Speaking at the NITDA-States IT Stakeholders’ Engagement and Ecosystem Development programme, aptly themed “Creating Opportunities, Breaking Boundaries: Towards Digitalization and Entrepreneurial Evolution”, he urged government players, industry leaders, and innovators to work more closely together.

According to him, aligning efforts across the ecosystem is key to unlocking vast opportunities within Nigeria’s digital economy and fast-tracking national development.

For Inuwa, the path forward is collective, one where shared vision and coordinated action turn potential into progress.

The NITDA boss, represented by Mr Ajayi Babajide, director Zonal Office Coordination, said Nigeria’s economy Africa’s largest by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is at a critical juncture that requires urgent diversification, noting that the digital economy presents a strategic pathway to sustainable growth, job creation, and inclusive development.

He explained that in today’s interconnected world, digitalisation has become a key driver of economic transformation, offering unprecedented access to knowledge and creating opportunities for developing nations to compete globally.

According to him, the technology sector remains one of the fastest growing and most impactful segments of the global economy, stressing the need for Nigeria to position itself to fully harness its potential.

Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA’s mandate to drive and coordinate digital innovation across the country, adding that the agency is focused on creating an enabling environment that empowers all sectors, including underserved communities, to contribute meaningfully to the economy.

He highlighted the implementation of the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), designed to deliver life-transforming opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

He also pointed to the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF), which aims to equip citizens across various sectors with the digital skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.

The DG disclosed that NITDA has established over 100 IT centres nationwide and provided infrastructure to support digital learning and skills acquisition. However, he emphasised that sustaining and expanding these initiatives would require deeper collaboration with stakeholders.

He called for stronger partnerships among government at all levels, the private sector, academia, and civil society, noting that innovation thrives in an ecosystem supported by effective policies, access to funding, and enabling regulations.

Inuwa also stressed the importance of investing in innovation hubs and incubators to nurture startups from ideation to market readiness, enabling them to compete favourably on the global stage.

On entrepreneurship, he noted that NITDA has continued to support innovation through its special purpose vehicles, including the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), which provide incubation, acceleration, and training programmes for startups and young innovators.

He observed that Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem has attracted significant investments and produced globally recognised startups, including unicorns, but said more efforts are needed to sustain the momentum.

Inuwa further noted that digitalisation holds immense potential for economic diversification, job creation, and inclusive growth, but warned that these opportunities must be deliberately harnessed through robust policies, legal frameworks, and strong institutional support.

He said the engagement provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, co-create solutions, and align strategies for the effective rollout of digital initiatives across states in line with SRAP 2.0.

The NITDA boss reiterated the agency’s commitment to fostering partnerships and providing the necessary support to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation, expressing confidence that collective efforts would deliver lasting impact.

He urged participants to remain committed to building a future where innovation thrives, opportunities are accessible, and Nigeria’s digital economy reaches its full potential.

In his earlier keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology Kogi State, Pharm. Eric Monday, explained that the state’s digital strategy is focused on applying technology to critical sectors, particularly healthcare, where efforts are underway to improve data management and expand service coverage. He added that similar interventions are being extended to works and environmental management.

He noted that outcomes from previous stakeholder engagements had helped shape actionable plans, stressing the importance of collaboration in achieving sustainable progress.

“Our goal is to learn from others while also sharing our experiences. The knowledge gained from engagements like this will help us strengthen our systems, create opportunities for our youth, and support skills development,” he said.

Highlighting ongoing projects, he disclosed that a skills acquisition centre, supported by development partners, is nearing completion and will soon be equipped to train young people in relevant digital skills.

Monday further revealed that the state is expanding its partnerships beyond Nigeria, including collaborations with Chinese organisations, to build a robust innovation ecosystem and open up new economic opportunities.

Describing Kogi as a “land of opportunity,” the official said the government is committed to leveraging its strategic position as the Confluence State to attract investment and promote growth.

