Telecom
Innovating Nigeria: The Rise of True Compatriots
By Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General/CEO of NITDA
Beneath the obvious national contradictions and challenges we face, there is a deep revolution brewing that is “innovation at the speed of thought”. One of the biggest perks of the Office of the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is the privilege of meeting the smartest people in Nigeria and beyond.
I had looked forward to visiting the technology ecosystem in Lagos since early 2020, but COVID struck. So, we kept in touch virtually. During COVID, the tech ecosystem made huge contributions to the nation, especially through the Tech4Covid committee. I had the privilege to inaugurate the committee under the supervision of the Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
Thanks to the advice of that committee and other efforts, the digital ecosystem was able to help Nigeria out of COVID induced recession that promised to deal a death blow to our national economy.
On the 19th of May 2021, I had my long-sought opportunity to begin a 3-day tour of Lagos to meet with the innovation industry. After a breakfast meeting with the press, we hit the road to brave the legendary Lagos traffic to get to the Governor’s office. The Lagos State Government had just implemented the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) for the health sector.
Please take a pause to note that this scale of data protection implementation has not been reported anywhere in the world. Yes, we did it in Nigeria! My team scheduled a visit to validate the work done by the Lagos Ministry of Health, but Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu decided to host us despite his busy schedule. In the meeting, the Governor and I compared notes.
He reeled out the smart Lagos projects and innovative initiatives Lagos implements across the state. You could see passion, vision, and a clear strategy to take Lagos to the next level of excellence. I had the opportunity to brief Mr Governor on the groundbreaking initiates we also implemented in Lagos to support the State Government. So far, NITDA has implemented more than 40 projects in the state.
Furthermore, I shared our Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) document with Mr Governor, wherein I discussed the seven strategic pillars that would help catalyse Nigeria to greatness. Mr Governor’s remarks, “with you, Nigeria’s information technology sector is in safe hands”, humbled me.
The Governor and I agreed that we would set up a team to support Lagos Smart Initiatives and that the state would host NITDA’s proposed NDPR Toolkits for the health sector.
Our next stop was at Rack Centre, a tier-3 data centre located at Oregun. The welcome reception from the Rack Centre Managing Director, Mr Ayotunde Coker, was thrilling. We had an exciting and productive engagement going around the state-of-the-art facility.
We got first-hand information on the capacity of Nigeria to be the leader in data hosting and cloud service provision for Africa. I saw faith at work in this complex. While many are checking out, some Nigerians are not just digging in. They are attracting foreign investment into the country. I took notes and stressed that we as government must do more to support enterprises like this.
The next day we visited the AfriOne factory, a licensed original equipment manufacturer in Lagos. I was pleased to see that technology hardware are assembled from the minute components. Some phones, laptops, tablets come with indigenous Nigerian languages such as Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. Many young Nigerians work in this place while also training people to become phone and computer technicians. It was quite interesting, and we are working diligently to promote the indigenous content as a core pillar of SRAP.
Our next stop was MainOne MDXi, another iconic data centre. We had a first-hand understanding of what we have in the country in terms of data centre as a solid infrastructure for the digital economy. With what I saw at Rack Centre and MainOne MDXi, I am proud to say that we have the massive computing power needed to process any amount of data in Nigeria. We are on track to securing our digital sovereignty as a country and Africa at large. These companies must be encouraged, promoted and patronised by all government and private entities.
On the 21st of May 2021, we started the day with a breakfast session with shakers and movers of the African largest innovation ecosystem. Top startups such as Innovation Support Network, Future Africa, Smile Identity, 54gene, Advocacy for Policy and Innovation, amongst others, graced the occasion. We had an insightful session and discussed some issues affecting the tech ecosystem and areas that needed urgent intervention, including talent, demand, infrastructure, regulation, and capital.
We also deliberated on the need to include the tech industry representatives in the SRAP projects steering committee and structured engagement between the government and private sector to implement all the initiatives across SRAP pillars and disseminate information across the ecosystem.
We had many invitations from different innovation companies, but time would not permit us to visit all. But there was one more stop I could not resist. Vibranium Valley (Venture Garden Group) which is located within the Lagos local and international airport premises.
