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Nelson Mandela University Confers Honorary Doctorate on Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho
Nelson Mandela University has conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Information Technology on tech expert, Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, in recognition of her impactful contribution to technology ecosystems and policy development across Africa.
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho,
The institution in a statement released on Friday said that the award will be conferred at the University’s graduation ceremony on 13 December.
Uwaje Begho, CEO of the Nigeria-based Future Software Resources Ltd., one of Nigeria’s leading digital and technology solutions companies, is a renowned digital transformation and brand marketing expert.
Over the years she has served on the leadership of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Digital Economy Thematic Group, the Nigerian National IT Software Committee; and the Nigerian Electronic Voting Think Tank.
Her accolades include being on the Forbes List of Top Ten Female Tech Founders in Africa in 2014 and being selected as one of the Obama Africa Leaders in 2019.
She said, “The Honorary Doctorate is very unexpected and it is most gratifying to receive it from a Pan-African institution of Nelson Mandela University’s stature.”
Uwaje Begho said: “We can be proud of Fintech unicorns like Interswitch, Flutterwave and Paystack that successfully paved the way for Nigerian and pan-African payments. However, as a continent our focus should be on innovating around emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT as they hold immense potential as drivers for sustainable socio-economic development.
“We need to invest in young talent in Africa and a tech-supportive policy environment to ensure we move from consuming technologies to creating them. It’s exciting to see generative AI companies like CDIAL.AI emerging from Africa, founded by Nigeria’s Olayinka Lyinolokan.”
To create an enabling tech environment, “requires policy-making tailored to Africa’s unique environment, not copy-and-paste from countries like India or elsewhere,” she added.
Addressing the international dimension, Uwaje Begho calls for internationally-recognised and enforceable laws and policies, facilitating confidence for investors in companies registered in African countries.
She highlights the missed revenue opportunities when policies and laws governing technology and the startup ecosystem are not consistent, thus forcing startups to register and raise investment in other jurisdictions.
To expand digital access, she stresses the significance of last-mile broadband penetration, to reach all areas in every country in Africa. She underscores the role of private telecom companies in extending broadband infrastructure to rural areas, emphasising the importance of forward-thinking leaders and reasonable right of way charges.
“I am pleased to see an increase in well thought through policies – like Kenya’s broadband plan, which is focused on enabling healthcare and education through the democratisation of Internet access.”
Quality education is an essential for talent development says Uwaje Begho who attended the German International School in Lagos before moving to Germany to further her studies, and in 2006 she graduated with a BSc. Hons. in Bioinformatics from Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) & Technical University Munich (TUM) in Munich.
She emphasises the need for educational institutions to keep updating their curricula to remain relevant and keep pace with global IT and digital development is of equal importance. To those who have just graduated in the IT field she says: “There are so many opportunities for problem-solvers and critical thinkers. What you need to know, however, is that your learning journey has only just begun and you need to commit to lifelong learning.”
A firm believer in mentorship, Uwaje Begho regularly mentors founders in accelerator programmes such as Google for Startups Africa, WIA, W.Tec and Founders Institute Lagos.
“The increasing numbers of women in technology is a welcome development and we need to continue to put in the effort to get young African girls into technology and more importantly to ensure that they stay,” says Uwaje Begho who calls for more gender-lensed funding to empower and support female entrepreneurs on the continent.
“I am a proud member of the women only angel investment network Rising Tide Africa – a unique, trans-border women-oriented investment network funded by private investors who believe that they will bring about positive change by investing in the continent’s exciting start-ups and next generation to create a New Africa.”
Atte Ayodeji, a Nigerian computer scientist,has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of detecting, counting, grouping and generating healthy hair follicles during hair transplant procedures, an innovation that earned him the Best Innovative Technology award.
Atte Ayodeji
Ayodeji also graduated with a Distinction in his Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science from Birmingham City University on Friday, adding another milestone to an impressive academic year.
Beyond his award-winning hair transplant innovation, the Nigerian researcher developed a system and framework on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) as a professional responsibility in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
His dissertation received a silver award at the PGXPO2026 Winter, further highlighting the impact of his research in applying artificial intelligence to healthcare.
Sunday Dare, special adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Tinubu, celebrated Ayodeji’s achievements in a post on X, recalling how he first met him in 2019 during his National Youth Service.
“In 2019 when I became a Minister of the Republic, I met a young man of medium height, genteel with penetrating eyes: Atte Ayodeji. His words rarely come out and he could easily be passed by unnoticed. But I noticed him especially when my SA Kemi Areola brought him to me asking my approval for him to do his Youth Service in my office. I approved. From then on he was unstoppable. His brilliance shown and he developed skills beyond his frame.”
Highlighting Ayodeji’s recent accomplishments, Dare congratulated him saying, “Congratulations Atte. I am proud of you!”
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power, has said that the federal government plans to end power sector subsidies from 2027 and that there are no immediate plans for tariff increases.
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power
The minister told journalists during the media interactive session at the weekend that the government has announced plans to phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027 as part of efforts to address mounting liabilities in the power sector.
He explained that the planned removal forms part of the broader reforms aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the electricity sector, while tackling the financial challenges confronting the industry.
According to the minister, despite the planned subsidy withdrawal, there are no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs, reassuring consumers that the government is not considering a tariff hike in the short term.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
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