Telecom
Information Technology Pivotal for Achieving Digital Nigeria– DG NITDA
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said that Information technology is connecting billions of people by providing them with access to knowledge and services, helping people to live more sustainably by making preservation or even regeneration of our natural resources possible.
The DG made this known on Wednesday during his remarks at the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Innovative Forum Webinar with the theme: “Multi-Stakeholder Approach to National Recovery Post-COVID-19 Pandemic”.
He said, “The outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic has completely changed the way we live our lives.
“The onset of the pandemic has proven to be an extremely disruptive occurrence that has exacerbated the effects of several social issues previously unknown.
“This has also led to increase in entrepreneurial activities were Enterprises and individuals have shown increased creativity in tackling the challenges posed by the crisis.
“Virtual meetings are adopted by public and private institutions to address the issues of social distancing using video conferencing applications”.
Mallam Abdullahi asserted that in order to prepare Nigeria for the disruption caused by the Pandemic, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has put in place many initiatives and programs towards a robust post COVID-19 experience, in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria.
The Policy, anchored on 8 Pillars – Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy and Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Digital Services Development and Promotion, Soft Infrastructure, Digital Society and Emerging Technologies, and Indigenous Content Development and Adoption – outlines strategies for transforming Nigeria into a leading digital economy providing quality life and digital economies for all.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), one of the implementing arms of the Ministry, was mandated by the National Information Technology Development Act (2007) to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria.
The Agency’s role therefore is to develop Information technology in the country through regulatory standards, guidelines and policies.
It is the prime Agency for e-Government implementation, Internet governance and General IT development in Nigeria. Our activities in NITDA are aimed at fast-tracking the realisation of the objectives of NDEPS.
“We at NITDA, based on the directives of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, swiftly initiated several policies and programs for the technology ecosystem and startups to be able to withstand the potential impact of the Pandemic.
“We rolled out these initiatives in order to ensure that technology continues to enable innovation and entrepreneurship while addressing challenges of the society”, he said.
Tech4COVID-19 Committee was constituted with the aim of identifying the challenges the Technology ecosystem is facing during the COVID-19 Pandemic and to propose measures to cushion the effects of the pandemic.
“Members of the Committee were drawn from both the public and private sector and are key players in the Technology ecosystem who have made significant contributions to the Technology and Innovation ecosystem.
“The Committee’s recommendations include strategies to ensure we retain about 100,000 ICT Jobs as well as create additional 30,000 in Post COVID-19 Era through this initiative, he added.
The Agency organised Nigeria COVID-19 Innovation Challenge where Nigerians were challenged to come up with innovation to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond.
Over 1,500 startups participated and three emerged winners Algorizmi, a patient management solution particularly for victims of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Smart Disinfection Chamber, smart tunnel which can be used for disinfection of persons entering any location and Myclinic.ng, an online platform that enables users to hold video consultations with qualified medical doctors from anywhere and at any time, he asserted.
Mallam Abdullahi stated that “Nigeria has over 130 hubs and several hundreds of technology startups.
“These have the capacity of driving innovation and entrepreneurship, and stimulating the economy.
“The Academia, which has always been at the forefront of research and development, needs to expand its horizon to include innovation.
“We need more hubs in the academia to nurture the creativity of our youths. Collaboratively, we in NITDA are can make Nigeria a nucleus of innovation.
“To improve agricultural practices and create jobs, we initiated the National Adopted Village for SMART Agriculture (NAVSA), an ecosystem-driven digital platform where we engage farmers and focus on using precision/smart farming techniques to ensure significant improvement in efficiency and productivity thereby increasing crop yield; increased profit margin and create more jobs.
“We are partnering with relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the scheme.
“As an example, MTN has developed a special package for smart farmers that come with 4G SIM cards with a one year internet data subscription, he added.