It is a story that I love to relive repeatedly. For context, this Valley is bunkered inside the factory of the former Concord Press, which signifies the symbol of what Nigeria can do. Concord newspaper was so successful that it was being sold on London and New York streets in the 1970s/80s.
So, for some intelligent young people to take over this abandoned factory and re-purpose it for a technology hub is the single most profound statement of Nigeria’s intent to reimagine and take our place in the world for good. In the Valley, we saw used cargo containers and old bus parts being turned to offices. Young people in t-shirts, shorts and dreadlocks were busy solving national and international problems in governance, healthcare, education, traffic and many more.
The Valley has tens of products, lots of experienced programmers and hundreds of staff. This last stop is a fitting reminder to me that we have the talent to be the best we can. With the kind of smart digitally native guys, I met Nigerian digital economy vision, and our aspiration to be the African leader is possible; our only limitation is our imagination.
At NITDA, our belief is we cannot succeed in implementing our mandate in isolation. We are part of the innovation ecosystem. Therefore, we need to strengthen the partnership and broaden the collaboration. Together we can create and capture value in the digital economy. NITDA pledges to be a close partner and broker between the tech ecosystem and government to ensure cohesion of purpose, direction and implementation of initiatives to make Nigeria achieve its digital economy vision.
In a journey like this, some see despair and find excuses to jump ship, but we have many unsung heroes working hard to solve the Nigerian problems and make us great in the tech and innovation ecosystem. For such patriots, NITDA is here to serve.
Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has said that sustained collaboration among African countries remains central to the continent’s drive toward digital transformation.
The organisation stressed that building secure, interoperable and inclusive digital systems across Africa cannot be achieved in isolation, calling for stronger regional partnerships to accelerate innovation and shared infrastructure development.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Head of Corporate Communications at Galaxy Backbone, Chidi Okpala.
As it prepares to host a major delegation of policymakers, technology leaders and development partners in Abuja, GBB said the engagement would further highlight the importance of cross-border cooperation in shaping Africa’s digital future.
Okpala explained that the initiative is designed to provide both dialogue and practical exposure to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
According to him, the visit will allow delegates to better understand how shared ICT systems are supporting governance and service delivery in the country.
“This engagement will provide an opportunity for African stakeholders to not only discuss policy frameworks but also see firsthand how digital public infrastructure is being deployed to improve efficiency, connectivity and innovation in the public sector,” Okpala said.
He added that GBB’s hosting role reflects its growing importance in advancing digital governance and infrastructure development across the continent.
“Galaxy Backbone is increasingly positioned as a key enabler of trusted digital infrastructure, and this engagement reinforces that role within Nigeria and beyond,” he noted.
Speaking ahead of the programme, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, said the future of Africa’s digital economy depends on the ability of countries to work together in building resilient systems.
“No single country can achieve the level of transformation required on its own. We must share knowledge, align strategies, and invest in systems that can serve the entire continent,” Adeyanju said.
According to the statement, the engagement will feature a continental dialogue themed “Building Africa’s Digital Foundations Together,” bringing together stakeholders from 11 African countries in Abuja.
The programme is being organised in partnership with Co-Develop, Smart Africa, and MicroSave Consulting, with discussions expected to focus on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), digital identity systems, secure connectivity, interoperability frameworks, and inclusive digital ecosystems.
GBB said delegates will also undertake a guided tour of its infrastructure and facilities in Abuja, where they will be exposed to Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and the systems supporting cloud services, cybersecurity, government connectivity, and digital platforms.
The company noted that the tour is intended to demonstrate how shared ICT infrastructure is strengthening governance and enabling more efficient public service delivery.
Participants are expected to explore practical pathways for accelerating the deployment of digital public infrastructure to support economic growth and institutional reforms across Africa.
GBB maintained that the initiative also confirms Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for digital innovation and infrastructure development, while deepening cooperation among African nations.
MTN Nigeria reinforced its commitment to supporting African storytelling and emerging creative talent at the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites.
