The Inter Islamic Network on Information Technology (INIT) in collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), and the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology/National Space Research and Development Agency (FMST/NASRDA), Federal Republic of Nigeria convened the 4th 3-Day International Workshop on ‘Applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture’, in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on July 25 – 27, 2017. The venue of the Workshop was National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Workshop was aimed at expanding knowledge and strengthening capabilities of the participating researchers, academics and professionals belonging to participating countries regarding the cutting edge innovative ICT-based technologies and techniques used in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture sectors.
The Workshop was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Federal Republic of Nigeria on July 25, 2017. During his keynote address, the Hon’ble Minister stated that the major difference between the developed and the developing countries is the effective utilization of science, technology and innovation. He considered the information and communication technologies (ICTs) an effective tool for creation of wealth, strengthening economies, and achieving sustainable prosperity. The Hon’ble Minister highlighted the recent initiatives of the Nigerian Government for the promotion of science, technology and innovation for achieving economic progress, including Nigerian Economic Recovery Roadmap (2017-2030). He thanked INIT, ISESCO, and COMSATS for selecting Nigeria to host this important event and pledged that the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Science and Technology will continue collaboration with these organizations in future.
Before the keynote address of the honourable Minister, Mrs. Belema Wakama, Permanent Secretary, FMST, Nigeria, warmly welcomed the local and foreign speakers and participants of the Workshop. She emphasized that it would require a collective vision and commitment to transform the socio-economic landscape in the developing countries. She stated that the internet and mobile penetration is constantly increasing in Nigeria as well as other developing countries. In this regard, she recognized the transformative power of ICTs and their potential contribution towards achieving the sustainable development goals.
The message of the President INIT, Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, was delivered by Dr. Khalid Latif, Associate Professor, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Pakistan. In his message, Prof. Qamar stated that today’s era is the pinnacle of human evolution, which has witnessed the zenith of technological advancement and modernity. He informed that INIT has always been mindful of all necessities for the achievement of this ambition and the present workshop is a transpiration of a series of efforts by INIT focusing particularly on the needs of Education, Healthcare, and Agriculture sectors.
Mr. Farhan Ansari, Sr. Assistant Director (Programmes), COMSATS Headquarters, conveyed the Message of Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Executive Director COMSATS wherein he stated that during the last five decades, ICTs have brought a revolution in every sphere of life and applications of ICTs, including e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Education, e-Health and e-Environment, are considered as enablers for socio-economic development providing an efficient channel to deliver a wide range of basic services in remote and rural areas. ICT applications can facilitate in achieving the sustainable development goals. He thanked ISESCO, INIT and NASRDA (FMST) for joining hands with COMSATS to organize the workshop.
The inaugural session was also attended by distinguished guests belonging to universities, R&D organizations and government departments of Nigeria. Mr. Asim Ali Khan, Head of Chancery, High Commission of Pakistan in Abuja, was among the distinguished guests at the ceremony. The session ended with vote of thanks by Mr. Pharm A. Oguntunde, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Over 100 scholars, researchers, subject-experts and academicians from Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine participated in the Workshop. 16 presentations were made in the three thematic sessions of the Workshop spread over three days. The presenters focused on the applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture. The presentations made during the event, inter alia, related to: Optimizing Computer Based Test at all Levels of Education; Graduation Tracking System; Leveraging ICT for Distance Learning and Capacity Utilization; Evaluation of information usage with reference to the evolution of ICT; Using ICTs in Management of Universities; Actualizing Precision Agriculture in the Developing World; Role of Cognitive Automation in Education and Agriculture Sector; Improving the Use of GPS, GIS as Tools to help Agriculture Production; Integration of Satellite and RFID Solutions for Livestock Production and Management; Emerged Wireless Sensor Technologies and Monitoring Systems in Precision Agriculture Field; Environmental Information and Management systems; ICTs for agricultural development; Role of ICT in Malaria Eradication; and Telemedicine and HealthCare Delivery in the South-South.
The event was concluded on July 27, 2017, on the note of commitment to exploit the full potential of ICTs’ applications for improving the day-to-day life of a common man in the developing world.
