News
Attending Events Like GITEX Shows The Gaps, Encourages Us To Do More- Isa Ibrahim
By chukwuemeka fred agbata
Nigeria is one African country that puts on a good outing at each edition of the GITEX Technology Week, one of the world’s technology events that holds in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE.
Isa Ibrahim, the director general, DG, of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, led other government officials, both at the Federal and State levels, to tour the Dubai Pavilion at the just concluded GITEX Technology Week 2017, in order to learn from their experiences. After the tour, I had a discussion with him to know what his experiences were as well as other issues.
He stated that he learnt some lessons, which he will be bringing to Nigeria in order to help grow the IT industry in Nigeria. “One of the lessons we have learnt, is that other nations are not sleeping. They are progressing. They are developing and as long as we want to remain relevant, then, we need to progress in ICT”, he maintained. He also observed that, between the last GITEX Technology week in October 2016 and this year’s GITEX Technology Week 2017, it was obvious that the UAE had progressed tremendously in ICT. “This is an indication that, if we are sleeping, other nations are not, so, we have to wake up and ensure that we try to increase our pace”, he asserted.
The NITDA DG stated that, since the event last year, NITDA has been at the vanguard of monitoring our Startups. He also stated that NITDA had established strategic partnerships through IT regulations, improvement of standards and government digital services.
On whether the right environment is being created for the Startups to grow in Nigeria, the DG stated that the best is being done to assist the Startups, working within the constraints of resources, etc.
He stated that, in spite of these constraints, NITDA was always there for the Startups, through mentoring, guidance and counseling. “secondly, we usually support them with seed funding. It could not be sufficient, but it is a clear indication that, we are willing to do more, as long as the resources are available”, he explained. He stated that, another assistance that NITDA does for the Startups, is the annual sponsorship of them to the GITEX Technology week events and this year, 10 Startups were sponsored, 100%, to the GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, in spite of the constraints.
Answering a question on whether investors are interested in partnering with our Startups, the NITDA DG responded in the affirmative and explained that, as he speaks, Google has indicated interest in partnering with some of the Nigerian Startups that were taken to GITEX Technology Week 2017.
He emphasised that, our Startups are dong wonderfully well and some countries and Multinational companies, MNC’s, are also looking for ways of taking up for mentoring or partnership.
In the opinion of the NITDA DG, organising events like the GITEX Technology Week is relevant to Nigeria because, no nation can develop IT alone without sharing their experiences with others as they need to engage in strategic partnerships professional collaboration and many more. He stressed that, by attending events like GITEX all over the world, gives the Nigerian IT industry the opportunity to see what other nations have achieved compared to what we have achieved, note the gap and encourage os to do more.
“NITDA came in touch with many MNC’s and up till now, we maintain our contacts and relationship with them. Recently, some MNC’s are even supporting us to develop some standards and guidelines, based on their experience and expertise as well”, he he noted, on the importance of attending such events.
On how these foreign partnerships will not be for only the importation of products and services, but also include the increase in our local content input, the DG stated that NITDA always emphasises at meetings with these MNC’s that, Nigeria is interested in them coming to domesticate their products in Nigeria and not for Nigeria to be importing from them.
“The advantage to be derived from this, include the reduction on the pressure on our local currency, reduction in unemployment in Nigeria and also improvement in the image of our country”, he observed. The idea, he further stated, is to encourage our local manufacturers to learn from these MNC’s to develop our local content.
On his personal assessment of himself in office in the past one year, the DG stated that, third parties are in a better position to assess his work at NITDA in the past one year. He, however, noted that NITDA has, so far, achieved a lot, but there are still many more things to be done.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has announced the launch of its ₦400 million festive rewards campaign, designed to reward users with cash prizes and fully sponsored international travel experiences for everyday transactions on the PalmPay app.
The campaign will run from December 17, 2025, to January 8, 2026. The campaign is designed to reward everyday transactions with extraordinary experiences. It runs alongside PalmPay’s Purple December brand campaign, which focuses on wrapping up the company’s key brand and community initiatives for the year.
At the centre of the rewards campaign is the PalmPay World Travel Carnival, an interactive card collection experience that allows users to earn city cards by completing transactions on the app. Users are required to collect five city cards – London, New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Cape Town and combine them into a World Card, which unlocks a share of the prize pool.
The more World Cards a user creates, the larger their share of the cash rewards. Any extra uncombined cards can be swapped with friends and other PalmPay users to help complete additional World Cards.
Beyond cash rewards, the Carnival also offers Free Global Trips. In each round, the top two users with the highest number of eligible transactions (₦100 and above) and at least one World Card will win an all-expense-paid international trip.
The travel grand prize covers:
- Visa fees
- Round-trip international airfare
- 5-day, 4-night hotel accommodation
- Side attraction
- Meal expenses
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- All transportation for scheduled tour activities during the trip
Winners will be determined through a transparent leaderboard system, with prizes credited automatically at the end of each round on December 25, December 31, and January 8.
