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NCC Urges NSSB to Create Awareness about Digital Literacy

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board (NSSB) to support the NCC in creating awareness about the intervention projects of the Commission concerning research and digital literacy in order to provide more opportunities for the citizenry.

Director of Digital Economy at the Commission, Dr. Augustine Nwaulune, who hosted a delegation of the Board, led by the Board’s Executive Secretary, Hajia Saadatu Yahya, on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, recently, recalled that Nasarawa State is one of the beneficiaries of NCC’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) intervention projects such as the Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) for secondary schools, the Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI), the Wireless Cloud, as well as the E-Health programme.

“While we don’t give scholarship to students, the NCC has continued to give research grants to lecturers and students in the universities, and provided additional opportunities including sponsoring competitions involving students, as well as endowing professorial chairs in universities across the country. In the last seven years, the financial value of the endowments and grants is more than N500 million.

“Therefore, I will appeal to NSSB to create awareness about these initiatives of the NCC among stakeholders in the academia, particularly the research grants to enable stakeholders to leverage such opportunities offered by the Commission to scholars interested in carrying out telecommunications-based research,” he said.

Nwaulune said the NCC has been upbeat in ensuring implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030, in which one of its eight pillars, rests on digital literacy, while the Digital Economy Department has been set up and equipped by the Commission with the human resources required to coordinate its programmes in concrete terms.

Yahya, whose delegation visited to discuss areas of collaboration for deepening digital/technical training and skills acquisition in Nasarawa State, commended the Commission for the central role it has played in promoting digital awareness and skills across the country, and pleaded that Nasarawa State should be given more opportunities to benefit from NCC’s social investments and other digital economy-focused interventions, being the closest State to the Federal Capital Territory, the base of the Commission.

“The purpose of our visit is to seek collaboration with the NCC in whatever ways possible, especially in the areas of scholarship, and ICT skills and literacy for our people.

“The ICT is, today, the engine room of global economy and we do not want to lag in this new digital order, hence, our decision to seek collaboration with organisations in the ICT space such as yours to work which, especially because you are contiguous to our State,” Yahya, the NSSB Executive Secretary said.

Other members of the delegation, including Senior Special Assistant to Nasarawa State Governor on Information and Communication Technology, Haruna Sani; and the President, Nasarawa State Students Association, Sani Jibrin, spoke in favour of a greater collaboration with the NCC which would add the needed impetus to the current efforts by the state government to leverage ICT for economic development.


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General News

UK’s Manufacturing Africa and TLG Capital Join Forces to Boost Nigerian Manufacturing

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L-R: Director, Head of International Affairs, BPI France, Isabelle Bebear; Swedfund Regional Director for West Africa, Kitanha Toure; British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter; Co-founder & CEO of TLG Capital, Zain Latif and IFC World Bank Group, Regional Industry Manager, Alexandra Celestin at the signing ceremony today in Lagos.
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The UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme has formed a strategic partnership with investment firm TLG Capital to enhance funding opportunities for Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

L-R: Director, Head of International Affairs, BPI France, Isabelle Bebear; Swedfund Regional Director for West Africa, Kitanha Toure; British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter; Co-founder & CEO of TLG Capital, Zain Latif and IFC World Bank Group, Regional Industry Manager, Alexandra Celestin at the signing ceremony today in Lagos.

This collaboration aims to strengthen Nigerian businesses’ eligibility for financing through Africa Growth Impact Fund II (AGIF II), which has raised $75 million towards its $200 million target.

Supported by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), Swedfund, Norfund, and Bpifrance, the fund seeks to channel capital into promising manufacturing businesses across Nigeria.

Manufacturing Africa will assist companies with due diligence, corporate finance, ESG compliance, gender inclusion, and operational improvements, ensuring they meet investment criteria.

One of the first beneficiaries of this initiative is Terra Aqua, an aluminium recycling company in Ogun State. Terra Aqua is set to receive $7.5 million in debt financing from TLG Capital, contingent on meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benchmarks.

If successful, this deal could create 200 direct jobs and 752 indirect jobs, while utilizing a recycling process that consumes 95% less energy than producing primary aluminium.

