Telecom
Stakeholders Urge INEC to Partner NCC, Galaxy Backbone, Others to Improve Broadband Connectivity in Remote Areas
Stakeholders in information and communications technology have urged Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to work closely with the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone, NigComsat, and other private internet broadband providers to improve broadband connectivity and protect robust seamless network infrastructure across the country, as well extend reliable connectivity to remote areas.
This is part of the recommendations at the end of National Workshop on Election Infrastructure organised by the Centre for Cyberspace Studies, Nasarawa State University, held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
The workshop which has the theme: Enriching the Values of Free, Fair, Inclusive, Credible and Transparent Elections was declared open by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Aliu Ibrahim Pantami.
In his speech, the Minister, who was the special guest of honour, commended the organisers for providing a strategic platform that will enhance stakeholder engagement to ensure that the digital provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 deliver the expected credible, free, fair, inclusive and transparent election in 2023.
The central objective of the Workshop was to avail stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral process an opportunity to brainstorm on the concerns, challenges, and desirable interventions needed to enhance effective preparations and delivery of successful 2023 National elections.
This is against the need to balance the benefits of digital transformation and the usual negative effects of cybercrime and cyberwarfare directed against election infrastructure. Among the dignitaries at the event were Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa State University; His Royal Highness, Dr David Wodi Tukura, the Aguma of Bassa Turunku Chiefdom in Nasarawa State.
Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, President DBI, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); Prof. Yakubu Aliyu, a US-based Cybersecurity expert; Engr. Mohammed Rudman, Chief Executive Officer, of Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) and President NiRA; Dr Daniel Omofoman, Executive Director of African Electoral Integrity Initiative; DCP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, Director NPF-NCCC, Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, Force Headquarters. Others were representatives of the Chief Executive Officers of the Nigeria Communications Commission, Department of State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Defence Space Administration (DSA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The workshop which was conducted in a hybrid mode (in-person and virtual) had a total of 162 national and international participants and featured over thirty-five top-level resource persons from academia and industry across the globe.
The keynote address was delivered by a cybersecurity expert and pioneer Commandant of the EFCC Academy, His Royal Highness, Dr David Wodi Tukura, who is also the Aguma of Bassa Turunku Chiefdom in Nasarawa State.
Professor Tonnie Iredia, former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) delivered the lead paper which appraised the 2022 Electoral Act.
Other resource persons include Engr. Lucky Okehigbemen (Germany); Dr Uche M. Mbanaso, Executive Director, Centre for Cyberspace Studies, NSUK; Dr Kenneth Okereafor, and Dr Steven Bassey. Professors: Francisca Ogwurleka (University of Abuja), Emmanuel Dandaura (Executive Director, Institute of Strategic and Development Communication); Mohammed Ajiya; Yusuf Yakubu (USA).
In his welcome address, the Convener and Vice-Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Suleiman Bala Mohammed thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for the boldness to reform the Nigerian electoral process to include the use of digital resources like BVAS and IReV for the first time.
He noted that “Mr. President’s intention to entrench a legacy of credible, fair, free, inclusive and transparent election in 2023 is the highest demonstration of patriotism and statesmanship”. He stated that the Workshop was primarily conceived by the “Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), to support this noble vision of Mr. President”.
The VC also commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and his team, for their enthusiasm and resilience to wholesomely implement the Electoral Act 2022 without compromise.
Observations
At the end of the three-day event, the participants observed as follows:
- Currently, the nation is faced with the challenges of stable and reliable broadband internet connectivity across the country to support effective digital electoral processes;
- The interoperability challenges in synchronizing the IPv4 and the IPv6 networks remain unresolved;
iii. The cybersecurity posture of the nation has avoidable gaps, especially in the area of capacity building to create a pipeline of cybersecurity workforce that is very knowledgeable and skilled to enhance the protection of national cyberspace. Foreign interferences were raised especially, the potential for foreign supply chains to leverage on ‘vendor trust’ to infiltrate digital election infrastructure unnoticeably.
- Stakeholders are persuaded that owing to the expansive functions under its enabling Act, as amended, INEC is overstretched, hence unable to fully discharge its functions like effective voter education and control of election offences;
- The use of proprietary ICT products from vendors located in foreign countries as part of Nigerian election infrastructure increases the surface vulnerabilities that foreign adversaries may exploit to compromise the integrity of Nigerian elections;
- Stakeholders decry the non-utilization of the data being collected by statutory bodies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC) to evolve a seamless voter register. By her mandate, the NPC maintains a record of births and deaths so should know which citizen has come of voting age or is deceased.
Recommendations
Given the foregoing, the participants recommend the following:
- To ensure hitch-free elections, INEC should work closely with the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone, NigComsat, and other private internet broadband providers to improve broadband connectivity and protect robust seamless network infrastructure across the country, to extend reliable connectivity to remote areas;
- The NCC and NITDA should facilitate full implementation of IPv6 and ensure timely synchronization with IPv4 to enhance interoperability of digital infrastructure elements;
iii. The Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) currently in charge of Cybersecurity should designate some tertiary institutions as Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Cybersecurity to advance capacity building, research and development (R&D) as coordinated and measurable measures to improve national cybersecurity posture. This buttresses the urgent need for a pipeline of cybersecurity workforce that is very knowledgeable and skilled to enhance the protection of national cyberspace.
