Telecom
50 MDAs Back Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, As NIMC Updates Stakeholders on NIN Enrolment
No fewer than fifty public institutions in Nigeria, on Tuesday, pledged their support for the implementation of the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project.
Dr. Walter Duru delivering a Paper on Duties of Desk Officers during the Roundtable
Rising from a 1-day Roundtable for Desk Officers of Ecosystem Implementing partners of the Nigeria Digital ID4D project, held at Peniel Apartments, Abuja, the stakeholders described the project as timely, reiterating their willingness to participate in its implementation.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Project Coordinator, Nigeria Digital ID4D project, Musa Odole Solomon, congratulated the desk officers on their nomination by their respective public institutions, reiterating the project’s commitment to working with them.
“Let me start by congratulating you on your nomination as desk officers for the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project. It is a show of the level of confidence the leadership of your respective organisations has in you.”
“This meeting is aimed at explaining the essence of the Nigeria Digital ID4D project, its components, objectives, strategy and expected results, while discussing the roles of the desk officers in the project implementation, among other objectives.”
“The idea of desk officers was to ensure a single point of contact with each of the ecosystem implementing partners, to ensure that our partners do not miss out on any important step in the project implementation.”
“The project is designed, following an ecosystem model, and not limited to any single organisation. It therefore involves different agencies of the government, the private sector and civil society. As desk officers, you are here today because you represent organisations already identified as important ecosystem implementing partners. Our goal is to ensure that no strategic stakeholder is left behind, in this endeavour.”
Also speaking at the event, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, Engr. Aliyu Aziz commended the Nigeria Digital ID4D project for its intervention and support.
The NIMC Chief Executive, represented by the Director, Corporate Services of the Commission, Ibrahim Abdullahi, informed the stakeholders that the national database has hit about Ninety-Three (93) million National Identity Number (NIN) enrolments.
“The unified ID system approach, as well as the ecosystem model have had tremendous positive impacts on the enrollment figure. Currently, the National Identity Database has over 90 million (93.5m) records, which is a sharp contrast from just 7 million, when I assumed office in 2015.” he said.
He noted that “the primary aim of the strategic roadmap for digital identification in Nigeria, is to simplify the approach to identification through simple data collection process and a centralized unique identification system for Nigeria and legal residents.”
In his presentation on “Duties of Desk Officers in Nigeria Digital ID4D project Implementation,” the project’s Communications Manager, Dr. Walter Duru described the desk officers as the bridge between their respective public institutions and the project, urging them to take their roles seriously.
Also, in his presentation on “Understanding the Nigeria Digital ID4D Project,” Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist for the Project Implementation Unit, Dr. Emmanuel Akogun, highlighted the project development objective to the desk officers, even as he urged them to support the project to succeed.
The project’s Change Manager, Ibrahim Salifu, Data and Integration Architect, Sheriff Balogun, Social Safeguards Officer, Seun Adebayo, Grievance Redress Manager, Atana Okon, Legal Desk Officer, Adetunrayo Alao and Stakeholders Engagement Manager, Helen Nkemakolam-Ekeh, took turns to explain the activities of their respective work streams, while seeking the collaboration of the desk officers.
Olufemi Fabunmi, Director, Database at NIMC, while responding to questions from the desk officers said “NIMC will increase its server capacity to 250million from 100 million after a service upgrade.
Highlights of the event were: paper presentations, remarks, interactive session, questions and answers sessions and agreement on next steps.
The Nigeria Digital ID4D is a project, jointly funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and the French Development Agency.
The Project Development Objective is to increase the number of persons with a National Identity Number (NIN), issued by a robust and inclusive foundational Identity system, that facilitates their access to services.
Dr. Walter Duru delivering a Paper on Duties of Desk Officers during the Roundtable
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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