The new Country Partnership Framework (CPF), covering 2026 – 2032, sought to translate recent macroeconomic improvements into broad-based economic gains by removing long-standing structural bottlenecks that had constrained private sector growth and employment.

World Bank also approved the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (NAIJA) Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation, designed to strengthen the foundations for investment, competitiveness, and inclusive economic growth.

According to the World Bank, the new strategy builds on recent reforms that have resulted in stronger economic growth, improved government revenues, higher foreign reserves, and renewed investor confidence.

It stated, however, that sustained job creation remained Nigeria’s most pressing development challenge.

Under the framework, World Bank planned to support the country in expanding electricity access to 32 million people, providing broadband connectivity for 58 million Nigerians, improving health and nutrition services for 40 million citizens, and supporting 9.5 million farmers through measures to boost agricultural productivity.

The programme also sought to strengthen human capital development while expanding access to digital infrastructure and energy to stimulate private enterprise and improve productivity across critical sectors.

In a statement, Mathew Verghis, World Bank country director for Nigeria, said the new partnership placed job creation at the centre of the institution’s engagement with the country.

Verghis stated that while recent macroeconomic reforms had helped stabilise the economy, Nigeria must now address deeper structural constraints to unlock private investment and translate economic stability into improved living standards.

He said,

“Our new Country Partnership Framework provides the strategy for how the World Bank Group will support Nigeria over the coming years, with a strong focus on helping to create more and better jobs, particularly by enabling private sector-led growth.

“The recent macroeconomic gains have been critical to help stabilize the economy. Translating improved macroeconomic conditions into better living standards will require addressing the structural constraints to spur private sector investment and job creation.”

The DPF will support government reforms aimed at deepening Nigeria’s capital markets, modernising regulations governing the digital economy and e-governance, advancing electricity sector reforms to accelerate electrification, improving access to quality agricultural seeds, and strengthening domestic revenue mobilisation.

The programme will also support efforts to reduce trade barriers in line with Nigeria’s commitments under ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a move expected to enhance regional trade and ease price pressures.

The World Bank said the financing formed part of a broader package combining policy reforms with investments in energy, agriculture, digital infrastructure, private sector development, and social protection to improve economic resilience and reduce poverty.

International Finance Corporation (IFC) Divisional Director for Nigeria, Dahlia Khalifa, said the country’s long-term growth prospects would depend on its ability to attract investment, improve productivity, and unlock private sector employment.

Khalifa said the partnership would help expand infrastructure and essential services while creating conditions for businesses to innovate, compete, and convert ongoing reforms into wider economic opportunities.

Similarly, AMIGA Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, Ed Mountfield, said although Nigeria’s reform programme had opened new investment opportunities, risks facing investors remained significant.

Nevertheless, Mountfield said MIGA would expand the use of guarantees and political risk insurance under the new framework to encourage greater private investment, particularly in infrastructure and the financial sector, thereby supporting job creation and economic growth.

He said, “Nigeria’s reform progress is creating important opportunities for private investment, but risks remain for investors. MIGA’s role is to help manage these risks—through guarantees and political risk insurance—so that investors can step in with confidence.

“Under the CPF, the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform housed within MIGA will scale our support in priority areas such as the financial sector and infrastructure to help unlock jobs and growth.”

Meanwhile, the federal government pledged to strengthen its partnership with the World Bank to accelerate the delivery of safe water and expand irrigation infrastructure as part of efforts to improve food security and create jobs across Nigeria.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, made the commitment yesterday in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the World Bank ahead of the Africa Water Forum scheduled to hold later this month in N’Djamena, Chad.

Utsev said the President Bola Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda placed priority on expanding access to potable water and boosting agricultural productivity through irrigation.

He stressed that closer collaboration with the World Bank would speed up the implementation of the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project and other strategic interventions in the water sector.

Utsev stated that improved irrigation infrastructure was critical to increasing all-year-round farming, strengthening food production, reducing rural poverty, and enhancing economic growth.

