Telecom
COVID 19: NITDA DG Tasks ICT Startups on Disruptive Technologies
Mallam KashifuInuwa Abdullahi, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has tasked Nigerian Startups to prepare for more innovative ideas while the world is fighting Coronavirus pandemic which is ravaging the economy.
The DG made this call on Thursday while addressing participants via Video Conferencing during a ‘Virtual Demo Day: COVID-19 Innovation Challenge’ organised by Venture Platform Hub.
According to the DG, COVID 19 is going to change the entire technology and economic activities in the world, and industries around the globe will be disrupted with many innovations.
He said COVID-19 has made a significant impact on digital technology and there is need for Nigerian StartUps to be on alert because the change is inevitable.
“Things are not going to be the same after the pandemic. The world economic order is going to change.
“A lot of industries are going to be disrupted. Startups should be ready to embrace the inevitable change,” he said.
The DG opined that, “as at January this year, the global market valuation of unicorns is more than $2trillion.
“I said unicorns, means a privately owned company worth one billion U.S. dollars or more. Once a company has gone public (IPO) or has been acquired, it is no longer termed as a Unicorn. I believe you can grow your startups to become a unicorn.
“You can grow your startup to become a unicorn within short period by following the playbook successful startups had followed.
“It is a 3 simple rules; firstly, they begin with a plan to disrupt an existing industry; secondly, they inject capital to grow as rapidly as possible and; thirdly they tolerate high risk in a rush to conquer and dominate market segment.
“As Africans, our young and digitally native population is a competitive advantage. In addition, our market is still untapped.
“There are 615 unicorns in the world, 43% is in the USA (265), 33% in China (204) only 3 unicorns are in Africa; two in South Africa and one in Nigeria”.
He further stated that Health and pharmaceuticals sector is the number 7th in global unicorn market valuation. It’s worth around $99.11 billion, and COVID-19 is going to widen the market share, and it’s an opportunity for startups to create and capture value from the pandemic.
He said, “Nigeria’s startup landscape has been slowly coming of age with innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. As the startup numbers flourished over the last few years, so does the need for bigger investors and venture capitalists.”
He also urged the Startups to turn the COVID-19 frustration into delight by coming up with innovative ideas that can create value for them and Nigeria in general, as well partner with Federal Government and Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under the leadership of Dr Isa Ali (Pantami) who is levelling the playing field for startups to thrive.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
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