Telecom
TestNigeria 1.0: Pantami says Quality Software Will Give Nigeria’s Digital Economy Competitive Edge
Effective software quality assurance in the Nigerian Digital Economy will greatly impact the digital economy’s accelerated growth, says Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
He remarked in the lead address at the first-ever Software Testing Conference in Nigeria with the theme “Impact of Software Quality Assurance in the Nigerian Digital Economy”, organized by Nigeria Software Testing Qualification Board (NGSTQB) on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Lagos State.
Pantami acknowledged that the importance of software in global development cannot be overemphasized hence software powers the hardware, and most of the innovations in all sectors and spheres of life.
“If you look at the world’s advancement in the internet economy, transportation, financial services, power, cyber security and many life endeavours; software is the secret to that success. I can categorically say that the world would not have achieved much if there was no invention of software.
“The article by Jeff Lawson in the Harvard Business Review argued that in the digital economy, your software is your competitive advantage.
“He said ‘many companies respond to digital competition by embracing methodologies like agile, building ‘innovation centres,’ acquiring startups, or outsourcing app development to consulting firms. But the true disruptors know that in the digital economy, whoever builds the best software wins. Companies that want to compete need to empower their developers and adopt a ‘software mindset’”.
“This same argument applies to any country that wants to succeed in the digital economy era. We have seen the implication of this during the Covid-19 pandemic. The technology (especially ICT) industry which is powered by software benefited the most. The industry’s growth skyrocketed”.
The Minister who spoke through Dr Engr. (Mrs) Falilat Jimoh, Digital Architect Manager, NITDA, said, however, one of the greatest challenges the software industry is facing today is issues of quality.
He referred to a report by Synopsys Inc in the US which finds that many organisations allow software quality to lag behind other objectives, but that lack of attention comes at a steep price.
“In 2020, the cost of poor software quality in the US was approximately $2.08 trillion. That is why software quality assurance and testing is a big industry today. According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), ‘Software Quality Assurance Market information by Solution, by Deployment, by Organization Size and Region has been forecast to reach USD 14.01 billion market size by 2027’”.
“There is, therefore, a need to take full advantage of the opportunities the software industry is going to play in the digital economy growth while ensuring the challenges that could hinder software quality do not thwart the progress we have collectively in the digital economy sector”.
Pantami, therefore, said that the theme of the first edition of the Software Testing Conference: ‘Impact of Software Quality Assurance in the Nigerian Digital Economy’ is apt as effective software quality assurance in the Nigerian Digital Economy will greatly impact the digital economy’s accelerated growth.
“Web portals and apps are now part of our daily routine. This conference provides the platform to discuss and share our ideas on the use and need for Software Quality Assurance and its effect on the Nigerian Digital Economy.
“In the last two decades, there has been an upsurge in the use of Digital technologies all over the world. Nigerians are not left out in the uses of digital technologies in services provision, trade, socializing and communication with one another.
“Consequently, Nigeria has seen tremendous growth in digital services, ranging from eCommerce to Fintech Services. Therefore, the potential of the digital economy to create economic growth, employment and innovation cannot be underestimated.
“Bearing in mind the importance of a digital economy, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, approved our request to redesignate the Federal Ministry of Communications as the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on the 17th of October, 2019.
“The change was officially endorsed at the Federal Executive Council on the 23rd of October, 2019 and the process of implementing a digital economy for the country began on the 24th of October, 2019, which was approved as the Digital Nigeria Day.
“The redesignated Ministry also had an added mandate of developing the digital economy in line with the focus of the Federal Government and the first step was the development of a Policy and Strategy to drive the development of the Digital Economy.
“Specifically, the ICT sector provided 3 unprecedented contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country in the last 3 years, namely 14.07% in Q1 2020, 17.92% in Q2 2021and 18.44% in Q2 2022. At each time, that has been the highest-ever contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP. This is unprecedented in our history.
“We have shown that the digital economy can greatly support the traditional economy.
“The contribution of the digital economy to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria and its role in making the economy resilient to adverse events like the COVID-19 pandemic are 2 good examples of the impact of the digital economy on the traditional economy.
“Software quality assurance has a great role to play in accelerating the achievement of the objectives of Nigeria’s Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) pillars. The pillars are Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy and Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Digital Services Development and Promotion; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Society and Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Promotion and Adoption.