Other dignitaries who delivered remarks at the event included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Nasarawa State, Mr. Damina John, as well as the Executive Director, Commercial and Industry Development at the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Mrs. Aisha Rufai.

Nigeria’s livestock sector, which sustains millions and contributes more than 5% to the country’s GDP, is in urgent need of practical, tech-enabled solutions.

From disease outbreaks and limited market access to farmer-herder conflicts and outdated systems, the problems are deep-rooted. But so are the opportunities.

An initiative organised by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), a specialised unit under the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Hack4Livestock is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; AI Collective Nigeria; Luminate and Ford Foundation.

Hack4Livestock is a serious, results-driven hackathon designed to bring together developers, engineers, agricultural professionals, policy experts, and problem-solvers to take on the livestock sector’s most stubborn challenges head-on. 

If you think your solution can improve animal health tracking, stop conflicts before they erupt, or digitise livestock trading for transparency, this event wants you in the room.

Benefits

Participants will gain access to real mentorship, incubation programmes, and a chance at serious funding. A prize pool of N10 million, broken down as follows:

• First place: N5,000,000
• Second place: N3,000,000
• Third place: N2,000,000

Winning teams also receive post-hackathon support to scale their ideas beyond Abuja.

But perhaps the biggest win? You’ll be creating something that can change how millions live, farm, trade, and thrive.

Who Should Apply?

If you think this is only for coders, think again. Hack4Livestock is designed for multidisciplinary collaboration. The call is open to:

• Developers & Engineers: Skilled in AI, IoT, GIS, blockchain, or app development.
• Agricultural Experts & Veterinarians: You understand the real pain points in the field.
• Farmers & Herders: Your experience and insight are invaluable.
• Entrepreneurs & Startups: Especially those already working on AgriTech, sustainability, or inclusion.
• Data Scientists & Analysts: Who can uncover insights and patterns that lead to practical solutions.
• Policy Influencers: Those involved in agriculture, rural development, or peace-building.

No matter your background, if your solution is solid and your intention is real, you’re welcome.

How to Apply

Applications are open now. Head to the website and fill out the form. It won’t take long, but take it seriously, this is a national programme, and only the most committed teams will make it through.

• Deadline: Sunday, 12th May 2025
• Notification of Selection: Thursday, 15th May 2025
• Hackathon Dates: 21st–24th May 2025
• Location: Abuja

If selected, you’ll join other top minds in the capital city for four days of intense problem-solving and collaboration.

• Nigerian Tech on the Rise: This initiative highlights the growing prominence of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem and its potential to become a global AI hub.
• Supporting Homegrown Innovation: The fund underscores the importance of supporting local talent and fostering innovation within Nigeria.
• AI for Social Good: The fund seeks to support startups developing AI solutions to address critical challenges in healthcare, education, finance, and other key sectors.
• Economic Growth and Job Creation: By investing in AI startups, the fund aims to contribute to economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), with support from Google, Tuesday launched an AI Fund, a ₦100 million initiative aimed at supporting Nigerian startups that are leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop innovative solutions.

This initiative follows a series of strategic programs by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, aimed at harnessing the potential of AI to drive development, innovation, and well-being in Nigeria.

Earlier this year, the Ministry held the Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop in April, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the future of AI in Nigeria.

This was followed by the release of the National AI Intelligence Strategy in August, which outlined the country’s roadmap for integrating AI into various sectors to enhance growth and societal well-being.

The AI Fund is a significant step in actualizing these plans, providing Nigerian startups with the necessary resources to innovate and scale their AI solutions.

The AI Fund is open to Nigerian-based startups that are focused on AI-driven technology solutions with the potential for significant impact.

Selected startups will receive up to ₦10 million in funding, along with access to Google’s extensive resources, including AI tools, mentorship, and a global network designed to help them scale their innovations.

