Telecom
NITDA Advocates for Adequate Local Capacity Processes to Solve Local IT Problem
Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has emphasized the need to build local capacity processes that would solve relevant local IT problems.
Pantami said this at day two of the ongoing 27th National Conference organised by Nigeria Computer Society at International Conference at University of Ibadan, in Oyo State.
He said, “if we want to be successful in IT we must build capacity locally. Use local innovations to solve local problems.”
According to him, this way the country would create a technology value chain, a formidable tech ecosystem with many suppliers and consumers, with many innovators for national growth development.
“Nigeria loses a significant amount of foreign exchange annually from the importation of ICT goods and services.
“A large proportion of this is spent on software imports. We are working hard to reverse this trend and indigenous ICT businesses, including the many who are members of CPN, stand to benefit greatly from a local content policy that encourages the development of local ICT products and services’, adding, this must change.”
He explained that to this end the Agency has trained over 740 persons in digital technology and deployed 86 digital learning centres across the federation.
NITDA embarks on Regulation, Capacity Building, Local Content Development, Digital Job Creation, E-Governance, Cyber Security, and Digital Inclusion as pillars of its 4-year Roadmap.
NITDA’s vision, he said, is to be Nigeria’s prime Agency and catalyst for transforming Nigeria into a knowledge-based and IT-driven economy.
Strategic partnerships with leading institutions like NCS are necessary to ensure sustainable development in the sector.
“The process of developing an ICT sector as diverse and complex as ours is quite daunting.
He added that, the potential benefits of developing such a critical sector would result in benefits that far outweigh the challenges.
He said a well-developed ICT sector will significantly improve any economy. “It will reduce capital flight, create jobs, generate revenue and help to position Africa as a producer of world-class ICT products and not just consumer of such products.”
“Proper regulation makes development easier to achieve.
“As such, we renewed our emphasis on regulation and developed standards and guidelines for different aspects of the ICT sector.
“In addition to this, we have put the necessary machinery in place to ensure compliance.
“As the clearing house for Information Technology Projects in Nigeria, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government now come to us for the clearance of their ICT projects.
“We do this to ensure that there is no duplication, there is value for money and that the projects are sustainable, he explained.”
Speaking further, Pantami said all the MDAs have been provided with a copy of the template and the IT clearance process will help in building standardized IT infrastructures as well as efficient IT systems and services.
It will reduce the cost of IT investments and will ensure commensurate value is derived from every IT investment.
Eventually, these efforts will spur innovations and enhance MDAs responsiveness to their obligations.
Local Content Development and Promotion was chosen as one of the pillars of our Roadmap because we understand the importance of indigenous entrepreneurs to the growth of the sector.
We already have Local Content Guidelines and are actively enforcing them. We have issued guidelines for government websites and are currently supervising the repatriation of all government regulated and generated data.
He noted that the Federal Government issued Executive Orders #3 and #5 is to support the development of local content in the country and we are supporting the Federal Government in the enforcement of these orders.
“On the one hand, we are creating a market for our local OEMs by ensuring that government institutions give a preference to local products in their procurement process.
“We have also increased the level of regulation of these OEMs to ensure that they meet global best practice standards and provide readily accessible after-sales support for their customers.
“We also learned that a Cybersecurity department was created to focus on this sector.
“We have been proactive in securing the Nigerian Cyberspace and this ensured that the Wannacry Ransomware and similar global threats did not affect us in Nigeria.
“We are also currently embarking on a massive cybersecurity awareness programme across the country.
“We have had engagements with most of the MDAs as part of our effort to promote Government Digital Services.
“Some of our activities include the training of CEOs of these MDAs in emerging areas of ICT.
“A workshop was recently organized for MDAs on the IT clearance process.
“As part of our efforts, we have also entered into partnerships with key parastatals like the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
Pantami said it is currently developing an Enterprise Architecture for the Nigerian government and have a draft Nigerian Interoperability Framework (NeGIF).
We are reviewing the .gov.ng process and have significantly shortened the registration turnaround time from 2 weeks to 24hrs. E-government is an enabler for productivity and efficiency in government and we know that an IT-enabled public service will provide better service for the citizens.
The need for effective capacity building efforts cannot be over emphasized. We have enabled thousands of our youth to improve their capacity in leading areas of ICT and have helped them to develop their entrepreneurial skills using ICT.
We have supported the development of the startup and innovation ecosystem through our subsidiary, the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) is investigating a petition against 9Mobile, one of Nigeria’s top four telecoms companies, over an alleged N1 billion unpaid advertising debt.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the ARCON stated that the petition was filed by advertising agencies alleging that Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited — trading as 9mobile — failed to settle payments for services rendered and has continued to engage new agencies without fulfilling existing obligations.
The regulator identified the alleged activity as a potential violation of the Nigerian advertising code, adding that it might have far-reaching consequences throughout the business.
“It was also alleged that while 9mobile refused to pay or resolve its indebtedness to the agencies, it has gone ahead to brief other agencies to continue its advertising and advertisement business with impunity,” the statement reads.
The ARCON said it would investigate whether 9mobile followed disengagement protocols when transitioning from the owed agencies to new ones and whether there were possible breaches of ethical procedures.
“Advertising debts are beyond agencies,” ARCON added.
“They belong mostly to media houses and third-party vendors/suppliers who are significantly affected by the indebtedness, with multiplier effects on their cash flow and operations.”
