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NITDA Inaugurates Start-up Consultative Forum

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Nigeria has taken a bold step toward deepening its innovation ecosystem with the official launch of the Start-up Consultative Forum, an initiative designed to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Start-up Act (NSA) and strengthen the country’s tech startup ecosystem.

While addressing the forum, NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, who was represented by Barrister Emmanuel Edet, the Ag. Director, Regulation and Compliance described the platform as more than just a stakeholder meeting.

“It is a commitment to building a stronger tech ecosystem through collaboration, inclusion, and data-driven governance, marking a new phase in the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act,” he said.

He noted that the Nigeria Startup Act is more than legislation—it is a framework for national development. “Startups are not fringe players. They are central to Nigeria’s economic future,” he asserted.

Inuwa further mentioned that over the past eight months, NITDA has driven key activities under the Act. These include stakeholder workshops across 10 states, roadshows at tech events like Lagos Tech Week, the Omniverse Summit, Moonlight Conference and the Akwa Ibom Tech Week, and awareness campaigns through digital and direct engagement.

The forum, according to Inuwa, will serve as a feedback engine, spotlighting regulatory gaps, guiding policy improvements, and shaping a startup-friendly environment.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, NITDA continues to support startups through initiatives like the Startup Portal, tech infrastructure deployment, and digital skill training across the country.

The DG emphasised that for startups to thrive, policies must be inclusive and responsive. “Inclusion is not charity. It is a strategy,” he said, calling for equal representation across gender, region, and sector.

While inaugurating the members if the Conservative Forum on behalf of the Director-General, the Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions, Oladejo Olawunmi, ignited the forum with a call to action, envisioning it as a vital nexus for collaborative breakthroughs.

He inspired the members, saying, “We remain deeply committed to nurturing a space where innovation can flourish, and I call upon each of us to embrace the task ahead by shaping ideas into concrete policy and outcomes that leave a lasting impact.”

Earlier, Victoria Fabunmi, National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), in her opening address called the Forum, a “structured dialogue between those building the future and those enabling it.”

She outlined five key pillars for success: access to funding, capacity building, supportive policy, inclusive innovation, and global competitiveness.

She urged startups to speak boldly, private sector players to offer more than capital, development partners to scale what works, and government to harmonize efforts. “This Forum must be a problem-solving platform, not another talk shop,” she concluded.

With the Startup Consultative Forum now launched, NITDA aims to turn policy into action, ensuring startups are no longer on the sidelines, but at the center of Nigeria’s innovation journey.

The virtual event was attended by private sector players, development agencies, verified Ecosystem Support Organisations (ESOs), angel investors, venture capital firms, and labelled startups from across the country.


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Lagos Trends Worldwide After Hosting E1 Lagos GP Africa’s Maiden Water Racing Event

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History was made on October 4 and 5, 2025, on the waters of the Lagos Lagoon as Team Brazil by Claure Group claimed victory at the E1 Lagos GP presented by FirstBank.

The landmark event marked Africa’s debut on the global calendar of the E1 Series, the world’s first electric powerboat championship, and positioned Lagos at the forefront of sustainable sporting innovation.

The E1 Lagos GP drew thousands of fans to multiple viewing locations across the city, from the vibrant Official Fan Zone to the Ocean’s Club at Black Diamond Hotel and the Lagos Oriental Hotel Decks, which hosted premium hospitality experiences along the waterfront.

The Official Fan Zone quickly became the heartbeat of the event, attracting young Nigerians with immersive brand activations, race simulators, live music, and a festival energy that perfectly matched the excitement on the water.

After an action-packed weekend of competition, Team Brazil by Claure Group finished first, fending off strong performances from Team Blue Rising who placed second, and Team Drogba Global Africa who finished third.

Pilots Timmy Hansen and Ieva Millere-Hagin powered Team Brazil to victory, with Timmy Hansen named PIF Pilot of the Race. Racing was briefly delayed by a tropical storm over the Lagos Lagoon, but organisers and teams worked together to ensure the programme resumed safely and on schedule.

