The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has sought to harness the innovation and expertise of Nigerians across the globe with the launch of the Connected Diaspora x DOWA Start-Up Challenge and the Connected Diaspora Flagship Event 2025.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, described the initiatives as timely and transformative, noting that they are strategically designed to tap into the creativity, enterprise and professional strength of Nigerians in the diaspora.

She said the Start-Up Challenge, themed “Building, Breaking and Believing in Nigeria,” aims to energise innovators abroad by promoting knowledge transfer, enterprise development and strategic investment to support Nigeria’s rapidly expanding economy.

According to a statement by NiDCOM, the challenge, which offers cash prizes of up to ₦1 million, is targeted at spotlighting exceptional ideas and supporting impactful ventures created by Nigerians living overseas.

According to Dabiri-Erewa, the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s overarching goal of engaging the diaspora community as key partners in national progress.

She further announced that the Connected Diaspora Flagship Event will take place on December 19, 2025, in Lagos, and will bring together entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, technology leaders and strategic partners for critical discussions on Nigeria’s future.

Kadiri Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, will serve as the Special Guest of Honour and is expected to speak on the importance of collaboration between government and the diaspora in accelerating development.

NiDCOM also revealed that notable contributors from the global diaspora community and Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem will enrich the sessions and help shape new pathways for meaningful engagement.

Dabiri-Erewa said their support remains invaluable in driving the success of the initiative. She emphasized that their continued collaboration helps unlock the potential of Nigeria’s global talent pool and fosters sustainable economic growth.

The Commission called on stakeholders across both the public and private sectors to support the initiative, stressing that the opportunities for innovation, collaboration and nation-building are immense.

NiDCOM urged young Nigerians and diaspora returnees to participate actively in the Start-Up Challenge, reminding them that entries close on December 12, 2025.

The December event will also feature a Diaspora Talent Career and Internship Fair, aimed at connecting diaspora returnees with internship opportunities offered by DOWA partner organisations.

NiDCOM said the fair will further strengthen talent exchange and deepen the country’s development capacity.

The programme timeline includes the opening of applications for the Start-Up Challenge from November 18 to December 12, followed by public voting on Instagram from December 13 to 17.

The winner will be announced on December 18, ahead of the final presentation at the JK Randle Centre in Lagos on December 19.

NiDCOM encouraged interested participants to follow the provided registration details and take advantage of the platform created to connect, innovate and contribute to national advancement.

Indigenous printing company, PromoPrint Ventures Ltd, celebrated 25 years of operations in the country on Tuesday 2^nd December, at an event held at the Lagos Motor Boat Club in Lagos.

The evening saw business executives, clients and stakeholders in the printing space gathered to attest to the dexterity and Nigerian resilience demonstrated by Mrs. Patricia Ojora, the Founder and Chief Executive of the company in sustaining the growth of PromoPrint over the last 25 years.

Amongst many things on display that evening were PromoPrints very first t-shirt printed in the year 2000. Guests also cheerfully adorned custom-made patterns done by Promoprint on our indigenous cotton fabric (Funtau).

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Patricia Ojora recalled the past 25 years of operation in Nigeria at the helm of PromoPrint. While not easy, she says:

“We’ve been able to do it and we enjoy it. There’s nothing better than creation. To create something from nothing and do it so well, it’s a passion for me. It’s something that I really, value.  I’m a great supporter of Nigeria, so I believe that we should be able to do things well in Nigeria. We don’t need to always import, that’s why we’re doing this today, to be able to collaborate with people. Most of the people here are people we’ve collaborated with and have worked hard to build Nigeria back up”.

She recounts how she was able to change the narrative of many Nigerians that were printing outside of the country who are now printing with PromoPrint Ventures. “People used to print outside the country because they didn’t trust the quality that was here in Nigeria,” Patricia explains with an understanding that “we can produce good quality here within Nigeria.”

The company is a one-stop shop for all things printing with all operations happening in-house, from the expertise of crafting graphics and garment production to the t-shirts, roller banners, corporate gifts and more being rolled out on a daily basis. “What we are selling is peace of mind in a chaotic place.” Patricia says, with nearly three decades of successful operations and collaboration under her belt.

Significantly, she makes sure the company remains primed for the future, using AI and the like to remain progressive in strategy and implementation. Patricia proudly states, “Our automated printing carousel can churn out 10,000 tees a day if needed and our many corporate clients can attest to this.”