The minister also confirmed Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Water Forum, describing the event as an opportunity to present ongoing reforms in the country’s water sector, attract investment, and strengthen partnerships aimed at improving water security, sanitation, and irrigation development.

According to him, Nigeria will use the forum to highlight reforms designed to expand access to safe and sustainable water, particularly in underserved communities, while showcasing investment opportunities in the sector.

Earlier, World Bank’s Task Team Leader for the SPIN Project, Zack Zieglhifer, alongside Co-Task Team Leader, Engr. Chinedu Umolu, said their visit was to coordinate Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Water Forum.

They explained that the forum, organised by West African countries, in collaboration with the World Bank and other development partners, will bring together policymakers, development partners and private sector stakeholders to explore innovative financing mechanisms and practical solutions for addressing Africa’s growing water security challenges.

The post World Bank Unveils $1.25 billion Financing for Nigeria in New 7-year Partnership Deal appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Documents obtained from the World Bank show the cancellation followed a formal request from the Federal Government.

Both parties agreed to discontinue the remaining financing under the Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation after key reform targets failed to materialise.

The decision also brings the programme to an earlier close. Its end date was moved from June 30, 2027, to May 31, 2026.

According to the restructuring document, “The restructuring will result in the cancellation of the entire undisbursed balance in the amount of $717.7 million equivalent, and no further disbursements will be made under the Program following approval of this restructuring.”

The programme was introduced in 2020 as part of efforts to restore financial stability in Nigeria’s electricity sector, improve power supply and reduce the industry’s dependence on government support.

At the start, the World Bank approved about $752.5 million for the initiative. Three years later, after early reforms showed some progress, the bank approved an additional financing package of roughly $763.5 million to extend the programme and deepen reforms across the sector.

Together, both facilities were worth around $1.52 billion.

Still, the additional financing package struggled almost from the beginning.

The World Bank said the fall of the naira after the foreign exchange market liberalisation in June 2023 significantly raised electricity generation costs because gas prices are tied to the US dollar.

More than 70% of electricity supplied into Nigeria’s national grid comes from gas-fired plants.

At the same time, electricity tariffs were largely unchanged for most consumers. Only Band A customers saw tariff adjustments in April 2024.

That gap between high production costs and revenues collected from consumers widened rapidly.

According to the World Bank, tariff shortfalls climbed from N140 billion in 2022 to about N1.9 trillion annually in both 2024 and 2025.

The bank said the growing deficits placed heavy pressure on government finances and weakened the reform programme.

“Due to the mismatch between the electricity generation costs and the sector tariff revenues, the tariff shortfalls increased sharply in the last 3 years, moving from a low of N140bn in 2022 to a high of N1.9tn per year in 2024 and 2025, putting serious pressure on the limited Federal Government of Nigeria’s fiscal space,” the report stated.

The World Bank also pointed to deeper structural problems in the electricity sector, including weak performance by distribution companies, transmission bottlenecks, underused generation capacity, poor cost recovery, and high technical and commercial losses.

Those problems slowed implementation and made it difficult for Nigeria to meet conditions tied to further disbursements.

The bank said authorities failed to establish a credible financing framework capable of reducing tariff deficits over time.

“Recent financing plans have not fully identified sufficient sources of funding to cover tariff shortfalls, nor established a credible trajectory for their reduction,” the report stated.

Even so, the original phase of the programme achieved some measurable results before conditions worsened.

The World Bank said tariff shortfalls dropped by 71% between 2019 and 2022, falling from N581 billion to N166 billion.

Regulatory cost recovery improved from 56% to 94% during the same period, while electricity supplied to distribution companies increased by 13% between 2018 and 2021.

These encouraged the bank to approve additional financing in 2023.

However, implementation later stalled. The World Bank said none of the global indicators tied to the additional financing arrangement were achieved.

It also downgraded implementation progress under the programme to “Moderately Unsatisfactory.”

Financial records in the restructuring document show that only about 9% of the additional financing package was eventually disbursed.

Out of the programme’s total commitment of roughly $1.52 billion, around $796 million had been released before the cancellation, leaving $717.7 million undrawn.