The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), aimed at safeguarding the rights of persons to privacy, fostering safe conduct for the transactions involving the exchange of personal data, preventing manipulation of personal data, and ensuring that Nigerian businesses remain competitive in international trade through the safeguards afforded by a just and equitable legal regulatory framework, facilitated the creation of 2,686 jobs, added over 2 billion naira into the economy, and generated over 12 million naira to the Federal Government by filing Audit Reports.
The Agency has also deployed ICT infrastructure across the country. In addition to the numerous capacity building programmes in line with the Digital Literacy and Skills pillar of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, the Virtual Learning Platform of the NITDA Academy for Research and Training that provides access to wide variety of programmes from industry stakeholders has so far attracted over 33,000 active learners.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Ike Nnamani, president Medallion Communications, stated that skills acquisition is key to the growth and development of any country.
“There is need to improve in the services rendered to the public and at the same time the price should be reasonable for affordability.
“Telecommunications is moving to data which is the new trend simple because of its easy access and usage which makes work faster and easier.
“Data centers are imperative towards the delivering services to the public which will boost the economy’s output, he added.
Nnamani asserted that there is need to build more data center across the country to provide easy access to services, simply because subscribers need good service to effect their operations which will aid the swift growth and development of the country Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Mr Aderemi Adejumo, managing director CloudFlex, said that the programme is coming at the right time the country needs it the most and applauded NITRA for this initiative towards the drive of Information Technology development across the country.
He added that 90% of the businesses in the country are been moved abroad which is affecting the country’s GDP and output bringing about the fall in some sectors of the economy.
“The low implementation and push towards the growth of the IT sector has affected the activities of the sector and there is need to boost the sector simply because of its contributions to the Nations GDP.
Adejumo said that Nigeria is the most important economy to the world due to the vast population and the potentials embedded in the citizens towards achieving goals and objectives.
We need to boost the skills of our citizens which will bring out the potentials embedded in them towards the growth of the country.
NITRA Innovative Forum is annual Information and Communication Technology roundtable organised by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA).
The flagship event, which started in 2018, takes different sub themes each year to address the needs of the industry and set a pace for development.
This year, NITRA sees an enormous opportunity to ICT development and growth despite the COVID-19 scourge.
The event will seek to discuss the level of preparedness of ICT stakeholders to embrace the challenge of being pivotal to the stability and growth of all other sectors, during and after the pandemic.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced strict corporate governance rules that will bar its top officials from taking up roles in telecom companies they regulate until five years after leaving office.
Under the new Corporate Governance Guidelines for the Communications Industry, the Chairman, Executive Vice-Chairman, and Board Commissioners, both executive and non-executive, are barred from being appointed to any position in a licensed telecom company until five years after their exit from the Commission.
Similarly, Directors of Departments at the NCC face a three-year cooling-off period before they can take jobs with any licensee under the Commission’s supervision.
The move, announced on August 11, 2025, seeks to enhance transparency, accountability, and ethical standards in Nigeria’s fast-growing telecommunications industry.
Departmental directors face a three-year cooling-off period before joining any licensee under the agency’s oversight.
This policy aims to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure impartial regulation.
By creating a clear separation between regulators and the industry, the NCC hopes to curb undue influence and maintain public trust.
]The guidelines reflect a global trend in regulatory bodies enforcing cooling-off periods.
Similar measures exist in industries like finance and energy to safeguard against regulatory capture.
For Nigeria’s telecom sector, this is a significant step toward aligning with international best practices.
The NCC’s new framework also targets telecom operators’ internal governance.
Board chairmen or vice-chairmen are barred from holding executive powers or serving as MD/CEO of a licensee.
Former board chairmen and non-executive directors must wait five years before assuming executive roles in the same company or its affiliates.
Additionally, no more than two family members can serve on a licensee’s board simultaneously.
These measures aim to promote balanced board structures and reduce nepotism.
Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman, NCC, emphasised the importance of these reforms.
“Corporate governance is no longer a soft requirement. It is now a strategic imperative,” he said during the guidelines’ launch in Lagos.
Maida highlighted that robust governance correlates with better business performance, citing an NCC internal review. Companies with strong governance frameworks consistently outperform peers in service delivery, financial management, and regulatory compliance.
