Telecom
DG NITDA Calls for ICT-Academia Partnership to Empower Nigerian Students with Digital Skills
The need for Nigeria to deepen Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) – Academia partnership has again been emphasised by Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), at the Huawei Education Summit 2022 (THES2022) which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Inuwa who was represented by Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director, Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions (ITIS), said it has become expedient to forge and strengthen linkages between the ICT industry and tertiary institutions due to the benefits.
According to him, NITDA as the apex IT regulator in Nigeria under the supervision of Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, is committed to ensuring that efforts in this regard are supported and sustained.
“We cannot go far as a nation if ICT adoption in our tertiary institutions is not systemic and coherent. The world is becoming digital and tertiary institutions are where our leaders of tomorrow come from. Hence, we must do everything possible to empower them”, Inuwa maintained.
While making reference to available statistics which he noted have shown that about 65% of Nigerians are aged 35 years or younger and they are mostly considered to be millennials, a highly-skilled tech-savvy generation, Inuwa observed that it is not therefore surprising that the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg during his visit to Nigeria in 2016, asserted that he was blown away with the talents he saw in the Country.
The DG avowed that developing digital skills for Africans and particularly Nigerian students is significant for the development and industrialisation of the continent, adding that Nigerian students are digital natives; what they need is an enabling environment.
“This can be seen in the successes recorded by Nigerian students in global competitions, especially the Huawei Global ICT Competition series.”
“You may recall that at the fourth series, the Nigerian team won the first prize in the Regional Final in South Africa and the third place in the Global Final while at the fifth series, three Nigerian teams entered the Global Final and won the Grand Prize in the Practice Competition in both the Network Track and the Cloud Track”, the DG recalled.
Inuwa further affirmed that humans are now living in an ever evolving digital world where ICT breeds innovation which has made digital skills highly essential to be successful.
He noted that the importance of ICT informed the identification of the Digital Literacy and Skills pillar of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria (NDEPS, 2020-30), as the policy has an ambitious target of attaining 95% Digital Literacy and Skills by 2030.
“It is plain to see that acquiring digital skills and gaining new qualifications is the key to success in the modern age; whether you are a new entrant looking to climb the career ladder, the founder of a startup, or a senior executive in charge of a large team, failure to keep up with the times could prove disastrous. Regardless of where in the world you find yourself, regardless of the place you start, opportunity can be open for all in the digital economy”, Inuwa explained.
He enumerated other pillars of NDEPS include: Developmental Regulation; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Digital Services Development & Promotion; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Society & Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Development & Adoption.
“NITDA, as one of the implementing Agencies of the Ministry, has been carrying out series of Intervention Programmes in Tertiary Institutions. These include the deployment of ICT Parks and Innovation Hubs, Hive Centres and Centres of Cyber Security Research,” he noted.
He added that the summit couldn’t have come at a better time, as it will avail participants the opportunity to discuss and share ideas on how best the Academia, Industry and Government can partner towards meeting the expectations of learners, industry and society at large.
He commended and expressed gratitude to Huawei Technologies for its commitment to promoting ICT development in Nigeria.
“Huawei’s effort at digital literacy and skills in the country in some was is to help the Agency achieve its mandates. Our presence here shows how committed we are in in the realisation of NDEPS’ vision of transforming Nigeria into a leading digital economy, providing quality life and digital economies for all as well as the mission of building a nation where digital innovation and entrepreneurship are used to create value and prosperity for all”, Inuwa said.
Other stakeholders described the event as key to empowering the teaming Nigerian students with the requisite skills to thrive.
They expressed the hope that it will also give the Heads and Principals of higher education real life, globally recognised solutions and standards to propel the Nigerian education sector in meeting the growing expectations, and delivering global standard in the quality of teaching and learning experience.
The Huawei Education Summit Themed ” New Approach in Meeting Rising Educational Expectation”, according to the organisers was convened in response to observed trends in the Nigerian Higher Education Sector – Increasing relevance of technology in higher education learning and teaching, Gender Equity and Inclusion in higher education, research and innovation in higher education campuses, teaching quality and relevance.
