General News
Imode, Kwara Community’s Digital Literacy Centre, ICT Roadmap Unveiled
By peter oluka
In a tactical move to become a digitally smart community that delivers a decent living and respectable future to its people, irrespective of their social status, Imode Community in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State has received a digital literacy centre donated by the illustrious sons and daughters of the land.
Imode Development Association (IDA) borrowing a leaf from the National Information Technology (NIT) Policy seeks to make the community dwellers, especially the youths, become IT complaint and ‘netizens’ in the information society by using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.
Speaking at the recent public presentation of the solar-powered excellent Digital Literacy Center (DiLiCe), equipped with modern ICT infrastructure to support the education and curiosity of every citizen within and around the community, Pastor Joseph Babatunde, the president, Imode Development Association (IDA), said that the projects: a modern IT centre and a school bus, were to assist the students imbibe the IT culture as the world has gone digital.
Babatunde said, “I recall with joy that the idea of provision of a modern IT Centre for our school came to me a couple of years ago when one of my children did the post-JAMB exam in University of Ilorin (Unilorin). The students were all given computers to do the exams. While she breezed through the exams, most of the other children were just starring at the device until the time was over. I felt challenged there and then, to give every child that needed opportunity”.
“IDA has done the little it can by providing the facilities. We want to see the impact through improved performances in all the exams of our students/pupils”.
Explaining the ‘Imode ICT Vision’, Reverend Sunday Folayan, IDA’s vice president, said that they are closers to achieving a digitally Smart Community. “This will be achieved by reliance on technology, carefully backed up with traditional methods that are functional. A significant number of indigenes will continue to live outside the community or the country, and their needs and requirements to stay connected to their roots will continue to inform the community’s development policies.
“ICT will be used to solve practical problems, such as educational deficiency as well as the security of lives and properties.
“Most aspects of the Community engagement activities will be conducted electronically towards widening access and participation especially with its citizens in the diaspora, using appropriate technologies.
“Members of the Community will come to accept a high standard of up-to-date facilities, ease-of-use and reliability, richness of information, integrated services and excellent support”, he explained.
The Imode Digital Literacy Center, Folayan added, will serve as a launch-pad for making the Community an ICT model in the state as well as the country developing local software and systems that preserves the language and culture of Imode people Providing technical support for the repair and maintenance of Communications equipment such as phones, tablets and computers within Imode Community and providing Internet access for both the DiLiCe and the Community.
The Paradigm Initiative (PI) works with the Association for training and capacity building, while the equipment in the centre were sourced entirely online through Konga.
According to Mr. Gbenga Sesan, the executive director at Paradigm Initiative (PI) and content partners on the project, said the initiative will birth huge impact if it’s well utilized.
Sesan was represented by Mr. Tosin Abolaji, a program manager at PI, who said, “The facility is primarily setup for the youth in the community and we believe they won’t be denied the use of it. We will encourage the Association (IDA) to have a committee that will look into the management of the facility, design a program that will ensure that the youth are regularly/constantly trained, even use the facility as a source of generating fund for the school and community by making it a resource centre. Neighboring communities can subscribe to the usage of the facility and pay stipends. The list of possibilities goes on and on but what is very important is a strong management”.
“It’s a welcome development and we encourage such in every community. Technology is now a necessity not a luxury and no one should be denied of the privilege. Our work at Paradigm Initiative is around youth and community development; that makes us connect more with the Imode Community Digital Literacy Centre project. The youth of Imode Community will no longer be denied the opportunities that come with ICT”.
Professor Mike Abiodun, chairman, IDA’s Education Committee, said, “Let’s agree that that the community has done a very good job, by setting up an ICT Centre and it’s important to understand that education is a collaborative venture.
“The government cannot do it alone; the same thing applies to the schools and parents. It has to be collaborative between the government, the community and parents. “We are in the ICT age; if you are not computer literate it will be difficult to contribute effectively. So, the community thinks that if our children must go higher in life, then it becomes necessary. With the calibre of persons that we have that will handle the kids; we believe that the students will take full advantage of it.
The solar-powered DiLiCe fully equipped with 40 laptops, printer, internet connectivity, and other facilities, was presented to the Community’s Primary and Secondary Schools with the representatives of the State and local governments, lawmakers, educational bodies and the traditional ruler, the Onimode of Imode, Oba Joseph Dada, among other dignitaries.
Wale Abegunde, education secretary, Oke-Ero, LGA, Kwara State, said “I am super excited about this initiative because it will relieve the government the burden of developing an IT Centre in Imode Community.
“Surprisingly, this people have done it and it is the responsibility of the government. They see it as part of their efforts to add value to the community development. Other community development associations should borrow a leaf from IDA”.
Excited by the projects, the Principal, Imode Community Senior Secondary School, Mr. Raheem Adebiyi, said “Everything is done online these days and I believe that our registration is going to be made easier because students don’t need to go the café to register again.