“With the transition to digital platforms, we must ensure our digital products are tested and certified by members of NGSTQB and if there is a need, a member of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB).
“We would strengthen our partnership with the NGSTQB to provide training on software quality assurance to many interested individuals.
“With higher user expectations and the need to deliver higher–quality software, Software Quality Assurance testing and certifications are a must.
“Everyone in the software business knows the landscape is constantly changing, and testing helps to manage the risks associated with the development and adoption of software.
“Considering the potential growth of software, the economic and risk-reducing benefits of software quality assurance; there is a need to develop the necessary capacity in software testing and quality assurance to tap this aspect of the software industry.
“The mission of NGSTQB is ‘to generate public awareness of the economic and risk management benefits that professional software testing practices offer’ is in line with these needs.
“By ensuring the software we use in business or governance for public service delivery, and social and economic activities are certified, it has the potential to greatly enhance cost-effectiveness, reduce security breaches, promote product quality, and ensure better user experience and customer satisfaction”.
He said that the Ministry is always willing to partner with relevant stakeholders to advance the course of software quality assurance and testing to promote a sustainable digital economy in Nigeria.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that Software Quality Assurance will boost the quality of digital products and services in Nigeria and, in turn, positively impact the Digital Economy.
TestNigeria Conference 1.0 sponsored by Inlaks, Global Accelerex, Quality Certain, Altaviz Support, The Nigeria Office for Developing the Indigenous Telecoms Sector (NODITS) and others, featured networking cocktail, keynote presentations, panel sessions and fireside chat including special sessions on Software Test Improvement in Organisations; Growing Software Testing Ecosystem in Nigeria’s Educational Sector, and the Need for Certified Test Professionals in Organisations.
Speakers at the two-day conference include Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (Nigeria), Mr Hakeem Fahm, Hon Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr Olivier Denoo, President of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), Mr Bob Van de Burgt, the Test Maturity Model integration Foundation (TMMi) Local Chapter Manager, Mrs Rakiya Mohammed, Director of IT, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Babatunde Oghenobruche Obrimah, Chief Operating Officer, FINTECH Association of Nigeria, and Dr Chika O. Yinka-Banjo, Department of Computer Sciences, University of Lagos.
Others are Mr Koye Sodipo, Senior Product Owner, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr Abimbola ‘BB’ Babalola, Head, Testing Centre of Excellence (TCoE) Digital Organization, Sterling Bank PLC, Mr Yusuf Abba-Kyari Kura, Software Quality Assurance Manager, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Akinyemi Adejuwon, Quality Assurance Engineer, Global Accelerex, Mr Femi Niyi, Chiarman Board of Trustees, Coderina and Mr Collins Onweagba, Atlavitz Support Limited.
In his message to the delegates, Mr Boye Dare, President of NGSTQB, said that while businesses all over the world are transforming themselves to adapt to this new normal, the software industry globally is reaping the benefits of the Covid-19 due to increased demand for technology.
In his words, “In Nigeria, companies are starting to look inwards for their software needs which have now led to an increase in the demand and acceptance of indigenous software. We can boldly say that Covid-19 has opened a floodgate of opportunities for the Nigerian software industry and presented a gateway to emancipate the industry from the clutches of imperialism.
“If Nigerians, including the government, begin to buy from Nigerian software providers, Nigeria would have an industry that would internally generate over $2 billion annually and that alone would spiral into other African countries, then to other countries all over the world.
He added that TestNigeria Conference is the first software testing conference in Nigeria that was purely dedicated to all things software testing and quality assurance.
“The central objective of TestNigeria Conference is to create a forum for professionals to discuss how the Nigerian IT ecosystem can start developing quality software that meets international standards and help achieve Nigeria’s Digital Economy Strategy”, Dare said.
Recommendations:
– Delegates called on the government to back NGSTQB as a platform to chat about the course of software quality assurance in Nigeria to promote the digital economy.
– Delegates sought for more synergy among industry players to push for ‘Nigeria software’ adoption
– The conference stressed the need for skills development to bridge the gap created by brain drain in the sector
– Industry players pledge willingness to support NGSTQB in implementing the recommendations from the conference.
Federal Executive Council has approved the rollout of a nationwide alphanumeric digital postcode system, a move believe will modernise the country’s addressing framework and support growth in logistics, e-commerce and emergency services.