- Stakeholders recommend the streamlining of INEC functions into the following complimentary Election Management Bodies (EMBs) to allow INEC to focus on the conduct of elections: (a) Electoral Offences Commission to handle issues of electoral misconduct and crimes; (b) Digital Election Technology Infrastructure Commission to continuously research, design, develop and deploy homegrown digital election components to be used by INEC; (c) Voters Education and Awareness function currently under INEC should be transferred to the National Orientation Agency (NOA) which has more established structures for mass mobilization and education in all local governments areas in Nigeria. Separating these related duties in the management of Nigeria’s elections will improve efficiency and bequeath the nation a more reliable, effective, transparent and efficient electoral process.
- NITDA should be empowered to improve its local content development mandate to reduce the dependence on imported ICT products and solutions by INEC and mitigate possible foreign interferences in the nation’s digital space. NITDA can achieve this by using tertiary institutions for the domestication of Open Stack Architecture products and solutions to enhance the cybersecurity of products and solutions deployed to critical national infrastructure.
- On potential foreign interferences, there is the need for effective collaboration and synergy between the INEC Cybersecurity team, and security and law enforcement agencies in the area of cybersecurity intelligence sharing, vetting of foreign vendors, and protection of digital election infrastructure as critical national information infrastructure (CNII).
vii. Government should strengthen the NPC and NIMC (possibly merge the two organisations for effective citizens’ dada) database management systems, to produce more reliable citizens’ data which should feed the INEC voter register in the 2027 elections. Citizens that have attained the minimum voting age of 18 years could be automatically enrolled as voters, in the same way, that the database should be cleaned up regularly to deactivate deceased citizens seamlessly. This equally, will save huge costs in governance in the face of scarcity of funds.
Dimension Data has said that the proceeds from its Series 1 corporate bond, will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
This followed the successful subscription of the corporate bond.
Recall that Dimension Data Limited said that it has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).
This sum marks the first tranche of a N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme announced earlier this year.
The bond programme was raised under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.
The company says the proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, managing director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the company has grown its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.
Today Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Ltd Group, one of the world’s leading technology companies.
As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Federal Government has announced that work will commence within weeks on a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network expected to connect every state, local government area and ward in Nigeria, marking what officials describe as one of the country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the progress of three flagship digital transformation initiatives being implemented by his ministry.
According to the minister, all resource mobilisation and contractual processes for the nationwide fibre project have been completed, paving the way for physical deployment.
“We’re now at the point where, in a few weeks’ time, we should start to lay those fibre, so people will start seeing us around the country deploying the fibre. This is going to transform Nigeria for good,” Tijani said.
He explained that the project would deliver fibre optic infrastructure to every geopolitical zone, state, local government area and ward, significantly expanding broadband access and improving the quality of internet connectivity across the country.
“This is a project where every state, every geopolitical zone, every local government and every ward in this country will be covered with fibre optic cables, which will transform the quality of connectivity,” he added.
Bosun Tijani attributed the progress in the digital economy to a series of reforms approved by President Tinubu, including the designation of digital infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation measures sought by industry operators.
“I think our sector has been extremely fortunate. Mr. President has given us quite a number of things that the sector has been demanding for a long time. Whether it’s the Critical National Infrastructure designation for all digital infrastructure, the slight adjustment in tariff, or the tax harmonisation, these are reforms the industry has long requested.
“I think it’s probably the sector that is most appreciative of this government because when we came in, the sector was contributing between 16 and 18 per cent to our GDP, but today it is tracking close to 21 per cent. That represents significant growth,” he said.
The minister noted that the reforms had also improved the financial performance of major operators in the telecommunications sector.
On efforts to bridge the digital divide, Tijani disclosed that the government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to provide network coverage for more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in underserved communities without access to telecom services.
He said the President had approved the project after months of capital mobilisation and planning.
“Today we’re at a point where, before the end of the year, we’ll also start to deploy close to 3,700 towers. It’s taken a lot to put this project together and raise the required capital, but we are now ready to begin deployment around October,” he said.
The minister also announced that Nigeria would officially launch an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, a move he said would place the country among a select group of nations operating an advanced digital addressing system.
“Nigeria will be amongst maybe 10 or 15 countries in the world with an alphanumeric postcode. It’s the latest design in postcode systems, where we can identify every property in this country. We’re hoping to launch that on the 1st of October,” he said.
Tijani explained that the new system would assign a unique address to every property nationwide, enhancing logistics, accelerating e-commerce, improving emergency response and strengthening public service delivery.
“Inability to locate places comes at a cost. You can imagine what this will do for e-commerce. It means goods can now be delivered in record time,” he said.
He added that integrating the postcode system with existing government identity databases would improve security and make public services more efficient.
“Our alphanumeric postcode is unique because it allows us to assign a unique address to every property. In many countries, such as the UK, postcodes cover clusters of buildings. What we are introducing will uniquely identify every building, and that will be a game changer for Nigeria in terms of security, commerce and public service delivery,” the minister stated.