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, emphasized the importance of this initiative:

“The AI Fund is a critical step in nurturing homegrown innovation that addresses local challenges and contributes to economic growth. By supporting our startups, we are not only investing in their success but also in the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.”

Dr. Bunmi Ajala, national coordinator of NCAIR, highlighted the collaborative effort:

“Our partnership with Google is a reflection of our shared vision for Nigeria’s technological advancement. The AI Fund is designed to empower our entrepreneurs with the resources they need to create impactful AI solutions. We are excited to see the transformative innovations that will emerge from this program.”

Olumide Balogun, West Africa Director, Google, reiterated Google’s commitment:

“Google’s support for the AI Fund is part of our broader mission to enhance digital capabilities across Africa. We are committed to providing Nigerian startups with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to innovate and succeed on a global stage.”

Google’s involvement in the AI Fund aligns with its broader AI commitments across Africa. Recently, Google announced a new cohort for its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program, focusing on building Africa-centric products and services using AI in transformative ways. The cohort includes five Nigerian startups, further demonstrating Google’s dedication to nurturing AI innovation on the continent.

Who Can Apply: The AI Fund is open to startups that:

• Are headquartered in Nigeria.
• Have at least one Nigerian founder.
• Focus on building AI-driven solutions with the potential to scale beyond the local market.
• Have a live product in the market, demonstrating early traction and product-market fit.

Benefits of the AI Fund: Selected startups will receive:

• Funding: Up to ₦10 million to accelerate their growth.
• Technical Expertise: Access to Google’s AI tools and mentorship from Google engineers.
• Global Network: Opportunities for international exposure and connections to Google’s vast network.

Application Details:

• Applications Open: September 10, 2024
• Applications Close: September 25, 2024
• Application Link here.

The selection process will be rigorous, with a focus on identifying startups that not only have innovative AI solutions but also the potential for significant impact and scalability. Successful applicants will be announced in October 2024, with the program officially kicking off shortly thereafter.

The 100M Naira AI Fund provides an opportunity for the Nigerian startup ecosystem. For ambitious startups in the AI space, this fund represents a unique opportunity to gain access to world-class resources, mentorship, and networks that can accelerate their growth and amplify their impact.

By backing the brightest AI-driven ideas, NCAIR and Google are helping to cultivate a new wave of innovation that will not only solve critical challenges but also propel these startups to new heights within the global tech arena.

Inuwa reiterated this in his keynote address on “Artificial Intelligence: Effective Communication for National Security” at the 2023 Security and Spokespersons Awards and Conference which held in Abuja.

Alluding to the fact that Artificial Intelligence(AI) is already changing daily lives, almost entirely in ways that improve human health, safety, and productivity, Inuwa averred that AI is beyond a tool, as it is a new way of building a relationship between humans and machines.

“In building that relationship, we need to look beyond just having a tool we use for our daily activities and start thinking in the direction of developing a system which can help meet certain human needs”, Inuwa said.

While highlighting some of the benefits of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, the Director-General said that the algorithm which is the AI that powers social media is a machine that needs to be trained and controlled, to avoid it spiralling out of control.

“Due to the happenings on social media, industry practitioners are pushing for ‘explainability in the AI’, also referred to as ‘black box’ within the AI algorithm.”

“Imagine having a system that makes decisions for us and does not understand the way it came about making that decision, now, that is indeed a red flag, having AI go out of control, so, we need to get AI to be always for humanity, because it is the most existential threat to humanity today”, the DG stressed.

Inuwa said, “countries around the world are making efforts toward deciphering the functionalities of artificial intelligence and coming up with policies and putting standards in place to ensure they are AI ready countries, and so Nigeria cannot take the back seat”.

“In Nigeria, we are looking at it from three perspectives: having AI ready principles, data and AI ready security”.

“This invariably means that as a matter of principle, we should have redlined that AI must not cross, to achieve this, last year we started our journey by crowdsourcing on how to build National AI Policy and we have the first draft ready”, Inuwa maintained.

