Telecom
NITDA Empowers PLWD in Kano with Digital Skill
As part of effort to make digital literacy all inclusive, the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA on Friday completed the training for 30 persons living with various forms of disabilities,PLWD in Kano, Kano State.
The closing ceremony of the five-day training on Office Automation and Technoprenuership was virtually attended by the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who was represented by Mallam Salihu Tanko Yakasai, senior special assistance on Media, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and the NITDA Director General, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
The Minister, in his remarks as the Chief Host advised the trainees to be ambitious and not to see their disabilities as challenges that would not make them achieve success in their chosen endeavours.
“You have to build on the skills you have acquired, challenge your previous successes,” he advised.
He said that, “as entrepreneurs, you will face a lot of challenges so encouraged to be focused and chase your passion diligently”, adding that no deformity can limit the level of achievements except the one set for yourselves.
Citing example of some renowned tech guru in the world, the minister explained that most of them turn their challenges to strength so they could become what they are today.
He said, “Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in his garage in the year 1994 without making a profit for years. So you don’t have to be discouraged but keep your eyes on the ball”
Dr Pantami informed the beneficiaries to count themselves lucky for being selected out of many people that applied for the training advising them to make judiciously used of the working tools provided for them and not to be tempted to sale it.
The minister while commending the NITDA boss and the entire management of the Agency for strategically implementing the policy of the ministry stated that the ministry would continuously coming up with strategies that will support the digital economy mandate of the ministry.
He directed NITDA to continue giving high premium to developing the capacity of the people. “I want you to keep this training going so our people can be empowered. You are also advised to have data base of the beneficiaries in order to keep monitoring their achievements.
In his remarks, the representative of the governor, Mallam Yakasai commended NITDA for choosing Kano state for the training, noting that the acquired skills by the trainees would assist them to be self-reliant.
He said the state government would remain grateful for the opportunity. While maintaining that the state government is also striving to ensure that the lives of the physically challenged are supported with initiatives that would make things easier for them.
Earlier in his speech, the NITDA boss said that the programme is targeted at promoting inclusiveness in the nation’s journey to digital economy.
He added that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has made digital skills imperative.
He said, “never before was digital skills more critical as it is today. As we move from pandemic emergence response phase to recovery phase, the unprecedented disruption of this pandemic is accelerating the urgency of digital transformation and it has forced us to embrace new practices such as social distancing, remote working and virtual events.”
He reiterated that the training is aimed at ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind in the journey to digital Nigeria.
“The Honourable Minister has enjoined us to embark on massive training and re-skilling for all Nigerians including more than the 25 million people living with disabilities”.
He added that this year training is focused on upskill and empowerment of the people living with disabilities with digital skills on Office Automation and Technoprenuership.
He said special attention is being paid to entrepreneurship because Small and Medium Enterprise and tech startups are the backbone of any nation.
Ado Sanusi Sabongida, one of the beneficiaries of the training who is living with Cerebral Palsy, delivered vote of thanks on behalf of the others. He thanked the management of the NITDA for not forgetting special people in their programmes.
He equally advised other agencies of government to emulate NITDA at empowering the special people adding that they should be looking inward to see abilities in their disabilities.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of working tools to the trainees.
Nigeria has exactly 156,662 active fixed wired internet subscriptions as of mid-2026.
This is a tiny fraction compared to mobile GSM networks, which dominate the market with over 154 million subscribers.
The fixed wired market primarily consists of homes and offices using direct physical cables like fiber optics.
Fixed wired services use physical cables, like glass fiber or copper wire, to bring internet directly into a building.
It is like a dedicated, private water pipe for your home. It provides very fast speeds, unlimited data, and is reliable.
In contrast, mobile GSM uses radio waves transmitted from tall towers to phones, acting more like a sprinkler that sprays a signal across an entire neighborhood.
Because laying physical cables across cities is expensive and hard to do, these subscriptions are very rare.
However, the market has seen recent growth, driven largely by Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services.
The top players are: MTN FibreX with 110,564 subscribers, which is roughly 88.7 per cent of the entire market.
SWIFTNG accounts for about 13,945 connections.
