E-Business
TechDev Summit Holds in Enugu, City Seated On Wealth
In the annals of Nigeria’s history, Enugu, a city that its topography is festooned by at least four hills, is rated high.
The name was derived from one of the 10 villages that make up the Ngwo community. Interestingly, the first set of “gold-seekers,” or call them, the colonial masters, settled at a place called Enugwu- Ngwo village.
Till date, Enugwu-Ngwo remains a part of the Ngwo community, and the only village of the 10 that belongs to another local government area, namely Enugu North Local Government, while the rest are under the Udi Local Government. Not just that, other hills like Milken, Awgu, Nsukka and Udi respectively, adorned her.
The city was first brought into limelight, fame and fortune, not because of the hills, but on discovery of mineral resources enveloped inside the womb of the earth.
The providence; an astounding quantity of coal, led to the founding of Enugu 111 years ago, when in 1905 some wandering and adventurous foreigners found an outcrop of coal ridges in the hills of Ngwo, Nike, Udi, Akegbe, Awkunanaw and Ogui, in the heartland of the most rocky topography of Igboland.
That is the karma of railroad drawn there, a century ago, from Port Harcourt in 1916. Infact, the importance of its hydrocarbon deposits could be found in this slogan: Coal City. Therefore, welcome to Enugu, Nigeria’s Coal City.
The City:
The story of this place is more like the Biblical account where Joseph, a man of destiny, grew up to lead his elder brothers.
The municipality is such that came to the scene last, only to surpass others that existed years before it. Enugu is undeniably the pride and joy of the South East region – the old Eastern region and the old East Central State.
It has a wide-spread settlement in such that the nucleus, Independence Layout (the State capital) links nearby towns like Abakpa Nike, Ngwo, Ozalla, Awkunanaw, Agbani etc, while Nsukka (region) is a city within the city.
Meanwhile, the microcosms, who lived independently, later amalgamated and turned the vast farmland into a mega metropolis, the city spread its arms later to embrace them. Enugu is like an abnormal child whose father answers his name instead of the other way. Presently, the children could not answer any other name but that of their father, hence all of them are called Enugu.
History has it that pre and post-days of the discovery of the coal ridges on the hills of Ngwo, there were no settlers, however, as was coal was found, the need to spigot it called for employees.
This need gave birth to the first settler called Afred Inoma, the sole reason the place is christened Ugwu Alfred (Alfred’s hill). He was from Neni, a town in Anambra State today, according to the story.
Outside the coal factor, the next factor of the growth of Enugu was the shrewd and weird ingenuity of Inoma.
His house which stands as a relic on the hill in dilapidation today still has a picture reference at the Enugu Museum as the first house owned by a stranger in Enugu and maybe the first in the city. Climbing one of the numerous hills near Asata Mine, Ngeneve or Udi-Siding at the Coal Camp area of the city gives you a better platform to admire the city and its spread.
When we talk of major tourist spots in Nigeria, Enugu State may not come to mind, however, is enormously endowed with tourist resources, facilities and potentials than most parts of the country.
The multifaceted natural features likes, caves, waterfalls, springs and hills, as well as man-made features like hotels, telecommunication and transportation outfits, galleries, and monumental or archeological collections, among countless attractions waiting to be savoured. The University of Nigeria (UNN) and Onuiyi Haven, both in Nsukka, are among the state’s other functional tourist stops. Onuiyi Haven is the country home of the Nigeria’s first indigenous Governor-General late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Exciting spots
A visit to Enugu pays a lot. Why? Have you been to or felt a waterfall believed to possess cleansing powers? A trip to Awhum Waterfall will clear your doubts. It stands over 30 meters high.
The ruralites say it could be used to keep satanic forces at bay, wherever sprinkled. Apart from that Nyaba, Attakwu and Nkanu, are the leading sand beaches in Enugu and the best of destinations for divers and water ‘rats’.
Counting about 10 lakes, eight of which are still untapped, Enugu most likely, holds the highest number of lakes in Nigeria. They include: Nike Lake, located within the heart of the metropolis, and managed by Protea Hotels and Opi in Opi-Agu near Nsukka are the two most popular.
The rest eight lakes that yawning for attention are: Obinofia Ndiuno Lakes within Ezeagu Area. Others are Ngebe Lakes, Attakwu Lake and Obanukwu Lake all around Nkanu; as well as Odoro Lake in the Oji-River area and Iheneke Lake. And that is not all: Amagunze Akpawfu Lake Complex consists of nine lakes within the same district, not to talk of the Opi Lake Complex, which boasts eight lakes within a district.