According to Inuwa, “when the present administration came onboard, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mandated the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to accelerate the diversification of the Nigerian economy by enhancing productivity in critical sectors through technological innovation, and we strongly believe that to achieve this, AI is our best tool to use in that regard”.

“To take this further, we launched a call for research, where we are offering a grant to forty-five Nigerians to do research on Artificial Intelligence, so that we get a feedback on how to use AI in Health, Education, Agriculture, Finance, Security and many more.”

“We are giving up to N5Million to each researcher because we want to co-create and design the policy collaboratively, not the government using armchair theories to come up with the policies, we need everybody to be onboard”, the Director-General noted.

The NITDA Boss who also emphasised the need to speed up efforts to connect the unconnected in order for them to be digitally feasible ahead of the AI adoption and deployment in the country, added that if they are infeasible, the AI will not consider them while making decisions.

Inuwa who went on to explain other perspectives, including data and security, sued for global standards for the regulation of AI.

“We are seeing how AI is becoming biased, gender biased and even exhibiting racist behaviour, partly because of the data used to develop it. So, if you develop an AI system amd train it in another country and decide to take it elsewhere, it will not work, hence, the need for global data for every one use to train it”, Inuwa enunciated.

Also harping on Nigeria’s abundant resources, talents and youthful population, Inuwa affirmed that the country has a competitive advantage in becoming the frontier in digital technological innovation.

“Although we lost out during the first, second and third Industrial Revolutions because they needed capital investment but in the fourth, we can use our talents to compete with any country in the world, given the fact that talent is the human component of technology”.

“To achieve this, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, unveiled the Strategic Plan for the Ministry which has strategic pillars, including, Knowledge, Policies, Infrastructure, and Trade”, the DG mentioned.

In conclusion, Inuwa avowed that AI is a top priority for NITDA as the Agency’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) underpins the attention drawn to it.

The event which was the 5th in its series was organised by Image Merchant Promotion Ltd in conjunction with Coalition Society Organizations also featured presentations on Security and Spokespersons Communication Awards as well as goodwill messages.

Inuwa made this known during a panel discussion segment at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2023 Payments System Management Departmental Retreat programme.

The DG who was represented at the event by the National Director, National Centre for Artificial intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Engr Ya’u Garba, alluded to the fact that financial technology (FinTech) has so far shown immense ability in driving Nigeria’s performance in the industry and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), especially with the application of developmental regulation approach and enabling policies co-created by the tech ecosystem.

According to him;

Deepening collaborations with key stakeholders will fast track the realisation of the goal, adding that upping the game in digital payments will not only continue to put Nigeria at the forefront as Fintech driven economy but will also enhance consumers’ user experience and help move many people out of poverty.

Responding to questions regarding Nigeria’s efforts toward dealing with the opportunities and threats possed by Artificial intelligence, Inuwa explained that the Federal Government haven noticed that the trajectory of AI models which have moved from linearly to geometrical in proportions had in the previous administration, started working on Artificial intelligence Policy through the Agency which he said would be soon unveiled to the public.

“This AI Policy will form the basis on which all the rules will be highlighted and Agencies like  NITDA, which is the implementation arm will be talking about the strategies, framework and guidelines to navigate through its adoption and deployment”.

“Although artificial intelligence is often regarded as a double edged sword, the potential and benefits are tangible but not without a lot of threats, and that is apart from the biases that abound, notwithstanding, our regulatory approach has always been not to stifle innovation.”, Inuwa noted.

Inuwa who also mentioned other policies of the Federal Government for the industry, maintained that the policies are startup ecosystem- friendly.

While avowing that there is the need for measures to be deliberately taken to reap the benefits and forestall the impending threats of AI, Inuwa emphasised that NITDA will be working collaboratively with CBN as with others,  in regulating the AI space, stressing that if CBN adopts a particular technology, the potential of such tech to move quickly is high.

