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Four Female Niger Delta Teen App Developers For World Tech Summit In USA

Published

1 year ago

July 12, 2024

Between October 15 and 19 this year, the four female students from Nigeria who developed an android application named AgriConnect, meant to deal with hunger issues in the country, will be attending this year’s World Technovation Girls Challenge holding in Silicon Valley, California, in the United States of America.

The JSS2 students-Oghenemaro Tejiri,12, Salome Akhabhau,11, Excel Barile-Nwika,11 and Goodness Nwonanne-Chima,12- are students of a Port- Harcourt based private secondary school, Jacob’s Well High School, who developed an android application called AgriConnect to combat hunger in Nigeria.

The girls were under the tutelage of Code Ambassadors, the consultants engaged to groom students in the school to become shining stars in the evolving tech world

The AgriConnect was among the 3,200 android applications developed by about 11,000 girls from 69 countries, including the USA, UK, Japan, China, Canada, and Spain.

The four girls who call themselves the Smart Elite, fell into the beginners division of the contest, whose age bracket falls between eight and 12 years; the other categories being the junior division (ages 13-17) and Senior Division (ages 18 and above).

After series of assessments by several judges drawn from various disciplines, 15 android applications were selected as finalists (five android applications for each division), while three android applications were selected for special awards, which virtual ceremony took place on July 9.

For their outstanding app, the young Nigerian female developers who were given special recognition, are being invited to the all expenses paid technovation summit where the grand awardees would be selected.

Coordinator and proprietor of the school, Mrs Egondu Jacob, told journalists that it was not surprising that her students were putting Rivers State, the Niger Delta and Nigeria on the list of nations of the world whose students are outstanding in apps developments at a very young age.

She said: “The news of the exceptional performance of our girls and the special award for combating hunger was received with lots of excitements by the board chairman, Engr. Unwana Jacob and the entire school.

“This achievement is a dream fulfilled because having seen our biological children- Miss Ukemeabasi Unwana Jacob (with 8A1s and 1B2 result in the 2023 WASSCE) and Master Uwakmfon Unwana Jacob (a young maths Icon with over 40 national and international medals in mathematics)-receiving national and international accolades in their secondary school education, we had challenged ourselves that under God, children from other families should equally be trained to stand out and be recognized nationally and globally through the facilities and programmes of the Jacob’s Well Schools International.

“We are grateful to God for the enormous support received from our consultant, Mr. Somkenechukwu Mamah, the founder of Code Ambassadors (an organization dedicated to training kids & teens in technology, problems solving and entrepreneurship), amazing staff and also from parents in the school. We are optimistic that greater achievements are on the way and Nigeria and Africa would be made proud through the achievements of our students.

“It is interesting to note that AgriConnect was the only android application from Nigeria that made it to the final round as well as the only android application in Africa that got a special award out of the three mobile applications recognized for a special award, globally.”

She added that in today’s world that was being driven by technology, it was important for Nigerian leaders to invest in and encourage children to grow in their knowledge of technology, adding that it was for that reason that Jacob’s Well Schools decided to introduce coding and robotics and ICT to pupils from primary one.

“As at date, students and pupils in the school have created over 12 android applications to solve societal problems and some of these apps have received international recognitions. Five android applications created by the five teams of female students in the school were registered for the 2024 Technovation Global Competition, an annual event where girls from various countries in the world register in teams in order to showcase their tech-based solutions to community problems created by their teams in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

The school’s tech consultant expressed the hope that the female quartet app developers would stand out “as the youngest startup co-founders who leverage technology to solve more problems, especially in the agricultural sector.

“In the next five years, they should have gained experience building business models around their solution, gaining more traction, attracting funding, and inspiring more young minds to start their tech journey early enough. I hope the country supports them by providing all the resources and access they need to get their solution into the hands of Nigerians.”

Nation

Related Topics:app developer Niger Delta

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Top 5 Richest African Immigrants In US

Published

39 minutes ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

The US is a country built on ambition and enterprise. Despite this, a handful of African immigrants have not only found their footing, but they’ve thrived.

Navigating the fast-paced, often unforgiving terrain of American capitalism, these individuals turned bold dreams into billion-dollar realities. From humble beginnings in places like Pretoria, Lagos and Alexandria, they stepped into industries like tech, medicine, entertainment and finance, fields that demand not just talent, but grit, resilience and a deep belief in one’s vision. Their stories are more than just financial success; they’re powerful testaments to what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.

These five remarkable men are among the richest African immigrants in the US today and their journeys continue to inspire across continents.

1. Elon Musk – $393.1 billion (South Africa)

Elon Musk stands at the pinnacle of global wealth as the richest African immigrant in the United States and the world. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk moved to the US via Canada and went on to revolutionise transportation, energy and space exploration.

As CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, his ventures have redefined electric vehicles and private spaceflight. With a net worth of $393.1 billion, Musk’s vision extends from Earth to Mars, placing him leagues ahead in both ambition and fortune.

2. Patrick Soon-Shiong – $5.6 billion (South Africa)

South African-born Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong made his billions in medicine and biotechnology. A former surgeon, he developed the breakthrough cancer drug Abraxane and built two major pharmaceutical companies. Now based in Los Angeles, he runs NantWorks, a healthcare innovation hub, and owns The Los Angeles Times. With a net worth of $5.6 billion, Soon-Shiong is not only a medical pioneer but also a key player in media and technology in the US. He is now the 34th richest man in the world.

