General News
ICTs Set to Transform Smallholder Farming

Smallholder farming, which is the backbone of many African economies, is set to be transformed by a combination of investment and increasing access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly mobile phones.
The claim was made Tuesday by Michael Hailu, director of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) at ICT4Ag, a major conference on ICTs in agriculture.
“On this continent, 65 per cent of the workforce is employed in agriculture and the sector generates 32 per cent of GDP. Smallholder farmers, mostly women, produce 80 per cent of Africa’s food. African countries spend up to $50 billion a year on food imports. With abundant land, water and cheap labour, there is no good reason why Africa should import so much food.
“Yet there’s good reason to be optimistic. After years of neglect, governments and the private sector are increasing investments in agriculture. Nevertheless, to achieve its full potential, smallholder agriculture must be transformed from a subsistence activity to a profitable, sustainable business. ICTs play a vital role in this transformation. They provide timely advice and information. They help farmers increase productivity. They make markets more efficient. And they increase incomes along the value chain”.
The CTA Director said, “the phenomenal growth in the number of mobile phone subscribers in Africa in recent years shows that change was on the way. In 2000, there were just 16.5 million mobile subscriptions in Africa. Now, there are over 650 million. Indeed, the number of people on the continent with access to mobile phones exceeds the number with access to clean water, electricity or a bank account”.
Mr Hailu was speaking at ´ICT4Ag: The Digital Springboard for Inclusive Agriculture´ Conference, which is being organised by CTA, the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and the Ministry of Youth and ICTs (MYICT).
The conference is taking place in Rwanda, a country where 80 per cent of the working population are employed in agriculture but where the government of President Paul Kagame has also invested heavily in agriculture and ICTs as part of its ‘Vision 2020’ agenda to turn Rwanda into a middle-income country.
Last week, the Rwandan Government announced that a new network will provide high-speed broadband access to 95 per cent of the country’s population within three years.
Rwandan ministers attending the conference shared the upbeat mood. Dr. Agnes Matilda Kalibata, Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, reminded the audience of the significance of agriculture in poverty reduction: “Agriculture is a low hanging fruit for poverty reduction. With 40 – 65% employment in this sector in ACP Countries, any investment will have a huge impact on the economy”.
She also emphasized the importance of ICT in transforming agriculture.
“Rwanda has committed to transforming the country through ICT. Information and communication technologies (ICTs), social media, Web 2.0 and mobile applications are changing the face of agriculture and rural development in many countries. The use of mobile devices is transforming the communication landscape through dissemination and sharing, and is changing the way we do business. This conference presents an opportunity for participants, Rwandans in particular, to harness the use of ICTs in agriculture and is very much in line with the national vision of making Rwanda an ICT hub in the near future”.
Participants at the ICT4Ag conference – including agricultural experts, farmers, young innovators, ICT companies and government officials – are focussing their attention on improvements to agriculture that can be brought about by technological innovation, capacity building and creating enabling policies and infrastructure.
Key issues for discussion are the role of youth and the encouragement of entrepreneurship; the inclusion of farmers in decision-making, information and crowdsourcing; and connectivity.
The Hon Jean Philbert Nsengimana, minister of Youth and ICT of Rwanda, said: “This day is a culmination of more than 10 years of consistent investments in ICT4D policy and strategy formulation, infrastructure development, mobile penetration, education and value added services development in parallel with agriculture modernisation efforts”.
Ambassador Valentine Rugwabiza, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, also a Cabinet member, highlighted the synergies between ICT and investment and also emphasised that indeed ICT is only a tool whose importance will be derived from how well it is used.
Michael Hailu stressed, however, that a major part of the key to securing the potential benefits of ICTs and investment in African agriculture was likely to be the extent to which countries are successful in harnessing the creative input of two key sectors: young entrepreneurs and women.
“Access to ICTs is not uniform”, he said, “and there is a digital divide. There is a significant gender imbalance, with men having better access to ICTs than women. And rural areas are significantly underserved compared to cities”.
He described the importance of young people as “pivotal”.
“Young people have the greatest aptitude for using ICTs, whether it’s to communicate or develop new apps to improve agricultural productivity or access faraway markets. Africa’s youth must therefore play a pivotal role in the transformation of smallholder agriculture.
“ICTs – in particular mobile devices – have opened up unprecedented opportunities for agricultural and rural development. This development can offer a bright future for millions of women and men who derive their livelihood from farming and other forms of rural employment. Farmers, even in the remotest locations, can easily and readily access vital information on weather, market prices, pests and diseases as well as input prices.
“It is not just about linking farmers to markets or creating employment opportunities for young people. Social media also provide a platform for rural communities to contribute to policy-making”.
More than 500 participants from 63 countries, including from Caribbean and Pacific islands, are attending the conference.
General News
CAC Lists 15 Unregistered Firms Operating in Nigeria

Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has warned Nigerians against dealing with 15 unregistered entities using company names and registration numbers that are not in the commission’s records.