The NITDA boss told the audience that the Start-up Bill which was passed by the National Assembly and assented to by former President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2022 will address almost, if not all the bottlenecks plaguing the tech ecosystem.

The Fintech industry, according to Inuwa, is blazing the trail, but said there are a lot more to be tapped from, if AI is explored and exploited accordingly.

He went further to stress that government needs to work with the United Nations, World Bank and others to see how they can help build the infrastructure for FinTech, in order to foster digital payments and possibly close the digital gap.

“The Startup Act is deemed to be a positive step forward for the country’s startup ecosystem, and it is expected to have a significant impact on businesses in the technology and innovation space”.

“We have other policies tailored towards the bigger picture, like the 3MTT programme by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy which is expected to generate a pipeline of technical talent in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of creating 2 million digital jobs by 2025, National Broadband Plan, Digital Identity Policy and the National Financial Policy which drive the financial inclusion in the country,” Inuwa affirmed.

Earlier, while welcoming guests, Musa Jimoh, the Director, Payments System Management Department, CBN, harped on the need to look into the future and embrace things that are contemporary to Nigeria and the world at large and ensure that all the thinking behind Payments system should be hinged on how it can benefit the common man on the street.

“Everything we do in Central Bank of Nigeria, if it cannot benefit the common man on the street, then we have done nothing because the payments system is not for us but for the public good, especially as everybody uses it.

“As such, our thinking should always be what can we do to ease the pain, reduce cost, serve and make things more efficient and available to the common man on the street and indeed to all Nigerians, whether in the country or in the diaspora”, Musa sued.

The Retreat of Payments System Management Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria brought together payments industry experts and stimulated discussions around innovations in the Payments System space.

The retreat had as its main theme: “Future of Payments System: Opportunities, threats and propositions.

Kashifu Inuwa, Director General and CEO of NITDA has said the Agency is leaving no stone unturned in the implementation processes of the its Strategic RoadMap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024).

He gave this hint during a virtual session with CDA Lead for Africa, Clayton Naidoo.

ALSO READ: NITDA Flags off TIES Scheme in Six geopolitical Zones

He said that NITDA has continued to collaborate with CISCO since 2019 when an MOU was signed, to build an incubation center that will foster digital skills and job creation for Nigerian Citizens.

Saddled with the task of leveraging on the opportunities available to Startups in facilitating a collaboration with CISCO, the NITDA Director General, today, led some members of his team to the Sharp Sharp Startup Company, one of the winners during the 2022 Gulf International Technology Exhibition (GITEX) in Dubai, on facility tour with the aim of facilitating collaboration between the startup and CISCO.

CISCO is a worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet with focus on networking, collaboration solutions, security solutions, wireless and mobility, data center, IoT, video, analytics, and software solutions. Partnership and collaboration with stakeholders, throughout value chain, and across the industry, allows NITDA to multiply its efforts and scale her impact.

In a similar vein, the NITDA boss, in company of Dr Yau Isa Garba, the Coordinator of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics NCAIR,  (A subsidiary of NITDA), also did a facility tour of the Uniccon Group of Companies Ltd, the Startup Company that built “Omeife” the first African Robot.

The NITDA boss recounted that during the unveiling of “Omeife” last December to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), had encouraged NITDA to work with Uniccon Group on how to commercialise “Omeife”.

ALSO READ: Osinbajo Inaugurates ‘Omeife’, Africa’s First Humanoid

“We are willing to sign an MOU with Uniccon to infuse Omeife into our already established learning models if it has the ability to communicate in four identified Nigerian languages, namely, Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Pidgin English, towards achieving 95% digital literacy in Nigeria by year 2030. This will, in turn, enable the citizens employ digital devices for economic purposes’’, he concluded.

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The information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Nigeria has seen significant growth and development in recent years.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the sector contributed 18.44 per cent to the nation’s GDP in the second quarter of 2022. Experts argue that the country’s youth-dominated 210 million-strong population is driving demand for ICT products and services.