Nigeria’s telecom sector is a cornerstone of its digital economy. With over 222 million active mobile subscriptions as of Q1 2025, the industry supports critical sectors like finance, healthcare, and education.
However, challenges like cybersecurity threats, energy shocks, and rising consumer demands have exposed governance weaknesses. The NCC’s new rules aim to address these by fostering transparency, accountability, and innovation.
The guidelines apply to all communications companies holding individual licences and paying Annual Operating Levies (AOL) under the AOL Regulations 2022.
The NCC has indicated flexibility in applying the rules across different licence categories, with phased compliance measures to be communicated in writing. While the rules may cause short-term disruptions for operators, the NCC insists that long-term benefits, like improved service quality and market trust, will outweigh these challenges.
Airtel Africa and Vodacom Group have announced a strategic infrastructure sharing agreement in key markets including Mozambique, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), subject to regulatory approvals in the various countries.
The agreement marks a transformative milestone in promoting digital inclusion and expanding access to reliable connectivity across Africa.
The initial partnership focuses on sharing fibre networks and tower infrastructure, to accelerate the roll-out of digital services in these markets, increasing connectivity for customers while reducing operators’ infrastructure costs and improving speed to market.
By leveraging existing infrastructure, the collaboration aims to deliver improved connectivity, faster internet speeds, and more reliable services. This will not only enhance customer experience but also assist with providing access to digital services for a broader population, particularly those in underserved areas, helping to bridge the digital divide in Africa.
Vodacom Group’s chief executive officer Shameel Joosub said: “Providing connectivity to empower people is at the core of our strategy. Our partnership with Airtel Africa is a proactive step forward in creating a sustainable, inclusive, and connected digital future for the continent.
Through infrastructure sharing, we can provide cost-effective services to more people, more rapidly, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age. As we fulfil our ambition to connect 260 million customers by 2030, the need for scalable and cost-efficient network solutions becomes increasingly significant.
This partnership provides us with the opportunity to narrow the digital divide, empowering more individuals and communities through digitalisation across the continent. It is aligned with our purpose to connect for a better future,” concludes Joosub.
Airtel Africa’s chief executive officer Sunil Taldar said: “This partnership is aligned with our unwavering commitment to delighting our customers by always making our network available to them even in the remotest locations.
“Working with Vodacom, we will open greater access to digital and financial opportunities which will transform the lives of our customers while complying with all regulatory requirements.
“Even as competitors, it has become a business imperative for us to collaborate in the provision of critical infrastructure required to build resilient network with strong capacity to support the emerging digital technologies as well as the growing need for data-enabled products and services.
“Accelerating the deployment of fibre connectivity is a key enabler in the acceleration of 4G and 5G technologies in Africa to deliver the high-speed, low-latency, and reliable connections needed for modern digital applications.
“This partnership allows for further opportunities for both operators to enhance network performance, extend coverage, and increase mobile, fixed, and financial services leveraging a broader footprint on the continent.”
Truecaller, a global caller ID and spam prevention platform, has reached 100 million active users in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, representing a 19% year-over-year increase.
According to the platform, the region’s main markets include Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Algeria, Ghana, and Jordan.
Truecaller is routinely utilised on 20% to 45% of connected cellphones in these areas, including Android and iOS devices, according to the business.
The app has gained traction across the African continent with its concept of resolving communication issues for individuals and businesses by blocking unsolicited calls.
It has also collaborated with local businesses, forming major partnerships including a recent cooperation with Telecom Egypt to change consumer communication and experience by providing safe, customised, and seamless calling experiences.
Truecaller’s CEO, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, stated that the service has grown organically in markets such as MEA and India due to the mobile first environment, which uses a user’s mobile number as the primary identifier of calls. He under-lined that the MEA market provides a growth-enabling environment.
“We’re continuing to strengthen our organisation and our partnerships in the region, because we believe that the MEA is poised for significant growth for many years ahead,” said Jhunjhunwala.
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