Meanwhile, the Ngene-Ani Lake in Amigbo Ozalla has elevated to a zoo, as is crocodile-infested. According to the locals, “these reptiles respond to our voices.” What a wonder!
Enugu is relatively a giver. The serenity, bliss and pleasures inherent in its collection of caves earn the state, seated on wealth, a catchphrase of a tourism haven.
The Obinofia Ndiuno Caves located in the Ezeagu Area, cover a diameter of roughly 3km and are said to be about three millennia (3, 000 years) old. Aside the rambling Obinofia Ndiuno Caves, Ezeagu Area boasts at least four other caves. Roll call: Ugwu Cave, Ogba Agana Cave, Ogba Umuogubi Cave and Ogbo Gwoo Gwoo Cave. In the same vein, Nkanu area holds Ogba Ihunekweagu and Akpugo Caves, while Udi and Awgu Areas have Inyi Chine Cave and Isu Awaa Cave respectively. Not to be left out, Oji-River Area boasts Odoro Caves. The father of all is the Ngwo cave. Let’s have a journey to Ngwo.
The cave, hidden away in the pocket of a deep canyon notched on the slopes of Miliken Hill; do you remember where the hill is located? First of all, the amazing views will envelope your sight.
Although there are intimidating slopes, but the beauty and aura that await tourists there, the chilling guests of wind will cheer you up. No doubt. After plotting a course through the large collect of trees at the Ngwo Pine Forest, there you are, before sharp twists and turns along the stone-paved track, especially as the itinerary slants downward.
Get ready, in about twenty minutes you will hit the valley floor, tiled by a gently flowing spring waters.
Then, off your shoes and begin to walk upstream in the water; after all, there is no gain without a pain! The stretch of the stream leads into a dark cleft at the end of the valley. A narrow but high opening leads into the crack.
You know what? A heavy downpour of raging sparkler clear water greets you. The cave is naturally sculpted in marble and decorated by captivating waterfall dropping down from a small opening at the roof of the cave.
Behind the big throng of rock in which the cave is emplaced is splitter of caves carefully laid into the rock; you password to access nature.
Business
Aside being a hub of Nigeria’s road network and a major railway junction, Enugu is also an important business and manufacturing centre. For instance, Enugu is(was) site of the Mercedes Benz assembly plant a.k.a Anammco.
The city’s industry also throws up huge volumes of textiles; shoes, furniture, ceramics, cement and asbestos, gases and steel products.
Sadly, a different story is being told today about these industries. Aside Innoson motors, hardly can you see a company that employees up to 3000 staff in Enugu. Suffice to say, government is the highest employer of labour; and we know what it implies in today’s economy. It is high time a different story be told!
TechDev Summit 2016
At this juncture, it is important to ponder on Enugu’s relevance in today’s technology agenda/ movement in Nigeria. Do we have a place?
To me, I feel that Enugu deserves more attention than it is getting with regards to the fact technology calls the tune of development in any part of the world today! That is why I enjoy every well meaning Enugu indigene to answer the clarion call to help the citizens adopt technology for our collective gains.
Enugu, the pride of the East is to host the maiden edition of TechDev Summit, the epic gathering of all principal stakeholders to brainstorm and seek solutions that would benefit Nigeria.
The mega summit with the theme: ICT: Innovate, Transform, Connect will hold from December 6 to 7 at the prestigious Golden Royal Event Centre, along Independence Layout, Enugu.
Organised by Communication Week Media Limited, publishers of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek and Techsmart Trend, the summit would a gathering of experts, academia, intellectuals and major stakeholders in the ICT, finance as well as government; in strategic and high-level sessions, to address issues, generate new ideas and approaches as well as chart a road map for Nigeria’s ICT space.
Ken Nwogbo, CEO, Communication Week Media, said that the event will provide unique platforms for over 1,000 leading ICT professionals and managers to mobilise smart implementation strategies aimed at improving operations at the citizenry and enterprise levels.
The summit will be chaired by Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, former EVC of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) while other speakers such as Leo-Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Group; Tunde Coker, CEO, Rack Centre; amongst others that have been lined up to make the summit truly impactful and revolutionary.
The choice of Enugu is strategic and stems from the fact that the city plays hosts to one the nation’s ivy league institutions- the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu campuses and the world famous Institute of Management and Technology (IMT).