The government has made significant efforts to promote the development of the ICT sector and increase access to ICT infrastructure and services.

This has included initiatives such as the National Broadband Plan, which aims to increase broadband penetration in the country, and the National eGovernment Master Plan, which aims to increase the use of ICT in government operations and services.

Of course, there are several challenges that the Nigerian ICT sector faces, including a lack of reliable and affordable electricity, multiple taxations, regulatory bottlenecks, limited access to ICT infrastructure in rural areas, and a dearth of skilled ICT professionals.

Despite these challenges, the sector has continued to grow with the potential to play a significant role in the country’s economic development.

Looking ahead into 2023 here are potential trends that may shape the development of ICT in the new year.

1. Increased adoption of cloud computing:

As businesses in Nigeria look to reduce costs and improve efficiency, many will turn to cloud computing solutions to store and process data. There are a growing number of important players in this space including Rack Centre, Cloudflex Computing Services Limited, and Layer3Cloud among others.

2. Growth of the e-commerce industry:

Nigeria’s large and rapidly growing population and the adoption of mobile devices and internet access has made e-commerce more accessible. With improvements in electronic payment and logistics sectors, the growth trend is likely to continue into the coming years. Konga, Jumia and Jiji continue to show what is possible in this space.

3. Expansion of mobile broadband:

The proliferation of mobile broadband is expected to continue in Nigeria, driven by the increasing demand for data services and the roll-out of 4G and 5G networks.

The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) in 2021 granted 5G licenses to MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications with Airtel joining the party this December. MTN is known to have rolled out services in certain cities. 2023 holds promises of more roll-outs and improved access to 5G services in general.

4. Rise of fintech:

The fintech industry in Nigeria has seen significant growth in recent years, and this trend is likely to continue as more people turn to digital financial services.

Reports suggest that there are over 200 Fintech firms in Nigeria rapidly helping to bridge the financial inclusion gap.

The fintech ecosystem covers businesses focused on mobile payments, digital banking, merchant solutions and personal finance among others. Interswitch, Flutterwave, Paystack, PiggyVest, Paga, and E-tranzact are some of the biggest players in this space.

5. Increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI):

The use of AI in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture, is expected to increase in Nigeria as the country looks to leverage technology to solve problems and improve services. The early players here include Lare Ayoola’s IoT Africa Networks Limited, Kobo360 and Data Scientists Network.

6. Growth of the outsourcing industry:

Nigeria’s highly educated workforce and lower labour costs make it an attractive destination for outsourcing. This trend is likely to continue as companies look to outsource certain business functions to save costs, improve productivity and boost profitability. Renda, Philip Outsourcing, and Workforce Group are leading players in this space.

7. Increased adoption of digital skills:

As the ICT sector continues to grow, there will be greater demand for individuals with digital skills. This trend is likely to drive the development of training programs and initiatives to help people acquire the necessary skills. Governments at different levels are making tremendous efforts in this space.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through its subsidiary, the National Center for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (NCAIR) is training one million developers with a focus on Python for Machine Learning and Data Science.

The Lagos State Government has also commenced the Second Phase of the Eko Digital programme which aims to empower one million youths in the State with cybersecurity skills. Numerous other initiatives are ongoing in the private sector space.

ICT will remain a significant proportion of the economy in the foreseeable future. Human capacity development and infrastructure deployment will however dominate the ICT space in 2023.

Happy New Year in Advance!

Prof. Pantami said this while delivering a keynote address on the Applications of Blockchain Technology for Intellectual Property (IP) Enforcement at the American Business Council event, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The Minister who was represented by Dr Salihu Abdulkareem of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), alluded to the fact that the theme of the event: “Blockchain for IP Enforcement; More than Crypto and NFTs” is apt and timely especially at a time when crypto currency is presently the headlines of financial losses.

