News
FG to Provide Enabling Environment for Success of Digital Training

Mr Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communication, yesterday said government would provide an enabling environment for the youths to thrive digitally.
Shittu said this during the media briefing organised by Google to mark the Digital Skills for Africa to reach one million people, tagged: Digital Million Milestone.
The minister was represented by Mrs Monisola Udoh, the Director, Information Communication and Technology (ICT) of the ministry.
According to Shittu, the impact the training will have on the youth will be enormous, therefore there is need for government to key into the Google training.
“There is need for proper policy and guideline that will make way for an enabling environment for the youths to thrive digitally,’’ he said.
Shittu said that government had a major role to develop the human capacity and ICT was a platform that they would leverage upon.
He said that Nigeria had a good productive age group and their energy should be harnessed, which Google could make globally competitive.
Mr Smart Akande, the Legal Adviser, Office of SSA to the President on Sustainable Development Goals said that one of the goals of government was to remove poverty in the country and Google Digital Skills training was an avenue to do so.
“When the economy is not growing, poverty thrives and the bulk of people that will be affected are the youths and our major concern is graduates that do not have access to digital skills.
“Today, we are saying recession is everywhere, it is the aggregate of all efforts will bring the country out of recession,’’ he said.
Akande said that in the nearest future with this kind of skills training, Nigeria would be transformed to be better informed to compete at international level and the economy all to be better.
Mr Tayo Olosunde, the Managing Director, Mindthegap, said that young people want to be successful as such needed the opportunity to launch out.
Ms. Bunmi Banjo, the Head of Brands and Digital Skills at Google Nigeria, said that the journey to one million was to figure out what could be done to help the economy progress.
According to her, making sure that there is an impact on the trainee was the next thing on the mind of Google.
“Having one million digitally skilled young people in Africa is good for everyone.
“If young people have the right skills, they will build businesses, create jobs and boost economic growth across the continent.
“How to connect the young people in Africa for them to better utilise the internet as a person or as a Small and Medium Enterprises to create jobs and help people in the community is our goal.
“There is need for Africans to also contribute to the digital economy,’’ she said.
Banjo said that the 27 countries participated in the training of which 97 per cent was done offline while three per cent was online and that 53 per cent were men while 47 per cent were women.
She said that out of the one million trained, 500,000 were from Nigeria, attributing that to the support it got from government and the private sector.
Banjo said that going forward Google would develop an offline kit that did not have access to data, adding that local languages would be introduced more to focus on women to bridge gender gap.
She said that an impact accessing programme would also be conducted to make sure that the training they got was better utilised.
Some of the beneficiaries of the Google Digital Skills for Africa One-Million Milestone are Oluwamayowa Oshidero (Ibadan), Vanessa Morris (Lagos), Tele Williams-Aina (Lagos), Vanessa Mbaramah (Coutonu) and Segun Abodunrin (Lagos).
A trainee, Morris said: “I learnt to do things strategically and that came from the tools and skills I got from the training.’’
Another trainee, Abodunrin said that the training provided a platform for him to access businesses that would help him to succeed.
Earlier, the Google Country Manager, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, said that the web was a driver of economic growth and was transforming society as a whole.
According to her, people must be equipped through training and re-skilling to make use of the tools and take advantage of it for entrepreneurship, employment and e-inclusion.
The Digital Skills for Africa programme was aimed to help close the digital gap in Africa, improve employability and encourage entrepreneurship among young people.
News
NIPOST to Crack Down on Criminal Courier Operators

Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has vowed to clamp down on courier companies found to be aiding the trafficking of drugs and other illicit items through the country’s logistics network.
In a statement issued on by Franklin Alao, director of Corporate Communications, NIPOST expressed outrage over a recent report in some newspapers with the headline: “Nigerian courier services easily transporting hard drugs since Tinubu became president – NIPOST.”
The agency described the headline as false, misleading, and damaging to national security efforts. According to NIPOST, the article falsely attributes the claim to the postal regulator, thereby creating the impression that the agency had endorsed or confirmed such allegations.
“This is categorically FALSE,” the statement said. “At no point has NIPOST made such a statement or associated these activities with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
NIPOST maintained that while it respects the role of the media in promoting accountability and transparency, the publication in question was reckless and sensational.
It warned that inaccurate reporting on sensitive national issues like drug trafficking not only misinforms the public but also undermines the collaborative work being done to sanitise the courier and logistics sector.
Restating its position, the agency said it strongly condemns the use of courier services for criminal purposes, including drug trafficking.
It reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward the misuse of Nigeria’s postal infrastructure and said it remained committed to regulating the sector with integrity, transparency, and accountability.
NIPOST noted that it had embarked on a range of interventions aimed at improving surveillance and enforcement across the logistics industry.
It stated that all courier operators are currently undergoing a revalidation process and that Know-Your-Customer protocols and compliance audits are being enforced to tighten controls and prevent abuse of the system.
The postal regulator said it is also working closely with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Customs Service, and other relevant security institutions to investigate and deter the use of logistics channels for the transportation of narcotics and other contraband items.
In addition, NIPOST said it had intensified engagement with courier operators, transport unions, and logistics associations to promote sector-wide vigilance and encourage the reporting of suspicious packages.
It also revealed that a new Digital Postcode and Parcel Identification System is being deployed nationwide to enhance traceability, eliminate anonymity, and improve parcel screening from the point of dispatch to final delivery.
“The Nigerian Postal Service is fully committed to restoring the integrity of Nigeria’s courier and logistics industry,” the statement said. “Any operator found to be involved in criminal activity will face immediate regulatory sanctions, including license suspension or revocation, and be reported to appropriate authorities for prosecution.”
The agency urged members of the public to use only licensed courier companies and to report any suspicious activity either to NIPOST or relevant security agencies.
It also called on journalists and civil society groups to approach issues in the sector with accuracy, caution, and a shared sense of responsibility.
News
DICON, Saudi Firm to Produce Drones, Satellites in Nigeria

Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Homeland Protectors and Supplies Limited, a Saudi Arabia-based security company, to begin local manufacturing of drones, satellite systems, and advanced communication equipment.
The agreement, which was signed at DICON headquarters in Kaduna, will see Homeland Protectors bring in production lines and technology to Nigeria to manufacture satellite systems, laser equipment, border security drones, and sophisticated communications solutions.
Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, director general of DICON, shortly after signing the MoU, described the deal as a “major milestone” in Nigeria’s drive for defence self-sufficiency.
He said the collaboration would not only meet local demands but also position Nigeria as an exporter of security technology to other African countries.
According to him: “Today is another milestone for DICON. What Homeland Protectors is bringing on board is expertise and experience in the field of satellite, laser systems, communications, and border security drones.
The agreement we have just signed is for them to bring the production line to Nigeria and start producing here, so we can satisfy the defence industry requirements, other security agencies, and export the excess capacity to other African countries.”
He expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he called his “constant support and firm belief in DICON,” especially for signing the DICON Act 2023, which has now paved the way for international partnerships of this magnitude.
Alaya also thanked the Minister of Defence and Minister of State for Defence for their unwavering backing, stressing that their support made the joint venture possible.
Mr. Ali Hussain A. Aldayhani, managing director and chief executive officer, Homeland Protectors and Supplies, who led the Saudi delegation to Nigeria, hailed the partnership as a game-changer for Nigeria’s security architecture.
“I am in support of this amazing job today in collaboration with Homeland and DICON. This is in support of the Nigerian President and the Minister of Defence to bring security satellite communication technology to Nigeria,” he said.
He disclosed that the venture was designed not only to meet Nigeria’s internal needs but also to open up export opportunities to other markets, stressing: “We are going to have a huge joint venture and also for export outside Nigeria with regard to technology communication.”
The Homeland CEO thanked the DICON Director General for what he called “the support of the huge success in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).”
He assured that this would not be the last of such engagements, promising more frequent visits and deeper collaborations in the near future.
With this move, Nigeria joins a select group of countries on the continent working to domesticate critical security manufacturing — a step expected to save foreign exchange, create jobs, and bolster national security.
News
FG Says No Going Back to Nuclear Testing

Vice President Kashim Shettima has affirmed Nigeria’s unwavering stance against nuclear weapons testing.
He made this known during a meeting at the Presidential Villa with a delegation from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), led by Dr Robert Floyd, executive secretary.
According to Shettima, Nigeria, like many other African nations, is grappling with numerous socio-economic challenges, including widespread poverty and the adverse impacts of climate change.
He stressed that Africa’s immediate priority is to confront these existential threats, not to engage in the pursuit of nuclear weapons capability.
“The outcome of any nuclear conflict is never a win-win situation; it is always the opposite. We are fighting poverty; we are fighting a war against the relationship between the economy and ecology in sub-Saharan Africa. We have no business dabbling in anything that has to do with nuclear weapons,” he said.
The Vice President also commended CTBTO for its broader civilian contributions, such as detecting tsunamis and seismic volcanic activity, and for supporting global ecological stability.
- Telecom1 day ago
Y’ello Care’s 21-Day Campaign Bridges Digital Divide for Thousands Nationwide
- General News1 day ago
Enugu Air Commences Operations Today
- E-Business1 day ago
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria
- Broadcasting1 day ago
NDPC Slaps Multichoice with ₦766M Fine for Data Privacy Violations
- News1 day ago
Lagos-Calabar Highway Gets $100M Push from ECOWAS to Drive Regional Growth
- Telecom1 day ago
20 Years of Digital Leadership: Layer3’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
- News1 day ago
NBS May Release Rebased Figures for Nigerian Economy July 11
- Telecom11 hours ago
NCC Wins Global ICT Award for Digital Awareness in Schools