Telecom
Shittu Unveils ICT Road Map, Seeks Private Sector Partnership
Dr, Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications has official unveiled Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Roadmap 2017- 2020 two years after it was approved by the federal government.
Shittu, speaking during the sensitization programme with the theme “The role of the private sector in implementation of Nigeria ICT Roadmap” expressed regrets that the sensitizations is coming two years after its approval by the federal executive council, noting that some aspects of the plans are already been implemented.
He noted that the private sector is a key player in the implementation of the Nigeria ICT Roadmap, adding that government is working assiduously towards sustained economic recovery and growth with the private sector.
He added that the information and communications technology revolution which commenced over a decade ago has impacted positively on the national economy.
“This is evident in its significant contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 0.6% in 2991 to 9.8% in 2014.
“Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Foreign Domestic Investments (FDI) made by telecommunications operators, service providers and other stakeholders from 2001 till date is in excess of US$32billion dollars”.
The minister also emphasized that the sector is essential for the proper functioning of many other key sectors of the economy including Agriculture, Commerce, Banking and Finance, Health and Transportation.
In spite of its dramatic growth, the sector had challenges and constraints some of which were inadequate local content, poor infrastructure leading to the lack of access by many Nigerians, poor skills to leverage ICT opportunities, and lack of confidence in the use of ICT.
“It is for this reason that, on becoming the Minister of Communications, I made the commitment to turn the ICT sector into a ‘cash cow’ so as to revive the economy. Working with my team, we promised to ensure prompt and quality service delivery so as to revive the economy.
“To deliver on these promises, and for Nigerians to benefit from ICT, in addition to well-articulated policies and strategies, there was need for an integrated implementation framework.
“My desire and aspiration was to leverage business process outsourcing and other ICT sector opportunities to create two million jobs, establish a technological park and ICT exhibition centre, create ICT innovation hubs across the nation and reposition NIPOST to enable it provide cost effective 21st Century services.
“For this purpose, the ICT sector roadmap which is being unveiled today is conceived as an implementation framework focusing on five pillars”.
Shittu stated that the intention in developing the Roadmap is to create broad, yet flexible pathways to ensure that ICT reaches all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
At its core, the Roadmap promotes public-private-partnerships to attract investments in high quality infrastructure facilities and services.
According to the Minister, the Roadmap provides both the private and public sectors, a fresh impetus for not only implementing existing policies but has further articulated fifty one (51) interlinked initiatives of which twenty (20) are primarily geared towards job/wealth creation, eighteen (18) in the area of Capacity Building for sustainability in the sector and thirteen (13) of these initiatives have primary focus on improvement in Government revenue generation.
He urged all stakeholders to embrace the Roadmap as a veritable instrument for achieving their various aspirations.
He added that government on its part shall continue to provide required enabling environment, incentives and support towards ensuring the growth and success of the industry player, noting that government is convinced that Nigeria ICT sector will continue to be an investment haven for forward looking investors.
“Those who invested in the past and responded to government priority focus of market deregulation have had no regrets.
“Keying into the ICT Roadmap is definitely a right step in the right direction,” he said.
Starbase Technologies has launched Yolly, a new social entertainment platform designed to reward users for watching, streaming and creating content while promoting wholesome digital engagement.
Starbase Technologies
The company said the platform was developed to redefine participation in the digital economy by enabling viewers, creators and brands to earn value from meaningful online interactions.
According to Starbase Technologies, Yolly introduces a reward system powered by Stars, its native digital rewards currency, which users accumulate through activities such as watching videos, live streaming and creating content.
The company said the initiative was built on the belief that everyone contributing to the digital ecosystem should have the opportunity to benefit from the value they help generate.
Unlike conventional social media platforms where monetisation is often restricted to creators with large followings, Yolly allows creators to begin earning from their first stream without meeting follower thresholds.
The platform also provides emerging creators with features including gifting, Boosts and a Founder Creator badge to help them grow their communities from the outset.
Viewers are also eligible to earn Stars through the platform’s Watch+ feature, which rewards users for watching content from their first session.
For brands, the company said Yolly offers an alternative to traditional impression-based advertising by providing verified engagement metrics, real-time performance dashboards and brand safety controls to improve campaign measurement and audience interaction.
Speaking on the launch, the Head of Business at Yolly, Emeka Okenwa, said the platform was designed to create a more inclusive and rewarding creator economy.
He said the rewards ecosystem prioritises wholesome content and genuine community engagement rather than content driven solely by algorithms or viral trends.
“The platform has been developed on the premise that the future of the creator economy should be more inclusive, more rewarding and built around genuine communities rather than algorithms alone,” Okenwa said.
He added that Yolly was created to encourage family-friendly content while providing viewers, creators and brands with a trusted environment to connect, create and grow.
According to the company, the platform features content across entertainment, sports, lifestyle, education, technology and live events.
Starbase Technologies said the launch forms part of its broader vision of connecting creators and innovators through technology solutions that expand opportunities within the global digital economy.
Court filings in multiple legal disputes arising from the 2023 acquisition of Pan African Towers have raised questions about corporate governance, board oversight and executive independence, with the company’s Board Chairman, Adefolarin Ogunsanya, featuring prominently in the proceedings.
