Telecom
NITDA Reaffirms FG’s Commitment to Support Tech Ecosystem
Kashifu Inuwa, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reiterated that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, remains committed to providing all the needed support to enable the growth and development of a thriving and globally competitive tech and innovation ecosystem.
Inuwa who was represented by Babajide Ajayi, the Director of Zonal Offices Directorate (ZOD) of the agency, said this at the recently concluded e-Government Hackathon organised by Ilorin Innovation Hub in Collaboration with the Kwara State Government to discover solutions to real-life problems that can transform governance and public sector operations with a focus on leveraging new technologies to bridge the existing gaps in governance.
According to Inuwa, the enactment of the Nigerian Startup Act (NSA), which was the outcome of the collaborative effort of the ecosystem and the Presidency, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), is a testament that Nigeria is on the right track to harnessing the potentials of digital economy.
Inuwa argued that the NSA is aimed at providing; a legal and institutional framework for the development of startups; providing an enabling environment for establishment and operation of startups; development and growth of tech-related talents; and positioning Nigeria’s startup ecosystem as the leading digital technology center in Africa.
He also called on the Kwara State Government and all State Governments across the country to key into the implementation of the NSA to provide opportunities and resources that will empower more indigenous tech innovators to churn out solutions for local problems.
Adding that this will provide a platform of support to young innovators to develop and commercialise their innovative ideas and be able to compete favourably in the global innovation space.
Inuwa also appreciated His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for facilitating the partnership between the Ilorin Innovation Hub and the State Government by making the e-Government Hackathon become a reality towards unveiling innovative solutions by Nigerian youths, and by serving as one of the sustainable pillars to position Nigeria as a leading entrepreneurial hub in Africa.
The DG further commended the organisers for the initiatives which focused on; power and renewable energy; hardware (Internet of Things (IoT), drones, mobile devices); connectivity; web & mobile applications; and security & privacy.
He said, “the Hackathon will serve as a veritable platform for our talented youths to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions which the government is prepared to adopt for improved efficiency in public service delivery and increased productivity in government administration.”
“It is heartwarming to know that this hackathon is geared to support and promote indigenous talents to come up with relevant innovative solutions to our local problems, improve the way we do things, and engender prosperity in our environment.
“So, this is a challenge for the participants to come up with clearly defined ideas and develop solutions with an emphasis on the five specific areas of the hackathon.”
He stated that, “NITDA is proud to be associated with this laudable initiative. Your effort to drive the adoption of technology across the State is a demonstration of your administration’s commitment to transforming Kwara State into an economically viable and self-sustainable State where digital skills, youth empowerment, innovation, and technology thrive.”
Inuwa added that “Suffice it to say that your programmes are in alignment with several initiatives and programmes of the federal government that are being implemented by NITDA through its Special Purpose Vehicles, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), to develop and grow Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem.”
He further assured that NITDA remains committed to the partnership with the Kwara State government for the continued support and promotion of talented and exceptional indigenous innovators towards helping them grow and continue developing innovative solutions that will boost the economic fortune of the state, and Nigeria’s digital economy sector in general.
He also charged the participants to impact their environment with innovative solutions that will change the narrative of national economic development for the better.
On his part, the Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, Temi Kolawole, stated that the programme was organised to address key issues in government and revolutionise the way government operates in Nigeria, and how it can become more efficient through the adoption of technology and digital transformation.
He added that the contestants were grouped into 50 teams, each focusing on a specific area of government businesses and tackling identifiable problems, including letter and memo tracking systems, data capturing systems, and medical record systems for hospitals.
The need for Nigeria to think outside the box in its need to drive towards global relevance with innovations and scientific developments will be on the front burner at the NITRA Innovative & Scientific Conference scheduled to hold on Thursday July 23, 2026 in Ikeja, Lagos.
NITRA
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will lead other delegates to discuss and take far-reaching decisions at the event, which has its theme as “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide With Scientific Innovation”.
Other companies that have indicated interest in partnering with NITRA include mobile communications company, Tecno; Africa’s premier end-to-end AI solutions company, Hyperspace; and telecommunications data infrastructure company, Digital Realty.
Speaking on the proposed event, the Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that the event will seek to create a platform for government and private organisations to deliberate on policies around scientific innovations in Nigeria, challenges, place of indigenous and foreign collaboration, roles of each stakeholder, and grassroots development in that regard, among others.
According to him: “The Federal government, with series of programmes and partnerships, has established the urgent need to create an ecosystem that thrives on scientific innovation, breeding institutions and individuals with a target of placing the country at the fore-front of Next-Gen development.
It is a known fact that digital and scientific innovations are crucial, not only to the survivability of a nation, but also to the sustainability of its growth and development, with significant effect on economic strength, global image, defense and security, government capabilities to function, and public health and safety, communication and digital footprint, among others.
