Telecom
Stakeholders at the 2019 African EduTech Conference Seek for Reforms in Nigeria’s Education System
Stakeholders at the maiden edition of African EduTech Conference have called for urgent rejigging of the nation’s education system, so as to address the current trend, in which the country allegedly have 60 million illiterate adults and 10.2million out of school children,
They noted that with the statistics that 60% of the country’s population is below the age of 30, if this demography is not reversed, would become a curse rather than blessing for the country.
The African Edu-Tech Conference was organised by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with EduFirst.ng; a subsidiary of Skool Media with support from Olashore International School.
Arch. Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, in his Keynote address, said all hands must be on deck to ensure the nation’s education system is focused on churning out graduate with 21st skills set.
The Permanent Secretary’s keynote dwelt on the Conference theme: ‘Education, Technology & Jobs; A Synergy that Works’, said, technology is the ultimate tool to leverage and enable viable education and job creation.
“With the depressing statistics, there is need to provide access, modernized delivery mechanism for teaching; increase the number of teachers; provide enabling environment and ensure even resources, as means to recreate the education system.
“Education system has to provide graduates with adequate skills for present and future workplace. CBN’s 2018 statistics shows that Diaspora remittances to Nigeria exceeded the proceeds from oil revenue. In other words, we are no longer an oil economy rather human resource-based nation. Therefore, we need to stop brain drain.
Perm. Sec. inspects Skool Media stand while the Project Coordinator, Moses Imayi explains their activities.
“We must make our education competitive and attractive. Today, we use games to make education fun such that the children while playing they learn too. So, we must make our graduates employable.
“At the same time, we have to emphasis entrepreneurship. To create more jobs, we need more entrepreneurs who are using technology to innovate whether in agriculture, health, education, telecommunications, manufacturing, etc.
“As a government, we are keen to always facilitate public-private-partnerships that enable investments in the sector knowing that the expectations are huge.
E-School Demo by students of Queens College Yaba, Lagos State.
He also called on stakeholders to create a structure for accountability among the school owners, teachers and students as means to tackle laxity in the system.
He however, did not fail to emphasis on the need to equip and re-equip the classrooms and laboratories with state-of-the-art tools to facilitate effective teaching and learning environment.
Earlier, the Acting President and Chairman in Council, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kayode Falowo, said that Conference: ‘Education, Technology & Jobs; A Synergy that Works’, was convened as part of the Chamber’s mandate to support the socio-economic development of Nigeria through educational development.
Bunmi Afolabi, Director General, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce
He said the Chamber African Edu-Tech platform will continue to provide the government, regulatory agencies, e.g Federal Ministry of Education, NUC, NERDC, WAEC, etc. and educational professionals, the opportunity to interact and share experiences on the revitalization of Nigeria’s education system, through the application of technology and innovation as key ingredients for educational transformation.
On his part, the General Manager, Partnership Implementation at Skool Media Nigeria Limited, Mr. Charles Dungor, told TechEconomy.ng that the goal for African Edu-Tech Conference was to bring all stakeholders in the education space to brainstorm on how best engineer a better system that recognises need for grooming students with 21st Century skills.
“I am sure that in the global scale we all know what is happening in Nigeria due to the decadence in the Nigerian educational system. We believe developing a platform as this will be an avenue for people to interact: proffer solutions; get public-private participants under a roof to dialogue and see how best to tackle the challenges so we can become globally competitive.
Exhibition Inspection by Arch. Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.
“The goal is simple: we have a lot of young people moving from the Secondary and colleges to universities, and other graduating from the universities, but they are not employable. This informed the theme of the conference, ‘Education, Technology & Jobs; A Synergy that Works’. How does this work? It deals with a competitive and effective interaction among stakeholders in the education sector, innovation (ICT) ecosystem, public-private sector participants to synergize,” Mr. Dungor said.
He continued, “As the first edition there will be a communiqué from the Conference to be sent to the government to highlight issues that were portrayed and solutions or recommendations proffered to resolve those educational issues.
