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Digital Economy A Catalyst For Nigeria’s Development- Dr. Woherem
Dr. Evans Woherem, a foremost banker and renowned IT guru, has lauded the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, and the Federal Government, for upgrading the former Federal Ministry of Communications to that of Communications & Digital Economy.
Dr. Woherem said he was particularly delighted by the upgrade because he had for long advocated the need for the country to constitute a committee that would come up with a new policy and strategy aimed at creating a roadmap on how to turn the country into a digital economy, describing the Minister’s action as poignant and proactive.
“Take for instance as I have been pointing out lately. South Africa has a Ministry of Information Technology. To me, that’s so marvelous for a country to be so far-reaching in its thinking of the future, realizing the importance of information technology.
“The fact that it’s a catalyst for development, for energizing other parts of government or activities in an economy, to the point of creating a ministry that will run the affairs of the information technology in the country, made me applaud the South African Government.
“And again, the United Arab Emirates has something similar, and indeed, more exciting. UAE has a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence; to me, that’s something that speaks volumes. In addition to that, they also have a Ministry of Possibilities.
“It means that they are really preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and beyond; they are really preparing for the new century.
“They really want to do something that nobody had thought ever before. They really want to experiment, push boundaries and use technology to go where no nation had been before,” Woherem stated.
Dr. Woherem, a former Executive Director at First Bank Plc and Unity Bank of Nigeria noted that he had always pointed out the need for Nigeria to do the right kind of thing as a nation, have the audacity to reach out to be the best, and to do things that are almost miraculous.
“By the creativity of Nigerians as individuals, by her population, and by what our youths are doing today, we need to do something that is audacious.
“We are just simply destined to do something great in leading Africa. Unfortunately, our leaders do not think long term; they rather think short term that has to do with themselves than pan-Nigeria.
“I am very glad that even in our own country, a minister is thinking along this direction to the extent of adding to the Ministry of Communications, Digital Economy. With the new ministry, we are no longer going to have the Communication Ministry as we used to know it.
“What we’ve done now with the new ministry crosses what South Africa and the UAE had done. It is a good thing to the point that it’s something that is needed.
“Simply, information technology is the major catalyst for development. Even by itself, it began to make significant contributions to the GDP. We are told that about 13.8% of the GDP is as a result of ICT contributions. That to me is herculean and portends a lot of good for the country. It means that the next 10 to 20 years, it will begin to reach about 30% or so.”
Dr. Woherem advised that information technology should be taken seriously because it is going to positively affect all the sectors of the economy, all the activities of government and even her citizens, adding that currently Nigeria and indeed Africa are still at the lower end of the spectrum of information technology.
“We are just at the foundation stages. It does not however, mean that it is like that in all the sectors of the economy. For instance, the banking sector might be at the beginning of the operational level, same as the Agricultural sector.
“Our various sectors of the economy are at various stages of development whereas all of them are supposed to be at the operational level going to strategic levels of use of information technology,” he said.
The Digital Africa Global Consult Group boss warned that as a country, Nigeria should not just be technology usersbut should participate in developing technology applications that are going to drive the 21st and 22nd centuries.
“I have always lamented about the fact that Africa is sitting idly by and letting the train of technology development pass-by. Just like we did in the first, second and third industrial revolutions, it always baffles me that we are not taking it more seriously.
“Somebody once said there is a culture of technology; every technology has a culture associated with it. Sometime, you are creating a technology without knowing you are creating a culture too.
“That being the case, why should Africa allow somebody else be solely responsible on how we are going to live in the future without our own input? So, I have always felt that Africa should be part and parcel of those developing global technology.
“Digital economy is therefore, a good thing for us as a country because it can definitely help us to not only have ICT but will add more and more to our GDP. It is also going to develop and advance each of the industries and sectors of our economy as a nation by creating a lot more employments.”
Dr. Woherem said that though kudos should be given to government for coming up with the decision to upgrade to a digital economy, he insisted that there are certain things that must be done to ensure a total paradigm shift to digital economy.
“We need to come up with a set of policies and strategies through which things can be evolved. To an extent, government has come up with something to that effect, and it is kudos to government.
“However, I would have wanted a set of Nigerians, representing certain key parts of the economy led with a representation of certain people that are truly experts in these areas that would come up with that set of policies and strategies for developing a digital economy.
“And that committee shouldn’t be an Ad hoc or one-off committee. They should be there to also oversee things and be called upon from time to time to deliberate and also make recommendations with regard to the digital economy. This should be taken serious.
“There is an organization within the European Union where all Champions for IT in different countries in Europe come together to deliberate on the future of Europe especiallyon matters of technology.
“What does that show? It means they are taking the issue of technology seriously over there. Yet, Europe is way ahead of Africa in the adoption of technology tools. If Europe that is way ahead of us in technology is taking it this serious, that means we have to be more serious. This also means there are certain things we have to put in place.”
