Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited has mapped out strategies to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure in order to make the country globally competitive in the face of Artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing and other emerging technologies aimed at securing the digital future of the country.

Prof Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of GBB, made this known during a press conference to unveil a flurry of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of GBB in Abuja on Monday, stressing that Galaxy Backbone has evolved from a connectivity provider into one of Nigeria’s most strategic digital infrastructure institutions.

Galaxy Backbone is a public enterprise of the Federal Government of Nigeria incorporated in 2006 with the primary mandate of setting up and operating a unified Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure platform that addresses the connectivity, transversal and other technology imperatives for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government and private entities.

He said in the last 20 years, the agency has invested in world-class data centre infrastructure, including uptime certified Tier III and Tier IV facilities that provide secure, resilient and reliable environments for hosting missions critical to systems and applications.

He noted that these facilities strengthen data sovereignty, ensure business continuity and help keep Nigeria’s most critical digital assets secure.

“Through our cloud infrastructure and the 1Government Cloud platform, government institutions can access scalable digital services without the burden of building costly infrastructure independently. This shared-services model improves efficiency, reduces costs and accelerates innovation.

“We have delivered platforms such as GovMail (the homegrown Official government email), collaboration tools, hosting services, connectivity solutions and shared applications that support thousands of public servants and hundreds of institutions every day,” he said.

He emphasized that the true value of Galaxy Backbone is not measured by kilometres of fibre, data centres or technology alone but by impact.

He explained that the GBB fibre infrastructure today spans almost 30 states of the federation, connecting government institutions and creating the foundation for digital government even as he pledged that the remaining states and local areas will all be captured in due course.

On cyber security, the GBB boss noted that the agency has strengthened cybersecurity capabilities and continues to invest in protecting government systems and critical national digital assets, against cyber-attacks.

“We have the digital infrastructure and we are collaborating with partners to use these emerging technologies. We also have a top tier cyber security operation center and they are multilayered such that even when there is a spike in cyber-attacks none of them have been successful so far.

He added that the GBB is collaborating with other government agencies like the National Security Adviser, The Nigeria Police, and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that government information is protected.

Ibrahim Sani Mohammed, executive director Finance and Corporate Services of the GBB, while fielding questions noted that the agency has created enormous value and has contributed immensely in the digital ecosystem of Nigeria helping to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Olusegun Olulade, executive director Customer Centrality and Marketing of the GBB, said that customers have remained the formidable partners in the GBB journey of 20 years, adding that the agency has developed the mechanism to ensure customer satisfaction as it intensifies efforts to build trust.

Dominion Consultancy Concepts has officially announced the second edition of the KidsCook Showdown, a unique educational and creative cooking competition designed to foster leadership, teamwork, creativity and accountability among children ages 6 to 8.

Following its successful debut in 2025, this latest edition marks a significant milestone by securing the official approval of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB). For the first time, the initiative will shine a spotlight on public education, featuring 20 children within the ages of 6 to 8 years old, selected from 10 public primary schools across the Kosofe Local Government Area.

The KidsCook Showdown is far more than a typical cooking contest. Under the close guidance of professional chefs, the young participants will work in teams to tackle fun, high-energy culinary challenges.

Rather than focusing solely on the final dish, a panel of judges will evaluate the children on essential life skills: teamwork, confidence, time management, communication, and hygiene.

Speaking about the vision behind the program, Enitan Tanimowo, Director of Dominion Consultancy Concepts, emphasised the importance of introducing children to household chores early.

“Our goal is to inspire children to see cooking not just as a chore, but as a fun, creative way to develop themselves, learn discipline, and build confidence and these skills help them into the future,” Tanimowo stated.

“By expanding into our public schools with LASUBEB’s vital support, we are ensuring that children from all backgrounds get an equal opportunity to develop leadership and accountability in a structured, inspiring environment.”

Tanimowo added that the initiative directly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education)—by using hands-on, practical learning to promote balanced nutrition and social development. The event is bringing together parents, teachers, and professionals to champion the next generation.

