Telecom
NITDA DG Pitches State Governors on Accelerating Tech-Driven Inclusive Growth
To unlock inclusive growth for all Nigerians, the country must forge a deeper digital alliance. That was the core message from Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
During a high-level visit to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat in Abuja, Inuwa called for state and local governments to commit to a stronger partnership with the federal government.
He emphasized that digital transformation is a national vision that requires active participation from every corner of the country to succeed.
“Our mandate isn’t just federal—it’s truly national, which means it must embrace state and local governments,”
Inuwa asserted. To make this partnership real, he urged governments to “strengthen collaborations that embed our initiatives directly within state and local structures.”
The DG then showcased Nigeria’s immense digital leap: when NITDA began, fewer than 500,000 Nigerians used computers and ICT contributed less than 0.5% to the GDP.
Today, that progress is undeniable, with over 130 million internet users and ICT now contributing more than 17% to the GDP.
According to him, this transformation was driven by strategic partnerships among government institutions, private organisations, and international development partners.
Inuwa reiterated NITDA’s vision of creating “a digitally empowered nation that uses technology to drive national prosperity,” anchored on the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) built around eight key pillars.
He explained that the first pillar Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talent — remains a top priority. NITDA aims to achieve 70% digital literacy by 2027 and 95% by 2030, through initiatives such as the 3 million Tech Talent (3MTT) Programme and the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).
Under the framework, the agency is working with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to integrate digital skills training into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula nationwide.
Inuwa also announced ongoing collaborations with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train civil servants and corps members through the NYSC Digital Literacy Champions Initiative, which is expected to reach over 10 million Nigerians annually, particularly in the informal sector.
“No one succeeds in isolation. We must work as an ecosystem to create prosperity and inclusivity through technology,” Inuwa added.
He also invited state governments to actively participate in NITDA’s upcoming International Conference on Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) and Digital Nigeria Conference, designed to foster cross-state learning and collaboration in digital governance.
Inuwa concluded by reaffirming NITDA’s commitment to leveraging partnerships to integrate technology into governance and enhance public service delivery at all levels.
In his remarks, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), described NITDA’s visit as a significant step toward strengthening intergovernmental collaboration in driving Nigeria’s digital economy agenda across all 36 states.
He commended NITDA’s leadership in advancing digital transformation, noting that technology has become a key enabler of competitiveness, opportunity, and inclusive development.
“We deeply appreciate your leadership and the critical role NITDA continues to play in advancing Nigeria’s digital economy. In an era where technology defines competitiveness and opportunity, your work stands at the heart of our nation’s transformation,” Shittu stated.
Dr. Shittu stressed that digital transformation goes beyond administrative efficiency, describing it as a “national imperative” capable of improving service delivery, expanding economic opportunities, and uplifting millions of Nigerians.
He highlighted the Forum’s ongoing efforts, including the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Readiness Report and the Intelligent Revenue Authority Readiness Report, which guide subnational reforms in digital identity, data exchange, payments, and trust systems.
“These reports are already shaping conversations and actions at the subnational level,” he noted, adding that collaboration on Technical Standards for DPI and the Nigeria Data Exchange Framework will further enhance interoperability and secure data sharing across government systems.
“With strong partnership and shared accountability, we will unlock a future where every Nigerian, urban or rural, has access to the tools and opportunities of the digital age,” he added.
Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing powerhouse, announced plans Wednesday to eliminate 16,000 jobs globally, escalating a restructuring drive first flagged in October with 14,000 earlier cuts.
Amazon
The layoffs, hitting corporate ranks across multiple divisions, aim to slash management layers, boost accountability, and dismantle bureaucracy, Senior Vice President Beth Galetti stated in an internal memo. Despite booming holiday sales and $21 billion quarterly profits on $180 billion revenue, Amazon seeks to redirect resources toward massive artificial intelligence investments amid slower post-pandemic growth and rising costs.
Galetti explained that while some teams finalised October adjustments, others required extended reviews, pushing total reductions toward 30,000—the firm’s largest ever. CEO Andy Jassy, pursuing leaner operations since 2021, has long signalled AI’s role in shrinking white-collar headcount, with corporate staff—about 350,000 of 1.5 million total—bearing the brunt, sparing warehouses.
The move mirrors Big Tech’s broader belt-tightening as firms recalibrate pandemic-era hiring binges against economic headwinds, AI disruption, and policy uncertainties under President Donald Trump. Amazon’s October cuts struck 2,000 in Washington state—including engineers, recruiters, analysts—and 1,500 in California, with fresh impacts undisclosed by location.
Jassy emphasised culture over pure finances in prior notes, blaming rapid expansion for excess layers after workforce doubling during COVID lockdowns fueled online shopping surges. Recent U.S. hiring slowdowns—to 50,000 jobs in December—underscore corporate caution amid AI’s job-shifting potential and tariff worries.
Analysts note the cuts free capital for AI dominance, pitting Amazon against rivals in generative tools despite no immediate financial distress. Ex-workers have decried impersonal processes, often learning via media leaks, highlighting tensions in Earth’s “best employer” shedding talent en masse.