The World Bank concluded that the programme’s structure no longer matched realities in Nigeria’s power sector.

“Taken together, these developments point to a misalignment between the design of the operation and the evolving implementation context,” the report stated.

The cancellation comes days after the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, warned that Nigeria could reconsider future World Bank loan arrangements if approval and disbursement delays continue.

Speaking during a meeting with a World Bank delegation in Abuja, Ogunjimi said Nigeria should not face long delays in accessing funds tied to development projects because the facilities are loans, not grants.

He said, “If approvals take more than six months, the Nigerian Government may no longer honour such arrangements.”

Ogunjimi also urged the World Bank to speed up approvals and disbursements to support Nigeria’s development priorities.

The post Nigeria Cancels $717.7m World Bank Power Sector Loan Over Failed Reforms appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The report, presented at a stakeholders’ dialogue organized by Agora Policy in Abuja, highlights the deepening cost-of-living crisis despite the administration’s efforts to stabilize the macroeconomy.

The Poverty Surge and Palliative Cushion

Presenting the findings, Dr. Mohammed Shuaibu of the University of Abuja noted that the immediate aftermath of the reforms saw the national poverty headcount climb from a baseline of approximately 50% to a staggering 63%.

However, the report indicates that the introduction of social protection measures, such as the direct cash transfer program, helped moderate these figures. Following the deployment of these “safety nets,” the poverty rate reportedly eased to 56.2%.

“While social transfers helped cushion the impact, especially for low-income households, the initial shock triggered a sharp erosion of purchasing power across the board,” Shuaibu stated.

Consumption Slump and Household Sacrifice

The analysis paints a grim picture of household welfare, showing a significant decline in consumption levels.

The study found that high-income households remained largely insulated from the reforms, while low-income families bore the brunt of inflationary pressures.

Qualitative data from focus group discussions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones revealed that many families have resorted to drastic coping strategies.

These include:

• Reducing food consumption and rationing essential supplies.
• Walking long distances to avoid surging public transport fares.
• Borrowing to survive, leading to increased household debt.

Fiscal Gains vs. Social Cost

Despite the social hardship, the report acknowledged the fiscal necessity of the reforms. Data provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during the dialogue estimated that the previous fuel subsidy regime and foreign exchange distortions cost the Nigerian economy roughly 6% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Dr. Muhammad Abdullahi, deputy governor of the CBN for Economic Policy, emphasized that the situation had become unsustainable prior to the current administration’s intervention.

Business and Industry Impact

For the private sector, the report noted that the removal of the petrol subsidy had a contractionary effect on firm investments.

Business owners reported significant increases in operational and logistics costs, forcing many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to downsize or shut down operations entirely.

Stakeholders at the dialogue urged the government to expand and accelerate the implementation of social safety nets to prevent a further slide into poverty, particularly as the World Bank and PwC project that the absolute number of Nigerians living in poverty could remain elevated through 2026 without more targeted interventions.

As Nigeria pivots toward a market-driven energy sector, the resulting inflationary pressure continues to squeeze disposable income.

For the digital economy, this trend suggests a potential slowdown in consumer tech spending, even as the government seeks to reinvest subsidy savings into critical infrastructure and digital transformation initiatives.

The post Nigeria’s Poverty Headcount Surges to 63% appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The closing event, held on February 5, 2026, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, marked the end of a year-long pilot that supported 100 women-led businesses from 23 countries. 

Backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank, in partnership with ASR Africa, women-led businesses in the first cohort mobilised more than $4 million in financing. 

Seventeen startups secured external funding, exceeding the original target set at the start of the program.

Founders from different stages, including early-stage startups and more established companies, participated in the first cohort.

Support focused on technical training, business coaching, mentorship and direct introductions to investors, with founders receiving over 120 hours of targeted technical support, more than 270 investor connections were facilitated, and about 100 mentors were involved across the continent. 

A smaller group of startups received additional advisory support beyond the standard training structure.

Speaking at the event, Marieme Niang Camara, IFC’s regional gender lead for Africa, said the pilot provided enough results to justify expansion.

