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NIGCOMSAT Launches Accelerator Programme To Propel Advancement In Satellite Tech
In a significant stride towards fostering technological innovation, the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) has officially inaugurated its accelerator programme in Abuja.
The programme, unveiled at the Communication and Digital Economy Complex, is aimed at propelling advancements in satellite technology and bolster Nigeria’s position in the global tech arena.
Attended by prominent figures from the tech industry and within the government, the launch event underscored NIGCOMSAT’s pivotal role in driving economic growth and digital transformation.
The chairmen of both the Senate and House Committees on Cybersecurity and ICT, lauded the initiative, emphasizing its potential to stimulate innovation, create employment opportunities and bridge the digital divide while helping to usher in the digital futured that many long for.
Senator Afolabi Salisu while giving his goodwill speech, stated that the initiative is one that Nigerians should be proud of. He further asserted that stakeholders must continue to review the roles and responsibilities of the nation’s MDAs.
Speaking further, Senator Salisu noted that the MDAs must begin to focus deeply on the challenges that beset the country, coming up with solution to ameliorate the living standards of the average Nigerian.
He said, “we can no longer just be MDAs for a Federal Government that the only thing we do is the perfunctory duties known to our agencies, let us now break the rules, let us go out of the conventional because we are in a very dire strait in the country today, and technology plays a very significant role in bringing us out of this.”
The Senator urged all agencies under the digital economy to collaborate more with each other to provide custom solutions to the nation’s problems, adding that if the agencies also liaise with the National Assembly, then they will find in the parliamentarians a worthy partner in the cause to reposition Nigeria.
On her part, the MD/CEO of NIGCOMSAT, Ms Jane Egerton-Idehen stressed that the launch falls in line with the agency’s vision to drive innovation in the satellite industry even within Africa.
She added that the initiative will show how tech-enabled products can solve every day problems for the average Nigerian.
Ms Egerton-Idehen revealed that for this accelerator programme, NIGCOMSAT will be working with 20 startups from different sectors, adding that their varied projects have one unique general base which is the use of tech that requires satellite as an enabler to proffer solutions based on the needs of Nigerians.
“Broadband access is key to pushing out these solutions,” she stressed, adding that in selecting the startups, the agency also looked at those who had products that are in demand, as there is no value is solving problems that no one needs solutions to.
Composition of the various teams also played a key role in the selection process for the accelerator program, even as the NIGCOMSAT CEO emphasized that the project goes a long way in helping to bridge the digital divide.
“I think this is massive, one of the things NIGCOMSAT is known for is that we go to places people wouldn’t go to, we will go to the unserved and unreached areas.
“And really, that has been one of the biggest problems that we have seen innovation, we’ve seen economic activities in urban areas, in the cities, but most times we have left out all the rural areas and the only way to have inclusion, is to take all these things – economic activities, digital economy, whatever you are doing, it has to be accessible to all, and that is what NIGCOMSAT can do.
“Even though these startups might exist in the city or urban areas, we are taking them to where people need them to solve problems,” Ms Egerton-Idehen stated.
Speaking about revenue generation, the NIGCOMSAT CEO assured that the project will indeed generate a lot of revenue for the country, seeing that the solutions being provided are those which people need and as such millions will be willing to pay for services that will be rendered.
Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), died on Saturday after a prolonged illness.
His death was confirmed by former Secretary-General of the NFA, Sani Ahmed Toro.
Galadima was a prominent figure in Nigerian sports administration, having led the NFA before it was restructured into the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
He also served as Chairman of the Kano State Sports Council between 1981 and 1983.
Born in 1951 in Fagge, Kano, Galadima had a long-standing career in sports governance.
He was a member of the National Sports Commission and was elected Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee in 1985, a position he held until 1987.
He was later reappointed as Chairman of the Kano State Sports Council and continued to play key roles at both state and national levels.
Galadima also served on the Presidential Monitoring Committee on the development of sports facilities for the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship, which was initially scheduled to be hosted in Nigeria but later relocated due to health-related challenges.
In addition, he was a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Youth Championship Organising Committee.
In 2002, he was elected Chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association, further cementing his legacy as one of the country’s influential sports administrators.
Burial arrangements will be announced later according to family sources.
Tragedy struck the Panshanu Hill stretch of the Bauchi-Jos federal highway on Friday evening as a horrific multi-vehicle collision claimed the lives of eleven persons, leaving thirty-two others with life-threatening injuries.
The victims, including women and children, were reportedly burnt beyond recognition when the vehicles involved in the crash erupted into a massive fireball upon impact.
According to a crash report released by the RS12.14
Toro Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps
(FRSC), the accident occurred at approximately 6:40
PM. FRSC personnel, who arrived at the scene within ten minutes of the report, battled to rescue survivors from the mangled, smoking wreckage.
The crash involved a white MAN mini-tanker, identified as part of the Nigerian Police fleet, and a white FIAT J5 Boxer commercial bus with registration number KTU624XY.
Preliminary investigations by the FRSC identified
“dangerous driving” and the use of “worn-out tyres” as the probable causes of the carnage. The impact, which occurred on a single, unpaved carriageway, sent both vehicles off the road and triggered an immediate inferno.
A breakdown of the casualties paints a heart-wrenching picture of the disaster. Out of the 43 persons involved in the accident, 11 fatalities were recorded, comprising one male adult, three male children, five female adults, and two female children.
The 32 injured survivors, including five male children, 19 female adults, seven female children, and one male adult, were rushed to a nearby general hospital for emergency treatment.
The Bauchi State Command of the FRSC has reiterated its warning to motorists to avoid overspeeding and ensure their vehicles are in roadworthy condition, especially when navigating the treacherous bends of the Panshanu Hill.
The 2026 UTME, which began on April 16, is expected to continue until April 22 across examination centres nationwide.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday announced that it had released the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
A statement by the JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin noted that the results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.
To check their results, he advised candidates to send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number (SIM) used during registration.
He, however, said that at this stage, candidates may view their results only; printing is not yet available.
The 2026 UTME, which began on April 16, is expected to continue until April 22 across examination centres nationwide.
How To Print Your Official Result Slip
The result slip carries the candidate’s passport photograph, full scores, and details required for admission processing.
It will be made available for printing on JAMB’s e-Facility portal at efacility.jamb.gov.ng and attracts a fee of N1,500.
Once activated, candidates should follow the steps below.
– Visit efacility.jamb.gov.ng.
– Log in with your registered email address and password.
– On your dashboard, click Print Result Slip.
– Click Continue with Payment and pay the N1,500 fee.
– Select 2026 as the examination year and enter your JAMB registration number.
– Download and print the result slip.
Check Your Score Via SMS
– Make sure you have at least N50 airtime on the phone number linked to your JAMB registration.
– Send UTMERESULT to 55019.
– Your score will be delivered to you via SMS.
Other Tips
– If you have forgotten your password or email address, use the Forgot Password option on the portal or visit a JAMB office with your registration details.
– Keep multiple printed copies of your result slip, as institutions typically request it during screening and admission.
– Use only JAMB’s official websites — efacility.jamb.gov.ng or portal.jamb.gov.ng to avoid scams.
JAMB Cautioned Against Manipulation
Candidates were strongly cautioned against manipulating the SMS received from the official platform (55019/66019) to fabricate or alter scores with the intent to mislead others, including parents.
“Such actions constitute a serious criminal offence. The Board treats such misconduct with the utmost gravity.”
“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means. Any candidate found culpable will face the full consequences of the law”, JAMB warned.
The examination is ongoing, and results will continue to be released as they become available.
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