Day: May 21, 2024

Nigeria’s cinema has generated a revenue of N2.25 billion from tickets sold in the first quarter of 2024.

Filmone Entertainment, an independent film distribution and production company, revealed this in its Nigerian Box Office Year Book for 2023, released on Monday.

The period under review had a remarkable improvement from ticket sales compared to N1.5 billion generated in first quarter of 2023.

According to the details, total admission of persons at the cinemas in the first quarter of this year was 596,609, while the same period in 2023 witnessed 620,477 attendance.

Also, average ticket price in the first quarter of the year stood at N3,765 against N2,479 for 2023.

The details reads: ‘The box office revenue for Q1 2024 is N2.25 billion, inclusive of spillovers, with 596,609 admissions.

‘Year-on-year, this is a 46 per cent improvement in box office revenues, although ticket prices have indeed gone up by 52 per cent.

‘Nonetheless, despite the huge spike in ticket prices, the admissions rate is down by 4
per cent year-on-year, which translates to a negative correlation of admissions to ticket prices.

‘We have seen Nollywood hold 56 per cent of the box ofice over the period, with the highest grossing film of the year: A tribe called Judah, responsible for 27 per cent of the Q1 overall revenue, and Warner Bros. Aquaman and the lost kingdom with 11 per cent.

‘There have been a total of 40 new titles released in the territory already in Q1 excluding spillovers.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has granted licence to the Institute of Information Management (IIM), to conduct examinations and certify data protection professionals for global competitiveness.

The National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, who said this on Monday while presenting licence to IIM in Abuja, said granting of licence was part of the commission’s measures to implement Executive Order 003 and 005.

Olatunji said certifying data protection professionals in the country would reduce capital flight, create over 500,000 jobs in the sector and encourage more people to be certified.

‘We are trying to ensure implementation of Executive Order 003 and 005 to promote local contents in Nigeria.

‘Most of us who are certified data protection officers have international certifications; we paid some dollars to write exams as well as maintain the certificates.

‘We are trying to domesticate this in Nigeria by having a national certification process.

‘Looking at our population, we need o
ver 500,000 certified data protection officers. We cannot afford to allow capital flight in this area,’ he said.

The national commissioner also said that the commission was considering adopting the licensing across Africa.

‘We are looking at a way this initiative will become a pan-African initiative, whereby data professionals have the national certification we have in Nigeria and can also practise in any part of Africa.

‘It is a way of creating jobs for our people, reducing capital flight, and developing global human capital in the data protection ecosystem.

‘We have also gone further to develop the training model which is unique to us and that is what all the trainers in Nigeria will be using,’ Olatunji said.

He added that the licensing would also create jobs for already licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs), who would be accredited to train prospective professionals to sit for data protection examinations.

According to him, the national data protection certification will be a hist
oric legacy that will transcend administrations and meet global standards.

Dr Oyedokun Oyewole, President of Institute of Information Management, recalled that the certification process commenced in 2021.

He said the licence would bridge the gap in the data protection ecosystem.

Oyewole assured Nigerians of the institute’s commitment to be the best in the education system of data protection in the country.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has emphasised the need for professional female engineers to play a leading role in combating climate change.

The President of APWEN, Dr Adebisi Osim, gave the charge at the sixth edition of the Olutumbi Joanna Maduka Annual Lecture (OMAL) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture, with the theme, ‘Sustainable Technology and Energy Solutions to Climate Change”, was held in honour of Maduka, founder of APWEN and first female COREN, NSE, FIEE registered engineer in Nigeria.

She said:’The theme for this year’s lecture, ‘Sustainable Technology and Energy Solutions to Climate Change’, is a critical and timely issue that demands our utmost attention and action.

‘ As we take a look into the crucial theme, let us reflect on the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who said, ‘The future depends on what you do today’.

‘As engineers, we have a profound responsibility to harness the power of technology and innovation to addr
ess the pressing challenge of climate change.

