As the newly appointed Ministers settle to their jobs, journalists in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, under the aegis of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), has felicitated with the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani over his appointment.

In a letter to the Minister, the Chairman of the Association, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that the news of his appointment was a cheery one knowing his antecedent to deliver viable results in past endeavours.

“We have followed your steps in the ICT industry and are assured that without doubt, this is another position that you will make a great deal of impact in.

You are not new in creative, developmental and managerial affairs, but have been an active participant in decision-making and growth plans for the nation, hence our repose of trust in what you can do as the Minister of this expanded Ministry,” he enthused.

In the Association’s letter to the Minister, Mr. Onwuegbuchi further assured the Minister that NITRA is willing to work with the Ministry to ensure the achievement of set goals. He said NITRA is on standby for any collaboration that will guarantee the success of Dr. Tijani’s endeavours as the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy .

“We hope to work together to develop the industry and make the Ministry a reference point in the minds of Nigerians both at home and abroad,” he concluded.

The expectation is that the Minister will maintain the upward trajectory of ICTs contributions to the GDP.   His focus should be on leveraging ICT to transform Nigeria into a full digital economy.

Nigeria’s ICT sector contributed a significant 17.47% to Nigeria’s GDP (Real Gross Domestic Product) in the first quarter of 2023. This is according to the latest statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the NBS report, this amounts to about N3.1 trillion of the total N17.75 trillion of the country’s real GDP in the quarter. This is a notable increase in the ICT sector’s GDP contribution, surpassing the figures for the first quarter of 2022 which stood at N2.86 trillion.

The sector contributed 13.23% to the total nominal GDP in Q1 2023, surpassing the rates recorded in both the same quarter of the previous year (10.55%) and the preceding quarter (10.42%). This nominal growth represents a substantial increase of 41.84% during the quarter, marking a 21.30% point rise compared to the corresponding period of 2022.

The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) is the umbrella body for ICT reporters and editors. Its membership is drawn across Print, Broadcast and Online media organisations, and spreads across the country. With its Quarterly and Annual events, which include ‘Breakfast With CEOs’; ‘NITRA Innovative Forum’; ‘NITRA Technology Forum’, among others, the Association has been able to drive conversations on the development of the ICT subsectors and the industry as a whole.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned to January 12, 2022 the suit filed by the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) seeking to nullify the registration of the bottle design of Rite Foods’ Fearless Energy drink on the ground of busy dockets.

In the suit, NBC contends that the registration of the Fearless Energy’s bottle design was obtained by misrepresentation of facts to the Registrar of Patents and Designs. 

At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice A.O Faji on Tuesday, the court registrar informed the counsel to NBC that owing to the busy dockets of the court, the Judge had directed that the matter be adjourned to January 12, 2022 for hearing. 

According to the court processes filed by NBC, the Statement of Novelty filed by Rite Foods before the registrar contained significant misrepresentations as Rite Foods had claimed that prior to its application for registration of the bottle design, energy drinks were not packaged in PET bottles in Nigeria. Rite Foods had also claimed before the registrar that its bottle design had not been disclosed in any platform before the application for registration. 

These claims, according to NBC, are false, given that PET packaging for some energy drinks such as Lucozade Sport and Lucozade Energy drink manufactured in Nigeria by Suntory Beverage and Food Nigeria Limited dates as far back as 2011 long before Rite Foods applied to register the bottle design of its Fearless Energy drink.

NBC further contended that, contrary to the Statement of Novelty claims by Rite Foods to the Registrar of Patents and Designs, Rite Foods had long before the application for registration, advertised the bottle design on its website which was accessible to the viewing public. 

NBC submitted that the bottle design of Rite Foods’ Fearless Energy drink lacked novelty and had been disclosed to the public prior to Rite Foods’ application for its registration and therefore the registration of the bottle design was in violation of the Patents and Designs Act.

NBC therefore prays the Court for an order declaring certificate number 004183 with Registration number NG/DS/NT2020/1099 null and void ab initio for failure to comply with the provisions of section 13(1) (a) of the Patents and Design Act.  

NBC is also praying the Court to direct the Registrar of Patents and Designs to nullify and expunge all entries in the Register of Patents and Design relating to the registration of Rite Foods’ Fearless energy drink bottle design. 

The UK Government has launched a consultation on new trading rules that will help countries like Nigeria grow its trade and build back better – and help British businesses and consumers at the same time.  

The UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) is a major opportunity to grow free and fair trade with developing nations. The proposed scheme will apply to 70 qualifying countries, including Nigeria,  and include improvements such as lower tariffs and simpler rules of origin requirements for countries exporting to the UK, allowing countries to diversify their exports and grow their economies. 

The UK currently operates a similar scheme rolled over from the EU, but as an independent trading nation we can now take a simpler, more generous, pro-growth approach to trading with developing countries.  

The UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme will apply to 47 countries in the Least Developed Country Framework (LDCF) and 23 additional countries classified by the World Bank as low-income and lower-middle-income countries.

The proposed new UK scheme will mean more opportunity and less bureaucracy for developing countries, for example by simplifying rules of origin requirements or reducing tariffs on imports. For instance, this could mean lowering tariffs on products including rice from Pakistan and raw materials from Nigeria. 

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Cutting tariffs for poorer countries enables them to trade their way to genuine independence – and I’m proud we lead the world in offering that opportunity.” 

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “Trade fundamentally empowers people and has done more than any single policy in history to lift millions of people around the world out of poverty.  Now the UK is an independent trading nation we have a huge opportunity do things differently, taking a more liberal, pro-trade approach that leads to growth and opportunity. 

“Countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam have proven it’s possible to trade your way to better living standards, and our new Developing Countries Trading Scheme will help others do the same.” 

Emma Wade-Smith OBE, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, added: “The DCTS scheme signals the UK’s strong appetite to promote free and fair trade. It is a demonstration of our commitment to help boost economic growth and prosperity in Africa, by enabling businesses there to access the UK market more easily. The UK is committed to strengthening our commercial relationship with African partners.

“The new DCTS scheme will create a smoother path for companies to export to the UK. I encourage the African business community to contribute to this important consultation. We want to hear a range of views and perspectives, to ensure the scheme targets those areas that will have the greatest positive impact on growing our bilateral trade.”

The UK Government intends for its new scheme to be best in class, and has studied programs in Canada, the US, Japan and the EU, before constructing an approach that takes some of the strongest elements of each and builds on them.  

The consultation on the UK’s new scheme runs for eight weeks and seeks the view of all sectors of society, including businesses, the public, civil society groups, consumers, associations, partner governments and any other interested stakeholders.