“We have the body in charge of curriculum; the NCC that regulates telecoms and can recommend how they could go about assisting the education sector through their product offerings; NECO, which is an examination body and also WAEC; I believe some of their takeaways from this conference will reflect in decision and policy-making processes, just as the Acting Minister of Education, Arch. Sonny Echono who doubles as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, delivered the keynote; he spoke ‘to the topic’ and proffered solutions from the Government point of view. He also staked clearly what the government is doing to bridge the gaps in the system and took feedback from the participants mostly from the private sector”.
Moses Imayi, Co-Founder/Project Coordinator, Skool Media.
Also commenting, the Principal, Olishore International School, Osun State, Mr. Derrick Smith, said in an interview with TechEconomy.ng that “the case with our schools is that we have to review the curriculum. We have to upscale the courses to reflect skills for the 21st Century among the students; such as critical thinking and problem solving, creativity, imagination, communication skills that will help them become citizens of the world.
“The curriculum should vive room for the children to develop personally; bring up ideas, research, because it is no longer fashionable to teach-for-passing-exams; our children need to have the skills that are necessary in the workplace when they graduate which are also constantly changing. It is no longer interesting to train a child for a particular job; their skills should work in a verity of jobs,” he added.
Olishore International School is a leading community committed to academic excellence, nurturing each child to their full potential, developing leaders for the dynamic global society in the 21st Century.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) carefully designed and implemented the Advanced Digital Awareness Program for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) as means to bridge the digital gaps that exist in the academia.
L-R:Tosin Koyejo, Founder, Chronicles Software Development Company; Bunmi Afolabi, Director General, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce; Charles ungor, General Manager, Edufirst.ng; Kelechi Uchena, Co-founder, Nigenius; Adetola Salau, Carisma4U Educational Foundation ; Yomi Adedeji, Co-Founder Softcom; NERDC Representative
This was disclosed by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, who spoke through the Director Research and Development NCC, Ephraim Nwokonneya.
He said that the project involves the provision of suites of e-learning applications for academics, students in tertiary institutions.
Mr. Derrick Smith, Principal, Olishore International School, Osun State
Danbatta whose speech dwelt on the theme: ‘Promoting Internet Accessibility for Inclusive Learning and Development in Nigeria’, said that internet accessibility is at the heart of digital inclusiveness.
“It is indeed the practice of ensuring that there are no barriers to prevent interaction with or access to the internet”, the NCC boss said, “Coming down home to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), facilitating the development of a knowledge-based, inclusive and globally competitive environment, is at the heart of our regulatory focus. Hence, the first item on the current 8-point agenda of the Commission is to facilitate broadband penetration in the country. We have carefully chosen this critical agenda to underscore the fact that the provision, access and use of affordable fixed and mobile broadband are critical for ubiquitous internet accessibility.”
Director Research & Development, Ephraim Nwokonneya, representing NCC’s EVC
NCC’s ADAPTI program involves the provision of computers, other ICT equipment and necessary facilities to provide lecturers, staff and students with the requisite ICT skills essential for the 21st Century digital economy.
“Through this program the Commission is able to specifically provide the tools that will enable familiarity, skill development and confidence in the utilization of ICT in teaching, research and learning”, he said.
Group photograph of facilitators and participants at Edu-Tech Conference 2019
The Conference had in attendance the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch. Sonny Echono; Director General, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Bunmi Afolabi; the Co-Founder and Project Coordinator at Skool Media, Moses Imayi; Digital Innovation & Country Manager, EduFirst Ng, Idris Oladipo; Principal, Olishore International School, Mr. Derrick Smith; Principal Consultant, Leading Learning Limited, Folasade Adefisayo; Teal Lead, HR Strategy & Projects, First Bank, Tomilayo Esan, among other speakers and moderators. It also featured exhibitions, presentations by students, panel discussions, etc.
As Africa edges toward an estimated 750 million internet users by the end of 2025, the continent’s expanding digital footprint is increasingly matched by vulnerabilities that threaten its economic and national security.
Happiness Obioha, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tizel Cybersecurity
This concern took centre stage at the Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTech 5.0), where Happiness Obioha, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tizel Cybersecurity, delivered one of the event’s most compelling arguments for a new cybersecurity paradigm rooted in African intelligence rather than foreign technology.
Speaking on the theme “Beyond Firewalls: The Case for Homegrown Cybersecurity Intelligence in Africa,” Obioha maintained that Africa’s cybersecurity risks cannot be effectively mitigated with imported solutions that were never designed for the continent’s distinct digital realities.