In a bold move to strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and the digital economy, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has formally unveiled the National Sovereignty Cloud Initiative (NSCI) Regulatory Instruments, thereby setting a new benchmark for the country’s digital future.
NITDA
The NSCI is a strategic programme of the federal government coordinated by NITDA. It is designed to bolster Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and accelerate the country’s adoption of reliable cloud infrastructure. The initiative consists of the National Computing Guideline, the National Cloud Technical Guideline, the National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework, and the National Cloud Investment Strategy.
Speaking during the ceremony in Abuja, the Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, described the NSCI as a strategic move to safeguard Nigeria’s digital future. He noted that the instruments will stimulate innovation, encourage investment in local cloud services, and enhance digital resilience.
“These instruments provide the regulatory certainty, technical standards, and assurance framework required to build a trusted cloud ecosystem that safeguards Nigeria’s digital sovereignty while creating new opportunities for investment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
“We should position ourselves not to serve Nigeria alone, but to serve West and Central Africa. Nigeria is already the digital gateway to West Africa and can extend to every part of Africa. But we can only realise that goal when we build our infrastructure. So, today’s event is the first step in that direction,” he stated.
Abdullahi appreciated the support of relevant stakeholders and the efforts of the NSCI Technical Working Group, which culminated in the successful development of the regulatory instruments. He emphasised that collective action of regulatory agencies is necessary for a seamless implementation of the initiative.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, declared that the launch of the NSCI underscores the federal government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s data borders and digital economy.
“By ensuring that government data remains strictly within national jurisdiction and under local operational control, we are guaranteeing data sovereignty and regulatory compliance. It will catalyse local cloud capacity, foster local job creation, and empower indigenous investors and innovators to build solutions on a secure, locally hosted foundation,” Gagare said.
The Permanent Secretary commended the management team of NITDA, the NSCI Technical Working Group, and other stakeholders for their collaborative spirit in driving the initiative. He promised that the Ministry would ensure that the strategic objectives of the NSCI are fully realised across all ministries, departments, and agencies.
In a message, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Olayemi Cardoso, congratulated NITDA for promoting a collaborative approach, adding that modern digital regulation succeeds through coordinated regulatory actions for common national objectives.
Cardoso, who was represented by Dr. Rakiya Opemi Yusuf, the Director of the Payment System Supervision Department, acknowledged that the launch testifies to the robust collaboration existing between the apex bank and other government institutions.
“CBN regulates the financial ecosystem. NITDA provides the national framework for digital infrastructure, cloud governance and assurance. These responsibilities are complementary, not competing. Together, they create a coherent national architecture.
“Together with NITDA, and with the continued cooperation of industry, we will continue to build an ecosystem that protects Nigeria’s financial system today and positions our nation as Africa’s trusted hub for digital finance and cloud innovation.
One of the most encouraging aspects of today’s event is the strong institutional collaboration between NITDA, the CBN, and other relevant government institutions. This collaboration demonstrates an important principle.”
Cardoso reiterated that as a responsive regulator, the CBN remains committed to providing clear expectations, firm principles, proportionate implementation, and constructive engagement with all stakeholders to position Nigeria as Africa’s trusted hub for digital finance and cloud innovation.
Also, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, noted that the NSCI couldn’t have come at a better time than now, especially considering CBN’s recent directive mandating banks and financial institutions to localise their data.
Adeyanju expressed confidence that the initiative would push the ecosystem to greater heights by encouraging investment, developing indigenous talent, and creating employment opportunities akin to the gains brought by the deregulation of the telecoms sector.
NITDA will constitute the Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee (SovGov) within the next two weeks to oversee the implementation of the NSCI. The committee would comprise representatives from relevant Government institutions, sector regulators, industry, and the private sector, with NITDA serving as the Secretariat
Dimension Data to Channel Funds to Support Nigerian Fibre Expansion
FG Commences 90,000km Fibre Optic Rollout within Weeks
Kaspersky Reveals a New Malicious Framework Targeting Cryptocurrency Users with the Use of OkoSpyware
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Retracts Story on Pan African Towers Litigation
PalmPay Targets Hong Kong IPO after $1Bn Valuation
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
NELFUND Investigates 34 Universities Over Students’ Missing Tuition Refunds
News3 days agoAtte, Nigerian Develops AI Algorithm for Hair Transplants
News3 days agoFG to Abolish Subsidies in Power Sector in 2027 – Minister
E-Financial3 days agoFCT Court Awards Ex-Customers N15m against Stanbic IBTC over Data Privacy Breach
E-Financial3 days agoCBN Exposes over 13,000 BVNs Tied to Fraud as Banks Tighten Security
Telecom3 days agoStarbase Technologies Introduces Yolly, a Reward-Based Social Entertainment Platform
General News3 days agoDare Tackles Onaiyekan over Criticism of Tinubu, Says Economic is Working
General News3 days agoSERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged N6.79Bn Missing Police Funds, Firearms
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Identifies Cyberespionage as a Growing Threat Across Africa, Others