In a public notice signed by CAC Management, the commission said it had discovered the use of purported company names and RC numbers that are not registered with the CAC, urging the public to disregard them and verify all business information directly from its portal.
“The CAC remains committed to protecting the integrity of the Companies Register, upholding the law, and ensuring a safe and transparent business environment in Nigeria,” the CAC said.
According to the notice, the following are the entities not registered with the CAC:
Famas Services Nigeria Limited (RC: 216312)
Promo Dutch Investment Limited (RC: 396654)
Dialack Concept Nig. Ltd (RC: 297772)
Purpleheart Construction and Real Estate Mgt. Co. Ltd (RC: 1210548)
M/S Loktu Enterprises (BN: 373466)
Loktu Enterprises (BN: 400390)
Badatoyak Ltd (RC: 521322)
Johson Nats Limited (RC: 198492)
Peoples Club Nigeria International (CAC/IT/41191)
Jiba Enterprise (BN: 577523)
Civil Engineering Solutions Nigeria Limited (RC: 33001)
Gabdoff Hotel Ltd (RC: 112409)
Amoka Group (BN: 545221)
BEEC Nigeria Limited (RC: 30143)
- Adetunji (BN: 657466)
Explaining the reason for the commission’s publication, the statement noted that it aligns with its statutory role of maintaining an accurate and reliable companies register, protecting investors, and preventing fraudulent activities in the business environment.
The commission urged Nigerians to always confirm the status of any company or business name through its official portal.
General News
IHS Nigeria Leads Gender Based Violence Awareness Walk, Reaffirms Zero Tolerance with Advocacy Seminar

Demonstrating unwavering commitment to a safe and dignified workplace, IHS Nigeria held an awareness walk followed by a high-impact seminar as part of activities to commemorate the global 16 days of activism to End Gender-Based Violence against women and girls.

The initiative underscored the organisation’s ongoing efforts to sensitize the community, educate employees, strengthen internal safeguards, and reinforce its zero-tolerance policy for all forms of harassment and abuse.
After the walk along Adeola Odeku and Idejo Streets on Victoria Island, employees convened for a seminar at the IHS Nigeria corporate head office, where Bukola Konkwo, Associate Director, Operations Excellence IHS Nigeria and one of the leaders of the Women in IHS Network (WIIN), reiterated the organisation’s position on gender-based violence in her opening remarks:
“Violence does not discriminate, and neither should our compassion. At IHS Nigeria, boldness is not just a value on paper, it is a call to action. We are intentional about ensuring every employee feels safe, respected, and empowered.”
The seminar featured two leading voices in Gender Based Violence advocacy. Titiola Vivour Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and Nwanne Okafor, Victimologist and Gender Based Violence Advocate. Speaking during the seminar, Titilope stressed the urgency of prevention and education:
“Gender-based violence is not a special-class problem. Anybody can be a victim. Our responsibility is to know the signs, protect one another, and intervene early. When we know better, we do better.”
She also encouraged organisations to prioritise consent education, confidential reporting, and background checks, practices IHS Nigeria has already integrated through its Safe Zone Committee, a confidential support system for staff.
Nwanne Okafor, also spoke on the role of colleagues in recognizing and responding to abuse in the workplace:
“Many victims don’t need you to fix their situation, they need your support, your sensitivity, and your discretion. Speak up when necessary. Silence gives violence permission.”
Her session included real-life cases that underscored how abuse affects workplace productivity, mental health, and safety.
The awareness walk, saw both male and female staff members from across various departments marching in solidarity with survivors and advocates worldwide and served as a public declaration of IHS Nigeria’s commitment to building a culture rooted in respect, safety, and accountability.
Reinforcing IHS Nigeria’s stand, during her closing remarks, Titilope Oguntuga, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, captured the spirit of the event:
“This conversation doesn’t end today. Now that we know better, we must all do better, by advocating, supporting, and actively contributing to a workplace free of violence in any form.”
IHS Nigeria continues to strengthen its internal systems, policy frameworks, training programs, safe reporting channels, and continuous awareness sessions, to ensure that every employee is protected and empowered. The organisation reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, abuse, or violence, and remains committed to leading the corporate sector in progressive, people-centered safety standards.
General News
Nigeria’s GDP Rises to 3.98% in Q3 2025, Driven by Agriculture, ICT, and Finance

Nigeria’s economy expanded by $3.98$ per cent in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

GDP
This growth rate marks a slight improvement from the $3.86$ per cent recorded in the same period of 2024.The report highlights a mixed but generally positive recovery across key sectors. Aggregate GDP in real terms stood at ₦57.03 trillion, up from ₦54.85 trillion in Q3 2024.
The Services sector remained the largest contributor to overall output at $53.02$ per cent, followed by Agriculture at $31.21$ per cent. Key growth drivers included crop production, telecommunications, real estate, trade, and financial services.
The non-oil sector continued to be the main engine of the economy, expanding by $3.91$ per cent. This strong performance outpaced both Q3 2024 ($3.79$ per cent) and Q2 2025 ($3.64$ per cent). Agriculture grew by $3.79$ per cent, driven predominantly by crop production.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector posted a particularly strong real growth of $5.78$ per cent, with its contribution to real GDP rising to $9.10$ per cent. Furthermore, Financial and Insurance Services recorded a significant real growth of $19.63$ per cent.
In contrast, real growth in the Manufacturing sector slowed to $1.25$ per cent, down from $1.74$ per cent in the previous quarter.
The oil sector posted a real growth of $5.84$ per cent, a marginal increase from $5.66$ per cent in Q3 2024. This growth was linked to an average crude oil production rise to $1.64$ million barrels per day (mbpd), up from $1.47$ mbpd a year earlier.
Despite this positive change in output, the sector’s contribution to real GDP remains modest at **$3.44$ per cent$.Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, noted that while most sectors sustained positive momentum, growth remains uneven.
Strong gains in ICT, finance, agriculture, and trade were crucial in stabilizing overall output. This data aligns with projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which, in October 2025, revised Nigeria’s 2025 growth outlook upward to $3.9$ per cent, citing higher oil production, stronger investor confidence, and a supportive fiscal stance as key drivers.
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