“When we started with 100 women entrepreneurs, it was a successful pilot, but we realised that 100 is just the beginning for a region like Africa,” she said. 

“Now we’re moving from 100 to 1,000, and we’re doing it strategically through segmentation, from startups to growth-stage and scale-up companies.”

The initiative, built on readiness, focused on gaps faced by women founders, especially at the point where businesses move from early traction to engaging investors.

She Wins Africa leveraged catalytic grants of about $100,000 to reduce risk for private investors and this helped attract nearly $400,000 in follow-on investment from regional partners, including Octerra Capital, IMEX, Sahel Capital and Nubia Capital.

ASR Africa’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ubon Udoh, said the expansion reveals lessons from the first phase.

“We’re scaling up from the first phase of 100 women from 23 countries to 1,000 women across Africa,” he said. “This expansion will create more sustainable impact and extend the program’s geographical reach.”

Several founders shared their experiences at the closing event, revealing how the programme helped their business move from operating locally to preparing for cross-border growth, while improving internal planning and investor readiness. 

Mentorship and investor exposure also changed how they negotiated and positioned their company.

The next phase will prioritise businesses that are ready to scale, while still supporting early-stage founders. The expansion is the first of four projects planned under the She Wins Africa platform.

IFC noted that the programme aligns with its focus on private sector growth and women’s economic participation across Africa. 

ASR Africa, on the other hand, will continue to support the initiative as part of its work in economic and social development on the continent.

The closing event formally closed the pilot phase, but partners said the focus now shifts to onboarding a much larger group of women entrepreneurs and building on the results already recorded.

The post She Wins Africa Closes First Phase in Lagos, Expands Reach to 1,000 Women Entrepreneurs appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The report was presented on Monday, January 19, 2026, during a live press conference in Brussels, Belgium.

The briefing was led by Pierre-Oliver Gourinchas, director of the IMF Research Department; Petya Koeva-Brooks, deputy director; and Deniz Igan, division chief, with moderation by Jose Luiz de Haro, Communications Officer

Global Economy: Steady amid Divergent Forces

According to the IMF, global economic growth is projected to remain resilient at 3.3% in 2026 and at 3.2% in 2027, largely in line with the estimated 3.3% outcome in 2025.

The forecast represents a slight upward revision for 2026 and no change for 2027 compared with the October 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO).

The IMF noted that the stable outlook results from the balancing of opposing forces.

Headwinds from shifting trade policies are being offset by strong investment linked to technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in North America and Asia.

These are further supported by fiscal and monetary backing, broadly accommodative financial conditions, and the adaptability of the private sector.

The IMF added that global headline inflation is expected to decline from an estimated 4.1% in 2025 to 3.8% in 2026 and further to 3.4% in 2027.

The inflation projections are also broadly unchanged from those in October and envisage inflation returning to target more gradually in the United States than in other large economies.

In line with the report, the risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside. Reevaluation of productivity growth expectations about AI could lead to a decline in investment and trigger an abrupt financial market correction, spreading from AI-linked companies to other segments and eroding household wealth.

As noted by the report, the trade tensions could flare up, prolonging uncertainty and weighing more heavily on activity.

Domestic political tensions or geopolitical tensions could erupt, introducing new layers of uncertainty and disrupting the global economy through their impact on financial markets, supply chains, and commodity prices.

As indicated by the IMF, the larger fiscal deficits and high public debt could put pressure on long-term interest rates and, in turn, on broader financial conditions.

On the upside, activity could be further lifted by AI-related investment and eventually transform into sustainable growth if faster AI adoption translates into strong productivity gains and increased business dynamism. Activity could also be supported by a sustained easing in trade tensions.

Based on the report, the policies to foster stability and sustainably lift medium-term growth prospects require a keen focus on restoring fiscal buffers, preserving price and financial stability, reducing uncertainty, and implementing structural reforms without further delay.

Nigeria’s Growth Outlook upgraded

In its World Economic Outlook Update: Annexe section of the report, the IMF upgraded the economic growth outlook of Nigeria from 4.2% to 4.4% for the Full-Year 2026.

