This call was made by Dr. Jimson Olufuye, principal consultant at Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd and Chairman of the 2025 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum on Internet Governance for Development.

The call was made during the forum held at the Welcome Centre Hotels, MM International Airport Road, Lagos, on Thursday, June 19.

The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series, hosted by the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers (ICANN) certified At-Large Structure (ALS), DigitalSENSE Africa, under the Africa Regional At-Large Organization (AFRALO), is powered by ITREALMS Media.

The WSIS review aims to assess progress made since the summit’s initial outcomes in 2003 and 2005, focusing on key areas such as digital divides, internet governance, and sustainable development.

Olufuye also encouraged Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders to participate in the review process, sharing their experiences and insights to shape the country’s digital future.

By engaging in the WSIS review process, Olufuye who is member of the United Nations’ Multistakeholder Advisory Group, said, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could contribute to shaping the country’s digital landscape and ensuring that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

The stakeholders have also been urged to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership to drive technological development and economic growth.

The WSIS review process, he underscored, is expected to culminate in future high-level events, where world leaders and ICT stakeholders will gather to review progress and outline future directions.

This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss key issues, such as digital divide, Internet Governance, cyber security among others.

In addition to fostering the Sustainable Development by leveraging digital technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He recalls that some countries have already conducted WSIS reviews, providing valuable lessons and insights for Nigeria.

In 2015, he recalled that there was  a WSIS+10 Review by the UN General Assembly to conduct a ten-year review of the WSIS outcomes, which reaffirmed the WSIS principles and called for a further review by the Assembly in 2025, hence countries like Nigeria should take the review seriously.

Olufuye further pointed out that by participating in the WSIS review process, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could help shape the country’s digital future and ensure that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

Welcoming participants earlier, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group of ITREALMS Media group, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke noted that the 16th annual forum began since 2009, which has continued to rally Internet stakeholders to address challenges in Internet Governance, security, and socio-economic impact, focusing on students, youth, women, and community-based organizations.

Focus, this year, he said, was on the Global Digital Compact (GDC), a globally significant UN initiative that demands global effort and urged Nigeria to take lead in this transformation, at least from the African continent.

“The GDC calls us to commit to bridging digital divides, inclusive digital economy, open, safe, and secure digital space; international data governance and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to name a few,” he said.

Nweke also appreciated participation of esteemed speakers, including Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Mr. Gbenga Sesan and Mrs. Tinuade Oguntuyi, among others.

NDSF 2025, he said, was hosted in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) via the African At-Large Regional Organisation (AFRALO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Internet Society Nigeria chapter, NLNG, NNPCL, Digital Realty, and Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), among others.

The Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, made this disclosure, saying that this year’s edition of Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) series on the theme ‘Global Digital Compact: Opportunities for Multi-stakeholders in Nigeria’ at the prestigious Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

Nweke said that Olufuye, the former Vice-Chair of the World Innovation Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), between 2010 and 2012, and the Chair, Finance and Operations of ICANN Business Constituency, between 2014 and 2020.

As the first chair of the concerned private sector-led and over 40-nation strong Africa ICT Alliance (AfICTA), Olufuye currently serves as the Chair of the Advisory Council, and was among the 5 business representatives in the United Nations Commission for Science and Technology for Development Working Groups on Improvements to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), and on Enhanced Cooperation on public policy matters pertaining to the Internet between 2012 and 2018.

Currently, serving as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), Olufuye was before now a member of MAG between 2010 and 2012.

Olufuye was equally a member of the Netmundial+10 Steering Committee 2024 and leader of AfICTA delegation to the UN Summit of the Future 2024. He is the architect of the new Tripod Cybersecurity Maturity Model, TCMM.africa.

NDSF series on IG4D, powered by ITREALMS Media group is hosted by DigitalSENSE Africa, an At-Large Structure (ALS) certified by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including Internet Society (ISOC), Nigeria chapter, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) among others.

In 2024, Nweke recalled that the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum was chaired by the award-winning Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, Mr. Edetaen Ojo.

The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) series on Internet Governance for Development made a debut in 2009 and has remained a rallying point for stakeholders to take discourse on Internet access, openness, affordability, connectivity and ICT infrastructure among others.