E-Business
Transformation Agenda: Governor Soludo Launches E-ID Card for Civil Servants
Professor Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, has launched the ‘Solution Electronic Identification Card’ for civil servants and other government employees of the state.
The function which took place at the Head of Service (HOS), Conference Hall, Awka featured a demo-presentation of the State E-ID card which is christened, ‘Solution E-ID card’.
The HOS, Barr. Theodora Igwegbe, who declared the event open stressed on the reason for the implementation of the initiative saying that it has become necessary for efficient and transparent governance.
According to her, an essential aspect of the transformation is the adoption of the E-Identification scheme, which provides secure and reliable verification of individuals’ identities with improved efficiency devoid of bureaucratic processes.
“Traditional identification methods reliance on physical documents and manual verification are time-consuming and prone to errors.
“By adopting an E-Identification scheme, Anambra State Civil Servants can streamline their interactions with various government agencies, eliminating repetitive paperwork bureaucratic delays”.
Civil servants can now focus on their core responsibilities, ultimately enhancing productivity across board; the implementation of an E-Identification scheme significantly strengthens the security measures surrounding civil service operations.
“This will enable the tracking and monitoring of activities performed by civil servants, and it will considerably enhance service delivery for the Civil service.’’
She added that challenges with data security, infrastructure readiness, and digital literacy would be adequately addressed in due time as the state is in the process of rolling out programmes on cyber security measures.
“This will also make provision for appropriate infrastructure such as optic fiber internet connectivity, public Wi-Fi beginning with the secretariat complex, and capacity-building programmes to enhance digital literacy among civil servants.”
Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA), the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, MD/CEO, Anambra ICT Agency, in his remarks, described the ‘Solution E-ID card’ as a robust and limitless system.
He applauded the ingenuity of some final year students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who as a result of their internship with the ICT Agency are according to him, integral to the development of the ‘Solution E-ID Cards’.
“The entire feat was achieved from the Agency’s strong determination to give Mr. Governor 100 percent support in actualizing his vision of ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere.’’
‘CFA’ as he is popularly called said, “the ‘Solution E-ID card’ was made possible through collaboration between the State Government and Academia riding on the Agency’s Solution Internship Programme that was launched earlier in the year.
This is a proof of the state government’s willingness to work with anyone genuinely interested in contributing to the transformation of Anambra State through technology.
Mr. Agbata appreciated the efforts of Mr. Governor to promote access to technology in all areas of the public sector, adding that the overall positive impact that this initiative will have on Ndi Anambra in general is limitless.
“The era of fake government employees is gone for good; for the first time in the history of Anambra state, civil servants and all other Government Employees can now easily identify themselves on the go while government and citizens can equally identify them with ease.
“Salient features of the ‘Solution E-ID Card’ include, but are not limited to QR-Code for verification, Implementation of Access Levels, and query feedback mechanism for data and privacy protection.’’
He added that the soon to be established State Public Wi-Fi would enhance access to the internet, “civil servants will no longer have to depend on their personal data to carry out official duties or lose productive work hours seeking internet access in public cyber cafes’’.
Mr. Christian Udechukwu, Commissioner for Industry, described the initiative as cutting edge. “One that will provide lots of possibilities on the go via mobile phones.
“This is a game changer for identity management in the state, one that sets the Anambra workforce ahead of their counterparts in other states in Nigeria while setting them at par with their global counterparts’’.
He thanked Gov. Soludo for keeping up with the digital transformation pace and consistently driving positive technological change for Ndi Anambra through the state ICT Agency.
He added that with the ‘Solution E-ID card’, impersonation would be eliminated and service delivery would become seamless.
The event also played host to the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji, some Permanent Secretaries, and some high-ranking management personnel of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, as well as the state Civil Servants.
Meta, a multinational technology company, has informed advertisers that it will begin applying new location-based fees to certain advertisements delivered in six selected jurisdictions starting July 1, 2026, as the company moves to offset costs linked to digital services taxes and other regulatory charges.
In an email sent to advertisers, the company explained that the new charges will apply to ad impressions delivered to audiences in specific countries, regardless of where the advertiser’s business is based.
“Meta will soon apply new location fees to ads delivered in specific jurisdictions to cover digital service taxes (DST) and other location-based fees imposed on Meta in those jurisdictions,” the company said in the mail.
According to the notice, the fees will be applied to ads delivered in Austria (5%), France (3%), Italy (3%), Spain (3%), Türkiye (5%), and the United Kingdom (2%).
