Telecom
Digital Innovation will Boost Education Sector -DG NITDA
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said that continued investment in Digital Innovation will boost the education sector and the economy as a whole. The agency promised to continue it’s effort at supporting and collaborating with all higher institutions of learning across the country.
The NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions, Dr. Abdullahi Gambo Usman, stated this when receiving the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Katsina state, Professor Mary Agbo, Thursday, in Abuja.
He said, “the Agency will continue to interact and listen to active and vibrant higher institution of learning with a view of discussing the challenges facing them especially in the Area of IT and Innovation.”
As the prime Agency for e-government implementation, internet governance, and overall IT development in Nigeria, NITDA is poised to actualize its mandate by providing flourishing atmosphere in Digital space.
He said it is Important to seek to explore the benefits of innovations and creativity in order to bring about functional education system for the country.
He further emphasized that there is need for mutual understanding between stakeholders and the Agency in developing Standards, Capacity building, Research and Development .
He added that IT sector played a pivotal role in getting the country’s economy out of recession, and recorded the highest growth rate in Q1 of 2020 as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He maintained that, with the positive growth of IT in Nigeria, being the only double digits growth rate sector, which made it to lead in the year 2020 and Q1 of 2021, is what prompted the need to provide support and guidelines in all sectors of development and innovation to Nigerian.
Responding to the plea and request from the visiting university, as outlined by the DVC, especially in the area of security challenges in visualisation of the Optic Fiber Cable that links the 2 campuses which where donated to the university by professor Pantami through NCC.
The DG recommended some technologies that can be deployed to ensure security which include ‘autonomous drones’ that can cut back human involvement in these often-dangerous situation. It can also help cut cost while bolstering safety at the same time.
“By using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interpret satellite images, NITDA experts have long been able to tap into satellite images to help in preventive and response efforts,” he said.
Stating further that with the availability and quality of these images, they increasingly offer an even more valuable resource for security.
He explained that, “NITDA always emphasizes on how important it is to know how to use modern technology, not just as an enabler but as a strategic design for your strategy in general which will inspire you to do more.”
NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action plan (SRAP 2021-2024)is built on seven pillars with their respective goals and objectives, which are; Developmental regulations, Digital literacy and skills, Digital transformation, Digital innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cyber security, Emerging Technologies and Promotion of indigenous content, he said.
Inuwa noted that the Agency’s focus is improving how things are being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and innovation ecosystem that will allow all universities to key in.
The DVC Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Professor Mary Agbo, in her remarks, noted that the university appreciated the kind gesture and laudable project from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy for the giant projects executed in the university. She also appreciated and solicited further support from NITDA in capacity building and training for staff of the CBT centre of the University.
Prof Agbo commended NITDA for the various IT intervention deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT, which she said plays a critical role for the advancement of the country and also towards the Educational Sector.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief Enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, has assured the network subscribers that the new end-user billing system for the use of USSD services will jot affect them.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes are commonly used for banking transactions, airtime recharges, and other mobile services.
The telco said that there is no significant impact or change other than the fact that they will now pay the same N6.98 per session (120 seconds) with their airtime instead of direct bank debit.
Saint-Nwafor, said this during a chat with MTN MIP fellows, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered telecom operators to ensure that the new billing model resolves trust issues and ensures transparency in the billing process.
“Our regulator insisted that at the end of every month, we are going to be providing history and statistics on the performance of the service across the board”, she explained.
Saint-Nwafor added that the new billing model has standardized messaging across all operators and ensures consistent communication with customers.
“We will take all the error codes and map them into messages that are standardised across the board. So, if you initiate a transaction, you will know if it is failing. And, when the transaction fails, you will know if it is from your bank or the telco,” she explained.
The U.S. government has recovered $225 million in what is now the largest seizure of funds linked to a cryptocurrency investment scam.
In a statement released Wednesday, June 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the recovery followed an extensive investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, using blockchain analysis and other forensic tools. The statement did not confirm whether any arrests had been made.
According to the authorities, the stolen funds originated from fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that tricked victims into believing they were making legitimate investments. More than 400 individuals around the world, including dozens in the United States, were reportedly affected.
The operation involved a sophisticated money laundering network that carried out hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions to obscure the source and ownership of the stolen assets.
“These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims,” said Shawn Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service office in San Francisco.
Bradstreet added that U.S. officials hope the recovered funds can eventually be returned to the rightful victims.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud accounted for over $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the statement.
In a rousing declaration that is electrifying minds across the continent, Hon. Nnaemeka Ani, Special Adviser on ICT to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a homegrown digital revolution under the banner “Africa Will Rise: By Code, By Courage, By Us.”
Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
The message, part challenge, part philosophical—seeks to galvanize African innovators to move beyond buzzwords and build technology with impact and legacy in mind.
“Let’s stop building for hype. Let’s start building for legacy,” Ani urged while speaking to ICT journalists over the weekend. “Let’s stop waiting for someone else. Let’s start creating the future—on our own terms.”
At the heart of Ani’s vision is a shift from tech consumerism to tech authorship. With innovation hubs sprouting across cities like Enugu, Lagos, Kigali, Jo’Burg, and Nairobi, and a growing community of developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs determined to solve Africa’s unique challenges, the movement is already taking shape.
Ani emphasized that Africa’s future lies not in flashy apps or international admiration but in persistent, intentional solutions that uplift communities—solutions that digitize public services, bridge rural-urban divides, empower women and youth, and build resilience in food and climate systems.
“We have the talent,” he said. “Now it’s time to harness it—to stop building for likes and start building for lasting impact.”
With support from leaders like Ani and rising momentum in Africa’s tech corridors, it seems that a new chapter is being written—one line of code at a time.
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