Telecom
Pantami Applauds ICT’s 17.92% Contributions to GDP
Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has applauded consistent growth in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which hit 17.92 per cent in the last quarter of 2020, and in the first quarter of 2021, and continued on an impressive trajectory.
The Minister, who gave the figures at the opening of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU’s) – (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) FCDO Roundtable, and Technical Workshop on Building Capabilities for Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Transformation in Nigeria, said this “percentage is unprecedented, and this is only the contribution of ICT to our GDP without calculating digital services”.
Pantami said digital access and connectivity have become a necessity, as they play an increasingly vital role in our everyday lives and have become key drivers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Minister assured his audience, including representatives of ITU, FCDO, and other international agencies, embassies, and Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, that the “Federal Government understands that enormous private sector support, as well as support from international organisations, are essential to enable us to realise our lofty goals for Nigeria’s digital economy and this has informed our decision to partner with key international organisations such as the ITU and FCDO.
“The digital age is upon us, and all relevant stakeholders must be prepared for the enormous but inevitable change that will occur,” he said.
The Minister also assured of the Federal Government’s committed to the development of the digital economy, with a promise that “the Nigerian government will ensure that all critical infrastructure is made available for the facilitation of digital connectivity, transformation and ultimately, the realisation of a robust digital economy”.
Professor Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, revealed that the Federal Government’s policies in the communications and digital economy sector are already yielding positive results including a reduction in the access gap, improved digital financial inclusion and a steadily increasing contribution to the GDP.
He stated that the sector has remained the most resilient in the country while stressing that the Commission recognizes the need to do more in strengthening the telecommunication sector and improving internet penetration.
“As of the end of 2021, the estimated population of people living in the underserved areas declined from 31.16 million in 2019 to 28.87 million in 2021, and the access gaps reduced from 227 to 114,” he said.
Danbatta assured that the Commission will not rest on its oars in supporting Internet penetration and improvement of services but prepared to support internet penetrations and digital skills to give concrete expressions to policies and initiatives to close identified gaps.
“The Commission is quite conscious of the need to do more and considers this Roundtable as another opportunity to gather feedback as well as expert opinions of participants.
“Therefore, all participants are enjoined to contribute freely and recommend measures that will further support Nigeria in meeting its connectivity target and develop a robust digital economy.
“We look forward to the outcome of your deliberations and expect feedbacks that will deepen the conversations on policies and initiatives for digital access and connectivity in Nigeria,” the EVC urged participants.
Spacecoin, US-based, has announced the signing of recent agreements with local authorities and operators to launch satellite connectivity pilot projects in Africa.
The initiatives, focused on Kenya and Nigeria, aim to serve areas where terrestrial networks remain limited or unavailable.
n Kenya, Spacecoin has obtained a transmission license from the Communications Authority, allowing it to test satellite-based solutions for connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas with limited internet access.
According to the Kenyan regulator, internet penetration remains below 50% of the population, despite mobile penetration exceeding 130%.
In parallel, the company is continuing operations in Nigeria under an existing license issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This authorization supports initiatives aimed at delivering affordable broadband connectivity to isolated and underserved communities.
Spacecoin’s approach is based on a decentralized satellite network using nanosatellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Combined with blockchain-based protocols, this architecture is intended to offer more flexible and cost-effective connectivity services than traditional networks, while also enabling the integration of IoT solutions for a range of uses, from smart agriculture to infrastructure monitoring.
These projects are part of a broader strategy to help narrow Africa’s digital divide, where a significant share of the population still lacks access to reliable internet services.
Satellite technology is increasingly viewed as a complement to terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where deployment costs and geographic constraints remain high.
Beyond Africa, Spacecoin is also running pilot projects in Asia, working with local partners to test the viability of its model across different regulatory and geographic environments.
According to the company’s management, growing interest from regulators reflects a shift toward solutions capable of reaching populations that have long been excluded from internet access.
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, driving digital transformation and sustainability, today announces the appointment of Khaled Salah, 37 years old, as Vice President of Africa.
Khaled Salah
In this new role, he will be responsible for about 30 employees to ensure the successful implementation of AVEVA’s growth strategy. Khaled Salah will report directly to Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region.
A 15-years + career across different industries and domains
With a MBA in management from the Warwick business school, UK, and a master’s degree in engineering from Ain Shams university in Egypt, Khaled Salah is an active advocate for driving sustainable progress in the industrial sector. With Sustainability in mind, Khaled is keen on making a positive business impact, while fostering progress for people and the planet.
He started his career at Schneider Electric, in 2013 in the global supply chain and evolved through various roles such as Europe procurement and supply chain strategy Manager, and Global Commercial strategy Director for the industrial automation business. Khaled Salah has developed a strategic understanding of all those fields.
After 12 years in Schneider Electric, Khaled joined AVEVA in 2022 to lead AVEVA and Schneider Electric global strategic partnership, across all industries managing a team of 30 people.
He has led the introduction of new AVEVA software solutions to initiate and develop significant growth areas across all Schneider Electric verticals.
Ambitious plans for AVEVA in Africa
In addition to his current role as AVEVA and Schneider Electric partnership Vice-President, Khaled now takes over the management of AVEVA’s activities in Africa.
Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region says: “Africa is a strategic region for AVEVA. In this major industrial market, customers, world leaders in the fields of Energy, Metal & Mining, Chemicals, and Water, are looking for AVEVA’s expertise to accelerate and drive their digital transformation and sustainability strategies, as well as their energy transition projects.
“Khaled Salah’s qualities of leadership in a global environment will benefit his team spread across 12 countries including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.”
Motivated by the prospect of capitalizing on the talent of his team to strengthen AVEVA’s presence in Africa in the years to come, Khaled Salah says: “Helping my team realize their professional potential is close to my heart.
“We will work together to support and accelerate the digital transformation of industries in Africa, in particular through CONNECT, our industrial intelligence platform, with the support of our ecosystem of partners. »
A Google-Ipsos report reveals Nigerians topping global AI usage at 88%, surpassing the 62% worldwide average, with sharp rises in education and business applications.
“Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the hands of more people” shows 93% of Nigerians using AI for learning complex topics versus 74% globally, 91% for work assistance, and 80% for new ventures—nearly double the 42% global rate.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, stated: “Nigerians are creatively using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth, and economic empowerment, shaping their future with technology.”
Key findings highlight 91% viewing AI positively for learning access, 95% expecting benefits for students and educators, and strong optimism—80% excited versus 20% concerned, compared to global 53%-46% split. Frequent users show 90% excitement
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