The Minister noted that in today’s knowledge based economy, an increasing share of business value is derived via intangible assets, which means success often depends upon the ability to manage and exploit IP.

He stressed that for that reason, businesses require managers to effectively acquire, govern and commercialize copyright-and patent-protected content.

“You would all agree that, traditional businesses that rely on IP-protected material are confronting internal and external factors that pose several key challenges. Internally, unsynchronized IT systems do not enable data to flow, creating friction to locate and comply with copyrights under control. Externally, firms are recently operating in more complex, and diverse business networks with the need to validate multiple IPs within a single transactions model”, he said.

Prof. Pantami highlighted the benefits of Blockchain technology which he said represent a paradigm shift in how various companies protect their information exchange, adding that emerging technology provides a secure and fault-tolerant distributed ledger platform for transactions.

“No doubt, Blockchain technology has evolved greatly since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2008, the first decentralized peer-to-peer electronic cash system. Today, innovators in various fields are realizing the benefits behind this great technology. From medicine to agriculture, finance to governance, education to transport and across global supply chain; many sectors are looking for ways to integrate Blockchain into their infrastructures”, he added.

 While observing that governments and businesses all over the world are realizing the powerful usability of Blockchain, Prof. Pantami affirmed that the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy as well as its parastatals are not left behind, as they are inclined to employ the statutory responsibility towards innovative technologies, to develop corresponding strategies for a healthy ICT ecosystem that encapsulate emerging technology such as Blockchain.

He said, “It may interest you to know that one of the Agency’s under my supervision, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has developed a National Blockchain Adoption Strategy that seeks to facilitate effective utilisation of Blockchain technology for the development of the Nigerian digital economy. The strategy outlines the roadmap and schemes for the adoption of the Blockchain technology by government in its digital transformation agenda in a way that supports efficiency, transparency, and productivity”.

Although, it is an established fact that the technology drives new businesses and service models, the Communications and Digital Economy Boss made it known that there is need to equally create and enforce regulations to protect citizens and ensure fair markets while letting innovation and business flourish.

He went on to register the Federal Government’s concern on how the technology can be used to foster healthy growth of the nation’s digital economy and safety through the right regulatory instruments and implementation strategy that drive the adoption of the technology by both public and private sectors.

“In this regard, we directed NITDA to develop a national infrastructure for the deployment of Blockchain solutions that integrate identity and incentive platforms, promote research and development, in addition, to focus on the skilling of the workforce, and create a procurement process to enable government agencies to adopt Blockchain solutions”, he noted.

As a way of exploring ways to develop regulatory actions that would strike the right balance between facilitating innovation and mitigating new risks, the Minister confirmed that the ministry has further directed NITDA to introduce regulatory sandboxes that enable participants to test products and services on a small scale in a controlled environment, reducing innovation costs and barriers to entry.

These sandboxes, Pantami emphasized will also allow regulators to collect important information about innovative products before deciding which regulatory action to take.

“Through sustained engagement with stakeholders like you and many others, implementation of these regulatory guidelines would be enhanced and in turn, would engender a conducive regulatory environment for all players in the digital economy to thrive and fulfill their potential for prosperity and national development,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prof  Pantami recounted many IT issues that still remain unresolved, such as “the interoperability of different Blockchain platforms, and legal issues such as data ownership, privacy, liability, and jurisdiction”.

However, Pantami expressed his belief that with engagements such as the event, all business stakeholders and IP communities would reap the full benefits of Blockchain technology to promote innovations, support anti-counterfeit and anti-piracy operations;  grow businesses, create jobs; entrench security, reliability, and transparency in all processes models.

NITDA, the Agency charged with the responsibility of creating an enabling environment where Nigerians will develop, adopt, and derive value from digital technologies, happens to be the only government institution conferred with National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOMA) by President Muhammadu Buhari, recently.