She described Africa’s cyber landscape as one defined by unique threat actors, infrastructural limitations, cultural nuances, and business patterns that global security platforms often fail to understand.
According to her, relying solely on perimeter-based defenses such as firewalls is no longer adequate in a world where cyberattacks grow more adaptive, persistent, and sophisticated.
Obioha argued that Africa’s dependence on generic global tools has created a critical gap in the continent’s ability to detect, interpret, and respond to emerging threats, and explained that foreign cybersecurity systems frequently misread local attack patterns or fail to anticipate region-specific vulnerabilities.
As a result, many African organizations operate with a false sense of safety while facing increasingly complex threats ranging from ransomware and financial fraud to targeted breaches on government infrastructure.
The Tizel CEO emphasised that Africa’s long-term security lies in adopting intelligence-led approaches that draw from local insights, indigenous expertise, and continental research, and noted that such solutions allow faster and more precise threat detection because they are built with an understanding of local behaviour patterns and digital environments.
Beyond security improvements, she stressed that homegrown cybersecurity also strengthens national sovereignty, reduces capital flight, expands technical capacity, and creates jobs in one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors.
Obioha cited Tizel Cybersecurity as an example of what locally grounded innovation can achieve, explaining that the company’s model integrates contextual intelligence, real-time monitoring, rapid incident response, and strict adherence to regulatory frameworks.
According to her, Tizel’s work with banks, telecom operators, government agencies, and SMEs demonstrates the measurable impact of Africa-specific cybersecurity architecture.
Among the results she highlighted were the prevention of a major ransomware attack in the financial sector, a significant reduction in network downtime for a telecom operator, and the deployment of effective real-time monitoring systems for a government agency.
She reinforced that Tizel’s success is built on its deep understanding of the African digital ecosystem, a familiarity she described as indispensable for delivering cybersecurity that genuinely protects African institutions.
The region’s business culture, infrastructural diversity, and evolving digital habits, she said, can only be accurately interpreted by experts who operate within the same environment.
Obioha urged African enterprises and governments to take a more deliberate approach toward securing their digital future, and encouraged them to re-examine their cybersecurity posture, invest in indigenous intelligence-driven solutions, and build internal teams equipped to respond to emerging threats.
The survival and competitiveness of African businesses, she noted, will increasingly depend on their ability to align security strategies with the realities of the continent’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
“Africa’s digital future is promising,” she concluded, “but it must be secured with intelligence and innovation that come from within the continent.”
MTN Nigeria and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have signed a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the growth, digital capacity, and sustainability of Nigeria’s 40 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
L-R: Julcit Onigbogi, Head of Legal, SMEDAN; Charles Odii, Director General, SMEDAN; Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Nigeria and Ayham Moussa, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, during the MTN, SMEDAN Seal Strategic Partnership Signing held at the MTN Plaza, Ikoyi on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
The signing ceremony was held at the MTN Plaza, Lagos, on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
MTN Nigeria’s Chief Operating Officer, Ayham Moussa, reiterated MTN’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s economic development, stating that MSMEs are the lifeline of Nigeria’s economy.
He said: “SMEs are the backbone of the economy and the backbone of employment in Nigeria. We are delighted to power SMEDAN’s platform and provide tools that help MSMEs reach customers, obtain funding, and access wider markets.
“This collaboration serves both our business and social development objectives.”
Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, MTN Nigeria described the MoU as a tool to “meet SMEs at the point of their needs,” noting that nano, micro, small, and medium businesses each require different resources to scale.
She stated: “Some SMEs need guidance, some need resources; others need opportunities or workforce support. This platform allows them to access whatever they need.
“We are committed to identifying opportunities across financial inclusion, digital inclusion, and capacity building that help SMEs to scale.”
Speaking at the event, the Director General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, emphasised the significance of the collaboration, noting that the agency cannot meet its mandate without leveraging technology and private-sector expertise.
He said: “We have approximately 40 million MSMEs in Nigeria, and only about 400 SMEDAN staff. We cannot fulfil our mandate without technology, data, and strong partners.
“MTN already has the infrastructure and tools to support MSMEs from payments to identity, hosting, learning, and more. With this partnership, we are confident we can achieve in a short time what would have taken years.”