MTN Nigeria
Hosted by Bovi Ugboma and Nomzamo Mbatha, the star-studded event brought together some of the biggest names in African film, television, and entertainment for a night celebrating creativity, culture, and cinematic excellence.
As part of its participation at the Awards Night, MTN Nigeria sponsored the Best Short Film category, one of the standout moments of the evening aimed at recognising and rewarding emerging filmmakers shaping the future of African storytelling.
The award was presented by the General Manager, Enterprise Sales, MTN Nigeria, Febisola Oyeleye, alongside actor Jide Oyegbile.
The winning film, Hussaini, by filmmakers Orire Nwani and Josh Olaoluwa, earned both the prestigious AMVCA recognition and a ₦5 million cash prize sponsored by MTN Nigeria.
Speaking during the presentation of the cash prize to the winners, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, reiterated MTN’s commitment to youth empowerment and supporting the creative industry through platforms that spotlight emerging talent.
According to her, the brand remains intentional about supporting young Nigerians who continue to push boundaries through creativity and storytelling. “At MTN, one of the things that we are so committed to is youth empowerment.
We believe that the youth of Nigeria are actually the future of the country. When we see young people being productive and coming out tops in what they do, it speaks to their commitment and ability to move beyond boundaries.
One of the ways we support the creative industry is through the short film category, and we are delighted to see deserving winners who are obviously on their way to great things,” she said.
The filmmakers behind Hussaini also celebrated the win, with one of the creators describing it as a defining moment after multiple nominations in the category.
“This is our last nomination in this category, and I’m excited we finally have it,” he said. “Next year, we are coming for Best Feature Film.”
Beyond the Awards Night, MTN’s presence throughout the AMVCA week extended to initiatives such as Young Filmmakers Day and the #MTNFilmChallenge, both designed to spotlight emerging talent and create opportunities for young creatives to tell authentic Nigerian and African stories through film and digital content.
With its continued investment in platforms that celebrate creativity and empower young storytellers, MTN Nigeria once again highlighted the important role partnerships can play in shaping the future of Africa’s entertainment industry.
MTN Nigeria strengthened its support for Nigeria’s creative economy by rewarding five emerging filmmakers through the #MTNFilmChallenge at the Young Filmmakers Day as part of the 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) week.
The event, which held at MultiChoice Studios Lagos, brought together young and aspiring filmmakers for a day of learning, collaboration, and celebration of African storytelling.
The #MTNFilmChallenge, a short-form film initiative inviting creators to share one to three-minute stories reflecting perspectives on Nigerian culture, hustle, and everyday life, drew entries from across the country. At the close of submissions, five standout filmmakers including Precious Aisa, Fitz-Williams Ochie, Ugwueze Jennifer, Anuyimika Ayomide, and Alexander Oshiame were rewarded with cash prizes worth ₦4,650,000 in total, while two other finalists received consolation prizes.
MTN reiterated its commitment to supporting Africa’s growing creative ecosystem by creating platforms that not only encourage creative expression but also expand visibility for young talents navigating the digital content space.
Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, said the company remains intentional about empowering young Nigerians and creating opportunities for emerging creatives to thrive within the entertainment industry. “At MTN, we strongly believe young people are central to Nigeria’s future, and it is always inspiring to see them pushing boundaries through creativity and storytelling.
“For us, supporting initiatives like the short film category and the #MTNFilmChallenge is about creating platforms where young creatives can be seen, encouraged, and celebrated. We are excited to see these filmmakers taking bold steps and telling authentic stories that reflect the richness of our culture and experiences,” she said.
The event also gave a platform for the next generation of storytellers to engage directly with established industry figures including Uche Jombo, Orire Nwani, Tamara Adeyemi, and Stan Eze through curated masterclasses and panel sessions.
As the opening event of AMVCA Week, Young Filmmakers Day set the tone for the celebrations ahead, reinforcing the Awards’ role not just as a platform for recognition, but as a catalyst for growth, collaboration, and innovation within Africa’s film and television industry.
With the 12th AMVCA underway, the focus remains on celebrating excellence while nurturing the next generation of storytellers shaping the future of African cinema.
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