“This initiative was developed by IDA, when I initially heard about it; I was elated because it’s going to help our students a lot in their career”.
Imode ICT Roadmap
IDA established the Imode Digital Literacy Center (DiLiCe), to enhance the teaching of ICT in the Community schools and cater for those who want to avail themselves of ICT education. DiLiCe will:
Be the rally point for digital literacy in the community, organize Training programs on computer appreciation and usage for pupils, students and the different categories of staff, and Be the testbed for digital ideas within the community.
Ultimately, the goal, as contained in the ICT roadmap is to ensure deployment of ICT for teaching, learning, and community development. Thus, ICT will be used to solve practical problems, such as educational deficiency as well as the security of lives and properties.
“Most aspects of the Community engagement activities will be conducted electronically towards widening access and participation especially with its citizens in the diaspora, using appropriate technologies.
“Members of the Community will come to expect a high standard of up-to-date facilities, ease-of-use and reliability, richness of information, integrated services and excellent support.
“The DILICE will allow members of the Community, who have their own portable computers, tablets and mobile phones to also communicate using the Community Infrastructure. This means that the Network Infrastructure strategy will not only focus on access but also on information and data security”, Rev’ Folayan pointed out during the presentation.
The Centre, is surely going to promote digital literacy and eLeaning in the various schools within the community, as Imode Development Association has pledged that its people must have access to resources such as Computers, Network resources and the Internet at all times, whether in the DiLiCe or in their various homes.
Dr. Evans Woherem, an award-winning African technology researcher, analyst, and writer, has proposed a comprehensive and implementable strategy to end terrorism, banditry, and criminal violence in Nigeria, warning that the country’s prolonged insecurity has reached a critical point that demands urgent, coordinated action.
Titled “A Comprehensive Strategy for Ending Terrorism, Banditry, and Criminal Violence in Nigeria: A Pragmatic, Multi-Layered, and Implementable Framework,” the paper presents a holistic roadmap designed to reverse more than a decade of escalating violence that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced communities, weakened local economies, and eroded public trust in governance.
According to him, insecurity has become deeply entrenched in everyday life across the country. “Terrorism, banditry, and criminal violence have become so commonplace that they now dominate daily conversations among Nigerians,” Dr. Woherem noted, adding that while the crisis is most acute in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions, “its effects are now being felt even in the southern parts of the country.”
Citing the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, which ranks Nigeria sixth globally in terms of terrorism impact, Dr. Woherem described the ranking as “a sobering statistical confirmation that terrorism still weighs heavily on the Nigerian state.”
The paper traces the roots of the crisis to the emergence of Boko Haram in 2009 and the subsequent rise of splinter groups such as ISWAP. It recalls high-profile incidents including the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, the Dapchi and Kankara kidnappings, and a series of mass abductions and attacks on schools and places of worship recorded in 2025.
Dr. Woherem observed that banditry, largely driven by ransom payments, “has spread across the entire nation, creating fear, weakening productivity, and pushing millions of households deeper into poverty.”
While acknowledging the role of military action, the author cautioned against relying on force alone. “Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency and violent crime through arms and ammunition alone,” he said. “Any sustainable solution must confront the internal conditions that allow insecurity to thrive.”
Among the key drivers identified in the paper by Dr. Woherem, are porous borders, arms proliferation, youth unemployment, economic stagnation, and persistent conflicts over land and resources, challenges Dr. Woherem stressed can be addressed through “a deliberate, intelligence-led, and whole-of-society approach.”
At the heart of the proposed framework, Woherem noted, is a call for intelligence-driven security operations, including the establishment of a National Counter-Insurgency and Intelligence Fusion Centre. “Security operations must be guided by accurate, actionable intelligence rather than fear-led mass actions that often harm civilians and undermine public trust,” he stated.
The paper also advocates comprehensive policing reforms, including the creation of constitutionally backed state police systems supported by a more specialized federal police structure. “Nigeria’s over-centralised policing model is structurally incapable of effectively addressing widespread criminality across such a vast and diverse country.”
Recognising the realities at the grassroots, Woherem calls for the formal regulation of community-based security groups, and noted that “ignoring vigilante groups is dangerous, and banning them outright is unrealistic,” but stressed that their roles must be clearly defined, regulated, and subject to strict oversight.
On border security, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin, the author warned that instability in neighbouring countries continues to fuel Nigeria’s insecurity. “No permanent solution is possible without deep regional cooperation,” he said, advocating an Integrated Border Management system supported by joint operations with neighbouring states.
The paper places strong emphasis on prevention through economic inclusion, youth employment, and skills development. “Jobs and income remain the most powerful tools for preventing recruitment into violent groups,” Dr. Woherem asserted, adding that immediate livelihood opportunities significantly weaken the appeal of extremist narratives.
He also called for structured deradicalisation and reintegration programmes, noting that “a humane, community-accepted process is essential for breaking cycles of violence and preventing relapse into extremism.”