As tech pivots to AI frontiers, Amazon’s aggressive pruning signals a new era: fewer bodies, sharper focus, betting machine smarts eclipse human scale in the post-boom landscape.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force smashed a sophisticated cybercrime ring Wednesday, arresting six suspects accused of hacking a major telecommunications company and looting airtime and mobile data worth a staggering N7.7 billion.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a statement that the suspects breached the telecom giant’s core billing and payment systems by compromising internal staff login credentials, enabling them to siphon off vast quantities of airtime and data for illicit resale.
Named in the arrests are Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad – a mix of northern and southern names hinting at a cross-regional fraud network that preyed on Nigeria’s digital backbone.
Police swooped on the gang’s hideouts in coordinated raids across Kano and Katsina states in October 2025, with a final takedown in the Federal Capital Territory, recovering two mini-plazas masquerading as legitimate retail outlets stocked with over 400 laptops, about 1,000 mobile phones, and a Toyota vehicle.
Investigators also froze substantial sums in the suspects’ bank accounts, tracing the dirty money trail back to the diverted resources that left the unnamed telecom firm reeling from unauthorised activities reported in a desperate petition.
The breach, described by police as a “calculated assault on critical infrastructure,” allowed the hackers to manipulate the company’s systems undetected for months, offloading billions in airtime and data bundles through underground channels and raking in illicit profits.
Hundeyin vowed that the net was widening, with forensic experts combing through digital footprints and financial ledgers to expose any remaining accomplices or beneficiaries in what he called “one of the largest telecom heists in recent Nigerian history.”
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the crack team from the National Cybercrime Centre for their “relentless professionalism,” urging telecom firms to bolster cybersecurity amid a surge in digital predation.
As the suspects cool their heels awaiting arraignment under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, the case underscores Nigeria’s growing battle against tech-savvy fraudsters targeting the N1.7 trillion telecom sector that powers millions of daily transactions.
Industry watchers warn that such breaches erode investor confidence and hike operational costs, ultimately passed onto consumers already grappling with soaring data tariffs in Africa’s most populous nation
As Africa and MENA’s startup ecosystems transition from post-correction resilience into a new phase of disciplined growth, the Africa Startup & VC Landscape Preview (ASVLP 2026) will convene leading founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders on January 29, 2026, for its second annual, agenda-setting virtual forum.
Following a challenging global venture cycle, 2025 marked a notable rebound across the African ecosystem, with startups raising an estimated $3.2–$3.3 billion over the full year.
The recovery was accompanied by significant structural shifts: Kenya emerged as the leading destination among Africa’s “Big Four” markets for the first time, while Nigeria recorded a year-on-year funding decline, reflecting changing investor preferences, macroeconomic pressures, and a broader recalibration toward capital efficiency and sustainability.
Sectorally, fintech remained the most funded vertical, while climate & energy, AI-enabled solutions, healthtech, and infrastructure-adjacent businesses gained increasing attention. Across Africa and MENA, development finance institutions (DFIs) and family offices played a more pronounced role in anchoring funds, deploying catalytic capital, and supporting blended-finance structures, reshaping how early-stage and growth capital is mobilized.
ASVLP 2026 is designed to translate these data points into forward-looking strategy.
The forum will bring together venture capitalists, angel investors, LPs, DFIs, family offices, founders, corporate leaders, and regulators from Africa, MENA, Europe, and North America to assess 2025 outcomes and chart priorities for 2026.
The program will feature keynotes, fireside chats, panels, and deep-dive roundtables, including discussions on:
· The 2026 Africa & MENA FinTech Landscape, focusing on security, profitability, regulation, and growth frontiers
· Emerging Fund Managers, capital formation, and LP alignment
· Talent, operator depth, and institutional capacity as constraints to scale
· Regulatory evolution and cross-border market integration
A major highlight of ASVLP 2026 will be the Final DealRoom Pitch Session, where a curated group of high-potential startups will present to an experienced panel of investors.
• Founders can apply to pitch via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Founders
• Investors seeking DealRoom access can request entry via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Investors
Confirmed speakers for ASVLP 2026 include Khaled Ismail (HIMangel), Idris Ayodeji Bello (LoftyInc Capital), Zachariah George (Launch Africa), Tosin Faniro-Dada (Breega), Selma Ribica (FirstCircle Capital), Maha Mandour (COREangels MEA), Joe Kinvi (Borderless), Remi Prunier (Orange Ventures MEA), Karima El Hakim (Plug and Play Tech Center), Souheil Guessoum (President, The Confederation of Citizen Employers – Algeria (CAPC)), Remi Prunier (Partner, Orange Ventures, MEA), Maha Mandour (COREAngels MEA), Ali Hussein (President, Kenyan FinTech Association), Patrick Okebu (CIO, Interswitch Group) among other leading voices shaping capital, policy, and innovation across the region.
“The conversation has shifted,” said Uche Aniche, Convener of ASVLP. “It’s no longer about whether capital will return to Africa and MENA, but what kind of capital, deployed with what discipline, and in service of which long-term outcomes. ASVLP exists to help the ecosystem make sense of that transition.”
Participation in ASVLP 2026 is free but strictly by invitation.
Interested participants are encouraged to repost the official announcement on LinkedIn and comment #ASVLP2026 to receive a private registration link. They could also email [email protected] and request invite.
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