Moreso, the Summit provided rare opportunity to highlight the challenges in higher education system, with a view to setting up an agenda for education professionals, industry, government and regulatory bodies, both national and international, to discuss, share, present solutions and a way forward towards addressing identified trends.
Starting February 2027, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has mandated mobile network operators and other communications service providers to notify it within four hours of detecting any cyberattack.
This is aimed at strengthening the protection of telecom infrastructure and subscriber data.
The directive is contained in the Cyber Resilience Framework for the Nigerian Communications Sector (CRF-NCS) released by the NCC last month.
According to the NCC, the rule will take effect in February 2027, giving operators a year to put in place the necessary monitoring and reporting systems.
Under the framework, telecommunications companies must alert the regulator within four hours of detecting a cyber incident and continue to provide updates every four hours until the situation is contained.
Operators are also required to submit a confirmation report within 24 hours through a dedicated reporting portal.
The commission said the framework is designed to strengthen cybersecurity oversight in a sector that handles vast volumes of sensitive consumer and national infrastructure data.
Cyber threats targeting telecom networks can lead to service disruptions, data breaches affecting subscriber information, malware infections and other attacks capable of crippling communications systems, according to the regulator.
By introducing faster reporting timelines, the commission said it hopes to improve sector-wide situational awareness and ensure quicker response to threats before they escalate into major outages or data compromises.
The framework also requires telecommunications companies to establish dedicated Security Operations Centres (SOC) to monitor networks continuously for suspicious activity and cyber threats.
These centres are expected to detect and report malicious activities promptly while coordinating responses internally.
In addition, each operator must designate a cybersecurity lead responsible for working with the commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) to share intelligence and coordinate responses to incidents affecting the communications ecosystem.
The NCC said the new framework forms part of broader efforts to strengthen resilience across Nigeria’s communications infrastructure and promote a unified cybersecurity posture in the sector.
The measures come amid growing global and domestic concern over data breaches and cyber intrusions targeting companies that manage large volumes of digital information.
Telecommunications companies, which serve as gateways for internet traffic, mobile banking, messaging and other digital services, are increasingly seen as critical infrastructure vulnerable to cyber threats.
Nigeria’s telecom regulator has in recent years tightened rules around data protection and network security as the country’s digital economy expands.
A United States federal court in the Southern District of New York has comprehensively dismissed all claims against Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by registered users, in a high-profile lawsuit under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Binance
The 62-page decision represents a decisive legal victory, rejecting allegations from 535 plaintiffs who claimed the platform provided material support linked to 64 terrorist attacks.
The court meticulously examined and dismissed every central allegation, ruling that plaintiffs failed to establish Binance assisted terrorists, associated itself with the attacks, participated in or sought to advance them, or engaged in any conspiracy with terrorist organisations.
This full dismissal underscores the absence of evidence supporting the claims, affirming Binance’s long-standing position that the suit was meritless.
Binance General Counsel Eleanor Hughes described the outcome as “a complete vindication of all false allegations.” She emphasised: “The court has unambiguously rejected the false and damaging narrative that Binance assisted terrorists.
“We have always maintained these claims were without merit, and today’s ruling confirms that. We will continue to defend ourselves aggressively against any litigation or reporting that misrepresents who we are and how we operate.”
While the ruling grants plaintiffs 60 days to file an amended complaint in light of a recent appellate decision, Binance expressed strong confidence that no revisions can remedy the “fundamental deficiencies” identified by the court. The exchange views this as a thorough examination and rejection of the underlying assertions.
Binance reaffirmed its commitment to industry-leading compliance infrastructure, proactive regulatory engagement, and robust legal governance worldwide.
The company stressed that its operations do not support, facilitate, or enable terrorism in any form, and it plans to maintain constructive dialogue with regulators while pursuing vigorous defences against misleading narratives.