The global organisation forecasted that Nigeria’s economic growth in 2027 will decline from 4.4% in 2026 to 4.1% in 2027.

Earlier, in its October 2025 World Economic Outlook, the IMF forecasted that Nigeria’s growth rate would be 4.0% in 2027. It has increased by 0.1% in its latest report.

What The Upgraded Economic Growth Outlook Means for Nigeria

The IMF has raised Nigeria’s 2026 real GDP growth forecast to 4.4%, reflecting stronger expected economic expansion.

This upgrade indicates that key economic drivers, including industrial production and services, are outperforming earlier projections for the fiscal year.

However, the outlook for 2027 shows a projected deceleration to 4.1%, signalling that the heightened momentum in 2026 may not be structurally sustainable in the long term.

Despite this year-over-year slowdown, the 2027 figure is still a marginal 0.1% improvement over the IMF’s previous baseline of 4.0%.

Collectively, these figures represent a net positive adjustment to Nigeria’s medium-term macroeconomic trajectory, though growth remains sensitive to internal and global volatility.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earlier projected that the Nigerian economy would grow by 3.89% in 2025.

The Apex Bank upped its economic outlook forecast for Nigeria in its latest Nigerian Economic Outlook report published in December 2025, where the Bank revealed that the nation’s economy will grow by 4.49% in 2026.

Nigeria’s 2026 projected growth is driven by ongoing structural reforms, enhanced private investment, increased oil production, and improved macroeconomic stability. The Nigerian inflation rate is also expected to moderate to around 12.94%.

The World Bank recently revised its 2026 growth forecast for Nigeria upward from 3.7% to 4.4%. The IMF has now aligned with that outlook, raising its projection from 4.2% to 4.4%.

The post IMF Raises Nigeria’s Economic Growth Forecast to 4.4% from 4.2% appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This aligns closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s forecast of 4.49% for the same period.

The upgrade was announced in the Bank’s 2026 “Global Economic Prospects” report, released Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

The global lender also revised Nigeria’s 2027 growth forecast upward, from 3.8% to 4.4%. It estimated that Nigeria’s economy expanded by 4.2% in 2025, exceeding the 3.6% projection from mid-2025.

Globally, the World Bank lifted its 2026 growth forecast from 2.4% to 2.6%, with 2025 growth revised to 2.7%, up from 2.3%. The 2027 global growth rate is now projected at 2.7%, slightly higher than the previous 2.6% estimate.

The report noted that the global economy is proving more resilient than expected, despite ongoing trade tensions and policy uncertainties.

While growth remains concentrated in advanced economies, it is unlikely to reduce extreme poverty, with the 2020s on track to be the weakest decade since the 1960s.

“The resilience reflects better-than-expected growth, especially in the United States, which accounts for about two-thirds of the upward revision to the forecast in 2026,” the World Bank revealed.

The financial institution revealed that global growth will slow in 2026 as trade-related boosts fade, but easing monetary conditions and fiscal expansion are expected to cushion the impact.

The World Bank added that inflation is projected to ease to 2.6% in 2026, with growth strengthening in 2027 as trade and policy uncertainties ease.

Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group’s chief economist, noted the tension between resilience and economic dynamism:

“With each passing year, the global economy has become less capable of generating growth while appearing more resilient to policy uncertainty. But economic dynamism and resilience cannot diverge for long without fracturing public finance and credit markets,”

Gill warned that the world economy is set to grow more slowly than it did in the troubled 1990s while carrying record levels of public and private debt. He urged governments in emerging and advanced economies to liberalise private investment and trade, rein in public consumption, and invest in new technologies and education to avoid stagnation and unemployment.

Sub-Saharan Africa Growth Forecast

The World Bank projects sub-Saharan Africa’s growth will rise to 4.3% in 2026 and 4.5% in 2027.

Growth in developing economies is expected to slow slightly to 4% in 2026 from 4.2% in 2025, before climbing to 4.1% in 2027, supported by improving trade, commodity prices, financial conditions, and investment flows.