The disputes, currently before Nigerian courts, stem from the acquisition of Pan African Towers by Development Partners International (DPI), Verod Capital Growth Fund III LP and African Development Partners International LLP.
According to documents filed before the Federal High Court, former Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers, Azeez Amida, played a central role in identifying and engaging prospective investors after the company’s shareholders decided to sell the business.
The filings stated that negotiations led by Amida culminated in the acquisition, which was later recognised as the African Deal of the Year.
However, less than three years after the transaction, the acquisition has become the subject of three separate court cases challenging aspects of its governance and implementation.
According to the court filings, a proposed Management Incentive Plan (MIP) formed part of the negotiations leading to the acquisition.
Amida alleged that he informed prospective investors that management would retain a minimum five per cent equity stake following the acquisition, an arrangement he said distinguished the successful consortium from competing bidders.
The pleadings further alleged that the consortium accepted the proposal through the MIP and related term sheets.
Among the exhibits before the court is an email attributed to Ogunsanya forwarding a document titled “PAT – MIP analysis.xlsx,” described as an analysis of the proposed incentive scheme.
According to the claimant, the proposed equity participation could have generated returns exceeding 30 million U.S. dollars, but the arrangement was allegedly not implemented after the acquisition.
He is consequently seeking damages exceeding 30 million dollars in a separate action before the Federal High Court.
The filings further alleged that governance dynamics changed significantly after the acquisition, with shareholder representatives and board members becoming increasingly involved in operational matters ordinarily handled by executive management.
The defence claimed that disagreements arose over procurement processes and commercial negotiations, including sourcing decisions involving companies in which some directors allegedly had interests.
The filings identify Ogunsanya as one of the directors involved in those discussions.
The allegations remain disputed and are yet to be determined by the court.
Another issue raised in the defence concerns the company’s financial approval procedures.
According to the filings, following the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Amida deliberately withdrew from final expenditure approvals because of governance concerns.
The defence maintained that expenditures subsequently challenged in the litigation were processed through the company’s established approval procedures, involving reviews by relevant departments and final authorisation by the CFO.
It also argued that the CFO responsible for the approvals remains employed by the company and has since been promoted.
The defence further contended that the disputed hospitality, investor engagement and related business expenses passed through internal approval processes and were reflected in the company’s audited financial statements before becoming the subject of litigation.
Internal emails, approval workflows, WhatsApp communications and financial records have been listed among the evidence expected to be presented during the trial.
The court filings also noted that Ogunsanya participated in negotiations surrounding the Management Incentive Plan, signed an October 2024 query issued to Amida before a Mutual Separation Agreement and later declined a request for an amicable settlement in a separate matter before the National Industrial Court.
Amida further alleged that a subsequent Federal High Court action instituted by Pan African Towers was retaliatory and intended to exert pressure in connection with his earlier legal action against DPI, Verod and other parties involved in the acquisition.
The allegations remain contested, and the parties are expected to present their respective cases before the courts.
As of the time covered by the filings, the defendants had not filed substantive defences to some of the claims referenced by the claimant.
The matters remain pending before the courts, and no judicial determination has yet been made on the merits of the allegations.
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) will, on Wednesday, 5th August 2026, host the Final Pitching Exercise of the NASENI Innovation Assessment & Awards Programme (NIAAP), bringing together some of Nigeria’s most promising innovators to compete for top honours in the Agency’s Intra-Agency and Inter-Agency Innovation Competitions.
NASENI
The Final Pitching Exercise marks the culmination of NASENI’s boldest innovation competition yet. From 180 applications submitted across NASENI Development Institutes and 81 applications received from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) nationwide, a rigorous assessment process has produced the Top 10 Finalists in both competition categories, who will now present their innovations in live pitches before a distinguished panel of experts.
The event, scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m. at the Technology Orientation Centre (TOC), NASENI Headquarters, Idu-Industrial Layout, Abuja, represents the final stage of the innovation assessment process and provides a platform for the finalists to present and defend their innovative ideas.
The independent panel of experts will assess each solution based on originality, technical merit, practical application, scalability, and potential socio-economic impact. At the conclusion of the exercise, the panel will select the three best innovations in each category, with the winners to be formally recognized and celebrated during NASENI FEST, the Agency’s flagship innovation celebration.
The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, will officially declare the competition open. His participation reflects NASENI’s steadfast commitment to fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem that supports indigenous technology development, encourages research excellence, and accelerates Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
Held under the theme, “Driving Innovation. Accelerating Industrialization. Transforming Nigeria,” the programme aligns with NASENI’s strategic mandate of leveraging science, technology, and engineering to develop local solutions to national challenges while strengthening Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness. It also reinforces the Agency’s commitment to discovering, nurturing, and rewarding innovative ideas capable of driving sustainable industrial growth and economic prosperity.
Beyond recognizing outstanding innovations, the competition serves as a platform for discovering transformative ideas, promoting collaboration among innovators, NASENI institutes, and public institutions, and inspiring a new generation of Nigerian inventors and problem-solvers whose innovations can contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Agency invites policymakers, industry stakeholders, researchers, innovators, and development partners, members of the diplomatic community, the media, and the general public to witness this landmark celebration of Nigerian ingenuity, technological excellence, and homegrown innovation.
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