3. Rodney Sacks & Family – $3.6 billion (South Africa)

Rodney Sacks, originally a lawyer in South Africa, moved to the US and built Monster Beverage into a global giant in the energy drink market. That brought him up the list of world billionaires (54th). Co-founding the company in the 1990s, he helped turn Monster into a pop culture phenomenon through sponsorships in extreme sports, music, and gaming. Today, with a net worth of $3.6 billion, Sacks is among the top African-born business magnates shaping consumer tastes in America.

4. Haim Saban – $3.1 billion (Egypt)

Egyptian-born Haim Saban became a media powerhouse after moving to the US and creating the Power Rangers franchise. A veteran of the television and entertainment industry, Saban is also a savvy investor and philanthropist. He stands tall at 61st in the world billionaire ranking. His influence spans children’s programming, political advocacy and major media investments—including a past controlling interest in Univision. With $3.1 billion to his name, Saban remains one of the most successful African-born figures in Hollywood and beyond.

5. Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi – $2.4 billion (Nigeria)

Nigerian-born Adebayo Ogunlesi is a towering figure in global finance. As the chairman and managing partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), he oversees investments in some of the world’s busiest airports and critical infrastructure. A Harvard-trained lawyer and banker, Ogunlesi has led high-stakes deals across continents. With a net worth of $2.4 billion, he stands as a symbol of African excellence in Wall Street’s upper echelons. He ranks 77th among the world’s billionaires.

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‘This Is Why I Hate London’, Ivan Toney Fumes After His Car Is Broken Into

Published

1 hour ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

England international Ivan Toney has voiced his frustration after returning to find his car had been broken into during a trip to London.

Toney, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, is spending his summer break in the UK.

However, his visit to the capital took a sour turn when he discovered his black car with its front and rear windows shattered.

The striker posted a photo of the damage on Instagram with the caption: “This is why I hate London.”

The incident occurred while Ivan Toney was back in the city, where he had been spotted attending Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park alongside fellow footballers Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho.

It remains unclear whether anything was stolen from the vehicle or where exactly in London the break-in took place. However, crime continues to be a concern across many boroughs, with over 950,000 crimes reported in the capital last year. Former Metropolitan Police officers have criticized the state of law enforcement, suggesting criminals act with impunity.

Toney’s frustration comes at a time when phone thefts and gang-related youth crimes are also rising in the city. Public transport has not been spared either, with over 31,000 offences recorded across London’s network between January and August last year.

The 28-year-old forward moved to Al-Ahli from Brentford last year in a £40 million deal. He made an instant impact, scoring 30 goals in his debut season.

Despite the recent car trouble, it’s still uncertain whether Toney will be called up again for England’s upcoming fixtures. He was part of the squad for the June matches against Andorra and Senegal but saw limited action — remaining on the bench during the 1-0 win over Andorra and playing only briefly in the 3-1 loss to Senegal.

England are set to face Andorra again at Wembley in September, followed by matches against Serbia, Wales, and Latvia in the following months. Whether Toney features remains to be seen.

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Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal

Published

8 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump told Russia on Monday to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO.

Trump said he was “very, very unhappy” with Vladimir Putin, underlining his insistence that his patience had finally snapped with the Russian leader’s refusal to end the deadly conflict.

“We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The Republican added that they would be “secondary tariffs” that target Russia’s remaining trade partners — seeking to impede Moscow’s ability to survive already sweeping Western sanctions.

Russia’s top trading partner last year was China, accounting for about 34 percent, followed distantly by India, Turkey and Belarus, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.

Trump and Rutte also unveiled a deal under which the NATO military alliance would buy billions of dollars of arms from the United States — including Patriot anti-missile batteries — and send them to Ukraine.

“This is really big,” said Rutte, as he touted a deal aimed at easing Trump’s long-held complaints that the United States is paying more than European and NATO allies to aid Ukraine.

Germany, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Britain were among the buyers helping Ukraine, added the NATO chief.

“If I was Vladimir Putin today and heard you speaking… I would reconsider that I should take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously,” said Rutte.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with Trump and was “grateful” for the arms deal.

In a BBC interview published Tuesday, Trump expressed disappointment with Putin.

“I’m disappointed in him, but I’m not done with him,” the US president said.

When asked if he trusted the Russian leader, Trump replied: “I trust almost no one.”

– Growing frustration –

Trump attempted a rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term, having campaigned on a pledge to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.

His pivot towards Putin sparked fears in Kyiv that he was about to sell out Ukraine, especially after he and his team berated Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.

But in recent weeks, Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin, as Russian has stepped up attacks rather than halting them.

Trump said his wife Melania had helped change his thinking about Putin.

“I go home, I tell the First Lady, ‘you know, I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation,’” Trump said. “And she said, ‘Oh really? Another city was just hit.’”

He added of Putin: “I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy.”

Washington has also U-turned on pausing some arms deliveries to Kyiv.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would play a “decisive role” in the new weapons plan.

But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Trump’s sanctions deadline was too far into the future. “Fifty days is a very long time if we see that they are killing innocent civilians every day,” she said.

Beijing opposed what it called attempts at “coercion”, including “all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.”

“Coercion and pressure will not solve problems,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

– ‘Better late than never’ –
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who are pushing a bipartisan bill on Russia secondary sanctions, praised Trump’s “powerful” ultimatum to Russia.

Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday for what Zelensky called a “productive meeting.”

One Ukrainian soldier deployed in the war-scarred east of the country, who identified himself by his call sign Grizzly, welcomed Trump’s promise of fresh air defense systems.

“Better late than never,” the 29-year-old told AFP.

Russian forces meanwhile said on Monday they had captured new territory in eastern Ukraine with the seizure of one village in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Its forces also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.

In Kyiv, Zelensky also proposed a major political shake-up, recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko take over as prime minister, and appointing incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmygal as defense minister.

AFP