He said that whatever Nigeria is doing with regard to digital economy is the country’s own attempt to catch up, adding that what heis expecting to see is that as a result of this subtle focus and emphasis on digital economy, that Nigeria will start thinking a lot more seriously with regards to what kind of economy she is building and the instruments to deploy to bring about developments in the various sectors of her economy.
“To actualize the digital economy of our dream as a nation, government should also build tech hubs, parks and experience centres through which people can now begin to practice these exponential technologies. Government should also encourage the private sector to be involved. We need a lot of that here in Nigeria, at least one in major cities of the country,” Woherem said.
Telecom
Digital Encode Sponsors PAFON 3.0 as CVO Prof. Adewale Set to Deliver Keynote on Cybersecurity and Trust
Digital Encode Limited has emerged the lead sponsor of the upcoming third edition of the forum (PAFON 3.0), the organisers have announced.
PAFON 3.0
PAFON 3.0 is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 24, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Lagos, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Themed “Fair Digital Payments as a Catalyst for Deepening Financial Inclusion in Nigeria,” PAFON 3.0 serves as a strategic platform for senior executives from banks, fintechs, regulatory agencies, and technology innovators to address the evolving digital payment landscape.
As Nigeria transitions toward a cash-light economy, the forum will focus on critical pillars of sustainability, including transparency, pricing integrity, and system resilience.
Bridging Cybersecurity and Financial Inclusion
Professor Adewale Peter Obadare, the Founder/chief visionary officer of Digital Encode will deliver a cybersecurity-focused keynote address that connects trust, resilience, fraud prevention, and consumer protection to financial inclusion.
His session will provide a specialized perspective on how information security serves as the bedrock of financial inclusion; exploring the vital links between building infrastructure that consumers can rely on, protecting the ecosystem to allow inclusion to scale, and ensuring equitable and secure access for all Nigerians.
Prof. Obadare is arguably the most Credentialed PAN-African Digital Trust Leader, CyberSecurity Strategist, GRC Thought Leader & Global Technopreneur.
He is a seasoned Multi-Award Cybersecurity & GRC expert with over 58 (Fifty-Eight) international professional certifications to his credit, Master of Science in Cybersecurity, Liverpool Unversity, UK, was awarded Honorarary Doctorate Degree in Cybersecurity from Trinity International University of Ambassadors Atlanta Georgia, United State of America and First Professor of Practice – Cybersecurity at Miva Open University, Abuja, Nigeria.
Prof. Obadare is a well-recognized subject matter expert with numerous successful engagements to his credit in Africa and the world. His skills and experience spans Data Privacy, Data Protection, CyberSecurity, Information Security, Vulnerability Management, Penetration Testing, Computer Forensics, Business Continuity, I T Governance, Risk Management and Compliance.
He is a Cybersecurity Advisory Board Member for Lagos State Government, a Platinum Team Member of Open-Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM), as well as a lifetime member of the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP). He is an alumnus of FATE Foundation and US Department of State Exchange program.
He is also a distinguished alumnus of executive education at Harvard Business School, Harvard School of Government, MIT Sloan School of Management, MIT Professional Education and Oxford University – Said Business School.
“Without trust in the security of digital payments, inclusion cannot scale. And we are happy to welcome Digital Encode as our Lead Sponsor this year. With what the company stands for and the personality of the CVO on a global scale, we have no doubt that attendees at this year’s PAFON will go home with lots of insights.”
“The theme for PAFON 3.0 was carefully selected because if digital payments are affordable, transparent, accessible, and trustworthy, more Nigerians, especially the underserved, will participate in the financial system”, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, the co-convener of Payments Forum Nigeria, noted, highlighting Digital Encode distinguished leadership in Nigeria’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
Other Confirmed speakers: Dr. Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun, Vice President, Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR) & CEO, Credit Registry; Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF Limited): Special Guest of Honour; Mojeed Abayomi Agboola, National President, Financial Inclusion Agents Multipurpose Cooperative Society (FIAMCS); Dr. Obioha Otti, National President, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN); Chukwuemeka Enoch, Founder, Lagos Blockchain Week, and Sarafadeen Fasasi, National President, Association of Financial Inclusion Agents of Nigeria (AFiAN), amongst others.
The forum will feature speakers from across the financial spectrum, including mobile money operators, payment processors, and development institutions, to shape policy dialogue and industry standards.
PAFON is a premier industry gathering that aligns brand positioning with trust and innovation in Nigeria’s digital payments ecosystem. It provides a unique space for thought leadership, regulatory engagement, and market expansion within the payment infrastructure sector.
The era of treating cybersecurity as a mere IT problem is over. As AI-powered digital threats become more elusive and destructive, Nigeria is shifting its strategy toward “Total Resilience”—a multi-dimensional defense involving every level of society.