‘The scientific evidence is clear – our planet is facing unprecedented environmental threats, and we must act decisively to secure a sustainable future for generations to come.”

She emphasised the need for engineers to take concrete steps like embracing renewable energy, government incentives, and collaboration between different sectors to address the challenge.

Osim, represented by the past president of APWEN, Mrs Particia Odili, noted that renewable energy was crucial for transitioning to a sustainable future, urging the professionals to actively support its development and adoption.

The APWEN president said that no single entity could solve the problem of climate change alone, adding that it would require a collective effort from governments, industries, and individuals.

Osim expressed pride in APWEN members who were at the forefront of developing solutions for sustainability and climate change, noting that this highlights the important role engineers can
play in finding technological solutions.

She listed some of the roles that the government could play in promoting sustainable practices as implementing a combination of solutions that would include both developing sustainable technology and energy sources, alongside offering incentives to encourage their adoption.

She urged the government to incentivise some of the adoption of sustainable technology and energy solutions through subsidies, tax breaks, regulations, partnerships, and public awareness campaigns.

Others are procurement policies that favour sustainable options, financing mechanisms to make these solutions more affordable, and international cooperation to share knowledge and resources.

The Guest Speaker, Prof. Christiana Ijagbemi, established that climate change was a major threat with wide-ranging consequences.

She noted that widespread adoption of sustainable technology and energy solutions were crucial for addressing climate change and building a future that was both environmentally sound an
d adaptable.

Ijagbemi said that renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a primary driver of climate change.

She said that sustainable practices across various sectors like transportation and agriculture could contribute to a more environmentally friendly approach.

Ijagbemi, represented by Prof. Temitope Adetoye, also noted that sustainable solutions not only mitigated climate change but also helped communities adapt to its inevitable effects.

She, therefore, urged the professionals to embrace sustainable technologies, saying, in doing so, they can create a more sustainable future where communities can thrive despite climate challenges.

Mrs Margaret Oguntala, President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, acknowledged steps taken by the federal government to develop technologies for renewable energy, green energy, and clean housing solutions.

While policies exist for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and other initiatives, Oguntala emphasised the
need for stronger implementation to ensure these plans translate into action.

She commended Nigerian engineers for their leadership in climate change solutions and advocated better implementation of existing government policies related to renewable energy and sustainability efforts.

Mrs Joanna Mmaduka, the honouree, expressed her joy and fulfillment, particularly being surrounded by other female engineers.

She expressed a wish to see female engineers surpass her own achievements, emphasising the importance of perseverance, patience, and hard work as key ingredients for success.

She also highlighted the importance of sustainability and the innovative solutions engineering could provide in areas like waste management.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Department of Security Services, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says the territory has recorded improved security within one year of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

The Director of the department, Adamu Gwary, a Fellow of Defence College, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Gwary told NAN while assessing the performance of Tinubu-led administration on security in the FCT, that the impact was impressive, considering the reduced incidents of security breaches.

According to him, the security situation has significantly improved since Mr Nyesom Wike assumed office as the FCT Minister in August 2023.

‘We receive not only a situational report from security agencies, but from members of the public.

‘In the past, it used to be a daily affair where you will hear there are these issues, there are those issues, here and there, within the city, the environs, and the suburbs of the FCT.

‘But today, sometimes a whole week will pass wit
hout any report.

‘We have an interface with traditional rulers, who give us intelligence reports, which we process and forward to responsible security agencies, but this has really died down.

‘Also, if you recall, the issue of theft of manhood was at its peak at the commencement of the Tinubu-led Administration, but that has been completely addressed.

‘This is not to say that we are there, but the improvement is very visible in terms of the reduced number of reported cases of criminal activities.’

He attributed the successes to the proactiveness of the FCT minister through intensive community engagement and provision of logistics and equipment support to security agencies.