Low-income countries are expected to see stronger growth, averaging 5.6% over 2026–2027, driven by rising domestic demand, recovering exports, and moderating inflation. \

Nevertheless, per capita income in developing economies is projected to grow just 3% in 2026, keeping the gap with advanced economies wide.

“At this pace, per capita income in developing economies is expected to be only 12% of the level in advanced economies,” the institution stated.

Ayhan Kose, the World Bank Group’s director of the Prospects Group, warned that public debt in emerging and developing economies is at its highest in over 50 years. He urged that restoring fiscal credibility is urgent.

“Well-designed fiscal rules can help governments stabilise debt, rebuild policy buffers, and respond more effectively to shocks.”

“But rules alone are not enough: credibility, enforcement, and political commitment ultimately determine whether fiscal rules deliver stability and growth.”

Kose added that more than half of developing economies have implemented fiscal rules, which can improve budget balances by 1.4% of GDP over five years and increase the likelihood of sustained improvement.

The post World Bank Upgrades Nigeria’s 2026 Growth Outlook to 4.4% appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The app, which was rolled out today, covers eight states and enables users to compare the costs of essential food items like rice, beans, tomatoes, and maize in both wholesale and retail markets. 

Accessible through the web platform, Pricesense.ng, the service provides detailed price breakdowns by state and date, allowing consumers to analyse and track fluctuations in food prices. 

The app also includes options for users to view data by brand and quantity, offering a detailed overview of market trends across the featured states: Borno, Plateau, Rivers, Oyo, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Enugu, and Kano.

Food inflation in Nigeria has continued to rise, exceeding 40% by June 2024, according to recent reports. This increase is driven by multiple factors, including erratic weather conditions affecting harvests, constant insecurity in key agricultural regions, and the growing cost of farming inputs such as fertilisers. 

Global organisations like the World Bank and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) have recognised the worsening food situation in the country.

The World Bank specifically highlighted that seven Nigerian states could face severe hunger, while the FAO predicts that as many as 32 million Nigerians may struggle with food insecurity by the end of 2024. Vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, are expected to bear the brunt of this crisis.

In response to the ongoing food issue, the federal government has implemented several measures aimed at mitigating the effects of soaring prices. These include a temporary 150-day waiver on import duties for food products and the distribution of grains across the 36 states of the federation. 

Added to this, the government has introduced discounted rice sales, offering a 50kg bag for ₦40,000 in a bid to make staple foods more affordable. However, citizens point to the fact that these interventions may not be sufficient to address the structural issues affecting the agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) are working to tackle price manipulation, accusing some traders of artificially inflating food prices. 

FCCPC Chairman, Mr Tunji Bello, recently pointed out that cartels operating within local markets have contributed significantly to the sharp rise in food costs, particularly for staple items. 

While acknowledging external factors like the weakened naira and higher fuel prices, the commission has condemned what it describes as exploitative practices by some market players. Earlier this year, the FCCPC shut down supermarkets accused of unethical pricing practices, and it has issued warnings to traders to reduce the prices of goods and services or face sanctions.

In a clarification, the FCCPC noted that its directive to lower prices was not an arbitrary demand but an effort to curb opportunistic profiteering by traders taking advantage of the current economic situation. 

The post BOI Launches App to Monitor Real-Time Food Prices as Nigeria Confronts Inflation appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This was revealed during the inaugural Rural Connectivity Summit organised by Business Metrics, in Lagos, where Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), stressed that connectivity is far more than speed, it’s about economic inclusion.

“The accurate measure of connectivity is not in megabits per second, but in the economic value it creates or loses,” said Dr Aminu Maida, whose keynote address was delivered by Tunji Jimoh, Zonal Controller of the NCC Lagos Office.

At the event, themed “Rethinking Digital Connectivity to Unlock Rural Economic Potential,” he described connectivity as “an indispensable part of life,” noting that when it fails, “opportunities stop, and lives can be at risk.”