The company added that these rates and jurisdictions could change over time.
Meta described location fees as additional charges tied to where ads are delivered rather than where the advertiser operates.
“Location fees are additional charges that may apply to ads delivered in selected jurisdictions to cover part of the costs associated with doing business in those jurisdictions,” the company said.
The company noted that the charges will be calculated after ads are delivered and will not be deducted from campaign budgets.
Meta gave an example in the email: if an advertiser spends $100 on ads delivered in Italy, where the location fee is 3%, the final cost would be $103, excluding any applicable value-added tax.
Explaining the reason for the change, the company pointed to regulatory developments affecting technology platforms.
“The cost of delivering ads in specific jurisdictions is changing due to the evolving regulatory landscape, including digital services tax legislation. Until now, Meta has covered these additional costs,” the company said.
The company added that the move aligns with broader industry practices, noting that other digital platforms may introduce similar charges linked to digital service taxes.
Meta said the location fees will apply to all ad formats, including image and video ads, as well as campaigns such as WhatsApp click-to-message ads that are billed together with advertising.
The fees will appear on invoices with clear descriptions by jurisdiction, such as “Italy digital services,” the company said, adding that taxes like VAT will still be applied on top of the total amount.
Advertisers were advised to review the affected ad accounts and share the update with their finance, procurement and marketing teams to prepare for the changes.
Tizeti Network Limited, West African broadband provider, has launched an advertising-supported internet platform across its hotspot network in Nigeria and Ghana, allowing users to watch short video adverts in exchange for data access.
The system converts advertising engagement into internet connectivity, offering users the option to view a short video advertisement to unlock data without paying upfront.
Tizeti said the platform is now active across all its hotspot locations in the two countries, covering residential areas, campuses, commercial districts and other high-traffic urban locations.
The service runs on Google Ad Manager’s rewarded web advertising technology, which allows users to voluntarily watch advertisements and receive data rewards once the video is completed.
At a hotspot location, users connect to the network as usual but are given the option to watch a short advert in exchange for a defined amount of data. Those who choose to participate can repeat the process to earn additional internet access.
The company said the approach creates a value exchange between users, advertisers and network providers.
Users gain internet access without immediate payment, while advertisers reach audiences who have actively chosen to view their messages.
“Internet access is a fundamental driver of opportunity,” said Nsikak Asuquo, West Africa manager at Tizeti Network Limited.
“By rolling out reward-based internet access across Nigeria and Ghana, we are expanding connectivity without financial barriers while offering brands a high-engagement platform to reach more than 2.5 million active users,” he added.
Tizeti said participation in the advertising programme is voluntary and operates under its privacy policies, with data handled in compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act and Ghana’s Data Protection Act.
The launch comes as Africa’s digital advertising market expands rapidly. Industry projections suggest programmatic advertising spending could exceed $5 billion on the continent by 2028 as brands increasingly shift marketing budgets online.
By integrating Google’s advertising infrastructure directly into its hotspot network, Tizeti aims to turn public Wi-Fi locations into scalable digital advertising channels while widening access to the internet.
Advertisers will be able to buy ad placements through Google Ad Manager’s ecosystem, including open auctions, private deals and programmatic guaranteed campaigns.
Tizeti said its hotspot network serves more than 2.5 million active users across Nigeria and Ghana.
The company provides broadband services using a mix of fibre infrastructure and public Wi-Fi networks, targeting communities, schools and businesses across the region.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is partnering with Nkenne AI, a local artificial intelligence (AI) company, to develop language translation technologies tailored to the country’s diverse linguistic landscape.
There are more than 500 languages spoken nationwide, however many digital systems in Nigeria still operate primarily in English, leaving millions underserved.
NITDA and Nkenne AI have partnered with the ambition to improve accessibility and inclusion across Nigeria’s digital economy.
Nkenne AI’s chief executive, Michael Odokara-Okigbo, said the company is building localised AI translation tools designed for critical sectors, including healthcare, financial services and public administration.
According to him, these tools should enable users to interact with digital platforms in indigenous languages, thus improving accessibility and trust.
It’s not just a Nigerian challenge however, language barriers remain one of the biggest obstacles to technology adoption across Africa.
Beyond translation, the partnership between NITDA and Nkenne AI also seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s startup ecosystem by promoting responsible data practices and supporting emerging AI ventures.
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