The approval, granted under president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, paves the way for the introduction of a Geographic Information System (GIS)-enabled postcode platform designed to provide more accurate and standardised location data across Africa’s most populous nation.
Bosun Tijani, the federal minister of Communications and Digital Economy of Nigeria, who disclosed this via X, said the reform, developed in collaboration with Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), would replace inconsistent and often manually described addresses with a structured alphanumeric format tied to geospatial coordinates.
Nigeria’s current addressing system has long posed challenges for postal deliveries, emergency response teams and e-commerce operators, particularly in densely populated urban areas and rapidly expanding peri-urban communities where street naming and house numbering remain irregular.
The new system is expected to improve the precision of mail and parcel sorting, reduce failed deliveries and shorten turnaround times for logistics firms serving a fast-growing online retail market.
Tijani affirmed that the digital postcode framework would extend beyond postal operations, describing it as a foundational layer for national planning and public service delivery. By embedding geographic intelligence into address identification, authorities expect better data integration across agencies responsible for health, security, taxation and urban development.
The reform aligns with Nigeria’s broader digital economy strategy, which aims to build core infrastructure to support fintech, e-commerce and government digitisation efforts.
Industry executives have repeatedly cited weak address verification systems as a bottleneck for expanding nationwide logistics coverage, particularly outside major commercial hubs such as Lagos and Abuja.
Under the new framework, each location will be assigned a unique alphanumeric code linked to geospatial data, allowing for machine-readable sorting and integration into mapping systems. Authorities say this will enable faster emergency response deployment and more efficient route planning for both public and private sector operators.
The government did not provide a timeline for full nationwide deployment but indicated that implementation would proceed in partnership with NIPOST and other relevant agencies.
Officials described the approval as part of efforts to create an enabling environment for a modern and inclusive digital economy, positioning accurate addressing as critical infrastructure in the same category as broadband connectivity and data centres.
For businesses and consumers alike, the shift could mark a structural change in how goods, services and public resources are delivered across the country.
A co-ordinated effort between the GSM Association (GSMA), six African operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will pilot $40 (R654) entry-level 4G smartphones in six African nations this year.
This, as 710 million of Africa’s population live close to a 4G broadband signal, but have never gone online, with a further 68% not owning a device.
On the continent, entry-level smartphones cost 26% of the average person’s income. For the poorest 40%, the cost jumps to 64% of their income, and for the next 20%, the cost reaches 87%, data from the GSMA has shown.
To address the cost-prohibitive hurdles, the industry body has been a strong advocate of bringing down the cost of devices. It believes that affordable 4G smartphones at scale could bring tens of millions of people online, unlocking access to education, healthcare, financial services, e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools.
Angela Wamola, head of GSMA Africa, said that the pilots will launch in six countries: DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.
She added that the pilots build on the minimum specifications for low-cost 4G devices unveiled at MWC Kigali in 2025 and represent a step forward in turning industry alignment into tangible, on-the-ground impact.
The specifications focus on screen size, battery life and storage for a meaningful device that creates utility, particularly in the age of AI, Wamola added.
“Affordability and access of the device is critical for us to resolve. At the same time, getting a device is also about a willingness to purchase, which is about utility. Creating utility relevant to people’s lives, be it in manufacturing, agriculture, information, health and education, etc. It’s about bringing that content and government services online.
“The cherry on top is about local languages. People want to consume relevant content, but it must be in their local language.”
“As the devices land in the hands of the people, the languages will be readily available. Our small, medium-sized entrepreneurs, developers, innovators can begin to create content and products for our population. This is the magic that needs to happen to close the usage gap in the shortest time possible.”
The announcement, made in Barcelona, moves a step further from MWC Kigali by solidifying the vendors and operators that responded to the minimum specifications for the $40 device call, according to Wamola.
The marketplace now consists of private sector operators, as well as original equipment manufacturers that are engaging the six countries where the pilots will take place, she stated.
“At the same time, the GSMA is working with the governments of those nations to understand what fiscal policy incentives can be placed for these $40 entry-level devices, so that they land at the hands of the customer at the same price point.”
Wamola also indicated the coalition is taking a page out of the South African government’s book. It removed the 9% ad valorem tax, commonly referred to as luxury tax, on smartphones within the below-R2 500 price range.
