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NCS Abuja Chapter Maiden Workshop Centers On Local Content

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(L-r): Rex Abiotogun, chairman; Bayo Onimode, general secretary and Steve Omali, publicity secretary, all executive member of the NCS Abuja Chapter.
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In an attempt to draw government’s attention to its chapter members’ views on how best to improve the economy, the Abuja Chapter of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) will today, Friday, December 2, 2016 hold its maiden annual workshop.

Barrister Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications is expected to chair the Workshop while Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, DG of NITDA will deliver the lead paper; Professor Sola Aderounmu, NCS president is the special guest of honour.

Speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek  on the workshop with the theme, ‘The Role of ICT in Taking Nigeria Out of Economic Recession’, Mr. Rex Abitogun, the chapter chairman, said that reiterated that ICT has major role to play in lifting the economy out of the present quagmire.

Mr. Abitogun, also said that local content driven economy would help to entrench transparency, accountability and efficiency in the economy, thereby, blocking the economic leakages across the nation.

The chapter chairman who made reference to Treasury Single Account (TSA), he said that the results so far depict local talents as crucial in assessing ‘local’ and the development of workable tools.

Mr. Abitogun said, “Presently, we are having big challenge in the country; that is the economic recession. How do we get out this? ICT has a major role to play. With all modesty, if we want to get out of the recession, IT has a major role, because IT is about transparency, accountability and efficiency. So, if we have these three things then we can save money by blocking loopholes in the economy. A good example of that is the TSA which has saved government a lot of money. It also tells you that if we can automate most of our processes, we can save a lot of money for the government.

“This conference is important too as we expect the Minister of Communications to grace the occasion and inform stakeholders about critical steps been taken on local content. The DG of NITDA to present lead paper; we feel it is the way to go. It is high time we started having national planning that revolves round leveraging ICT. As it has been observed, when national planning is being done we hear about having good road networks, power, agriculture or other physical policies, but ICT tranverses all; from broadband to local content, we have to empower our youths.

“Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) as an advocacy group has been liaising with government and other stakeholders on way forward. One thing we are taking from here is that this workshop will be different from others where communiqués are dumped in the waste bin or allowed to lick dusts on shelves. We are going to be on their neck to ensure speedy implementation. Secondly, it is not as though local content is not garnering enough attention in the government circle, but the speedy is slow. However, we have to continue to look inwards, because Nigerians have a lot of innovations/ideas to showcase”.

He added that the Government cannot solve all problems; rather its role is to create enabling environment.

“The private sector identifies the problems and where to work with the government. That is why NCS has done well through its seven-fold membership associations. Through the public service body we can reach out to the government on areas requiring attentions and possible solutions. We have gone through the road and have succeeded. Today, JAMB is automated. The people behind the technology are Nigerians. TSA is functioning optimally; other countries are yet to understand how that can be done. Before Systemspecs was chosen by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), they had called on other foreign solution providers, but SystemSpecs as an indigenous company understands what is lacking and how best it can be addressed”.   

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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E-Business

OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.

As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.

Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”

OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.


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Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

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Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.

Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.

According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.

To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.

The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.

The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.

“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.


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Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

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National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said Nigerian software developers have reached significant milestones with locally made applications generating over one million Dollar in sales across domestic and regional markets.

Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general of NOTAP, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.

Amadiobi said the development signified the growing strength of Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem and how local innovation powers digital growth.

She said it was also a direct outcome of targeted support initiatives led by NOTAP.

She added that the initiative helped to build capacity, protect intellectual property, and connect developers to market opportunities.

According to the NOTAP boss, the journey from concept to impact started with understanding and securing intellectual property (IP) rights, a step many local innovators missed.

“Whether it’s a literary work, a laboratory invention, or a creative digital product, the process of bringing an idea to life demands immense time, skill, and dedication.

“An innovator might wake up with a solution to a pressing problem; spend months testing and refining it and achieve remarkable results; so it is their fundamental right to patent that creation and claim ownership.

“Without this protection, someone else could easily replicate their work; patent it in their name; and legally control what was built with Nigerian brainpower,” she said.

Amadiobi said that the challenge was compounded by widespread digital piracy and counterfeiting, which hit the ICT sector hardest.

“From copied software applications to replicated content on social platforms like TikTok, unauthorised duplication has become a major barrier to growth.

“We see talented young creators develop unique digital content or tools, only to watch others rebrand and profit from their work within weeks,” she said.

The DG noted that most popular online personalities with distinctive styles often don’t realise they could protect their original contributions through IP registration.

She said that to address these gaps and unlock the value of Nigerian innovation, NOTAP implemented a multi-pronged strategy,- a cornerstone initiative – which is the Local Vendor Policy.

“The Local Vendor Policy mandates that foreign technology firms entering Nigeria partner with domestic counterparts,’’ she said.

Amadiobi said that among the performing apps are solutions addressing critical local challenges such as a mobile health platform that now serves 750,000 users across six states.

“There is also the agricultural marketplace connecting smallholder farmers to buyers; and an educational tool that has been adopted by 200 schools to improve learning outcomes,” she said.

She added that the apps were developed by teams that gained skills and resources through NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy.

According to her, the policy requires foreign technology firms operating in Nigeria to allocate a portion of their technical service fees to local partners.

“Three years ago, many of these developers were only providing support services to foreign companies.

“But today, they are building their own products that compete globally. 60 per cent of last year’s sales came from other African countries, showing our developers can lead on the continent,” she said.

The D-G explained that the one million dollar figure represented sales from over 50 locally developed apps, with individual developers earning between 5,000 dollars and 80,000 dollars from their products.

“Looking ahead, NOTAP aims to double these sales figures by 2027, with plans to expand support to developers focusing on fintech, renewable energy management, and climate adaptation tools.

“These are the sectors identified as high-growth opportunities for Nigerian innovation,’’ Amadiobi said


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