And in continuation of the execution of projects in line with the President’s directives to Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pa​​ntami), the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, to transform Nigeria into a leading global digital economy through innovation-driven entrepreneurship (IDE), Kashifu Inuwa, the DG of NITDA commissioned FabLab 1.0 situated at National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).

The NITDA FabLab 1.0 is a small-scale digital fabrication workshop equipped with an array of flexible computer-controlled tools that cover several different length scales and various materials, with the aim to make almost anything.

The lab is registered under the Fab Foundation – a global organization that facilitates and supports the growth of international FabLab network as well as development of regional capacity-building organization.

The digital fabrication laboratory will always be opened for Nigerian innovators and will serve as a space for digital creators, makers and inventors to bring their ideas to fruition.

“NITDA is encouraging digital innovators and makers from the tech ecosystem to come and use this facility to drive their ideas from inception to impact”, the DG said.

NCAIR was established by NITDA to focus on three (3) key areas namely; Research and development for emerging technologies; capacity building, and collaboration and partnerships for national interest.

The Centre is presently into research related Artificial Intelligence and deep enforcement learning, cumulated imperial networks, deep and machine learning, autonomous vehicles, drones and collaborative robotics that can operate autonomously to achieve certain goals and objectives.

Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), represented by Dr. Salihu Abdulkareem of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), made this remark during the south-south NITDA HACKATHON challenge for young and innovative minds from the region held at the Senate Chambers of the University of Calabar.

He explained that “driving digital innovation and entrepreneurship by challenging Nigeria’s youth to create and develop solutions from inception to commercialization will, no doubt, boost the country’s economy.”

The NITDA Hackathon challenge was themed: “Innovation-Driven Ideas for addressing local challenges in Health, Government, Transportation, Financial Services and Smart city in Nigeria for Social and Economic Development.” 

The DG asserted that digital innovation and entrepreneurship would help fast-track the recovery of other traditional economic sectors by supporting the provision and adoption of indigenous and tailor-made solutions for nationwide implementation of the policy through automation, intelligent processes, and ICT solutions.

He further revealed that NITDA Hackathon 2022 aims to find solutions towards building a digital Nigeria, adding that talented Nigerians are challenged to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototypes of solutions around agriculture, logistics, and security for the swift growth and development of the country.

According to Kashifu, “African continent is full of problems waiting to be solved, this presents the next biggest market worldwide. Nigeria, in particular, has a rapidly growing youthful population by which taking advantage of the market will lead to the creation of jobs, solutions, and revenue flow for the country”, he added.

The DG maintained that collective responsibility is needed to achieve the positive impacts, for which the nation yearns for solutions. He encouraged the young innovators not to relent in their various efforts towards tackling the problems bedeviling the country, saying that such solutions will go a long way in addressing development issues.

He appeals to teeming youths from the region to always showcase their talents which will serve as channels for solutions to some of the problems that require immediate panacea.

He revealed that the program also provides an avenue for young Nigerians to contribute their quota in the solution-finding and provides opportunities for creating jobs both directly and indirectly, keying into the Digital Economy policy that will facilitate the swift growth and development of the country.

Professor Florence Banji Obi, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Calabar, ably represented by Professor Idingesit Akpabio, Chairman, Committee of Deans, the University of Calabar, in her earlier remarks, appreciated NITDA for choosing the University of Calabar for the program. She commended the initiatives and the manner of their implementation across the country for the growth of our nation.

She commented that technology is changing how we do things and has fast-tracked operations processes. “Programs like this are needed to keep the young people busy solving the problems faced by the country, more so that such programs give an avenue for teeming youth to showcase their talents which will help solve those challenges,” she added.

Prof. Obi encouraged participants not to stop at solution finding after this program but to go further in actualizing what they have started, which she believes will bring about solutions to the problems faced in the country.

Winners from the pitching context received cash prizes ranging from N1.5million for the overall Winners, N1 million for the first runner ups, and N500,000 to the second runner ups as the 3-day event came to a close with fanfare and beautiful memories.