Dr Maida noted that despite progress, rural Nigeria is digitally invisible, with internet access still at 23% compared to 57% in urban areas. This gap, he explained, cuts off millions from modern education, markets, healthcare, and financial services, a situation he called “unacceptable and unsustainable.”

Research shows that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can drive 1.38% GDP growth in developing economies. However, Nigeria’s broadband penetration as of August 2025 stood at 48.81%, below its potential. 

While coverage has expanded, with 3G and 4G networks reaching 86.34%, usage and household access remain at 39.2% and 40.1% respectively.

Nigeria’s ICT Development Index (IDI) score also exposes this imbalance. At 52.9, the country ranks 137th out of 164 economies, following far behind the global average of 77.6 and Africa’s 56.1.

To tackle these challenges, Dr Maida outlined NCC’s ongoing initiatives through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The Fund has financed over 2,500 educational projects and delivered 100,000 computers to schools nationwide.

One unique project is the Emerging Technology Centre at Ogun State Institute of Technology, where more than 9,000 students now have access to digital tools for innovation.

Beyond education, the USPF’s e-Health Project connects rural clinics to larger hospitals for remote consultations, while the e-Accessibility Project provides persons with disabilities with assistive technology. 

To ensure sustainability, the NCC has also launched the Impact Alliance, a partnership network involving private sector players, civil society, and international bodies, to co-invest in inclusive connectivity.

In response to the sabotage of telecom infrastructure, Dr Maida highlighted the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order, signed by the President in June 2024, empowering law enforcement to protect telecom assets. 

“Our advocacy has led to 11 states offering zero charges for right-of-way permits,” he said, adding that 70 others have aligned with the national benchmark of ₦145 per linear metre.

The Commission has also been working with mobile network operators, global partners like GSMA and the World Bank, and the Office of the National Security Adviser to safeguard telecom assets and promote affordable broadband deployment.

“We stand at a strategic crossroads. The global digital race is accelerating, and we must act decisively to ensure our youth are creators, not consumers, of digital value,” Dr Maida said.

He urged governors to support right-of-way reforms, operators to speed up rural rollouts, and communities to protect telecom infrastructure. “These assets are their bridge between backwardness and global relevance,” he stated.

With over 45% of Nigeria’s population still living in rural areas, the NCC wants digital inclusion to go beyond policies, it is a national strategy for growth.

The post Maida: Connectivity’s Worth Goes Beyond Megabits per Second appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The report, titled “Humans at the Heart of Education,” reveals that while technology and digital skills are essential, they are not enough on their own. 

With the dynamic nature of AI, the study warns that focusing solely on digital literacy could leave young Nigerians unprepared for a future where human judgement, empathy, creativity, and ethics will matter as much as technological proficiency.

According to Cambridge, “If AI can replace us, then we are not teaching the right things.” The report calls for a renewed focus on education that “builds the whole person”, nurturing knowledge, skills, and values that go beyond test scores and drive both personal growth and national progress.

It also recommends that education reforms should not be top-down. Instead, change must come through collaboration between governments, teachers, learners, employers, and communities. “To get to the heart of education challenges, listen to the people at the heart of education,” the report stressed.

Relevance to Nigeria’s Local Context

The report spotlights that Nigeria’s education must remain grounded in local culture, language, and identity. Evidence shows, it says, that students learn best when education reflects their immediate environment. 

Cambridge commended Nigeria’s recent move to make History a compulsory subject from Primary 1 to JSS 3 and to include a Nigerian language among mandatory subjects in early grades.

This, it noted, will help children develop a clear sense of identity and an understanding of their place in the world. But with AI tools trained predominantly in English, 90% of the data from large language models, Cambridge cautioned that the superiority of English content could limit learners’ engagement and understanding in countries where only about 10% of the population speak English as a first language.

Teachers Must Stay Central, Not Replaceable

The report warned against using technology as a replacement for teachers, arguing that nations that do so risk creating a two-tier education system, where some children learn with teacher-guided digital tools, while others rely on automated platforms with little human interaction.

Instead, Nigeria is encouraged to “empower teachers with technology.” Properly used, technology can ease teachers’ workloads by automating routine tasks such as marking and lesson planning, while also providing better data for tailored instruction.

