Telecom
Shittu Pledges Nigeria’s Commitment to Digital Economy
Dr Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications has said that Federal government is committed to support the growth of digital economy in the country.
He gave this assurance at the ongoing 2018 ICTEL EXPO organized by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, taking place at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The minister represented by Mrs.Monisola Udoh, Director of ICT, ministry of communications, said that “we are committed to supporting digital economy in its laudable endeavor and vision to bridge the gap between Nigeria and the rest of the world in information and communications technology”.
He noted that the ministry will support the establishment of companies or organizations in the area of hardware and software by ensuring that they are protected through regulations or other means.
He said, “We will assist them to grow. We have accepted that Nigeria must take the leadership role in Africa’s ICT ecosystem.
“Therefore, we are amenable to PPP relationships to drive the ministry’s projects, 2018 and beyond must be a year of action.”
He stated that to ensure efficiency and competitiveness in the 21st century ICT ecosystem, “the ministry had conceived a national ICT park and exhibition centre in the federal capital territory and other parts of the country.
“Proposed the establishment of a National ICT bank and full implementation of the national broadband plan, ICT roadmap 2017-2020 and the implementation of the eGovernment masterplan.”
He added that his ministry will collaborate with the organizers of ICTEL to create a platform where organizations and startups can pitch their innovative ideas.
These ideas according to her will be passed through a structured selection process to come up with marketable innovations for implementation by the federal government.
Speaking earlier, Mr.Babatunde Ruwase, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that there is no better time to harness the benefits of ICT than now, that the Nigerian economy is in dire need of diversification and sustainable recovery.
He emphasized that ICT is strategic in driving productivity and efficiency in all sectors of the economy, noting that virtually all sectors leverage ICT for optimal performance.
He added that impact of ICT in the economy can be seen in the financial service sector, where electronic banking is now the vogue, the agricultural sector, where government allocates farm inputs through mobile phones to farmers, the consumer goods sector where online stores and e-commerce has brought an incredible transformation to retail business.
“The fact is that ICT has become the backbone of businesses,” he stated
Ruwase, said that in spite of the phenomenal growth we have witnessed in the sector over the last two decades, that there is still enormous potentials yet untapped, stressing that the Expo is one of the major platforms that offer opportunities to unlock these untapped potentials.
He noted that Lagos Chamber of commerce and industry through the Expo is providing a credible platform to advance the opportunities and linkages in the world of ICT.
“We are committed to the building of economic and commercial ties across all subsectors and players in the ICT sector.
“We plan to continuously broaden the horizon and scope of the Expo over the coming years.
“We see great investment opportunities coming from closer interactions and business integration among ICT players and their customers,” he added.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman / CEO Nigerian Communications commission, (NCC) represented by Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, Director, Consumers Affairs Bureau, NCC, lauded LCCI for putting its name , immense clout and resources behind the development of the ICT sector.
In his words,” It is heartwarming to note that LCCI is also putting its name, its immense clout and its resources behind the development of the ICT sector.
“I believe that your focus on ICT underscores your realization of the increasingly pivotal role that ICT plays in driving national competitiveness.
“I am also pleased to note that you have chosen for this Expo the overall theme of Developing Efficiency and Competitiveness in the Digital Age.
Danbatta, noted that the commission is focused on bringing efficient, qualitative and affordable ICT platforms within the reach of every Nigerian, whether individual or corporate.
He added that this can be achieved through the focused implementation of its 8-point agenda, Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the ICT Roadmap.
Mr. Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged Northern Nigeria to pivot urgently from traditional commerce to an innovation-driven digital economy for sustainable growth.
NITDA
Inuwa issued the call at the Future Map Foundation Roundtable 1.0 (North-West Edition) in Kano, attributing the region’s sluggish digital adoption not to talent deficits but to the lack of deliberate, coordinated strategies.
He stressed deeper collaboration across academia, private sector players, entrepreneurs, and government, positioning the private sector as the primary innovation engine while government supplies robust policies and an enabling ecosystem.
Inuwa advocated for people-focused, locally tailored innovations that tackle regional challenges head-on, enabling global competitiveness by transitioning from mere technology users to creators of homegrown solutions.
The roundtable convened policymakers, tech founders, and ecosystem stakeholders to forge a comprehensive roadmap for North-West digital transformation, yielding firm commitments to bolster regional innovation policies and public-private synergies.
Inuwa’s push dovetails seamlessly with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which sets an ambitious target of 95 per cent nationwide digital literacy by 2030, fostering inclusive economic empowerment.
Participants hailed the forum as a pivotal step toward unlocking Northern Nigeria’s tech potential, with NITDA poised to lead implementation through strategic interventions and partnerships.
Samsung Electronics plans to double this year the number of its mobile devices with “Galaxy AI” features largely powered by Google’s Gemini, its co-CEO said, which would give the U.S. firm an edge over rivals as the global race in artificial intelligence heats up.
The South Korean company, which had rolled out Gemini-backed AI features to about 400 million mobile products, including smartphones and tablets, by last year, plans to boost that figure to 800 million in 2026.
“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” T M Roh told Reuters in his first interview since becoming Samsung Electronics co-CEO in November.
The plan by the world’s largest backer of Google’s Android mobile platform is set to give a major boost to its developer Google, which is locked in a race with OpenAI and others to attract more consumer users to their AI model.
Samsung seeks to reclaim its lost crown from Apple in the smartphone market and fend off competition from Chinese rivals not only in mobile telephones, but televisions and home appliances, all overseen by Roh.
It will offer integrated AI services across consumer products to widen its lead over Apple in such features, though the latter was set to be the top smartphone maker last year, according to market researcher Counterpoint.
AI Race
Alphabet’s Google launched the latest version of Gemini in November, highlighting Gemini 3’s lead on several popular industry measures of AI model performance.
In response to Gemini 3, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly issued an internal “code red,” pausing non-core projects and redirecting teams to accelerate development. The ChatGPT maker launched its GPT-5.2 AI model a few weeks later.
Roh expects the adoption of AI to accelerate, as Samsung’s surveys on awareness of its Galaxy AI brand jumped to a level of 80% from about 30% in just one year.
“Even though the AI technology might seem a bit doubtful right now, within six months to a year, these technologies will become more widespread,” he said.
MENXTT NG, a leading technology distributor, has announced plans to bundle Bitdefender Antivirus software with all laptops sold in Nigeria starting 2026, aiming to enhance cybersecurity for consumers and businesses.
MENXTT NG
As an authorised reseller of Bitdefender, the company said the initiative would ensure devices meet global security standards right from purchase, addressing rising cyber threats in personal, educational, and corporate sectors.
Bitdefender, a globally recognised antivirus solution, offers advanced threat detection against viruses, malware, ransomware, spyware, and phishing; lightweight performance without impacting device speed; multi-layered ransomware protection; safe browsing features; and certifications from independent testing bodies.
Anthony Emeka Nwosu, Co-Founder of MENXTT NG, stated: “At MENXTT NG, we pride ourselves on offering some of the best laptops, smartphones, and gadgets in the market.
“These devices power businesses, education, and daily life, and it is only right that they are properly protected. By partnering with Bitdefender, we are ensuring our customers enjoy world-class security alongside world-class devices.”
The move, according to industry analysts, positions MENXTT NG as a solutions provider in Nigeria’s tech market, bridging global best practices with local needs amid accelerating digital adoption.
MENXTT NG described the bundling as part of its strategy to deliver complete technology solutions and build customer trust.
For enquiries: +234 814 090 2614; www.menxtt.cm.ng; [email protected].
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