Odii highlighted that the SMEDAN-MTN collaboration would support businesses across their growth needs, guided by their four-point GROW model – Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce Development.
He added that SMEDAN has already created over 100,000 jobs within its two-year administration and expects the partnership to significantly boost job creation, business expansion, and nationwide enterprise modernisation.
The partnership will feature joint initiatives focused on digital inclusion, financial access, capacity building, and providing verified information for MSMEs. With millions of small businesses depending on accurate guidance and easy-to-access support, MTN and SMEDAN say their shared platform will address gaps in communication, misinformation, and access to opportunities.
The event concluded with the formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), setting the stage for the immediate roll-out of tools, content, and resources that will support MSMEs nationwide.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Launches Y’ello Data Gifting Campaign as Digital Connectivity Shapes Festive Celebrations
MTN Y’ello Tide is the gift that keeps giving, with MTN exciting Nigerians through a season filled with yellow gifting, digital rewards, and festive moments. This year, MTN is giving customers even more ways to stay connected and celebrate, and the Y’ello Data Gifting initiative stands as one of the many offerings under MTN Y’ello Tide.
MTN Nigeria
With Nigerians embracing more digital-led ways to connect and celebrate during the festive season, MTN Nigeria has introduced its Y’ello Data Gifting initiative as part of the broader MTN Y’ello Tide, designed to encourage customers to share data with loved ones while standing a chance to win prizes worth millions of naira. MTN Y’ello Tide continues to position digital connectivity as an exciting way to gift this season, reinforcing that MTN is giving Nigerians more value at a time they need it most.
The campaign runs from December 1 to 25, offering daily rewards such as Samsung smartphones and ₦20,000 shopping vouchers for the top 20 data gifters each day. As a core part of MTN Y’ello Tide, the data gifting experience helps customers enjoy more yellow moments through rewards, bonuses, and shared connections. Customers who participate also enjoy bonus data, with 1GB awarded to those gifting 10GB or more, and 500MB for gifts ranging between 5GB and 9.99GB. Participation is available through *321# or the myMTN NG app between 10am and 10pm daily.
Across Nigeria, digital behaviour continues to evolve. Internet consumption reached a record 973,455 terabytes in December 2024, marking a 36.5 percent year-on-year growth according to the Nigerian Communications Commission. MTN Y’ello Tide taps into this shift by offering exciting, value-driven digital gifting experiences that help people stay connected throughout the season.
While costs of food and non-alcoholic beverages have risen by over 92 percent in the last three years, and inflation stood at 34.60 percent in November 2024 with food inflation at 39.93 percent, Nigerians continue to prioritise meaningful and cost-efficient ways to stay connected. This shift has led many families to favour experiential or digital gifts, particularly as surveys show that 76 percent of Nigerians experienced income reductions in 2024, based on the PiggyVest Savings Report.
Festive spending has also adjusted to new realities. Items such as Christmas trees now range between ₦23,000 and ₦700,000, up from ₦17,000 to ₦450,000 last year. In this context, telco-led promotions like MTN Y’ello Tide’s Data Gifting campaign offer an alternative form of giving that aligns with today’s lifestyle needs. MTN is giving customers more ways to celebrate in yellow, creating exciting opportunities to share, connect, and enjoy festive rewards.
Nigeria remains a mobile-first market with 103 million internet users recorded at the start of 2024, representing 45.5 percent internet penetration according to DataReportal. Data now functions as a core utility supporting work, education, entertainment, and social connection across the country, making MTN Y’ello Tide’s digital gifting even more relevant this season.
As a Lagos civil servant noted earlier this month, the season remains a time for gratitude and connection, regardless of spending patterns. MTN Y’ello Tide strengthens this sentiment by making it easier for customers to stay connected and enjoy meaningful gifting in an exciting and accessible way.
The Y’ello Data Gifting campaign continues until December 25, with terms and conditions applying. As part of MTN Y’ello Tide, the initiative reinforces that MTN is giving Nigerians a festive season anchored on digital convenience, rewarding experiences, and yellow-themed celebration.
Dial *321# or download the myMTN NG app to start gifting data to your loved ones. Campaign runs until December 25, 2025. Terms and conditions apply.
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