Along with a number of other higher institutions in the state, the city underlines the importance of academia and resources around there to technology development as has been proved by the Silicon Valley model.
Ultimately, the Technology Development summit will deepen conservation and offer practical insights for our national technology development.
This is a welcome development hence it will also be keen on giving young innovators platforms aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. There will also co-located events at the forum including mentorship forum; and tech demo day. Prepare to be there!
Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has been ranked first overall in the 2025 Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard.
This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s digital economy.
The ranking, conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), is the definitive benchmark for digital excellence and transparency across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, received the award during a ceremony in Abuja.
He described the feat as a validation of the agency’s“Nigeria First”data sovereignty strategy and its relentless pursuit of service excellence.
This recognition comes as the Federal Government intensifies its push to achieve a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025.
GBB has been the primary architect of this transition through its 1Gov Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, which now hosts the operations of almost all federal MDAs.
The award adds to a growing list of accolades for Galaxy Backbone in 2025, following its recent win of the “International Standard Excellence Award for Best IT Service Provider.”
As the central hub for government shared services, GBB’s performance serves as a blueprint for other agencies currently undergoing digital transformation.
With its expanded fiber-optic backbone now covering over 13 states and its secure cloud solutions, Galaxy Backbone remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s vision to become a leading digital nation by the end of the decade.
Okitipi Samuel, a Nigerian man, has been taken into custody by the Nigeria Police Force for his alleged role in a global cyberattack on Microsoft 365 users.
Benjamin Hundeyin, Force public relations officer, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the outcome of investigations carried out by the National Cybercrime Centre of the Nigeria Police Force.
Hundeyin said the centre, under the leadership of Ifeanyi Uche, its director and Commissioner of Police, commenced investigations in collaboration with Microsoft, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
According to him, investigations revealed that a phishing toolkit known as “Raccoon 0365” was used to create fake Microsoft login portals to harvest user credentials and unlawfully access email accounts belonging to corporate organisations, financial institutions, and educational institutions in several countries.
“This investigation commenced following credible intelligence received from Microsoft USA through the FBI, indicating that a malicious phishing toolkit known as Raccoon0365 was being used to create fake Microsoft login portals, harvest user credentials, and unlawfully access the email accounts of corporate organisations, financial institutions, and educational establishments,” Hundeyin said.
He added that between January and September 2025, several reports of unauthorised access to Microsoft 365 accounts were traced to phishing emails designed to mimic legitimate Microsoft login pages, enabling business email compromise, internal phishing, data breaches, and other cyber-enabled fraud.
Hundeyin said digital forensic analysis and cryptocurrency tracing identified wallets connected to the illegal operation.
He noted that operatives were deployed to Lagos and Edo states, leading to the arrest of three suspects identified as Joshua, James, and Okitipi Samuel between September 20 and October 4, 2025.
“Following extensive digital forensic and technical intelligence analysis, the centre conducted cryptocurrency tracing that identified suspicious wallets connected to cash-out schemes.
“Acting on actionable intelligence, operational teams were deployed to Lagos and Edo states, resulting in the arrest of Joshua, James, and Okitipi Samuel. Searches at their residences led to the recovery of mobile devices, laptops, and other digital exhibits linked to the fraudulent scheme,” he said.
Hundeyin identified Okitipi Samuel, also known as “0365” and Moses Felix as the principal suspect and developer of the phishing infrastructure.
He added that investigations confirmed Samuel unlawfully used the email details of one of the arrested individuals without consent to register some of the accounts used in the operation.
The police spokesperson said further investigations revealed that the identities of Joshua and James were used without their consent.
“There was no evidence linking them to the creation or operation of the phishing scheme. They were victims of identity theft,” Hundeyin said.
He said a prima facie case had been established against Samuel for identity theft, unlawful access to computer systems, creation and distribution of malicious software, unauthorised interference with network data, and aiding and abetting fraud.
Hundeyin added that the suspect would be charged under relevant provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.
He said the suspect would be prosecuted in Nigeria, noting that the country has the capacity to enforce its cybercrime laws, although extradition could be considered if formally requested through due process.
Hundeyin assured Nigerians that the police, under the leadership of Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of Police, would continue to protect the country’s digital ecosystem and urged citizens to practise good cyber hygiene by being cautious when clicking links and sharing personal information online.
Speaking separately, Ifeanyi Uche, director of the National Cybercrime Centre, urged Nigerians to exercise caution online.
