General News
NCC Highlights Policy, Regulatory Initiatives for Tech Innovation Development
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has outlined various policy and regulatory initiatives being implemented by the Commission to reiterate its commitment towards ensuring continuous development of the startups section of the telecommunication ecosystem in Nigeria.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, listed the initiatives during a two-day Zonal Regional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Innovation Forum organised by the Commission in Enugu recently.
The annual event, with the theme: “Digital Societies and Emerging Technologies: Leveraging ICTs to Build Information and Knowledge Societies for Achieving the Nation’s Digital Economy”, was attended by representatives of strategic partners of the Commission, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), tech hubs, innovators and tech entrepreneurs, as well as venture capitalists, among others.
Represented by the Head, Research and Development, NCC, Kelechi Nwankwo, Danbatta said the current momentum being witnessed in the Nigeria’s tech space is, no doubt, attributable to the regulatory approach of the Commission. Danbatta stated that Commission is committed to effective regulation of the telecoms sector in ways that will not inhibit competition but rather fosters innovation, industry growth and socioeconomic development.
According to Danbatta, the Commission, as the key driver in the ICT industry and a responsive organisation, has implemented deliberate policy and initiatives creating an enabling environment for Nigerian startups to thrive and scale up for more global impact and value creation.
The EVC said these initiatives include the aggressive and ongoing implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan NNBP), 2020-2025 aimed at increasing broadband penetration to 70 per cent by 2025; driving of the implementation of the National Digital Economy and Policy Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030; and the implementation of the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024, all of which are streamlined in the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 to ensure regulatory effectiveness.
Danbatta declared that other similar initiatives emplaced by the Commission to facilitate the development and sustainability of the tech startup ecosystem are the ICT Hubs Support and Engagement Programmes; the annual ICT Innovation Competition and Exhibition; the Annual Hackathon, as well as the ongoing development of ICT parks across the country.
Elaborating more on the ICT Park, the EVC said the Commission is building six technology parks across the geo-political zones. The first phase of the project is nearing completion in four zones, namely, Enugu in the South East, Abeokuta in the South West, Maiduguri in the North East, and Kano in the North West. “The project comes with a strategic intent of boosting digital skills among young people, promoting innovations, providing jobs for young Nigerians and ultimately supporting the Federal Government Digital Economy Agenda,” he said.
The NCC CEO emphasised that the ICT Park, which is at various levels of completion will deliver a fully-functional Tier-4 Digital Industry Complex (DIC) that will involve a commercial hub for ICT capacity building and digital skills, employment generation and entrepreneurial activities, as well as smart city deployment across the Complex.
While commending the attendees for their active participation at the forum and generally on their collaboration towards building a truly digital economy in Nigeria, Danbatta expressed the unequivocal commitment of the Commission to fostering strategic collaboration and partnership with the technology hubs with the aim of accelerating innovations, industrial growth and sustainable development in Nigeria.
In the same, Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, underscored the essence of the annual programme. He said the Forum was conceived to facilitate and support ICT innovators, tech enthusiasts and tech entrepreneurs, as a strategy to leapfrog Nigeria into the digital economy.
Maska, emphatic that the objectives are critical for reflating the economy and improving the social wellbeing of the citizens, Maska said, as a regulator of this sector, NCC is focused on its responsibility and hence the introduction of policies, programmes and initiatives to promote innovation and facilitate tech entrepreneurship.
Represented at the forum by the Zonal Controller, Enugu Office of the Commission, Ogbonnaya Ugama, Maska said at NCC, “We believe that this is very critical if we must facilitate the introduction of new value added services that will improve consumer quality of experience, unlock entrepreneurial potentials of our teaming youths, improve indigenous capacity, boost indigenous content development, and importantly, support the Presidential desire for us as a country to produce what we consumer and consume what we produce,” Maska added.
The Commission is set to convene the Regional ICT Innovation Forum in other geopolitical zones of the country and it is determined to rally all stakeholders to ensure inclusiveness and leverage consultation and collaborative partnership, two key operational principles NCC is noted for.
Mrs Yetunde Ilori, President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), has commended the innovative and technology-driven solutions presented during the institute’s maiden Insurance Week Hackathon competition.
Ilori gave the commendation after the completion of the competition on Thursday in Lagos, held at the College of Insurance and Financial Management in Asese, Ogun, as part of the Insurance Week organised by the CIIN.
She described the solutions as crucial to the industry’s transformation and relevance in the digital age. “This shows that the future is bright for the Nigerian insurance industry.
We are transforming as an industry, and digital innovation is at the heart of that transformation,” Ilori said. She noted that 19 teams initially applied for the competition, but only six were shortlisted.