Since its launch in 2020, Manufacturing Africa has supported 41 investment deals in Nigeria, aiming to secure over $1 billion in foreign direct investment and create 38,000 direct jobs. Across Africa, the programme has facilitated nearly $2.4 billion in investment, leading to 102,000 new jobs.

UK Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter emphasized the importance of a robust manufacturing sector in driving Nigeria’s economic growth.

Manufacturing Africa’s Team Leader, Thomas Pascoe, highlighted the development potential in African manufacturing, while TLG Capital Co-Founder, Isha Doshi, underscored AGIF II’s goal of providing flexible, strategic financing tailored to the African business landscape.

This initiative is set to accelerate industrial growth, create jobs, and position Nigerian manufacturers as viable investment opportunities.


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Kuda Business Partners with Paystack and SeerBit to Support Nigerian SMEs

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Kuda has launched Kuda Business Perks, a new initiative aimed at providing Nigerian SMEs with discounted services to ease operational costs amid economic challenges. With rising inflation, FX instability, and sluggish consumer demand, small businesses are struggling to maintain profitability.

SMEs make up 96% of businesses in Nigeria and contribute nearly half of the country’s GDP, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and SMEDAN.

However, a 2024 PwC Nigeria MSME Survey found that over 70% of Nigerian SMEs cite high operational costs as their biggest barrier to growth.

To address this, Kuda Business Perks offers discounted services across key business areas, including payments, inventory tracking, staff healthcare, and marketing.

Through partnerships with fintech providers like SeerBit and Paystack, as well as platforms such as Vendy, OneHealth, Lumi, and Braudit, SMEs registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and holding Kuda business accounts can access affordable tools to streamline operations.

According to Nosa Oyegun, VP of Product Innovation and Strategy at Kuda, the initiative is about providing practical solutions rather than generic rewards. He emphasized that small businesses need tools that work and pricing that makes sense, and Kuda is partnering with platforms that matter to lower cost barriers.

The rollout is happening in phases, with each perk addressing a core business need. For example, businesses using SeerBit through Kuda will enjoy lower transaction fees on local payments, while Paystack integration will help SMEs accept payments globally more efficiently.

Kuda Business Perks showcases how digital banking infrastructure can evolve beyond access to affordability, tackling one of the most pressing challenges for Nigerian SMEs today.


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FG to Sanction Airports Without Permits from January 2026

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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that, from January 1, 2026, all local airports and airstrips operating without valid permits will face sanctions.

Speaking at the maiden Airstrip Owners/Operators Stakeholders’ Engagement in Lagos on Monday, Godwin Balang, Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, said only a few of Nigeria’s 92 airstrips currently hold valid operational permits. These include operational, non-operational, and airstrips under rehabilitation or construction.

Balang stated that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been informed that, from 1 January 2026, local airports under its management without proper permits will be sanctioned. “FAAN has been apprised that effective from 1st January 2026, local airports without appropriate permits under its management would be sanctioned accordingly. This is not a threat but a collective resolve,” he said.

The NCAA noted that 68 of the 92 airstrips are federal government properties managed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, while 24 are owned by individuals and private organisations. The authority to enforce these measures comes from Section 71 (3) & (4)(a) of the Civil Aviation Authority Act 2022, which empowers the NCAA to certify aerodrome operations and set safety standards.

Balang addressed stakeholders’ pleas to review the N30 million permit fee and other charges to encourage investment. “I completely agree with you because by doing that it would look like the government will be making less money, but we are actually going to be making more money.

“We have a population of over 200 million people with conservatively less than three million people who are actively flying. So, it is also a big opportunity that if we are able to charge less, more people will be able to fly,” he said.

NCAA Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, outlined the engagement’s goals: to improve communication with state and private airstrip operators, clarify regulatory requirements, address challenges, and promote global best practices.

“It is my fervent hope that these objectives will be fully realised and airstrip operations in Nigeria will, henceforth, be conducted in strict compliance with all regulatory provisions and global best practices,” he said.


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