Telecom
NITDA Reveals Gender Digital Inclusion Plan
In a bid to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy and promote greater social and economic development for all Nigerians, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has revealed that the NITDA is currently prioritising the development of a Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (DGIS).
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, DG NITDA represented by Mrs Iklima Musa, Special Adviser to the DG on Strategy and Innovation at the United Nations International Women’s Day celebration organised by FGN Women Ambassadors Network.
Inuwa who was represented by his Special Assistant on Strategy and Innovation Mrs Iklima Musa Salihu, made this statement at the United Nations International Women’s Day celebration organised by FGN Women Ambassadors Network (FWAN-NET) in Abuja. The theme for this year’s celebration is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”
According to him, the strategy is to address the existing barriers that prevent women from fully participating in the IT sector and reaping the benefits of digital inclusion.
He said through the DGIS, NITDA plans to outline specific steps that will be taken to bridge this gap and ensure greater gender parity in Nigeria’s digital economy, by creating a more inclusive and diverse tech industry.
He noted that the Agency has identified innovation as a critical tool for implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), adding that it has the advantageous objective of bridging the digital gender gap by ensuring that the digital literacy and skills pillar incorporates children, women, internally displaced persons, and the physically challenged and aligns with the Agency’s mandate of empowering all Nigerian citizens with digital skills.
“In fulfilment of this strategy, we have taken many steps to drive our nation’s prosperity by boosting digital innovation for women, creating an enabling environment that maximises the potential of all Nigerian women, promoting their ability to contribute to the economy, and ensuring their improved quality of life and well-being,” he said.
While noting NITDA’s belief that technology can bridge these gaps as women have unequal access to the same economic opportunities as men, Inuwa said it was not surprising that Nigeria, as Africa’s most vibrant ecosystem, was making waves both within and outside the continent, attracting 22% (1.2B USD) of Africa’s total investment inflow in 2022.
Inuwa also celebrated Nigerian female talents such as Kemisola Bolarinwa, founder of Next Wear Technology, a wearable/fashion technology company that designs and develops technology including the Smart Bra for breast cancer detection which uses embedded programmable electronics and sensors on clothing to solve health, security, and communication problems.
He added that through the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), the Agency has worked with its foreign-based collaborators to support 753 female and male-led start-ups through grants and sponsorships to local and global conferences and exhibitions, acceleration and incubation programmes.
“At NITDA, we have identified innovation as a critical tool for implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). Launched in 2019, the NDEPS provides a holistic and sustainable approach towards the development of Nigeria’s digital economy,” he stated.
He added that “NITDA’s deep commitment to fostering digital innovation among Nigerians is evident in several programmes and initiatives aimed at boosting the innovative capacity of our youths and women to ensure they receive the support they require.
“Through hackathons and innovation challenges, we have seen the conceptualisation of innovative ideas in an ecosystem that is primarily dominated by men, thus giving female innovators an equal opportunity. We also conducted capacity-building programmes on ICT and entrepreneurship for 360 women in various geopolitical zones,” he said.
Speaking on the Nigeria Startup Act, Inuwa said Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, the Presidency, and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy come up with the idea of Nigeria Startup Bill, which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, that will serve as the means in harnessing the potential of digital economy by providing an enabling environment that can foster the growth and development of innovation for local startups.
He said the regulation will put Nigeria in a position to take advantage of the African Digital Economy estimated to be worth 300B USD by 2025, as reported by McKinsey.
Inuwa expressed his deep concern that despite the remarkable progress made in the digital arena, there remains a striking absence of women’s representation.
He lamented the fact that women are still significantly underrepresented in digital spaces, despite their undeniable competence and potential to contribute immensely to the field.
He said there is need for concerted efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity in the digital world, where all individuals, regardless of gender, can thrive and excel.
Olugbenga Agboola, Flutterwave CEO has joined a $22 million funding extension for Nigerian defensetech start-up Terra Industries as Africa’s fast-growing drone and security technology sector begins to attract capital far beyond traditional venture circles.
The round was led by Lux Capital, with participation from Agboola through Resilience17 Capital and returning investors including 8VC and Nova Global.
It follows an $11.75 million raise just weeks earlier, bringing Terra’s total funding to $34 million as the company accelerates expansion into high-risk security markets.
Terra, founded in 2024 by 24-year-old chief engineer Maxwell Maduka and CEO Nathan Nwachuku, builds autonomous drones and surveillance systems designed to protect critical infrastructure such as energy facilities, logistics corridors and industrial sites. The startup says it is already safeguarding assets worth billions of dollars while securing early federal and commercial contracts.