Participating Countries:
The Workshop was participated by Resource Persons and participants from the following 6 countries:
1. Arab Republic of Egypt;
2. Federal Republic of Nigeria;
3. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
4. Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
5. Republic of Sudan; and
6. State of Palestine.
Participating Institutions:
The Resource Persons and participants from the following 70 institutions representing 6 countries participated in the Workshop:
1. A.T.B. U Bauchi, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
2. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
3. Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Giza, Arab Republic of Egypt;
4. Agricultural Research Council of Federal Republic of Nigeria, (ARCN), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
5. Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
6. Ahmadu Bello University, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
7. Baze University, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
8. Center for Information and Communication Technology, Royal Scientific Society, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
9. Centre For Geodesy & Geodynamics, Toro, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
10. Chemical Society, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
11. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
12. Energy Commission of Federal Republic of Nigeria (ECN), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
13. Faculty of Computers and Information, Helwan University, Arab Republic of Egypt;
14. Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagod, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
15. Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
16. Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
17. Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
18. Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
19. Galaxy Backbone Ltd, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
20. Godam Technologies, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
21. IBB University Lapai, Niger State; Federal Republic of Nigeria
22. Industrial Research and Consultancy Center (IRCC), Republic of Sudan;
23. Infographics Nig Ltd, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
24. Institute for Agricultural Research, A.B.U Zaria, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
25. Inter Islamic Network on Information Technology (INIT), Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
26. Madibbo Adama University of Science and Technology, Yola, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
27. Mulkishea Commodity Products Limited, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
28. My School Scope Integrated Co. Ltd, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
29. National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
30. National Agricultural Extension & Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), A.B.U Zaria, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
31. National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
32. National Board for Technology Incubation Abuja (NBTI), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
33. National Broadcasting Commission, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
34. National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
35. National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
36. National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research & Development (NIPRD), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
37. National Mathematical Centre Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
38. National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
39. National Open University of Nigeria, Federal Republic of Nigeria
40. National Veterinary Research Institute (VOM), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
41. NCCE Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
42. New Halfa Agriculture Corporation- Department of Agricultural Engineering (Irrigation and Water Management Section), Republic of Sudan;
43. Federal Republic of Nigeria Agricultural Qarantine Service (NAQS), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
44. Federal Republic of Nigeria Airforce, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
45. Federal Republic of Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
46. Federal Republic of Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
47. Federal Republic of Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
48. Federal Republic of Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
49. Federal Republic of Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
50. Federal Republic of Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
51. Federal Republic of Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
52. Federal Republic of Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
53. Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
54. NSCDC, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
55. Odyssey Educational Foundation, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
56. Office of the NSA, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
57. PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Islamic Republic of Pakistan;
58. Schoolly.Net, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
59. Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
60. Silicon Valley Limited, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
61. State Security Service (SSS), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
62. National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
63. International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
64. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Research & Development Centre (RFID), Federal Republic of Nigeria;
65. GIS National Emergency Management Agency, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
66. University of Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
67. CINFORES Ltd, Federal Republic of Nigeria;
68. Ministry of Education and Higher Education, State of Palestine;
69. Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; and
70. Veterinary Council of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Resource Persons:
The following were the Resource Persons of the Workshop:
1. Mr. Ibifuro Asawo
Managing Director, CINFORES Ltd,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
2. Mr. Munther Ahmad Mohammad Salahat,
Ministry of Education and Higher Education,
State of Palestine.
3. Mr. Chinenye Mbaozukweul
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
4. Ms. Subashine Isanka Edirisuriya Maddumage,
Research Scientist,
Industrial Technology Institute,
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
5. Mr. Mahmoud Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan
Head, IT Department,
Faculty of Computers and information Helwan University,
Arab Republic of Egypt.
6. Dr. John Momoh
Assistant Director,
NASRDA, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
7. Dr. Khalid Latif
Assistant Professor,
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology,
Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
8. Mr. Justine Nwazurike
Head,
GIS National Emergency Management Agency,
Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
9. Dr. Daniel Onibhade Omofoman,
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Research & Development Centre (RFID),
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
10. Dr. Saleem Iqbal
Assistant Professor,
PMAS Arid Agriculture University,
Rawalpindi, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
11. Ms. Islam Mamdoun Abdelmunaim Ahmad
Manager of Business Solutions, Center for Information and Communication, Technology, Royal Scientific Society,
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
12. Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Abd Elmawla Mohamed
Agriculture Engineer,
New Halfa Agriculture Corporation,
Department of Agricultural Engineering Irrigation and
Water Management Section, Republic of Sudan.
13. Prof. Dr. Prince Philip Chidi Njemanze
Chidicon Medical Center,
International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
14. Ms. Esraa Bashir Mohamed Elyas
Researcher,
Industrial Research and Consultancy Center (IRCC),
Republic of Sudan.
15. Dr. Akeem Abolade Oyerinde
University of Abuja,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
16. Prof. Seidu O. Mohammed
Director General,
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
17. Dr. Nkem Momah
MBBS Nig, MPH, NITDA,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.