Ad valorem duties are taxes levied on commodities as a certain percentage of their value. For smartphones, the duties are charged at a flat rate of 9%, classifying them as luxury goods.
In May, National Treasury confirmed the luxury tax on entry-level smartphones had been removed.
The GSMA saw how the market responded to adopting those devices when the government of South Africa removed the 9% luxury tax, she stated. “For us, it’s about replicating those lessons across Africa, so that governments can also adopt those.”
Vivek Badrinath, director-general of the GSMA, added: “Affordable smartphones are the gateway to digital and financial inclusion, economic opportunity and innovation; 3.1 billion people have mobile coverage but are not connected to the mobile internet.
“Together with the G6 group of leading African operators, we are sending a clear demand signal to bring low-cost 4G devices to market. In a global context of rising memory costs, governments have an important role in bridging the usage gap. Removing taxes and import duties on entry-level 4G smartphones will be critical to achieving scale.”
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has reported a 96 per cent drop in direct exposure to illicit activities between January 2023 and June 2025, underscoring its commitment to regulatory excellence and user safety amid Nigeria’s growing digital finance sector.
Binance
The exchange highlighted investments in a robust compliance framework, including over 580 global compliance professionals and 970 staff in related roles, advanced transaction monitoring, stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and anti-money laundering (AML) systems.
These measures align with evolving regulations across key markets, including Nigeria, where crypto adoption surges despite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines.
Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer, Noah Perlman, said: “At Binance we’ve built a system that doesn’t just react to threats, it anticipates them. A 96% reduction in illicit exposure is a testament to our infrastructure and the 1,500+ professionals working behind the scenes to protect our 300M users.”
Key achievements include a 96.8 per cent plunge in sanctions-related exposure—from 0.284 per cent in January 2024 to 0.009 per cent in July 2025.
In 2025 alone, Binance responded to over 71,000 law enforcement requests, helping seize more than $130 million (over ₦200 billion) in illicit funds.
Collaborations with agencies like Europol, DEA, UK’s NCA, and national cybercrime units have dismantled ransomware groups, darknet markets, and trafficking networks.
Binance co-CEO Richard Teng added: “Our mission has always been to increase the freedom of money, but that freedom is only sustainable if it is built on a foundation of trust. By integrating compliance into our product DNA, we are proving that the world’s largest exchange can also be the most secure.”
The platform engages regulators and policymakers to shape balanced rules supporting innovation while prioritising transparency and financial integrity. Since 2017, Binance has served over 300 million users, publishing regular compliance updates to build trust.
Industry watchers note Binance’s efforts resonate in Nigeria, where crypto trading volumes exceed $50 billion annually, but challenges like fraud and regulatory scrutiny persist. The exchange’s progress could bolster confidence as the CBN refines fintech policies.
Binance reaffirmed its dedication to a safer crypto ecosystem through ongoing investments and partnerships.
NAICOM Signs MoU with BPP to Deepen Insurance Compliance in Public Procurement
FG Approves GIS-enabled Digital Postcode to Tackle Logistics Gaps, Boost E-commerce
Firm Enhances its Security Awareness Platform with SCORM and PDF Support
GSMA, African Operators, Others to Launch Low-cost 4G Devices
Binance Cuts Illicit Activity Exposure by 96%, Leads Global Crypto Compliance Push
Kaspersky Brings more Transparency to Threat Detection with New Hunt Hub
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation Bolsters Nigeria’s Education Drive with ₦2.7m Student Support
NDPC Commits to Balancing Data Privacy, Protection Information
OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit
PwC Reveals AI Scaling Gap Slows Africa’s Digital Transformation
Telecom2 days agoSunil Bharti Mittal Conferred GSMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Transforming Global Telecommunications
Telecom2 days agoWhy Digital Trust Matters: Secure, Responsible AI for African SMEs?
General News2 days agoKrishnan Exits Africa Data Centre to Embark on Professional Chapter
E-Business2 days agoJumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology
General News3 days agoLeo Stan Ekeh at 70; thanks Tinubu, Obasanjo, Nigerians, Global Tech Community
Broadcasting2 days agoNCAA Orders Overland Airways to Refund VAT Charged on 2025 Tickets
E-Financial1 day agoNRS Targets N40trillion in Tax, Royalty Revenue in 2026
Telecom2 days agoHouse Probes Fintech Regulation via Public Hearing on New Commission Bill