The federal government is actively driving scientific innovation to foster economic diversification and build a $1 trillion economy by 2030. Efforts are heavily focused on commercializing research, establishing massive research funds, and funding strategic infrastructure, particularly in technology, biotechnology, and healthcare. Core government initiatives and policies include the newly instituted National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), which aims to mobilize about $500 million annually to support research and the commercialization of scientific outputs; and the Nigeria Genomic City, a multi-ministerial initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria into a leading hub for genomics, precision medicine, and biotechnology. It is designed to protect indigenous data, stimulate artificial intelligence in health, and develop a highly skilled scientific workforce.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, the forum will also be a vehicle to propagating the views of decision makers to the public, thereby furthering the cause of public awareness and information dissemination on the topic.
The focus, he said will be on how Nigeria can sustain digital innovative growth and scientific development in Nigeria
The board of global payments company, PayPal, says a 53 billion dollars takeover offer from financial technology firm, Stripe, and private equity company, Advent International, does not adequately reflect the company’s long-term value.
PayPal
According to reports, the proposed acquisition, valued at 60.50 dollars per share, remains under consideration, with the board yet to formally respond to the offer.
The directors are said to be evaluating not only the financial value of the proposal but also the structure of the financing, the timeline for completing the transaction and the likelihood of obtaining regulatory approvals.
They are also considering the possibility of competing bids emerging.
Although the offer represents a premium of about 28 per cent above PayPal’s recent share price, the board believes the company could deliver greater value to shareholders if its ongoing turnaround strategy succeeds.
Following reports of the bid, PayPal shares gained about two per cent to close at 56.73 dollars.
Sources familiar with the discussions said Stripe and Advent have secured approximately 50 billion dollars in debt financing from JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, while both firms would jointly contribute 17 billion dollars in equity.
Under the proposal, the two companies would jointly own PayPal instead of dividing its operations.
PayPal, Stripe, Advent International, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have all declined to comment on the proposed transaction.
The discussions come as PayPal seeks to strengthen its business after years of increasing competition from rivals including Apple Pay, Google Pay and emerging financial technology firms.
The company, which was valued at about 360 billion dollars in 2021, now has a market capitalisation of approximately 36 billion dollars.
Since assuming office as Chief Executive Officer in March 2026, Enrique Lores has embarked on a restructuring programme aimed at improving operational efficiency and restoring growth.
The restructuring includes the creation of three business divisions comprising Checkout, Venmo and Consumer Financial Services, and Payments and Crypto.
The company is also targeting 1.5 billion dollars in cost savings through the deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.
PayPal’s latest financial results indicated signs of recovery, with first-quarter revenue rising seven per cent year-on-year to 8.35 billion dollars, while total payment volume increased by eight per cent to 464 billion dollars.
If approved, the transaction would combine two of the world’s largest digital payments companies.
The combined business would process an estimated 3.7 trillion dollars in annual payment volume, significantly strengthening its position in the global online payments market.
However, analysts expect the proposed acquisition to face intense regulatory scrutiny because of the companies’ combined market share in merchant payment services.
To address possible antitrust concerns, the bidders have reportedly considered options, including separating PayPal’s Braintree business or other assets if required by regulators.
Sources said Stripe and Advent remain interested in pursuing the acquisition despite the board’s reservations, although negotiations are expected to continue.
Market observers are also awaiting PayPal’s earnings report scheduled for July 28 for further indications of the company’s financial recovery and future growth prospects.
Concerns over network reliability and its impact on Nigeria’s growing creator economy took centre stage at MTN Nigeria’s Data on Trial event, where content creator and streamer, Jarvis, challenged telecommunications operators to improve connectivity for digital creators.
Speaking during the event, Jarvis asked whether there were locations in Nigeria where uninterrupted internet connectivity could support real-life (IRL) streaming without network disruptions.
“Are there places where there is no breakage when streaming IRL?” she asked.
Her question highlighted the challenges faced by content creators who depend on stable internet services for live streaming, content uploads and real-time engagement with audiences.
Responding, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Mr Yahaya Ibrahim, said network performance depends on several factors, including location, network coverage, device capability and the number of users connected to a particular base station.
He noted that operators continue to invest in expanding network capacity to meet the growing demand for data services.
Earlier, MTN’s General Manager, Network Performance and Quality Assurance, Mr Michael Ndukwe, explained the evolution of mobile network technology in Nigeria, from first-generation (1G) services to the current fifth-generation (5G) technology.
According to him, each phase of technological advancement has significantly increased network capacity and enabled new digital services.
Ndukwe cited Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data showing that Nigerians consumed about 13.2 million terabytes of data in 2025.
He added that data usage reached approximately 4.06 million terabytes in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the country’s increasing reliance on digital platforms and online services.
According to him, the growth is being driven by wider adoption of 4G and 5G networks, increased smartphone penetration, the proliferation of smart devices and expanding use of social media platforms.
Participants at the event noted that as more Nigerians build businesses and careers around digital content, access to reliable and high-speed internet has become critical to sustaining the country’s digital economy and creator ecosystem.
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