The council said it would partner with anti-graft and government agencies to ensure a full investigation and the debt’s resolution — stressing that the borders on economic sabotage.
The ARCON reiterated that the Nigerian advertising industry’s official payment threshold remains 45 days and promised to clamp down on practices that encourage unethical competition and unfair advantage.
“The council will take all necessary actions to eradicate unethical competition and ensure compliance with the Advertising Industry Standard of Practice (AISOP), including adherence to the 45-day credit policy,” it said.
9mobile is a member of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), and its members are expected to follow advertising regulations and contractual duties within the ecosystem.
Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has successfully concluded its 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), reinforcing its commitment to Nigeria’s digital identity.
(L–R): Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, Member, Board of Trustees, NiRA; Mr. Ahmad Mukoshy, Newly Elected Executive Board Member, NiRA; Mrs. Seyi Onasanya, COO NiRA; Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, President, NiRA; and Mr. Peter Oluka, Executive Board Member, NiRA.
Held as a hybrid event at the NiRA Secretariat and virtually, the meeting brought together over 325 members, stakeholders, and media representatives to review progress and set future goals.
During the AGM, NiRA President, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, emphasized the Association’s remarkable growth in 2024, including 94,723 new registrations and 61,227 renewals, bringing the total number of .ng domains under management to 212,890. The accreditation of 23 new registrars further strengthened NiRA’s reach and impact.
A major highlight was the implementation of DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC), enhancing domain integrity and security. NiRA also launched a Registrar Incentive Programme in Q3 2024 to encourage adoption and reward top-performing registrars.
Strategic partnerships were a key focus, with collaborations across government and private sectors. NiRA continued its long-standing relationship with NITDA, engaged with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), and worked with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support businesses. Other partnerships included efforts with the Nigeria Computer Society and Innovation Support Network (ISN Hubs) to drive internet development in Nigeria.
Among NiRA’s recent initiatives were Tech Convergence 1.0, a flagship event exploring technology and creativity, and the 7th edition of the prestigious .ng Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations for their contributions to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
The Association also reaffirmed its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility through the NiRA Kids Foundation (NKF) and .ng Academy, focusing on digital empowerment and capacity building.
The election of new Executive Board of Directors members marked a major step forward, with Mrs. Mary Olaseni, Mrs. Abibat Olatunji, and Mr. Ahmad Mukoshy joining the board, while Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata and Mr. Destiny Amana assumed new roles. The outgoing board members were recognized for their service and contributions.
The seamless execution of the AGM underscored NiRA’s professionalism and dedication. Moving forward, NiRA remains committed to fostering a secure and resilient digital ecosystem through the .ng domain, positioning Nigeria as a global digital leader.
Telecommunications and digital services provider, Globacom, has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and Huawei Nigerian Enterprises, to provide digital access to 7,000 remote communities in Nigeria with the commissioning of the pilot project in Isuanin Kura in Ibwa 2, Gwagwalada, on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Wednesday.
The project, which is championed by the Ministry, will deliver 2G/3G/4G services, free public Wi-Fi access, digital healthcare and remote learning capabilities to the over 12,000 residents of the community.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, was full of commendation to Globacom and Huawei for supporting President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the connectivity crisis affecting more than 20 million Nigerians who currently lack basic telecommunication access in the country.
Said he: “If you bring out your phone in many communities, there is no network at all. This is costing the country significantly because people cannot access financial services, medical care, or education”, adding that this also poses governance challenges as disconnected areas are difficult to administer.
“Where you live should not determine your access to opportunity. We are using innovation to ensure every Nigerian, regardless of location, can thrive in the digital age”, the Minister added.
Globacom’s Group Chief Technical Director, Mr. Sanjib Roy, who spoke on the project said the company worked with the Ministry and Huawei to bring up the site by providing the Microwave backhaul link and access to Globacom’s full core network resources and also manage the operation of the site to ensure uninterrupted voice and data services for the community.
“The Smart Education facility allows for young students within the community to receive education remotely, with the teachers being in Abuja or any other part of the world, while Healthcare delivery has been revolutionised through connected medical equipment that enables remote consultations between patients in Ibwa and doctors and specialists in urban-locations”, Mr Roy explained. The site and all the equipment are powered by solar thereby ensuring clean environment and uninterrupted power supply.
During the inauguration, the system’s effectiveness was demonstrated with the leader of Isuanin Kura, Ibwa 2 Community, Chief Abubakar Bamaiyi, having a live consultation with a medical doctor in Abuja, while the Minister and other guests watched as the students in the local school were being taught via online video by a teacher in Lagos, using equipment provided by Huawei.
Mr Kazeem Kaka, Globacom’s Head of Division, North West, who also spoke at event, said, “For Globacom, this is a continuation of our long-standing mission to democratize access to communication. Since 2003, we have remained at the forefront of efforts to lower the barriers to connectivity—making telephony, internet, and data services more accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
“Today’s launch reinforces that commitment. We are particularly excited about the impact this initiative will have on education, healthcare, and economic empowerment of Ibwa people”.
In his remarks, Mr Terrens Wu, Managing Director, Huawei Nigerian Enterprises, said his company was proud to be part of the initiative to provide connectivity, and promote learning and healthcare in rural communities through digital technology. His company later gave out 120 affordable smartphones to the community to help them have access to telephony.
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