The outcome strengthens Team Brazil’s momentum as the season moves toward the Miami finale in November, while Team Brady retains the overall championship lead and a tight contest continues with Team Rafa.

The Lagos event also reinforced the E1 Series’ sustainability mission, showcasing zero emission race technology and local legacy initiatives including coastal clean-up and mangrove restoration programmes.

The race weekend attracted local and international media, dignitaries and sporting figures and underlined Lagos’ capacity to host major global sporting events on its waterways. By successfully staging the first E1 race on African soil, Lagos joins Monaco, Dubrovnik and Doha as an E1 host city and affirms its positioning as a centre for innovation, culture and sustainable sport.

 


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Africa Enters Age of Intelligence with an Advantage

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Africa heads into the Age of Intelligence with a distinct advantage: its people. By 2030, Sub-Saharan Africa will account for half of all new workers worldwide.

According to a new report, this is more than just a demographic fact; it is a historic opportunity. The report also states that talent remains the critical foundation of the AI stack—talent, data, compute, and use cases.

Zindi’s Kenya country report, compiled in collaboration with Dalberg Data Insights and the International Centre for AI Research Ethics, explored employability and career outcomes.

Zindi is professional community of African data scientists, working to solve the world’s most pressing challenges using machine learning and AI.

The report’s forward was written by Philip Thigo, special envoy on technology of Kenya, and states that without skilled employees, data is unrefined, compute is idle, and use cases are irrelevant. And he makes it clear: Africa’s talent is already contributing to the global AI economy, rather than waiting to be included.

Thigo goes on to say the evidence is compelling, stating: “Nearly 1 in 5 Kenyan Zindi users experienced a career change after joining the platform.

“More than 80% of those with completed profiles advanced in their careers, compared to just 3% without.

“Completing four or more challenges makes a user four times more likely to secure employment, while engaging in teams and discussions makes them three times more likely to get jobs.”

“These findings highlight an important truth: employability today is built not just in classrooms, but also in communities of practice, peer learning, and collective intelligence.”

According to Thigo, in this dynamic talent climate, companies must look beyond degrees and leader boards to find a vast pool of market-ready AI talent defined by resilience, collaboration, and creativity.

Similarly, politicians and educators are informed that the message is obvious.

Thigo writes: “If Africa is to secure its place in the digital economy, we must reimagine how we connect our youth to opportunity. Platforms like Zindi show that talent is abundant; what is needed are pathways that translate skills into livelihoods, and ecosystems that link learning to work.”

For Kenya, he notes that this resonates deeply with the country’s broader ambition: to build a sovereign AI ecosystem powered by African talent, clean data, and green compute—ensuring that Africa is not just a consumer of technology, but a creator of it.


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NITDA Calls for a Safer Tomorrow @ National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2025

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As the world becomes increasingly digital, our daily lives are now more connected than ever, through our phones, computers, and the internet we use every day. But with this growing connection comes a growing risk: hackers, scams, and cyber threats waiting for just one careless click.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is using this Cybersecurity Awareness Month to remind Nigerians that cyber safety begins with individual responsibility.

Everyone has the power to protect themselves and their communities by adopting simple but effective cyber hygiene practices, including:

  • Using strong and unique passwords for all online accounts.
  • Enabling two-factor authentication to add extra security layers.
  • Keeping devices and applications updated regularly.
  • Backing up important data frequently.
  • Avoiding suspicious links or attachments from unknown sources.
  • And thinking carefully before sharing personal or financial information online.

The theme for this year, “Cyber Hygiene for a Safer Tomorrow,” emphasizes that cyber hygiene is not only a personal responsibility but a collective effort. When individuals protect themselves, they also safeguard their families, workplaces, and the broader digital community.

As we continue to build a secure and digitally resilient Nigeria, NITDA calls on all citizens to stay alert, click wisely, and stay safe online.


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