The others are ipNX and 21st Century Technologies which make up the number.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is intensifying efforts to implement Nigeria’s planned 112 national emergency number following its approval by the National Economic Council (NEC).
NCC
The commission disclosed this during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and an NCC delegation led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing the Vice President, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across the country to support a unified national emergency response system.
He said the next phase of implementation would focus on closer collaboration with state governments and emergency response agencies to ensure the effective rollout of the initiative.
The development follows the recent approval by the NEC, chaired by the Vice President, for the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency number across all tiers of government and emergency response agencies.
The council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the NCC.
Olorunnimbe stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on the commitment of state governments to support and maintain emergency communications infrastructure, as well as the readiness of response agencies to promptly attend to distress calls.
“We need commitment at every level of all response agencies—from top to bottom—including the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services across the states and, at the national level, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” he said.
Responding, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the nationwide implementation of the single emergency number in line with international best practices.
He also urged the commission to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), citing the agency’s experience in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.
The Vice President assured the commission of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the initiative, saying funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and partnerships with the private sector.
He also called for greater dedication from all emergency response agencies to ensure the success of the programme.
The adoption of 112 is expected to harmonise emergency communications across Nigeria by providing a single number through which citizens can quickly access police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services.
The initiative is also expected to replace multiple emergency contact numbers currently in use and improve coordination and response during emergencies.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was strengthening collaboration with state governments and industry players to develop a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for sharing telecom ducts as part of efforts to speed up broadband expansion across Nigeria.
Ayuba Shuaibu, director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to build consensus among all parties.
“The primary purpose of this forum is to ensure seamless synergy between the Commission and all stakeholders,” he said.
The director said the consultation was prompted by longstanding complaints over permits, levies and other charges imposed by different levels of government.
He said bringing together state commissioners, telecom operators, tower companies and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had helped improve understanding of the issues.
“This engagement is a work in progress. We expect more input from stakeholders before presenting the outcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,” he added.
Dr Helen Adeneye, commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State. welcomed the consultation, saying Nigeria needs a harmonised policy that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the federal and state governments.
“We need a harmonised policy that allows states to collaborate better with telecom operators and creates a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Dr Adeneye added that adopting the Dig-Once policy would establish a uniform pricing system and help resolve disputes over charges for telecom infrastructure deployment.
Chidi Ajuzie, chief executive officer, WTES Projects Limited, whose firm is conducting the consultancy study, said the proposed framework would introduce a common cost structure for duct sharing to support broadband investment and economic growth.
“The study is designed to create a uniform pricing model that will drive broadband growth, economic development and wider adoption across the country,” he said.
Ajuzie explained that the consultants had developed preliminary floor and ceiling prices to guide operators while allowing flexibility within the approved range.
He added that the recommendations remain open to industry input before the NCC finalises the framework.
The Dig-Once Policy is designed to reduce the cost and disruption of deploying broadband infrastructure by requiring fibre ducts to be installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
The NCC is developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing these ducts to promote fair pricing, reduce duplication of infrastructure and encourage investment.
The proposed model is expected to support the Federal Government’s broadband expansion targets while improving collaboration between telecom operators and state governments.
Court Adjourns Alleged Binance Tax Evasion Case over Settlement Talks
Fixed Wired Internet Market Lags as Mobile Gains Ground
Xenophobic Attacks: OYC Threatens to Picket MTN Nigeria Offices
New NIMC Act Strengthens Data Protection, Privacy – Director
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Mobile Internet Gender Gap Widest in Africa – GSMA
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
News2 days agoNRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
News2 days agoNSITF Partners South African Insurer on Digital Transformation
E-Financial2 days agoFCT-IRS Unveils New Digital Platform, Taxporta
General News2 days agoKPMG Urges Africa’s Most Innovative Tech Entrepreneurs to Enter the Global Tech Innovator 2026 Competition
E-Business2 days agoFG Suspends New Internet Regulations to Prevent Overlapping Rules
E-Business2 days agoNIN Enrollment Hits over 136m as New ID Law Takes Effect
E-Business2 days agoPlateau PCC Collects Nigerians’ Data without Privacy Policy – FIJ
Telecom1 day agoNCC Seeks Cost-Based Pricing Framework for Ducts