Tag: Information Technology

14May

By adminNo Comments

OpenAI Makes ChatGPT- 40 Free for All

OpenAI has just launched a new version of ChatGPT-4o. It describes this as its most powerful language model to date, during a livestreamed event on Monday. Unlike previous iterations, ChatGPT-4o is now available to everyone for free. This revolutionary model boasts enhanced text and audio handling capabilities and supports over 50 languages. While text and image input are already accessible through the API and ChatGPT, the company plans to roll out voice and video features in the coming weeks. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the company's commitment to providing AI tools to everyone, stating on his personal blog, "Our initial conception when we started OpenAI was that we’d create AI and use it to create all sorts of benefits for the world. Instead, it now looks like we’ll create AI...

SIM-NIN: Deactivated Subscribers Storm Telecom Outlets, Queues Mount

6Apr

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

SIM-NIN: Deactivated Subscribers Storm Telecom Outlets, Queues Mount

SIM Cards Some telecommunication subscribers were left stranded on Tuesday after telecom companies barred their lines from making calls following a directive from the Federal Government. The Federal Government had on Monday directed telecom companies to enforce compliance with its National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module policy by blocking outgoing calls on all unlinked lines after the deadline for the SIM-NIN verification expired on March 31. While giving the directive, the government revealed that 125 million SIMs had submitted their NINs for linkage. The Nigerian Communications Commission stated that there were 197.77 million active telecom subscribers as of February 2022. This means that over 72.77 million active telecom subscribers will be affected...

Nigeria Lost N10.72trillion To Twitter Ban — LCCI

15Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Finance, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Nigeria Lost N10.72trillion To Twitter Ban — LCCI

The Nigerian economy lost N10.72trillion to the suspension of microblogging platform, Twitter, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry said. The figures were disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by Chinyere Almona, Director-General, LCCI. “In business terms, the cost of the seven-month shutdown of Twitter operations in Nigeria is estimated to be N10.72trillion ($26.1billion) according to Netblock’s Cost of Shutdown Tool,” Almona said. This is a huge loss to Nigeria as it represents about 63% of Nigeria's N17.1trillion budgeted for 2022. Recall that on June 4, the Nigeriag Government announced the suspension of Twitter after the social media platform deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. Read Also: Twitter Reacts To Lifting Of Ban In Nigeria After Over 200 Da...

Nigeria Better With Conditions Met, Keyamo Returns To Twitter

13Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Nigeria Better With Conditions Met, Keyamo Returns To Twitter

Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, says Nigeria is better off with all its conditions agreed by microblogging platform, Twitter. He stated this in his first tweet on Thursday after the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, lifted the suspension on Twitter after over seven months. “For those who prioritised politics over patriotism and exhibited disingenuous righteousness on Twitter suspension, they can now see that with all the FG conditions to which Twitter agreed, Nigeria is eventually better off for it. Congratulations Nigeria,” Keyamo wrote. Twitter had deleted a controversial civil war post by Buhari in June 2021. Read Also: Twitter Reacts To Lifting Of Ban In Nigeria After Over 200 Days’ Suspension Consequently, Minister of Informatio...

Twitter Reacts To Lifting Of Ban In Nigeria After Over 200 Days’ Suspension

13Jan

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Twitter Reacts To Lifting Of Ban In Nigeria After Over 200 Days’ Suspension

Operations of the microblogging platform, Twitter, which was suspended over 200 days ago, by the Nigerian government have resumed. Nigerians can now access their Twitter accounts without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Announcing its official return via its Twitter Public Policy account, the social media giant assured the Nigerian government that it is committed to driving civic participation. It tweeted, “We are pleased that Twitter has been restored for everyone in Nigeria. Our mission in Nigeria and around the world is to serve the public conversation. “We are deeply committed to Nigeria, where Twitter is used by people for commerce, cultural engagement, and civic participation. Read Also: Nigeria Incurs N247.61bn Loss in 100 Days of Twitter Ban “We’re committed...

Nigerians Should Present NIN Before Using Restaurants – Pantami

28Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Nigerians Should Present NIN Before Using Restaurants – Pantami

The Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has stated that in order to secure Nigeria in the next few years, Nigerians should present and verify their National Identity Number even before using a restaurant. Pantami explained why his ministry insisted on the mandatory use of the NIN in spite of over 44 petitions written against the policy and several court cases in the country. The minister, who claimed he had since renounced his stance on terrorism, added that the NIN policy was mandatory by law in Nigeria and that it stood to secure the country. He said, “Without profiling, no country will be secured globally. Criminals don’t like it, and they have been fighting it day in, day out.” The minister stated this while speaking at a convocation lecture of ...

NCC Disqualifies Nigerians Below 18 From Owning SIM

6Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

NCC Disqualifies Nigerians Below 18 From Owning SIM

The Nigerian Communications Commission has disqualified anyone below the age of 18 from registering and owning a Subscriber Identity Module in Nigeria. This is according to the draft copy of the modified Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations published on the commission’s website. In the modified regulations, NCC limited telecoms subscribers to only include anyone above the age of 18. “‘Subscriber’ means a person not below the age of 18 years who subscribes to communications services by purchasing a subscription medium or entering into a subscription contract with a licensee.” The Licensee refers to ‘a provider of communications services that utilises a subscription medium in the Federal Republic of Nigeria’. Read Also: JUST IN: FG Extends NIN-SIM Verification Dea...

Withdraw Conditions Imposed On Twitter Now, Wait For ECOWAS Court Decision—SERAP Tells Buhari

3Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Withdraw Conditions Imposed On Twitter Now, Wait For ECOWAS Court Decision—SERAP Tells Buhari

The Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) has criticised a declaration made by President Muhammadu Buhari that the ban on the operations of Twitter in the country would be lifted if certain conditions were met by the American company. SERAP urged Buhari to withdraw the conditions imposed on the microblogging site pending the final ruling of ECOWAS Court on the case. It further stated that such a pronouncement by the Nigerian government might affect the expected judgement. SERAP had sued the Buhari-led government at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, challenging the legality of the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria. Buhari had during Nigeria's 61st Independence Day anniversary on October 1, 2021, said the ban on Twitter would only be lifted if certain conditions including ...

Lai Mohammed Travels To The US To Meet With Twitter

18Aug

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

News, Nigeria

Lai Mohammed Travels To The US To Meet With Twitter

Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has travelled to the US to meet with top executives of popular microblogging site, Twitter. SaharaReporters on Tuesday exclusively obtained a video showing the minister and Olusegun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of the Minister of Information and Culture, in a Delta Airline heading to the US. The Muhammadu Buhari-led government on June 5, 2021 indefinitely banned Twitter, restricting it from operating in Nigeria after the social media platform deleted tweets posted by Buhari. Buhari's tweets, which many Nigerians found distasteful, had warned the Southeastern people of Nigeria against secession agenda, threatening to deal with them "in the language they understand". His comments referenced th...

JUST IN: FG Extends NIN-SIM Verification Deadline Again

25Jul

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

JUST IN: FG Extends NIN-SIM Verification Deadline Again

The Federal Government has once more postponed the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to October 31, 2021. This was contained in a joint statement by the Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde; and the Head, Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke, titled ‘FG Extends NIN-SIM verification deadline to 31st October, 2021′. Before now, FG had approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification to July 26, 2021. The statement noted that the registration focus is now expected to shift to remote and hard-to-reach areas, schools and health centres. The Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde; and the Head, Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identity ...