In attendance was Atedo Peterside (CON), Founder, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, one of many guests in the room who spoke to PromoPrints impact. “There’s something about longevity,” he shares with the crowd, “If you’ve kept the business going for 10 years, I always tell people, it means you’re doing something right. If you get it going for 20 years, you’re doing something very correct. Patricia must be doing something phenomenally right and it’s my sincere hope that she keeps it going, keep building, keep innovating.”

“Patricia can create almost everything,” Peterside remarks, “she has the courage, audacity and the commitment.”

Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Nigerian businesswoman and the first female Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria, contextualises the tenacity of Patricia’s efforts rather well. She reminds the room that “when you think of how many big multinationals who have so much that protects them, who have a lot of support systems internationally and locally, who gave up on Nigerian manufacturing, then you have to go back and think about those of us like Patricia.”

Even after 25 years, Nigeria remains in need of more Entrepreneurs, particularly those like Patricia, to boost the SME and manufacturing industry in the country despite the odds. “She didn’t give up,” Awosika says in admiration.

“What is key is that, when we celebrate the likes of Patricia and her company, we know without a doubt that it’s not just because they want to have a celebration. It’s because, in truth, the Nigerian entrepreneur is a star, and even more so, the Nigerian manufacturer.” Awosika concludes.

So, we celebrate Mrs. Ojora and her PPV entire team, and all that has gone into 25 years of hard work, commitment, creativity, we also recognise the passion that does not allow you to give up on the vision, the commitment to not only creating jobs for other Nigerians but creating value within Nigeria. The commitment to innovating a solution for every challenge and every situation. Indeed, it was a worthy celebration.

Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Realty Nigeria, says the country currently has no data centres designed for core Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications despite the presence of over 300 AI firms operating locally.

Engr.Nnamani

Nnamani made the disclosure at the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Breakfast with CEOs in Lagos, stressing that AI is driving the next phase of digital evolution but Nigeria’s facilities remain unprepared for its intensive demands.

“There’s no data centre in Nigeria that is AI ready. None,” he said, noting that while cloud services exist, core AI infrastructure is absent, forcing local companies to rely on foreign resources.

He projected that AI-enabled data centres could emerge in two to three years through global players such as Digital Realty, citing its South African subsidiary, Teraco, which operates Africa’s largest facility.

He explained that one Teraco site exceeds the combined capacity of all Nigerian data centres and has already implemented liquid-cooled AI-ready infrastructure.

On national capacity, Nnamani revealed that Nigeria lags behind cities such as Toronto, Cape Town and London, with most facilities concentrated in Lagos. He said active IT loads in Nigeria are often just one to two megawatts despite larger design claims.

According to him, true metrics should be based on “active IT load” figures, not potential capacity. He estimated construction costs at between 10 and 15 million dollars per megawatt, noting that private firms rarely disclose totals.

Current installed capacity stands at 56.1 megawatts in 2025, projected to reach 218 megawatts by 2030, but distribution remains skewed.

Nnamani warned that the imbalance risks latency, uptime failures and poor user experience for non-Lagos users due to fibre vulnerabilities.

He advocated at least two data centres per state capital — about 72 to 74 nationwide — alongside transmission networks and content growth to support digital economy goals.

He described power shortages as opportunities, despite dedicated plants costing about one million dollars per megawatt.

Highlighting Digital Realty’s milestones since acquiring Medallion Communications in 2021 and rebranding in 2023, Nnamani said the company had invested in roads and power feeds for the 2Africa submarine cable site in Lekki.

He added that the project had created jobs, training opportunities and housing growth in the area, with hyper-scale AI facilities planned ahead.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) has lauded Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani for his transformative contributions to Nigeria’s ICT sector, describing him as a beacon of innovation and digital excellence.

He praised Nnamani’s pioneering work in data center infrastructure, noting that his initiatives have significantly elevated the country’s technological framework.

Onwuegbuchi highlighted Nnamani’s recent recognition as Data Center Leader of the Year, calling it a testament to his unwavering commitment to advancing Nigeria’s digital economy.

Nnamani, who served as the keynote guest at the event, delivered a pre-recorded video presentation before engaging participants in a dynamic question-and-answer session.

His appearance, according to Onwuegbuchi, is set to become an annual tradition, underscoring his dedication to mentoring and guiding the ICT community.

“This is the kind of leadership that inspires confidence in Nigeria’s digital future,” Onwuegbuchi remarked, urging stakeholders to emulate Nnamani’s innovative spirit and commitment to excellence.

The event marked another milestone in NITRA’s ongoing efforts to foster collaboration and strategic development among ICT professionals nationwide, reinforcing the association’s role as a catalyst for growth in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.