Participation is simple:
- Complete tasks on the PalmPay app, such as Airtime, Data, Transfers, and other specific transactions listed in the app, to earn cards.
- Collect all five city cards.
- Swap cards with friends to complete your collection.
- Combine cards to form a World Card and earn cash rewards.
- Perform more transactions to climb the leaderboard for a chance at the global trip prize.
To ensure fairness, PalmPay has instituted strict rules: no cheating, bots, fake accounts, or manipulation. Any violations may lead to disqualification or account bans. Additionally, the Free Travel Prize is limited to one per user throughout the campaign.
Speaking on the launch, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communication, “This festive rewards campaign is about turning everyday banking into meaningful value for our users. With the World Travel Carnival as the headline activation, we are reinforcing PalmPay’s promise of being the smarter way to bank—where smart financial decisions unlock bigger opportunities.”
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a nationwide energy survey aimed at closing long-standing data gaps in Nigeria’s power sector. The initiative is expected to guide policy, attract investment, and accelerate universal electricity access.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement establishes a National Energy Survey based on the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognized methodology that measures electricity access not only by grid connection but also by quality, affordability, reliability, and usage of electricity and clean cooking solutions.
The survey will be implemented under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Dr. Abba Aliyu, REA Managing Director/CEO, said the partnership underscores REA’s commitment to evidence-based rural electrification planning and will generate detailed insights on electricity access and off-grid solutions nationwide.
Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, emphasized that reliable statistics are essential for effective policymaking, assuring that NBS will provide technical oversight, sampling expertise, and quality assurance to meet global standards.
The survey will assess energy access, household affordability, expenditure patterns, and the adoption of off-grid technologies such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions. REA will provide sector expertise and policy alignment, while NBS manages regulatory approvals, methodology, and technical supervision.
Funded and technically overseen by the World Bank, the exercise will run for 18 months, with the resulting data expected to improve national energy planning, programme targeting, and private sector investment, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Officials said the collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing energy data availability, and advancing Nigeria’s goal of universal electricity and clean cooking access.
The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), the nation’s foremost self-regulatory body for the blockchain industry, has completed its election cycle, heralding the beginning of a new executive council dedicated to scaling Nigeria’s digital economy.
The highly anticipated elections concluded recently with the emergence of a new leadership team poised to champion industry standards, foster innovation, and drive widespread adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
The newly elected executives, who will officially assume their roles in January 2026, represent a blend of legal, financial, and technical expertise critical for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Leading the charge is Mela Claude-Ake, a lawyer, who has been elected the President of SiBAN to succeed the outgoing President, Obinna Iwuno, whose tenure was marked by significant achievements, including facilitating crucial reforms and forging strategic partnerships with regulators and other critical stakeholders in the digital asset industry. Mr. Iwuno will formally hand over the reins to the new council in January 2026.
Other elected to the executive council are Chimene Chinah – Vice President 1, in charge of Blockchain education and adoption; Oroke Cornelius – Vice President 2, in charge of membership, strategic partnerships, and funding; and Ayo Shonibare – Vice President 3, in charge of policy, regulation, and ethics.
Others are Ugochukwu Peters – Vice President 4 in charge of digital asset operations and capital markets, Mbene Vivian – Chief strategy officer in charge of projects and incubation, Olufunmilayo Tugbobo as Financial Secretary/Chief Financial Officer, and Chiemeka David Ohajionu as Chief Communications Officer.
The newly elected council’s structure reflects SiBAN’s commitment to addressing key pillars of the blockchain ecosystem: from grassroots education and fostering innovation through projects, to establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
In his acceptance speech, Mela Claude-Ake emphasized the vital role SiBAN plays in shaping the future of finance and technology in Nigeria.
“The trust placed in this new council is not one we take lightly. We inherit a great foundation built by the outgoing team. Our mission now is to accelerate. We stand at a critical juncture where the potential of blockchain to revolutionize every sector, from finance and governance to supply chain, is undeniable. This new council will focus relentlessly on advancing smart, collaborative regulation, democratizing blockchain education, and protecting the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria remains a leader in the African digital economy space,” he assured.
He added that he is humbled by the opportunity to be the face of one of Nigeria’s youngest and most promising sectors — blockchain tech.
“As a tech enthusiast I am excited at the possibilities. The ecosystem needs careful nurturing by the government. My administration will be focused on building new bridges for the blockchain sector internationally and domestically, establishing trust with the public and unifying the sector. I enjoin all blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria, connected to Nigeria or of nigerian heritage to join hands together with my administration in building the industry of our dreams.”
The industry now looks forward to the handover ceremony in January 2026 and the initiatives the new SiBAN leadership will unveil to solidify the association’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a respected partner to the Nigerian government.
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