The competition, which targeted young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 29, engaged six finalist teams over a fourweek intensive innovation process, culminating in a demo day on Wednesday in Lagos.
The hackathon focused on real-world challenges in the sector, such as inclusive insurance, fraud detection, risk management, and improving customer experience.
It was designed to cultivate the next generation of insurance innovators, deepen insurance awareness, and promote financial literacy among Nigerians.
The teams that participated in the final stage of the competition were: Ifokanbale, Insurbridge, Insurvate, Team Aegis, Team Phoenix, and The Assured Team. Team Aegis developed “Hustle Guard,” a microinsurance solution for tricycle drivers covering health, life, and income, in an effort to demystify micro insurance in Nigeria.
The Assured Team presented “Kolo Plus by Card,” an unstructured savings plan with payment and interest features tailored to low-income earners. Team Insurbridge created “Smarter Claims,” a solution aimed at improving the insurance claims process.
Team Phoenix introduced “HerShield,” a solution focused on empowering women and building trust in the insurance sector. The Assured Team also developed additional ideas to drive insurance penetration in underserved and informal communities.
After an engaging pitch session before a panel of judges, Team Insurvate emerged as the overall winner with its solution, “Claim Central”, an end-to-end digital platform designed to streamline the insurance claims process from policyholders to insurers.
Team Aegis secured second place, while Team Phoenix came in third. The panel of judges included financial sector experts such as Norah Igwe, Tunji Andrews, Diana Mulili, Sakeenat Bakare, Ibraheem Babalola, and Prince Adeshina Adeyemi-Doro.
Also speaking, Mr Eddie Efekoha, Chairman of the Insurance Week, said the hackathon demonstrated a conscious effort to explore how technology can help distribute insurance products to all parts of the country.
“We believe this initiative will spark more interest among the youth to engage with insurance, not just as consumers but as creators and innovators,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the winning team, Mr Odunayo Ojeremi, leader of Team Insurvate, described the competition as highly competitive and rewarding. “We are excited and grateful for the opportunity.
“We didn’t expect to win, but we are glad our solution was recognised. We hope to improve ‘Claim Central’ and make it a platform that ensures seamless claims processing,” he said.
Enugu State-owned commercial airline, Enugu Air, is set to officially launch its operations today Monday, July 7, 2025. The launch ceremony will take place at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expected to attend alongside other dignitaries, according to a statement from the airline.
Dr Obi Ozor, Commissioner for Transportation, Enugu State, said Enugu Air is a key component of Governor Peter Mbah’s vision for a modern, integrated transportation system, aimed at positioning Enugu as a major aviation hub in Nigeria.
The airline will begin operations with a fleet of three Embraer jets, from the E170 and E190 series, chosen for their performance, passenger comfort, and suitability for regional routes.
The airline’s inaugural routes will form a strategic triangular operation connecting Enugu, Abuja, and Lagos, with plans to expand services to Port Harcourt, Owerri, Benin, Kano, and other key cities across Nigeria and beyond.
Ozor said, “With a strong foundation built on innovation and sustainability, Enugu Air is poised to transform regional air travel, boost state pride, and raise Enugu’s profile nationally and globally.”
The launch of Enugu Air is expected to have a significant impact on the aviation industry in Nigeria, providing more options for air travel and promoting economic development in the region.
With its modern fleet and strategic routes, Enugu Air is set to revolutionize air travel in Nigeria and establish Enugu as a major player in the country’s aviation sector.
In affirmation of its global standing, Cybervergent, a Pan-African technology company that leverages artificial intelligence to transform how organisations manage risk, governance, privacy, and cybersecurity, has been selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Technology Pioneers for 2025—a global cohort spotlighting companies transforming industries through breakthrough technologies and responsible innovation.
The WEF, an international organisation committed to improving the state of the world through public-private collaboration, brings together global leaders to shape economic, technological, and societal agendas. Cybervergent now joins this global community.
The company is recognized for its innovative approach to building digital trust, reimagining how organisations manage cybersecurity, risk, privacy and governance.
Commenting on the company’s milestone, Adetokunbo Omotosho, CEO of Cybervergent, said, “I am honoured that Cybervergent has been named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. This is more than an accolade — it’s a validation of our commitment to redefining cybersecurity, privacy, and risk management to build true digital trust.
“What makes this recognition even more meaningful is the fact that Cybervergent demonstrates innovation in AI and infrastructure can emerge from any region, challenging conventional perceptions.”
Some past recipients of the Technology Pioneer recognition, including Google, Spotify, and Airbnb have gone on to fundamentally reshape global industries.
As a member of the 2025 Technology Pioneers community, Cybervergent will be contributing to discussions shaping cybersecurity, AI, and cyber resilience across industries and the global digital economy.
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