Uche advised members of the public to avoid clicking on links from unknown or unexpected sources, noting that such links often contain malware or phishing tools designed to compromise devices and personal data.
He warned that indiscriminate clicking of links or responding to unsolicited emails could lead to unauthorised access to personal and corporate accounts, urging citizens to “wash their cyber hands” by verifying sources before taking action online.
Nigeria has unveiled a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy designed to localise WSIS+20 commitments. This roadmap accelerates national transformation by prioritising robust infrastructure, transparent internet governance, and advanced cybersecurity through deep stakeholder collaboration.
Unveiled in New York at the Nigerian high-level side event titled “Re-Imagining Digital Cooperation for Sustainable Development: From WSIS+20 Vision to Local Action,” the strategy cements Nigeria’s position as a primary architect of the world’s digital future.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE represented by Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr. Dimie Shively Wariowei said Nigeria’s approach is deliberately aligned with the four core activity areas identified under the ongoing WSIS+20 review process.
According to him, the focus areas provide a practical framework for translating global digital commitments into measurable national outcomes, ensuring that international resolutions drive inclusive growth and sustainable digital development at the country level.
Inuwa identified digital infrastructure as the foundation of effective localisation, noting persistent challenges in extending connectivity to underserved and remote communities. Beyond infrastructure gaps, he highlighted affordability constraints and digital literacy deficits, stressing that addressing these issues remains central to Nigeria’s digital inclusion drive.
He explained that government alone cannot shoulder the burden of nationwide digital infrastructure deployment, given Nigeria’s vast geographical spread, hence the adoption of collaborative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models. He disclosed that Nigeria, in collaboration with the World Bank, is implementing a major fibre-optic project spanning about 90,000 kilometres nationwide to boost connectivity.
The NITDA DG also revealed that the current National Broadband Plan, which has guided broadband expansion in recent years, is nearing completion, with plans underway to renew and reposition it for the next five years. The renewed plan, he said, will strategically target increased broadband penetration as a catalyst for digital access and economic growth.
On internet governance, Inuwa referenced Nigeria’s active participation in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), noting that the country successfully hosted its annual national IGF. He said the forum operates on a multi-stakeholder model that brings together government, the private sector, civil society and the technical community to foster cooperation and informed policy dialogue.
Cybersecurity, he added, remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s localisation efforts. He cited the existing Cybersecurity Act and ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal framework through a reviewed version currently awaiting parliamentary approval. These measures, he said, are designed to mitigate risks associated with increased internet use and to protect users and critical digital infrastructure.
Inuwa further stressed Nigeria’s ambition to play a leadership role in advancing digital cooperation across Africa through inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement. He underscored the importance of coordinated national data collection, noting that reliable, country-specific data is essential for tracking progress and presenting Africa’s digital development story on the global stage.
He concluded that sustained engagement and follow-up actions arising from the WSIS+20 review would strengthen digital cooperation among African countries and ensure that global digital commitments translate into tangible national and regional impact.
Stakeholders commended Nigeria’s efforts in the digital space, acknowledging the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
Earlier, Ms. Jennifer Chung, Co-Convener of the Informal Multi-Stakeholder Sounding Board (IMSB), praised Nigeria for convening a broad-based, multi-stakeholder delegation and for its commitment to the meaningful implementation of WSIS+20 outcomes.
Chung stressed the growing demand for localised WSIS follow-up mechanisms, noting that platforms such as the annual IGF, National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs), and youth-led forums are vital for tracking progress towards the 2030 Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
She described the WSIS+20 review as a critical step toward effective monitoring, reliable data collection and evidence-based evaluation, particularly for developing countries in the Global South. According to her, these measures are essential to achieving WSIS targets and ensuring that no region is left behind.
Drawing parallels with the Asia-Pacific region, Chung noted that challenges around affordable and meaningful connectivity remain widespread across developing economies. She emphasised that expanding broadband penetration and reducing the cost of access are crucial to closing digital divides in Africa, Asia-Pacific and other parts of the Global South.
She also highlighted the need to enable active citizen participation in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and future innovations such as quantum technologies, stressing that inclusive digital access is key to maximising the benefits of digital transformation.
Reflecting on the WSIS+20 review process, Chung praised the innovative and inclusive approach adopted through the informal multi-stakeholder sounding board, describing it as one of the first of its kind in global digital governance. She called for sustained collaboration among governments, the private sector, civil society and the technical community to carry the WSIS vision from global commitments to local action.
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