He recalled that Wike had organised town hall meetings across the six Area Council of the FCT, where he and security agencies interacted with community members on their active participation in addressing insecurity.

‘The minister had equally provided vehicles to traditional rulers across the FCT to enable them to move around their dom
ain and mobilise their subjects to support ongoing security efforts.

‘This is with a view to take security to the doorsteps of the residents and assure them of the FCT Administration’s readiness to support security agencies to do their work.

‘These have really paid off,’ he said.

Gwary added that the minister equally set up security task forces to address heinous crime, like kidnapping the dreaded one chance criminal activities.

On logistics support to security agencies, the director said that the FCT minister, under Tinubu-led administration had procured and distributed motorcycles to security agencies, including vigilance groups to improve security in rural communities.

He added that the FCT Administration had equally procured patrol vehicles, fitted with modern communication gadgets including combat protective gears.

‘Plans have also been concluded to procure surveillance drones and other equipment to enhance surveillance and operation of security agencies in the city.

‘These are all geared towards
ensuring zero tolerance to heinous crime within the city centre and the suburb, which is plagued with the issue of kidnapping and the rest,’ he said.

The director described security as everybody’s business and called on the resident to cooperate with security agencies in sharing timely and accurate information.

‘See something, say something and we will do something,’ he said.

Mr Edward Orim, Principal Consultant Edgard Consulting, a private security firm, equally said that Wike, under the Tinubu’s government had made significant headway in addressing insecurity in the FCT.

Orim, who is also the Chairman of ASIS International, Chapter 273, Abuja, an international security organisation, particularly lauded the current government for curbing the trend of kidnapping in the territory.

‘From my own assessment, I think the current administration has done very well,’ he said.

He, however, advised the FCT Administration to do more in strengthening community policing, where everybody would be involved in assistin
g the police with critical information, including logistics where necessary.

‘Community policing is very critical to addressing insecurity; know your neighbour and give information out to the police to help them do their job.

‘There should be more awareness on the residents to be aware of their surroundings, security threats and work with security agencies to address them,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Anambra Government in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) have stepped up healthcare facilities monitoring to eliminate quackery and improve quality healthcare services delivery to residents.

Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, at the official launch of the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Unit (ASHAFAMU) and its e-platform, on Tuesday in Awka, said government would not tolerate illegal health practices.

Obidike said the unit set required minimum standards for operations of health facilities, both in public and private healthcare sectors.

‘When we resumed office, 80 per cent of healthcare services was being driven by the private sector without regulations. This is why many quack doctors are operating healthcare facilities in the state.

‘This was why Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration in partnership with WHO decided to establish ASHAFAMU to ensure quality healthcare delivery for all residents of the state.

‘With this unit, Anambra’s ASHAFAMU will become
the second government-owned accreditation body in Nigeria, after Lagos state, to guarantee patients’ safety.

‘The state government will no longer tolerate unprofessional practices, quackery, lack of qualified medical personnel, to non-registration of facilities and lack of basic equipment, which can compromise the health and the well-being of patients,’ he said.

The commissioner lauded WHO and the state’s ICT agency for designing the ASHAFAMU e-platform.

Also speaking, Mr Tony Mobuike, Chairman, House Committee on Health at the state Assembly, urged health providers in Anambra to embrace the provisions of the accreditation policy.

‘Now, there is a legal framework to close down health facilities, for non-compliance, arrest and prosecute quack healthcare providers,’ he said.

In his remarks, Dr Bonos Mohammed, state Coordinator, WHO, said the establishment of the unit would protect and safeguard the health of citizens.

Mohammed said that WHO would continue to support the state to ensure ASHAFAMU achieve it
s mandate and sanitise the health sector.

The Managing Director, Anambra ICT Agency, Mr Chukwuemeka Agbata, said accredited health facilities would be uploaded for easy tracking, location and verifying accreditation status.

‘Residents should visit this e-platform as it will serve as a hospital directory and for feedback purposes,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria