This was the focus of the inaugural webinar hosted by DIniti8tive in partnership with the Quality Education Development Associates (QEDA), themed “Connectivity and the Cost/Integrity of National Examinations in Nigeria.”

Moderated by Esther Adegunle, associate director for Business and Economic Growth at DAI, the session examined four critical issues: the role of connectivity in exam fairness, the economic and social costs of exam-day glitches, policy and technology innovations, and the launch of DIniti8tive’s policy advocacy platform for education reform.

Delivering the opening remarks, Dr. Dara Akala, international development expert and former executive director of the PIND Foundation, emphasized that while Nigeria has made strides in digitalization, challenges remain in education.

“Connectivity gaps, rising telecom costs, and weak ICT infrastructure risk excluding millions of students, especially in rural and underserved communities. This transition must be fair and inclusive,” he said.

The keynote address was delivered by Chief Osita Chidoka, former minister of Aviation and Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, who championed Nigeria’s digital readiness.

He cited JAMB’s CBT success as proof that large-scale digital reforms are possible.

“Over the last decade, Nigeria has undergone a silent digital revolution, from banking to voter registration. The key question is: can we deliver fair, accessible, glitch-free digital examinations for every Nigerian child? The answer depends on political will and sustained innovation,” Chidoka asserted.

Chidoka also shared his experience digitizing processes at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), including accident reporting, e-ticketing, and staff promotion exams, stressing that digital systems thrive when backed by leadership and infrastructure.

Also speaking, Dr. Fidelis Ekom, co-founder and Managing Partner of DIniti8tive, reiterated the group’s commitment to advocacy and collaboration.

“Today we interrogated a subject that touches the core of educational equity in Nigeria, connectivity and the cost and integrity of national examinations. Together, we’ve examined the realities: the infrastructure gaps, the economic and social toll of exam-day glitches, and the risk of leaving millions of children behind as we transition to full CBT systems.

“Nigeria does not need to disrupt existing systems like JAMB and WAEC. We must expand their capacity, reinforce their integrity, and ensure inclusivity. Every child deserves a fair chance to prove their potential, no matter where they live.

“But more importantly, we have spotlighted solutions: Strengthening connectivity and infrastructure to reach underserved communities; leveraging technology and EdTech innovations that are low-cost, inclusive, and scalable; ensuring shared accountability frameworks where exam bodies, parents, students, and schools co-create solutions, and fostering bold partnerships across government, private sector, and civil society that can truly move us from plans to performance,” Ekom said.

Stakeholders, including representatives from WAEC, NANS, NAPTAN, NAPPS, parents, legal experts, and EdTech innovators, contributed to the discussions, underscoring the need for public-private partnerships to strengthen exam systems.

As next steps, DIniti8tive announced plans to produce a post-event policy brief, share digital advocacy tools, and launch pilot projects that improve exam connectivity, fairness, and reliability ahead of the 2026 CBT deadline.

According to Usman Umar Barambu, NANS President, the award is in recognition of Uncle Tim’s leadership acumen, passionate professional capabilities, fervent and productive contribution to the societal development of the nation, and support for humanity.

Through ‘Uncle Tim’, many youths from universities, Polytechnic, and Colleges of Education have enjoyed numerous scholarships, internship, job placement, mentorship, and skills acquisition in the last 20 years across Nigeria and Africa.

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The deputy senate president, NANS, Ekundina Elvis, while presenting the award said the leadership of the association is happy with all the support  Uncle Tim has been rendering to Nigerian students and youths.

He said, “We appreciate a man who has thought it expedient to build a nation, a man who has always been at the forefront of building leaders of today and leaders of tomorrow. We believe history will never forget a man who turned a village into a city, and history will still never forget a man who turned a city into a village.

“Like Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more,” Elvis said, adding that ” what we want to ask from you is that you should not relent in doing the good works you have been doing, and we believe this is the starting point.”

In his comment at the occasion, the NANS public relations officer, Giwa Temitope, also showered praises on Tim Akano saying ‘Uncle Tim is the tested and trusted leader and mentor of all the Nigerian students and Youths.

He recounted many scholarships and assistance Uncle Tim has been rendering to the Youths all over Nigeria and Africa through New Horizons and One Africa Initiatives Academy. Giwa concluded that this recognition giving to Uncle Tim was to encourage him to do more for the Youths most especially in these trying times”

Mr. Tim Akano, the CEO of New Horizons Nigeria,  responded to the award by saying, “I want to show my deep and sincere appreciation to the association because this is the first of its kind in Nigeria as NANS  Man of the Year, even though I have received so many awards.” I want you to know how much I truly and deeply value this particular one from NANS.

It could be recalled that in the last two years, close to 150 Youths organisations have bestowed an honour on uncle Tim for his unparalleled commitment to the success and progress of the Youths across Africa.

“The day I understood that the reason God created me and  saw me through life’s many challenges and spared my life was to reproduce myself in millions of youths across the continent was my happiest day in life”. To me it is beyond a mission, it is a commission, It is for this purpose and assignment I was born and it is for this commission I am living for”.

Today, “African Youths see me as their next of kin in virtually all situation.”  Thousands of Nigerian and African students are currently under mentoring through the NGO founded by uncle Tim called One Africa Initiatives Academy (OAIA).

“I believe that supporting youth through education is the best investment I can make in their lives because when they are educated and acquire necessary  life’s skills, a lot of things can change for the better.”

Akano took advantage of the opportunity to encourage the elderly to support today’s youth in any way they can. “We must recognise that we cannot always be able to do everything by ourselves forever, and our relevance tomorrow is dependent on how many young ones we can bring up to stand stronger than us,”

“All the lessons I have learned, the mistakes I have made, I am sharing everything with the youths because our time on earth is limited and I do not want them to repeat those mistakes I made.

I am committed in ensuring that what took me 40 years to accomplish our youths should be able to get it done within 25 years. They should move at a faster speed than myself and that is why you see me surrounding myself with the youths ”

“Today I spend close to 70% of my disposable time on mentoring the Youths across Africa. This week alone, I sponsored a Youth Event program in Uganda that brought together the Youths of that country and I have never been to Uganda. But I believe in “One Africa” and I am the Chief Promoter of that ideal that the youths in Africa must unite and come together for total transformation of mother continent.

And the results are all over the places, some of the Youths I have mentored are now the ones making waves in Silicon valley, USA, UK, Canada and Nigeria. “The entire 360 degrees leadership of Students Associations in Universities, Polytechnic, Colleges of Education, etc., consists of the Youths under mentorship. And the feeling and the joy that come with it has no parallel”. The way the Youths reciprocate in getting virtually everything fixed for me personally worldwide without leaving the comfort of my home or office is incredibly ecstatic.

“Today, there is hardly any country in the world where I don’t have at least one Youth I have helped  doing great and who in turn, is ready to pick my call at the first ring and run around for me. That, to me, is the true meaning of success, happiness and immortality.”