NITDA
At the 2026 GITEX Africa summit, NITDA DG, Kashifu Inuwa sounded the alarm on the changing nature of digital warfare, asserting that technology alone is no longer enough. Instead, Nigeria’s survival in the digital age now hinges on a strategic blend of policy, people, and proactive defense.
Speaking during a panel session on Cyber Resilience, Inuwa described the current global digital environment as being at a “critical turning point.”
He warned that emerging technologies are not only transforming industries and economies but are also reshaping the nature of cyber threats, demanding a proactive and multi-dimensional response from governments, institutions, and citizens alike.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue. It is a strategic imperative for national development,” Inuwa stated. “We must think beyond technology alone and build resilience through people, processes, regulations, and infrastructure.”
Inuwa revealed that the focus of Nigeria’s cyber strategy is shifting from high-tech software to the people behind the screens. Pointing to data showing that 95% of all digital breaches stem from simple human mistakes, Inuwa argued that the world’s most advanced encryption is useless if the user is compromised.
“The most sophisticated technology cannot protect us if the human element is overlooked,” he noted. By prioritising human capacity and digital literacy, NITDA aims to turn every citizen into a “human firewall”, the first and most critical line of defense in a world where AI-driven attacks are the new normal.
In response, the Nigerian government has launched a comprehensive National Digital Literacy Programme aimed at achieving 95 percent digital literacy by 2030, with an interim target of 70 percent by 2027.
The programme emphasizes digital safety and cybersecurity awareness, equipping citizens with the knowledge to navigate an increasingly online world responsibly.
Inuwa highlighted initiatives such as the “3 Million Tech Talent” programme, designed to develop Nigerian expertise across key technology domains, including cybersecurity, data science, and AI.
The programme also leverages hackathons, innovation challenges, and mentorship schemes to channel young people’s skills into productive, lawful, and globally competitive ventures.
He argued that nurturing local talent is essential not just for national security but also for economic growth. “We want to create an environment where young Nigerians are innovators, not just consumers of technology,” he said.
Addressing concerns about Nigeria’s ranking in global cybercrime indices, Inuwa urged contextual understanding. “Countries with the most advanced digital economies also rank high in cybercrime because of the scale of their online activity,” he explained.
“Our focus is on redirecting talent towards innovation and solutions that protect our citizens while contributing to global digital advancement.”
On the legal and regulatory front, Nigeria continues to review and enhance the Cybercrime Act of 2015 to keep pace with the rapidly evolving threat landscape. The law underpins a structured National Cybersecurity Architecture coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In addition, the country operates a 24-hour cybersecurity operations centre tasked with monitoring threats, issuing advisories, and providing real-time support to government institutions, businesses, and citizens. Advanced technologies, including dark web monitoring and AI-enabled threat detection, are being deployed to enhance situational awareness and improve response times.
Inuwa emphasized that effective cyber resilience requires collaboration between public and private sectors. NITDA is working closely with ministries, departments, agencies, and private sector stakeholders to secure critical infrastructure and strengthen national resilience.
“Cyber resilience is not a solo effort; it is a collective responsibility. By integrating people, technology, and regulation, we can build a secure, globally competitive digital economy,” he added.
As Nigeria navigates a digital-first future, initiatives such as the National Digital Literacy Programme, 3 Million Tech Talent, and strengthened legal frameworks underscore a commitment to turning cybersecurity challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth.
The country’s strategy reflects a broader understanding that in an era of AI-driven threats, preparedness is as much about people and processes as it is about technology.
Truecaller, the leading global communications platform, today announced the expansion of its Business Chat platform, making it accessible to global channel partners and enterprise solution providers. By “opening up” market access to its platform, Truecaller is empowering partners to transition their enterprise clients from legacy, low-trust SMS to a verified, smart, media-rich, and conversational communication experience.
Truecaller
Through this partner-led expansion, Truecaller empowers businesses to reclaim customer attention and establish immediate trust and credibility.
“The definition of success for modern enterprises has fundamentally evolved. It’s no longer just about delivery – it’s about earning attention, establishing credibility, and driving meaningful conversion,” said Priyam Bose, Global Head, GTM at Truecaller.
“By opening up market access to our global partners, we’ve created a powerful gateway for brands to engage with over 500 million active users where they already interact daily through communication that is contextual, trusted, free from clutter, and designed to initiate actions. For existing customers, the outreach opportunity extends to an additional high-impact channel, strengthening the overall customer experience journey.”
Truecaller Business Chat enables a clutter-free, high-trust conversational experience between businesses and consumers. The Business Chat platform equips partners with actionable insights, including real-time data and rich engagement metrics. This facilitates a more sophisticated, data-driven communication strategy that adapts at every stage of the customer journey.
Partners, including Gupshup and OneXtel, are already live in India along with Globe Teleservices, Cloudcom, and Sling Africa in other global markets, rapidly scaling the product in their respective regions. Global partners can now leverage Truecaller’s massive footprint to offer their clients a trustworthy engagement channel in an increasingly crowded digital world.
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