President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the reinstatement of Mr Salihu Abdullahi Dembos as director-general, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

Onanuga explained that Dembos, who briefly vacated the position following management changes at the agency, was appointed by President Tinubu in October 2023 and will now return to complete his three-year tenure.

Also recalled is Mr Ayo Adewuyi, executive director of News, who was appointed in 2024. He is to serve out his tenure, which runs until 2027.

According to Onanuga, the directive nullifies the earlier appointments of a new director-general, executive director of news, executive director of marketing, and managing director of NTA Enterprises.

Dr Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has stated that cross-border tax crimes had undermined effort of countries to raise revenue for development.

He added that cross-border tax crimes distorted fair competition because compliant companies pay a higher cost for business and appear less profitable.

He also challenged global leaders to tackle the rising cross-border crimes that have disrupted revenue mobilisation and economic growth. Adedeji threw the challenge while delivering a keynote address at the 42nd Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crimes (CIDOEC) held at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

The symposium has, for over four decades, been a crucible of ideas, a forge for strategies, and a platform where countries chart a collective course against the impact and threat economic crimes pose to countries and institutions.

The global meeting was attended by about 1,000 participants from more than 100 countries, including legislators, policy makers, law enforcement agencies, security and intelligence personnel, regulators, governance and compliance officers, and academics.

Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS boss, Dare Adekanmbi, in a statement, said Adedeji was represented by the Coordinating Director of Proceeds of Crime Management and Illicit Financial Flows and immediate past chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye.

“This year’s theme ‘Cross-Border Crimes’ speaks directly to one of the most complex and corrosive challenges of our interconnected world. “In a global economy where capital can move faster than law enforcement, and where digital and legal arbitrage often outpace regulation, the fight against crossborder economic crime is, by necessity, both local and global, both urgent and pressing.

“Modern day cross border crimes remind us that borders and boundaries have become virtual and distance irrelevant to the perpetration of crime and the negative impact on victims,” said Adedeji, who is also the Special Adviser on Revenue to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

On corporate or natural citizens who evade, avoid, fraudulently manipulate tax obligations by exploiting the intricacies of international trade or international finance, the FIRS boss said they have become implicated in cross border crimes.

He said: “When corporate or natural persons earn income in one country but hide same in another country, when they deceive, conceal or falsify records, they undermine the integrity and fiscal aspirations of the two countries they are manipulating. “When they hide income and assets in secrecy in some jurisdictions to avoid home-country taxes, they are hurting the fiscal target of home country.”

Dr. Bosun Tijani, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, has urged African leaders to unite in building shared AI infrastructure or risk marginalisation in the global economy.

Tijani made the call on Monday in Abuja at the inaugural GITEX Nigeria Summit 2025, a four-day technology event focused on advancing digital transformation and innovation with nationwide.

He urged continental collaboration to close Africa’s productivity gap and secure the continent’s place in the emerging AI-driven global economy.

Tijani said Africa faces a clear threat: without intentional action, artificial intelligence could deepen the global productivity divide. In his keynote address, he stated, “If we are not deliberate, AI will widen the global productivity gap. Countries that are already ahead will accelerate further, while those still trying to catch up will fall behind.”

To illustrate this, he referenced agriculture, noting that Nigeria yields about 2.5 tonnes of maize per hectare, compared to 6 tonnes in South Africa and 12 tonnes in Brazil.

The difference, he explained, is not due to land or rainfall, but to productivity gains driven by technology and AI-powered precision farming.

Tijani identified four key pillars to guide Africa’s approach to AI: balancing national sovereignty with shared governance, equipping young people with technical skills, digitizing local realities to develop relevant datasets, and making joint investments in infrastructure — including internet connectivity, computing capacity, and clean energy.

He highlighted the importance of Africa’s youth, calling them the continent’s greatest asset. As an example, he pointed to Nigeria’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, which aims to build a workforce prepared for the demands of an AI-driven economy.

The minister emphasized that without digitizing African datasets related to language, health, and agriculture, the continent will continue to rely on foreign AI models built from data that “do not represent us.”

Following the sessions in Abuja, the event will move to Lagos for the Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference, scheduled for September 3-4 at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre. A Startup Festival will also take place at the Landmark Centre.

On infrastructure, Tijani stressed that no single country can bear the financial burden alone.

He explained, “AI relies on three essentials: connectivity, computing power, and clean energy. These resources remain costly and unevenly distributed across Africa. We must work together on medium- and long-term strategies to reduce costs and enable inclusive participation.”

He added with an inspiring message, “Our children should one day look back and say: our leaders prepared us, our leaders secured our future, and our leaders made sure Africa was not left behind.”

Trixie LohMirmand, the executive vice president of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International, highlighted the importance of global cooperation in advancing Africa’s digital economy.

She noted that partnerships between Nigeria and international stakeholders can foster innovation, attract investment, and position Africa as a leader in the global tech arena.

Also speaking, Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, opened GITEX Nigeria 2025 with a welcome address emphasizing the need for continental unity in Africa’s AI development.

He stressed the importance of building shared infrastructure, developing algorithms rooted in African values, and establishing strong policies to ensure the continent takes an active role in the AI revolution.

Nigeria has emerged as a leader in AI innovation on the continent. Ranked among the world’s top 60 countries in AI development, Nigeria recently unveiled a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy created through collaboration between academia and industry.

To advance this strategy, the government launched the Nigerian Artificial Intelligence Collective Industry, aimed at connecting local researchers with international experts and fostering cross-border cooperation.

The four-day event, held from September 1 to 4 in Abuja and Lagos, is supported by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy alongside the National Information Technology Development Agency.