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NITDA’s Projects Stimulating Economy, Says Angaye

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The National Information and Technology Development Agency ( NITDA) which before 2007 grappled with paucity of funds which hindered its ability to implement its policy objectives and goals has begun to accelerate its engine of development. It is now engaging in various multitasks and projects in a bid to stimulate the growth of the Nigerian economy through the platform of Information Technology. It was not as if some level of development and the execution of its mandate was not noticed prior to 2007, but the level of its impact and the tempo of its activities have increased since then . Surely its engine of development was apparently revved by the promulgation of the NITDA Act of 2007 which gave it legal teeth to implement its programmes and provided it with a funding base. The Act provides that IT companies contribute a portion of their annual earning into a fund for the use of developing IT in Nigeria. For Professor Cleopas Angaye who fought doggedly to see to the enactment of the law, the Act has provided a turning pointing in the execution of the mandate of the agency. It was not an easy task getting the National Assembly to enact the Act, he says. “It (the Act) has become the catalysts for the development of IT in Nigeria and the acceleration of the actualization of the mandate of the agency and the contribution of NITDA to the success of Vision 20: 2020”, says Angaye. In a bid to move its activities to the next level, NITDA revised some of its strategies towards the end of 2011 in preparation for the work at hand. It came out with nine documents that spelt out the work that has been done in a specific sector of the economy, what is being done, what needs to be done and the prerequisites needed for the required achievement. These documents include the Nigerian National e-Infrastructure Strategy, the e-Strategy and Law Enforcement Strategy, the e-Education Strategy, the e-Government Strategy, e-Health, Private Sector Development e-Strategy, Research and Development e-Strategy, and e-Human Capital Development Strategy. All the strategies according to Angaye are part of the ICT for Development (ICT4D) strategic action plans that present Nigeria’s roadmap for the development of information and knowledge-based society and economy as a means of facilitating the realization of national socio-economic development. NITDA is currently pursuing these strategies and implementing several projects in line with the goal of using IT to achieve both the Millennium Development Goals and the Vision 20:202. For instance before the establishment of NITDA there was low level of awareness and development of IT coupled with lack of adequate infrastructures and requisite institutional framework to enhance the development of the sector. According to Angaye NITDA has now adopted a three-pronged approach of human capital development, infrastructural development and institutional capacity building to drive its goals and objectives. The approach is said to have culminated in various initiatives which include massive awareness creation, workshops and conferences. Some of the initiatives of the agency include the NEPAD’s e-school initiative, mobile Internet unit, Nigerian Cybercrime Working Group, Galaxy Backbone Plc, the CANi project that has driven uptake and spread of computers in Nigeria. Other projects which the NITDA initiatives has given birth to include the Catch Them Young Policy, Nigerian Internet Registration Association ( NIRA), the Rural Information Technology Centres ( RITC) spread across Nigeria, IT scholarship award, Cisco Regional Networking Academy, e-Government and Governance, IT Parks, Virtual Library and Development of the Nigerian ICT4D plan among others. Through the initiatives, the level of awareness on the inherent benefits of IT has improved while investment in the sector and Internet penetration statistics has increased hitting over 45 million at the last count. This has made Nigeria the fastest growing in sub Saharan Africa.


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E-Business

OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.

As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.

Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”

OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.


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Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

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Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.

Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.

According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.

To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.

The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.

The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.

“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.


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Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

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National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said Nigerian software developers have reached significant milestones with locally made applications generating over one million Dollar in sales across domestic and regional markets.

Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general of NOTAP, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.

Amadiobi said the development signified the growing strength of Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem and how local innovation powers digital growth.

She said it was also a direct outcome of targeted support initiatives led by NOTAP.

She added that the initiative helped to build capacity, protect intellectual property, and connect developers to market opportunities.

According to the NOTAP boss, the journey from concept to impact started with understanding and securing intellectual property (IP) rights, a step many local innovators missed.

“Whether it’s a literary work, a laboratory invention, or a creative digital product, the process of bringing an idea to life demands immense time, skill, and dedication.

“An innovator might wake up with a solution to a pressing problem; spend months testing and refining it and achieve remarkable results; so it is their fundamental right to patent that creation and claim ownership.

“Without this protection, someone else could easily replicate their work; patent it in their name; and legally control what was built with Nigerian brainpower,” she said.

Amadiobi said that the challenge was compounded by widespread digital piracy and counterfeiting, which hit the ICT sector hardest.

“From copied software applications to replicated content on social platforms like TikTok, unauthorised duplication has become a major barrier to growth.

“We see talented young creators develop unique digital content or tools, only to watch others rebrand and profit from their work within weeks,” she said.

The DG noted that most popular online personalities with distinctive styles often don’t realise they could protect their original contributions through IP registration.

She said that to address these gaps and unlock the value of Nigerian innovation, NOTAP implemented a multi-pronged strategy,- a cornerstone initiative – which is the Local Vendor Policy.

“The Local Vendor Policy mandates that foreign technology firms entering Nigeria partner with domestic counterparts,’’ she said.

Amadiobi said that among the performing apps are solutions addressing critical local challenges such as a mobile health platform that now serves 750,000 users across six states.

“There is also the agricultural marketplace connecting smallholder farmers to buyers; and an educational tool that has been adopted by 200 schools to improve learning outcomes,” she said.

She added that the apps were developed by teams that gained skills and resources through NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy.

According to her, the policy requires foreign technology firms operating in Nigeria to allocate a portion of their technical service fees to local partners.

“Three years ago, many of these developers were only providing support services to foreign companies.

“But today, they are building their own products that compete globally. 60 per cent of last year’s sales came from other African countries, showing our developers can lead on the continent,” she said.

The D-G explained that the one million dollar figure represented sales from over 50 locally developed apps, with individual developers earning between 5,000 dollars and 80,000 dollars from their products.

“Looking ahead, NOTAP aims to double these sales figures by 2027, with plans to expand support to developers focusing on fintech, renewable energy management, and climate adaptation tools.

“These are the sectors identified as high-growth opportunities for Nigerian innovation,’’ Amadiobi said


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