. This is like a war situation where nobody is talking about anything other than survival.”

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Muslims should reflect on spiritual benefits of Eidul Fitr - Simon Lalong

“While this year’s Eid-el-Fitr may be celebrated in solemnity and privacy of your homes, the occasion nonetheless presents the opportunity for our Muslim brothers and sisters to reflect on the spiritual benefits accruing from their fasting and prayers, and apply it to their lifestyle for a better society where there is love, peace and tranquility.”

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong stated this while rejoicing with Muslims as they mark the Eid-el-Fitr under unusual conditions occasioned by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Dr. Makut Macham, in Jos yesterday, the governor congratulated them for a successful Ramadan fast – thereby fulfilling a very significant injunction of Islam.

Sallah in Jos, the Plateau State capital, was very peaceful yesterday, as Muslim faithful prayed in their various homes, in compliance with the directives of the state government to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

All the prayer grounds were deserted, including the Jos Central Mosque. But the Muslims were grumbling as the state government did not relax the lockdown for the two-day public holiday declared by the Federal Government.

Lalong, who is Chairman, Northern Governors Forum, said “the challenges of COVID-19 will remain with us for a long time to come and that is where we shall need lifestyles that are commensurate with the teachings of our faiths, as people and governments work together build a better society.”

He appealed to Muslims to continue to cooperate with government by observing all regulations put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, including observing social distance, using face masks, constantly washing hands and applying sanitisers, and staying at home – particularly as states witness community transmission.

The governor also enjoined Muslims to reach out to the less-privileged members of the society and people of other faiths as a way of enhancing bonds of friendship and brotherhood that promote tolerance, peace and solidarity.

While wishing all Nigerian Muslims Eid Mubarak, Lalong asked them to continue to intensify prayers for the peace and progress of Plateau and for God to stop the pandemic which has interrupted lifestyles, freedoms and economic prosperity.

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#COVID19 Nigeria update for Friday 15th May, 2020

#COVID19Nigeria update for Friday 15th May, 2020:

288 new cases of #COVID19:

179-Lagos

20-Kaduna

15-Katsina

15-Jigawa

13-Borno

11-Ogun

8-Kano

7-FCT

4-Niger

4-Ekiti

3-Oyo

3-Delta

3-Bauchi

2-Kwara

1-Edo

As at 15th May 2020, there are 5445 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria, 1320 discharged and 171 dead.

A breakdown of cases by State can be found via: 

https://covid19.ncdc.gov.ng.

#TakeResponsibility

Remember, the risk of spread of #COVID19 is higher when people gather.

❗️Avoid mass gatherings including religious settings, social events & others. 

❗️Please maintain a physical distance of 2 meters away from others at all times.

#TakeResponsibility

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₦1.18 Trillion Was Recorded By Firstbank Cardholders In Transactions Value During Lockdown

  

The Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Adesola Adeduntan, also disclosed that the bank’s 53, 000 agents across the country processed about N512 billion worth of transactions with differing values while the lockdown lasted. He noted that the bank was “able to actively support her customers, their families and businesses through these challenging times.”

Adeduntan further noted that approximately 12.6 million withdrawals to the tune of N156 billion were carried out across FirstBank’s ATMs nationwide.“Our customers made transfers over 106 million times with a total value of about N8.18 Trillion across our digital channels. We have also recorded over 275,000 new sign-ups to alternative channels covering our Firstmobile, USSD and First-Online platforms,” he said. While calling on lovers of stress-free banking to get on board, the FirstBank CEO assured existing customers of the bank’s relentless efforts to ensure that banking transactions continue seamlessly, adding that COVID-19 will not slow down her activities and efforts at staying true to her brand promise to her customers.FirstBank cards come in a wide range of categories, each fulfilling tasks which are flexible, offer comfort and stress-free banking.

The range of cards available to customers of FirstBank are categorised into three broad groups — Debit, Credit and Prepaid cards. The grouping covers outstanding cards offerings such as Naira MasterCard, Verve Card and the pioneering Visa Multi-Currency Card.Others are Expressions MasterCard, Platinum MasterCard, Visa Infinite Credit Card, Visa Gold Credit Card, Naira Credit Cards (Visa Classic and Platinum), Visa Prepaid Card and Verve Prepaid Card.

FirstBank’s Naira MasterCard and Verve Card are secured by Chip and PIN technology with local POS/Web limit increase available upon request. The Naira denominated MasterCard comes with various benefits such as online purchases, bills payments and cash withdrawals at ATMs world-wide. The various transaction limit(s) on Naira MasterCard issued by the bank are N150,000 for ATM transactions, N2,500,000 for POS and N1,000,000 for web transactions.The FirstBank Verve Debit Card works with Chip and PIN technology to secure transactions. It allows the cardholder to conveniently pay for goods and services and is accepted by all ATMs, POS, Web, Mobile, Kiosk, and bank branch connected to the Interswitch network in Nigeria.

It is available to all account holders and enables daily transaction limits of N150,000, and N500,000 on ATM and POS channels respectively. Customers can transact up to N1 million on the web in a single transaction.

FirstBank cards also offer the Card Protection Transactions feature, which allows the cardholder to activate or deactivate it for all types of transactions, channels and locations, through the Card-in-Control Service on the Firstmobile app. Another card innovation service by FirstBank is the Visa Gold Card, which offers higher daily spending capacity and limit on ATM, POS and Web. With the Visa Gold Card, the customer is assured of $1,000 daily ATM withdrawal, $10,000 POS transaction and $5,000 on the web at any location around the world. It is a dollar denominated international Premium Credit Card issued in partnership with Visa International.

Moreso, it guarantees access to international emergency services such as Emergency Card Replacement and Emergency Cash Advance in situations where the card gets lost or damaged. The Visa Gold card comes handy when making airline bookings with its smooth seamless purchase options.Also, among FirstBank’s super cards is the VISA Debit Multi-Currency Card. First of its kind to be offered by any financial institution in Nigeria, the card is an enhancement to the existing Visa Debit Dual Currency card and can be linked to any or all NAIRA, USD, EURO and GBP accounts. It is an international card with Chip and PIN technology which can be used to make payment anywhere in the world and across all channels – ATMs, POS & Web.

With the Visa Debit Multi-Currency card, cardholders can make daily withdrawals to the tune of N150,000 (local) and $1,000 (international) from the ATM. However, on the web, a total of N1,000,000 is permitted locally while $6,250 is allowed on the international corridor daily. POS transaction limit is N2,500,000 (local) and $2,500 (international). The Platinum Debit MasterCard is a premium Debit Card denominated in Naira. It is linked directly to a customer’s Naira denominated current and/or savings account. It offers a convenient alternative to the use of cash, and cheques by giving direct access to funds in cardholders’ accounts across all channels like ATM, POS, web etc.

Like other card types, its transactions are easily monitored via the FirstBank FirstMobile App or FirstBank Internet Banking service and offers 24-hour access support for all card-related complaints through First Contact. It is a card linked to a Naira denominated account, and it is valid for three years. It is designed to suit the lifestyle of senior and management executives of multinational companies and leaders across various industries and sectors of the global economy. Its daily limits include; ATM: N300,000; POS: N3million; Web: N2,000,000 as well as Cross-border TXN limit: $500 monthly.

Speaking further, Adeduntan highlighted that the contactless capability of the bank’s Visa and MasterCards support less human-to-human contact in executing transactions, in the same way that the debit cards have remained the base channel for self-onboarding to any digital channel such as USSD, Firstmobile, FirstOnline etc. FirstBank has also initiated value added services attached to the cards including discounts at merchants' locations such as Jumia Friday, Health Plus, among others.

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