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We Don’t Have Plan B for The Future: ICTs & Achieving the SDGs

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Dr David Nabarro
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Very early on in my medical career, I saw that children and their mothers got sick primarily because of the conditions under which they were living.

I became convinced that if you want to do good for people in our world, you’ve got to focus on their social and economic development, as well as focusing on their health problems.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) bring together the needs of the people and the planet, the needs for sustainable economic growth, and the need for peace and partnership as the necessary elements for the future of our world.

The new development agenda is universal, indivisible, must leave no one behind, and must address the digital divide, otherwise we won’t succeed. We don’t have a plan B for the future.

Pivotal Role
These goals cannot be realized without everybody being connected. At the moment, 40% of the world is unconnected.

Unless this is remedied there will be a continuing digital divide that will leave the poor, people in rural areas, inaccessible people and a disproportionate number of women and people with disabilities stranded on the wrong side unless “the world is fully connected”.

For me, the mandate and work of ITU is at the centre of all the SDGs, and the world counts on you to help ensure that these goals are fulfilled everywhere.

The SDGs must be approached as an interconnected agenda and must be responded to in ways that integrate how different sectors work.

For example, ITU hosted a meeting with WHO recently bringing together people from ministries of health and ministries of information technology; that kind of joint working is increasingly going to be necessary, particularly at the local level.

How ITU can help
Technology cuts across each and every Sustainable Development Goal. ICTs reach into homes and communities that otherwise have no contact with everybody else; ITU can help make sure that no one is left behind.

The mobile telephone industry has had a massive influence on improving access to people caught up in humanitarian disasters, for example.

Through its work and network, the ITU can ensure that data is used to track the progress of these goals whether through household data, through individual engagement, or through big data.

The data revolution will contribute to the sustainable development revolution and ensure that SDGs evolve from being a vision to being acted on.

ITU can help us to be universal in our approach. How? Firstly, because your work is organized in a way that combines the three elements of regulation, standard setting, and development.

Secondly because you demonstrate in both Action and Governance that you can make this work. Your members are drawn not only from Governments but also from business, civil society, academia, and international organizations.

You have experience and expertise of multi-stakeholder action and can offer advice on how this approach can be applied to the full range of SDGs.

At its essence the SDGs are about global interconnectedness accelerating human progress. In this sense the SDGs are for everyone, every country is a developing country.

All of us will benefit from being better connected: for this to happen we need ITU and its partners.

David Nabarro (@davidnabarro) serves as Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change. He works with Governments and other stakeholders to galvanize action on implementation of both the 2030 and Climate Action agendas.

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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NDPC Commits to Balancing Data Privacy, Protection Information

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Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has expressed its commitment to balance information around data privacy and protection.

NDPC Commits to Balancing Data Privacy, Protection Information

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, NDPC, stated this in Abuja, at the National Data Privacy Summit with the theme, “Privacy in the Era of Emerging Technologies,” organised by the commission.

Olatunji said the NDPC, at the moment, was looking at balancing information around data privacy and protection.

“What we are doing is just to look at how to balance information around privacy and protection, which is really important, because as we are innovating, at the same time, we have to consider issues around privacy and protection,” he stated.

He added that the commission has been very bold in taking risks that would bring about growth.

“Our starting point is growing at a very alarming rate, and we are not afraid of anything. We can take risks. And that is why a lot is happening in Nigeria, and this is the level of clarity,” he explained.

In his address, Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),  stated that Internet of Things holds promise for Nigeria’s economy.

The EVC, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS), noted that, “in an era in which digital assets, Internet of Things, future digital computing and other transformative technologies are key, and both a cornerstone of building trust for the adoption and a prerequisite for sustainable progress.

“Emerging technologies hold immense promise for Nigeria’s grand economy, but they also introduce complex risks to personal and individual rights.

“So, balancing innovation through post-ethical safeguards and public trust is the first step to ensuring that global digital advancement benefits all Nigerians without compromising their privacy or their security,” he added.

“As we just heard from the Nigeria Police, telecom operators have a vast amount of sensitive historical information daily, including connectivity apps and collaboration on privacy, security, and number protection, both to their and their inheritors,” he said.

Dr. Bako Shurkuk, commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Plateau State, who represented Caleb Mutfwang, Governor of Plateau State, said, emerging technologies can be harnessed to attain sustainable growth.

 


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OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.

As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.

Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”

OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.


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Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

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Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.

Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.

According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.

To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.

The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.

The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.

“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.


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