The grand scale of this edition is made possible through the robust corporate and media backing of industry-leading brands. This year’s KidsCook Showdown is proudly supported by Zuri Seasoning, Ribena, Channels TV, Integrated Indigo Limited, and other partners committed to youth development and impactful community engagement in Nigeria.

Together, these partners are helping transform the kitchen into a classroom where future leaders are shaped, one recipe at a time.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed banks, fintech firms, and other payment service providers to store payment transaction data generated within the country on local servers from January 1, 2027, as part of new measures to strengthen oversight of the fast-growing digital payments ecosystem.

The directive was contained in a circular issued by the Payments System Supervision Department of the CBN on Monday and addressed to deposit money banks, microfinance banks, mobile money operators, switching and processing companies, payment terminal service providers, payment solution service providers, super agents and other licensed operators in the payments industry.

The circular, signed by the Director of the Payments System Supervision Department, Rakiya Yusuf, also introduced new market structure rules, beneficial ownership disclosure requirements and systemic oversight measures for payment service operators.

According to the apex bank, the reforms became necessary following the rapid expansion of electronic payments and digital financial services across the country.

The CBN said it had observed “significant structural developments within the Nigerian Payments ecosystem, characterised by rapid growth in electronic payments, increasing adoption of digital financial services, and the emergence of operators with substantial market presence across key payment activities.”

It noted that while the growth had improved innovation, efficiency and financial inclusion, it had also created concerns around market concentration, operational dependence, ownership transparency and the storage of critical payments data.

To address these concerns, the regulator ordered all financial institutions facilitating payments in Nigeria to ensure that transaction data generated within the country are stored domestically.

The circular stated, “All Financial Institutions and participants facilitating payments within Nigeria shall ensure that payments transaction data generated within Nigeria are stored and managed in Nigeria in accordance with data protection laws and regulations applicable in Nigeria.”

It added that “all affected Financial Institutions shall fully comply with this requirement effective January 1, 2027.”

The move is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight, enhance data sovereignty and ensure that sensitive payment information remains within Nigeria’s jurisdiction.

It also aligns with broader efforts by regulators globally to localise critical financial data and reduce reliance on offshore infrastructure.

Beyond data localisation, the CBN ordered banks, payment service providers and other financial institutions with digital payment operations to disclose the ultimate beneficial ownership of significant shareholders.

According to the circular, institutions must maintain accurate and up-to-date records of their ultimate beneficial owners and make such information available to the apex bank upon request.

The regulator said the disclosure requirement must comply with existing anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing regulations.

The directive builds on previous CBN efforts to strengthen beneficial ownership transparency as part of wider measures to combat money laundering and illicit financial flows in the financial system.

The central bank also introduced fresh competition rules aimed at limiting excessive market dominance in the payments industry.

Under the new framework, any financial institution that controls more than 25 per cent of the card-issuing market in a rolling 12-month period will not be allowed to hold more than 15 per cent of the merchant-acquiring market during the same period.

Similarly, operators with more than 25 per cent market share in merchant acquiring activities will be restricted to a maximum of 15 per cent market share in card issuing activities.

Merchant acquiring refers to processing card payments on behalf of merchants, while card issuing involves providing payment cards to customers.

The CBN said all regulated entities would be required to submit monthly market share returns based on prescribed templates and timelines.

It further directed affected institutions to take the necessary measures to achieve full compliance with the market structure requirements by December 31, 2026.

The apex bank said the new measures were designed to “improve transparency through beneficial ownership disclosure, address concentration risk, promote a fair, competitive, and resilient payments ecosystem.”

According to the regulator, the reforms are also intended to “safeguard the integrity of the Nigerian payments system and ensure the localisation of payments transaction data within Nigeria.”

The CBN warned that it would closely monitor compliance and impose sanctions where necessary.

“The CBN shall monitor compliance with the provisions of this Circular and may, where necessary, impose supervisory sanctions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines,” the circular stated.

The latest directive comes amid a rapid expansion of Nigeria’s digital payments industry, with electronic transactions reaching record levels and regulators increasing oversight of banks, fintech firms and other payment operators to address operational, cybersecurity and systemic risks.