Telecom
Digital Inclusion: NITDA Begins ICT Training for PLWD in Enugu
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), on Tuesday said it is consolidating on digital inclusion and has commenced the ICT training for Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD) in Enugu State.
The five-day programme which started on Monday, had its theme as “Training in IT and Entrepreneurship”, and is aimed at nurturing entrepreneurship skills,creating desired social and economic outcomes by facilitating innovative, technology-driven economic growth among PLWD.
Mr Kashifu Inuwa, director-general (D-G) of NITDA, represented by Dr Collins Agu, director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, said training PLWD in ICT skills is important so they could be at par with technology trends.
Inuwa said that the training, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE) and implemented by NITDA, is to empower PLWD through investments in ICT infrastructure, policies and solutions with the aim of enabling them live productive lives as well as give them a sense of inclusion in the IT ecosystem.
“We are training people with disabilities to build their capacities, make them employable and self-reliant in order to have effective economic independence in pursing their livelihoods.
“The training will boost participants’ digital literacy and proficiency so as will efficiently participate in the fast-growing digital economy and entrepreneur ecosystem,” he said.
He further said that the programme is in line with the vision of the Federal government, which is to empower the entire citizenry with Information Technologies through the development of a critical mass of IT proficient and globally-competitive manpower.
He expressed delight at the theme of the programme, saying it signifies the need to leverage on entrepreneurial technologies and job creation, especially in the era of COVID-19 pandemic.
The D-G recalled that the FMCDE’s roadmap pledges to leave no one behind, adding that it is critical to ensure the full and equitable participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of the society, particularly in the ICT ecosystem.
He said the NITDA had, through the initiative, trained over 175 persons across the country, thereby creating over 1,000 jobs in a train-the-trainer approach.
Inuwa said that over time, PLWD experienced discrimination in the society which consequently had effects on their social and economic dispositions.
He, however, promised that the training programme will potentially make significant improvements in their lives.
“It will, no doubt, give them opportunities to enhance their social, cultural, political and economic integration in the society while expanding the scope of opportunities available to them.”
He urged the participants to take their training seriously and make the best use of it to promote innovation, wealth for a sustainable national growth and development.
Earlier, the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, said the unemployment rate caused by post COVID-19 pandemic had prompted the state government to take proactive steps in ensuring that youths of the state leverage on the new entrepreneurial and economic opportunities associated with digital economy.
Represented by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Obi Kama, the governor said the state established the Enugu State Technology Hub and Youth Innovation Centre to improve digital skills.
“It is necessary to empower PLWD in the New Normal situation through capacity building programmes on ICT which will accelerate their opportunities in tapping into the endless possibilities unlocked by digitalisation.”
He said the state government will like to partner with the NITDA by making available an office space for the agency to set up its South-East zonal office for the integration of digital skills in the area.
(NAN)
In the wake of increasing geopolitical tension, Cassava Technologies has unveiled its National Sovereign Cloud offering for African governments.
The solution, the company claims, will help the continent’s governments ensure data is kept on infrastructure that remains under local legal and operational jurisdiction.
According to the official announcement, made yesterday, the solution provides “secure, locally-governed digital infrastructure that enables the deployment of AI-enabled public services”.
The overarching solution encompasses cloud, cyber security, AI computing infrastructure, as well as local language AI models and skills support for governments.
The announcement comes amid increasing uncertainty over the hosting of sensitive national data on cloud services operated by foreign hyperscalers, which are subject to legal frameworks, such as the U.S. CLOUD Act. The CLOUD Act opens the door to allow American authorities to access data stored on the servers of US hyperscalers, wherever those servers are physically located.
Cassava has claimed separately that currently, “approximately 33% to 45% of the world’s data is hosted in the USA”.
The company added: “A sovereign cloud reduces exposure to extraterritorial laws, improves cyber resilience, and ensures that model weights and training data for public AI remain under national custody.”
The Africa Data Centres Association’s 2026 Economic Report states that “data sovereignty has evolved from a legal aspiration into a strategic policy lever”.
Ahmed El Beheiry, Group COO and Group Chief Technology and AI Officer, Cassava Technologies said: “Across Africa, governments are accelerating their digital transformation agendas and are increasingly focused on ensuring that data and digital infrastructure remain secure and sovereign.”
Announced at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, this week, the Sovereign Cloud offering launch accompanied the launch of Cassava’s Cloud Partner programme.
The partner programme targets mobile network operators and system integrators across Africa to resell and distribute AI, cloud, and other digital services using Cassava’s infrastructure and technology platforms.
El Beheiry added: “We are expanding Africa’s sovereign AI ecosystem to build solutions that address the continent’s unique challenges while creating new opportunities for growth and digital inclusion.”
The programme offers partners access to NVIDIA Cloud Partner solutions, Cassava’s AI Factory, its own native AI solutions and its AI Multi-Model Exchange, which supports both Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini models.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
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