Dr. Woherem further emphasised the need for governance reforms and accountability in the security sector. “Without transparency, oversight, and institutional integrity, even the best security strategies will fail,” he warned.
The white paper outlines a phased implementation plan from 2025 to 2030, beginning with intelligence fusion, pilot state police initiatives, community security registration, drone surveillance, and financial crackdowns on terror networks, before expanding into nationwide reforms and long-term consolidation.
Concluding, Dr. Woherem expressed cautious optimism about Nigeria’s future. “Nigeria can overcome this prolonged phase of insecurity,” he said, “but only through political will, coordinated institutions, and the active participation of society.”
He added that the proposed framework offers “a realistic pathway to restoring security, rebuilding public trust, and unlocking Nigeria’s vast human and economic potential.”
In a market where less than 3% of land is formally registered and property fraud remains systemic, infrastructure, not apps, is becoming the defining battleground for real estate innovation.
L-R: Ndifreke Ikokpu, COO, Sytemap, HRM Oba Akintoye Adeoye, President REDAN & Cholatte Odunlade-Akeji, Director, RightHome
That reality came into sharp focus on December 18, 2025, as the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sytemap Technologies Limited, signaling a major industry endorsement of Sytemap’s land and real estate transaction infrastructure.
The partnership centers on RightHOME, a jointly developed digital real estate platform powered by Sytemap’s secure cloud infrastructure, mapping systems, transaction monitoring, and fraud-prevention architecture, with REDAN driving ecosystem adoption through its nationwide developer network.
Nigeria’s real estate sector processes transactions worth trillions of naira annually, yet remains heavily manual, fragmented, and vulnerable to disputes. Industry data suggests unresolved title issues alone lock up ₦36 trillion in dead capital, limiting access to finance and slowing development.
“This MoU represents a shift from fragmented digitization to coordinated infrastructure,” said Nnamdi Uba, CEO at Sytemap. “When the industry body itself aligns around shared standards, verification, and technology, innovation can finally scale responsibly.”
Under the agreement:
· REDAN will onboard registered developers and promote adoption of the platform as a trusted digital channel.
· Sytemap will deliver secure hosting, real-time monitoring, escrow-aligned transaction workflows, and compliance with Nigeria’s data protection regulations.
· Joint standards will be developed for digital verification, transparency, and asset mapping.
From a technology perspective, the partnership reflects a growing consensus that solving African real estate challenges requires deep infrastructure, not surface-level marketplaces. Fraud detection, uptime reliability, auditability, and regulatory alignment, areas often overlooked in proptech, are central to Sytemap’s approach.
HRM Oba Akintoye Adeoye, representing REDAN noted, “This collaboration allows developers to operate in a system where trust is embedded, not assumed. That is critical for long-term growth.”
For the broader tech ecosystem, the MoU stands out as a rare example of industry-led validation, where a national association formally aligns with a technology provider to modernize an entire sector.
Ndifreke Ikokpu, COO at Sytemap signed on behalf of Sytemap while Cholatte Odunlade – Akeji, CEO of RightHome signed on behalf of the Special Purpose Vehicle.
As pressure mounts to unlock housing finance, attract institutional capital, and reduce transaction risk, the REDAN–Sytemap partnership positions digital land infrastructure not as an optional upgrade, but as a foundational requirement for the future of real estate in Nigeria.
Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, has cautioned that failure to implement Nigeria’s new tax laws by January 1, 2026, would leave the vast majority of workers and businesses at a disadvantage.
Taiwo Oyedele
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Oyedele said postponing the reforms would mean that “the bottom 98 per cent of workers remain overtaxed,” while businesses continue to grapple with multiple taxation and miss out on exemptions.
He added that small and unprofitable enterprises would still be subject to minimum taxes, and hidden VAT charges would keep driving up the cost of essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.
His comments come amid calls by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society groups for a suspension of the reforms. Oyedele argued that rather than halting implementation, specific areas of concern should be identified and corrected.
“So, we need to be clear about what we are asking for,” he said. “Even if it is established that there have been substantial alterations to what the National Assembly passed, my view will be to identify those provisions… and go ahead to implement the law as passed by the NASS, while you address the issues as to how they got in there in the first place.”
Oyedele acknowledged that even the version passed by lawmakers contained sections requiring amendment, citing issues with referencing and definitions.
He also addressed controversy over alleged discrepancies between the gazetted laws and those approved by the National Assembly, noting that without access to the officially harmonised bills certified by the clerk, it was difficult to determine differences.
He pointed to Section 41(8), which initially appeared to require a 20 per cent deposit but was later excluded from the final version, stressing that some draft materials circulating in the media did not originate from the House committee. “I think we should allow them do the investigation,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu has already signed the four tax reform bills into law, describing them as the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.
The reforms — the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act — are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, under a unified Nigeria Revenue Service.
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