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Sustaining Project “Code Lagos”

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The Lagos State government has announced an ambitious project that will make it the host of the next technological frontier. The project is tagged “Code Lagos” and it aims to train one million residents of Lagos State how to code, (programming), by 2019.

The man saddled with the responsibility of making this happen is Obafela Bank-Olemoh, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Education. I recently had a discussion with him on the merits if the “Code Lagos” project and how the government intends to sustain it.

On why the establishment of the “Code Lagos” project, Obafela stressed that Lagos State believes that technology will play a key part in the future of the State to prosper. It is, therefore, critical, he said, to start preparing Lagosians for that future. The is because technology has made the world a smaller place and Lagosians have to be up to date with technology to be able to compete favourably in the global economy, he opined.

The “Code Lagos” project, according to Obafela, is one which intends to teach one million Lagosians how to code for the next three years, free of charge.

He stated that the model is both private and public sector driven, (PPP), with the aim of combining the strength of both to solve a problem that ultimately help the private to grow. He maintained that Lagos State is the 5th largest growing economy in Africa and the plan is to grow the Lagos State economy to become the 3rd largest growing economy in Africa. For that to happen, technology must play a key role, he concluded.

To achieve this, he explained that coding centres are being taken to both private and public schools in Lagos where kids will be taught how to code from primary 4 class all the way to SS 3 class.

With the large number of people intended to be taught, which is put at about one million, the question if how the project will be funded cropped up. Obafela stated that with the population of Lagos State put at around 23 million and the daily influx of people into the State and for any meaningful change to happen, government must do that kind of numbers to make an impact.

He stated that the Lagos State has funds set aside for the project and this will not be a problem. Old Students Associations of schools are also encouraged to set up coding centres in their various schools and partner with the government to run them.

One aspect that could also be a challenge for such a project is the selection of those to participate in it. Obafela stated that there are two selection processes involved here. First is the selection of the facilitators, which is very critical.

Master trainers, he said, are being trained so they could in turn , train the next 1,000 facilitators. For those who want to be facilitators, they need to visit codelagos.org and fill the forms after which they will be screened and the best will be selected.

He stated that 100 Master facilitators have been trained so far and in the next few weeks, the next set of 1,000 facilitators will be selected for training.

For the selection if students, Obafela stated that this will depend on the size if each coding centre. The minimum the government is looking at, he said, are centres that can train a minimum of 100 students a week. He maintained that you do not necessarily have to be a STEM student as the project is open to any student that has interest in it. He said that what the Lagos State government is trying to do with the “Code Lagos” project is to democratize education and give everyone a chance to succeed.

Obafela also spoke in the “Educate Lagos” project and how it intends to use it to improve education in Lagos State.

Asked if the “Code Lagos” project will be sustainable in the long run, Obafela, said he is confident that it will be sustainable because the government means business which is obvious from the way it has been carrying out the act of governance in the past two years of the current administration coming on board. Everything the government is doing , he concluded, sustainability is being built into it.

CFA is the Founder, www.CFAtech.ng & Co-producer/Presenter,Tech Trends on Channels Television

 

 

 

 


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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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