Agboola’s involvement highlights a broader shift in African tech investment patterns. While fintech has long dominated venture flows, escalating infrastructure sabotage and terrorism threats have elevated demand for locally developed security hardware.
“Nigeria’s drone ecosystem is rapidly evolving from hobbyist and mapping use cases toward industrial monitoring, border surveillance and energy protection, areas increasingly seen as foundational to economic stability.
“This is about backing infrastructure security at scale. Africa’s growth depends on resilient systems that protect critical assets,” said Agboola.
Terra CEO Nwachuku is adamant that locally engineered systems are better suited to African operating conditions. “We are building tools designed for the realities on the ground. Security technology should not always be imported when local innovation can respond faster and more effectively,” he stated.
Lux Capital partner Brandon Reeves underlined that the investor appetite, which has drawn fintech heavyweight interest such as Agboola, reflects rising cross-sector confidence in African defense technology as a commercial category. “Security is a prerequisite for economic growth,” he said.
“As Terra ramps production and expands regionally, its funding milestone illustrates a wider transformation. Drone and autonomous security platforms are no longer peripheral experiments but emerging pillars in Africa’s technology landscape, where fintech leaders and venture capital converge around safeguarding the infrastructure powering the continent’s next growth phase,” said Reeves
Temu, the global e-commerce platform expanding in Nigeria, has officially addressed an inquiry from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over alleged data privacy violations, confirming its commitment to compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023.
Temu
The company’s response follows NDPC’s investigation into Temu’s data processing practices.
In a statement to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Temu stressed its dedication to local and international data protection standards, noting ongoing communication with the regulator. “At Temu, protecting user privacy and data security is a top priority. We are committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations in our data practices,” the statement read.
Temu further affirmed: “We can confirm that Temu has received the inquiry and is engaging with the Commission. We will continue to engage in open and constructive dialogue with the NDPC to address any questions or concerns.”
Under Dr. Vincent Olatunji’s leadership, NDPC has ramped up scrutiny of foreign digital platforms to safeguard Nigerian citizens’ personal data—from contact details to financial information—ensuring transparent and secure handling. For e-commerce giants like Temu, managing vast consumer data volumes demands strict regulatory alignment to sustain operations and trust in Africa’s biggest economy.
Industry observers view Temu’s proactive stance as a savvy bid to ease tensions, mirroring Nigeria’s firm handling of platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and fintechs. This engagement underscores NDPC’s rising clout, compelling investors and foreign entrants to prioritise data compliance costs.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek sees Temu’s approach as a model for global retailers eyeing Nigeria’s booming digital retail sector through 2026.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has deployed WorkflowPro as its official platform for the digital submission and management of correspondence.
NIMC
Kayode Adegoke Phd, Head, Cooperate Communications of NIMC said this in a press statement on Tuesday, 17th February, 2026, pointing out that this was “In furtherance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s commitment to institutionalizing a paperless public service.”
According to the statement, “The adoption of WorkflowPro marks NIMC’s formal transition to a paperless operating environment and reflects the Commission’s resolve to strengthen governance, improve administrative efficiency, and standardize records management in line with approved public sector reforms. The platform provides a secure, structured, and traceable system for managing both internal and external communications, thereby enhancing accountability and operational transparency.
“Under the new framework, all external correspondence to NIMC will be processed electronically through WorkflowPro. The system enables end-to-end tracking of submissions, accelerates internal routing and response timelines, and ensures secure electronic archiving of official records. This approach eliminates the risks associated with manual handling of documents while reinforcing compliance with established information management standards.”
Adegoke added that “The implementation of WorkflowPro is consistent with the Federal Government’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) policy, which mandates the digitization of official records and the elimination of physical file movements across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) .
“Accordingly, all external correspondence addressed to the National Identity Management Commission must be submitted via the NIMC WorkflowPro platform, accessible through the official portal link or by scanning the designated QR code:
Portal Link:https://workflowpro-nimc.com/Submit . Correspondence
To support effective implementation, NIMC has approved a 30-day transition period from the date of this announcement, during which stakeholders are expected to acquaint themselves with the new process. Upon the expiration of this period, the Commission will discontinue the acceptance of manually submitted letters and paper-based correspondence.
“WorkflowPro was developed by NIMC’s in-house technical team under the directive of the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote. The platform forms part of a broader institutional reform agenda aimed at strengthening the security of official communications, reducing administrative delays, and entrenching digital governance within the public service.
“The National Identity Management Commission enjoins all stakeholders to take note of this policy directive and ensure full compliance.”
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