E-Business
Nigeria Drops 7 Points to 119th in GITR Networked Readiness Index Ranking
Information and Communications Technologies will help accelerate digital transformation in Africa as Cisco leaders stress the vital importance of networked readiness to drive social and economic transformation for African countries.
Unfortunately, several African countries have dropped in terms of the report’s Networked Readiness Index ranking.
While Kenya’s Networked Readiness ranking improved, climbing six places to 86th position, the same is not true for other major African economies.
For instance, Nigeria dropped seven places and now ranks 119th, South Africa dropped five places and now ranks 75th and Egypt dropped three places and now ranks 94th.
Cisco, taking a cue from the World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report 2015 (GITR), insists that African countries need to take full advantage of the potential offered by ICTs to drive social and economic transformation.
Senior Cisco Executives have highlighted the considerable challenge facing most African countries as they seek to develop the infrastructure, institutions and skills needed to reap the full benefits of ICTs, as only 39% of the global population enjoys access to the Internet despite the fact that more than half now owns a mobile phone and Africa having one of the highest mobile phone penetration.
Lack of access to the Internet is depriving many Africans of the opportunity to take full advantage of e-learning as well as online financial, data and health services.
Cisco Executives stressed that governments can shape policies that will spur development of broadband access.
Crucial to achieving societal and economic transformation is the ability to embrace the Internet of Everything (IoE), the connections between people, process, data and things, to create unprecedented opportunities for African citizens as well as the public and private sectors.
In order to embrace the IoE, African governments and businesses must be fully digitised, supported by a highly robust and secure network.
Becoming digital requires an agile IT model, and the ability to rethink core processes for the digital era.
Embracing new security, cloud, mobile, social and analytics technologies required to fully digitize takes imagination, investment and expertise.
This is why Networked Readiness is such a crucial indicator of a country’s ability to implement and take full advantage of ICTs.
According to Dare Ogunlade, general manager, Cisco, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone “At Cisco, we have learned that technology helps people find innovative solutions to address societal problems. We believe there has never been a better time to combine human ingenuity and technological innovation to improve the lives of all Africans.
“As home to nine of the world’s 15 fastest growing economies, Africa is ripe for transformation and is an increasingly attractive environment for global business investments. Technology is at an inflection point and African economies need to prioritise ICT adoption to take full advantage of the benefits that embracing digital transformation strategies will offer.”
The GITR report suggests that investing in infrastructure and education; supporting the development of local content; and creating an enabling environment by promoting competition through sound regulation will correct the imbalance in many African countries today.
Cisco is committed to working with public and private sector organisations in Africa to work on strategies for the digital transformation, thereby helping them transform their IT strategy, connect everything, embrace analytics, and secure their technology and operations.
“Africa can make massive strides in connecting more citizens and bringing about positive social and economic change by improving its Networked Readiness. With political will and commitment from the private sector, progress can be made in bringing the benefit of ICTs to more people.
“We are already facing the next wave of the Internet – the Internet of Everything (IoE) –Africa needs to prioritise ICT development if it is to benefit from the new experiences and efficiencies that the IoE will bring,” Ogunlade added.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has launched a new digital identity verification tool called the NIN Authentication (NINAuth) application.
The initiative, which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to strengthen the country’s national digital identity management framework.
The launch builds upon Nigeria’s comprehensive unified digital identity system that has been transforming access to financial services and government programs.
The NINAuth application introduces several key features focused on data security and privacy.
The platform requires explicit user consent before sharing identity information for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
The system provides seamless access to various government services, including SIM card registration, immigration applications, passport processing, tax filings, and financial transactions.
The development follows significant investment in Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, including a $45.5 million support from the World Bank as part of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
As the official service for integration with NIMC’s backend infrastructure, NINAuth enables secure verification processes across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store for users of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rollout represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to digitize government services and strengthen identity verification processes.
“NINAuth is a cutting-edge suite of services including web, API, and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC.
“The platform introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.”
The implementation supports the objectives of the recently established Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project Ecosystem Steering Committee, which oversees the country’s digital identity initiatives.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the NINAuth app and directed its use for verification and authentication across all MDAs.
The application provides a secure single sign-on solution for accessing government services and social protection programs while maintaining strict data privacy controls.
The centralized approach to digital identity management represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and its commitment to modernizing government services.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has set in motion a machinery to checkmate the booming copyright piracy market in the country.
Copyright piracy is said to cost Nigeria an annual loss estimated at billions of naira.
Despite the absence of a coordinated or official statistics to gauge the quantum of loss, John Asein, director general, NCC, said as far back as 2019, Nigeria lost N918 trillion ($3 billion) annually to digital piracy.
The financial damages severely impact local businesses and innovation efforts.
The commission, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has started a project to develop strategies and tools to address the menace.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the WIPO project to address online copyright piracy in Nigeria, Asein said digital technologies have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the creative and innovation sectors.
The NCC boss said technology also poses serious challenges, including online piracy, which he said is growing rapidly.
He said: “Pirate sites continue to emerge rapidly, with statistics indicating a 6.7 per cent increase in user visits. A significant percentage of these users are students aged between 18 and 24, with social media and messaging platforms becoming major gateways for accessing pirated content.”
He added: “No industry is immune. The most affected sectors include television (43.6 per cent), publishing (27.5 per cent), film (12.9 per cent), music (7.0 per cent), and software (6.2 per cent).
“Far beyond mere statistics, the victims are no longer only foreign right owners. Many Nigerians in these sectors have also been bruised and their creative enterprises ruined.”
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has signed an international mail partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for improved delivery access to over 200 countries without middlemen.
Tolani Odeyemi, postmaster-general and chief executive officer of NIPOST, described the deal as a “major milestone” for the country’s logistics and postal sector.
In a statement on X on Monday, Odeyemi explained that the new agreement marks NIPOST’s first direct international airline partnership for several years.
“For a long time, NIPOST operated without any direct partnerships with international airlines, relying heavily on multiple third-party handlers,” the Postmaster-General stated. This often resulted in delays, higher costs, and uncertainty around the delivery of packages.”
She explained that under the new arrangement, KLM will directly handle all outbound international mail from Nigeria, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
“This translates to faster and more reliable delivery, reduced risk of loss or damage, lower handling charges, and access to over 200 countries through KLM’s global network,” the Postmaster-General stressed.
According to Odeyemi, NIPOST’s breakthrough came after it began settling long-standing debts owed to international carriers, a step she said was key to “rebuilding global trust” in Nigeria’s postal system.
She revealed that talks were also ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines to bolster regional and continental logistics, particularly on African and Eastern routes.
“Our goal is clear and unwavering: to connect Nigeria regionally and globally, efficiently, securely, and affordably,” Odeyemi asserted.
The NIPOST CEO described the development as a significant win for Nigerian businesses and small and medium-scale enterprises that rely on international shipping, stating, “You now benefit from quicker, more affordable international shipping, greater peace of mind with improved reliability, and new potential to reach and grow in global markets.”
Odeyemi commended the teams behind the scenes and pledged continued improvements in service delivery, adding that the deal signals a turning point for the agency.
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