This development bolsters Binance’s position amid ongoing global scrutiny of crypto platforms, highlighting its operational integrity in a sector often targeted by unsubstantiated claims.
TikTok has announced an additional $200,000 investment in AI media literacy initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa during its third annual Safer Internet Summit in Nairobi, underscoring the platform’s push for safer online spaces amid rising digital challenges.
TikTok
The two-day event, themed #SaferTogether: ‘Innovation and Safety’, gathered government officials, regulators, safety partners, and industry leaders from the region. It builds on prior summits in Ghana (2024) and Cape Town (2025), focusing on collaborative solutions for online protection.
TikTok’s Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Tokunbo Ibrahim, stated: “Our mission is clear: to share learnings, tackle challenges, and advance actionable solutions that protect citizens online. By uniting policymakers, innovators, and creators, we ensure all-inclusive conversations for a resilient digital landscape.”
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Hon. William Kabogo, who opened the summit, added: “This reflects our commitment to collaboration, sector growth, and a safe digital space. We must advance digital innovation, responsible AI governance, and strong regional partnerships.”
Boosting AI Literacy with Local Partners
A summit highlight was TikTok’s expanded $2 million AI Literacy Fund, launched globally in November 2025. The new $200,000 in ad credits targets local organisations to combat misinformation and empower users.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, initial grantees include:
Mtoto News (Kenya): Producing content to help youth engage responsibly with AI.
Africa Check (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya): Enhancing fact-checking against AI-generated deepfakes.
CJID/DUBAWA (West Africa): Amplifying truth via independent fact-checking to fight information disorder.
Valiant Richey, TikTok’s Global Head of Partnerships, Elections & Market Integrity, said: “We partner with trusted locals because their expertise makes AI literacy impactful, empowering communities as viewers or creators.”
Transparency and Moderation Advances
Delegates explored TikTok’s AI-driven safety measures, including mandatory labelling of AI-generated content (AIGC), advanced detection, and partnerships like the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) for watermarking.
With over 100 million daily uploads, AI aids proactive moderation: Q3 2025 data shows 14 million videos removed in Sub-Saharan Africa, 96.7% via automated tech, complementing human oversight.
The summit ended with pledges for ongoing digital safety efforts across the region.
Meta to Charge Location Fees on Ads to Six Countries from July 1, 2026
Tizeti Tests Ad-Funded Internet Access Model in Nigeria and Ghana
Court Orders Final Forfeiture of N81.1m Sterling Bank Fraud Funds
NCC Orders Telcos to Report Cyberattacks Within 4 Hours from 2027
FG Mulls Age Restriction for Kids on Social Media
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation Bolsters Nigeria’s Education Drive with ₦2.7m Student Support
Kaspersky Brings more Transparency to Threat Detection with New Hunt Hub
Kaspersky Discovers New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google Tasks Notifications to Steal Corporate Credentials
esentry 2025 Report Shows Healthcare, Financial Services and Telecoms as Staging Grounds for Increased Cyberattacks in Africa
AfDB, UNDP Launch $10Bn AI Initiative for Africa
Telecom2 days agoDimension Data Nigeria Seals N20bn Bond Deal to Bridge Digital Infrastructure Gap
Telecom2 days agoFirst Batch of Nigerian Undergraduates Emerged in Airtel Africa Foundation Scholarships Programme
E-Business2 days agoCBN Affirms Alpha Morgan Bank’s Capitalisation
General News1 day agoZedvance Hits ₦96bn Lending Milestone, Eyes ₦250bn Target in 2026
E-Financial2 days agoPolaris Bank Marks IWD2026 with Renewed Pledge to Women’s Empowerment
General News2 days agoMojisola Sayo-Kazeem Reflects on Leadership, Opportunity, Women in Tech @ IWD
Broadcasting1 day agoMadonna University Taps Tech Guru Adote for Strategic Board Role
General News2 days agoExperts Weigh Blockchain Option for Nigeria’s Elections Process