The Cambridge report cited a World Bank pilot in Edo State, Nigeria, where teachers used free generative AI tools to provide personalised coaching and education.

Acting as “orchestra conductors,” teachers led sessions, mentored students, and guided reflections. The outcome was surprising, students recorded almost two years of learning in just six weeks.

Teaching for the AI Age

Cambridge noted that while AI, big data, and cybersecurity are among the fastest-growing global job skills, Nigeria must teach beyond specific tools. Rather than short-term training, the report advocates for building lifelong digital competence, helping students think critically about how to use technology wisely.

It also advised policymakers to resist the temptation of letting technology drive knowledge acquisition, saying that “education should build skills and knowledge side by side” to develop citizens capable of using AI responsibly.

Furthermore, the report noted the need to strengthen teacher quality as much as teacher numbers. It acknowledged Nigeria’s recent move to realign the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) mandate to raise professional standards but added that teachers must be supported with continuous training and flexible curricula that allow them to adapt lessons to student needs.

‘Keep Humans at the Centre’ – Cambridge Official

Jane Mann, managing director of Partnerships for Education at Cambridge, said the future of education in Nigeria and beyond must balance AI and other technologies with human connection.

“AI is changing education, and the world students will graduate into, at a faster pace than any time in human history,” she said.

According to her, focusing on digital skills alone will not be enough to prepare Nigeria’s youth for what lies ahead.

“But teaching digital skills is just the start. Our report shows that for Nigeria’s next generation to thrive, we must also equip learners with the deeply human knowledge, skills, values and connections that are key to building resilient individuals, and in turn resilient economies and societies.”

Mann added that reforms must remain deeply connected to Nigeria’s realities.

“This includes ensuring education remains highly local to students’ context in Nigeria, and putting teachers and school leaders at the heart of education reforms. The pace of technology means we don’t know exactly what tomorrow’s world of work looks like for today’s students, but by keeping humans at the heart of education, we prepare Nigeria’s next generation for all eventualities.”

Cambridge University Press & Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge, is a global leader in assessment, education, and research. The organisation works closely with national education systems to promote high standards in learning and teaching worldwide.

The post Nigeria Urged to Centre Human Values, Skills in Education to Prepare for AI Future – Cambridge Report appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The funding was announced during the joint inauguration of 84 climate-resilient schools and healthcare facilities in Kano and Jigawa States, under the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) initiative.

CRIBS, developed through a multi-partner collaboration including the UK Government, Federal Ministry of Health, Kano and Jigawa State Governments, UNICEF, World Bank, WHO, Crown Agents UK Lafiya Programme, Sextant Foundation, Fab Inc, and JigSaw, introduces an innovative approach to shield essential services from the impacts of climate change.

Nigeria ranks second globally in terms of climate risks to children, with millions affected annually by floods, droughts, and extreme heat. To address these threats, CRIBS has focused on renovating 39 primary healthcare centres and 45 schools, integrating climate adaptation measures to protect communities.

The inauguration ceremonies, which included site visits and ribbon-cutting events, highlighted how low-cost, scalable, and community-led solutions can reduce climate vulnerability while safeguarding education and healthcare access for children and families.

Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission in Abuja, said:

“The UK Government is proud to support Nigeria through this £19m commitment to CRIBS. By working with the Federal Government, state partners, and global organisations, we are demonstrating how climate-resilient infrastructure can improve access to basic services for vulnerable populations. We hope this model will be replicated across Nigeria.”

Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, added:

“This initiative shows the power of strong partnerships. By investing in climate-smart infrastructure, we are not just protecting services, we are empowering communities to safeguard their children’s future. CRIBS is a model for resilience where it matters most, at the frontline of service delivery.”

This intervention aligns with both national and state priorities in climate action, health, and education, reflecting the UK’s long-term commitment to supporting Nigeria in building resilience, saving lives, and protecting learning opportunities.

The post UK Commits £19m to Climate-Resilient Health and Education Facilities in Kano and Jigawa appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.