By Olatunde Ajayi

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has emphasised the need for stakeholders’ collaboration to ensure a seamless transformation of ideas to impactful digital solutions.

The Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, stated this during an engagement meeting with the NITDA States Digital Economy Technical Working Group on Thursday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were drawn from Oyo, Osun and Ogun States to share ideas and pool resources together for the development of information technology (IT) in the South-West region.

The theme of the event was: “Creating Opportunities, Breaking Boundaries: Toward Digitalisation and Entrepreneurial Evolution.”

Inuwa, who was represented by the Director of Zonal Office Coordination, NITDA, Abuja, Mr Babajide Ajayi, said the objective of the meeting was to align with the Digital Economy Initiatives at the state level with the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan.

He noted that the engagement would further offer stakeholders in the states’ digital economy ecosystem the opportunity to express their views and opinions on matters related to the agency’s implementation of its mandate.

According to him, the meeting provides an avenue for sensitisation, familiarisation and enhancement of the working relationship between the agency and the key IT stakeholders at the state level.

This, he said, would lead to the establishment of a sustainable model of collaborations and consistent channels for feedback and exchange of ideas.

“Previous Statewide Stakeholder Engagement Programmes in Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively led to creation of a Technical Working Group for each of the states to take our engagement and collaboration to the next level.

“As we navigate digitalisation and entrepreneurial evolution, NITDA stands as a beacon of guidance.

“We are committed to providing an enabling environment and a platform for collaboration that empowers all stakeholders to be catalysts of change,” he said.

Also, the Coordinator, NITDA South-West Zonal Office, Mrs Chioma Okee-Agugwo, said Nigeria has reached a pivotal point in national development journey with the world shifting rapidly into a digitally driven economy.

Represented by the Assistant-Director, South-West Zonal Office, Mrs Rita Shoremi, Okee-Agugwo reiterated that the meeting would deepen engagement, align strategies, and foster shared ownership of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey at all levels of government.

“Intelligence is the new oil, connectivity is the new infrastructure, and innovation is the new growth driver.

“Digital transformation has become a journey that requires vision, investment, capacity building, mutual accountability and most importantly, collaboration,” she said.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Senior Special Assistant on ICT and E-Governance to Gov. Seyi Makinde, Mr Bayo Akande, said the state remained committed to adoption of ICT as a driver of inclusive growth.

Akande expressed the state government’s readiness to partner with NITDA in ensuring that the outcomes from the Technical Working Group translate into real impact for the citizens.

NAN reports that the event also featured presentation on NITDA Strategic Roadmap 2.0, overview of the NITDA Digital Literacy 4 All Initiative and technical sessions, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Jessica Dogo

Dr Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to transparency, accountability and innovation, in regulating the country’s telecommunications sector.

Many Nigerians have complained about what they describe as high tariffs and expensive data by telecom providers.

Maida said, during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, that the commission was determined to protect the interest of telecom services and mobile data users nationwide.

He said that NCC was adopting information disclosure strategies, rooted in behavioural economics to nudge service providers toward improved performance.

He said that a public map for network performance would be launched in September, offering transparent access to real-time quality metrics, like download speed and latency.

“This is a quarterly’s network performance reports based on crowd-sourced user data.

“It is also an expansion of accountability beyond mobile network operators to include co-location service providers (TACOs) responsible for infrastructure reliability,” he said.

He said event reflected the commission’s promise to engage more regularly and meaningfully, with key stakeholders, particularly the media.

“We see corporate governance as a powerful lever for industry transformation. Transparent, well-governed companies attract investment and perform better.

“We are setting the foundation for a Nigerian telecom company that is wholly owned, well-run, and globally competitive,” he told newsmen.

Maida outlined several significant developments in the industry, including tariff adjustments and simplification, inauguration of corporate governance guidelines and the successful conclusion of the National Identity Number (NIN) to SIM linkage audit.

“The resolution of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt issues, transition to end-user billing and the introduction of the Major Incident Reporting Portal, are part of this development,” he said.

Speaking on the progress toward revising the National Telecom Policy, Maida said that the traditional model based on rigid rules and enforcement, was no longer sufficient in today’s digital landscape.

“In the early 2000s, we were regulating voice and text. Now we are in the information age, with over 1,000 licenses under our purview.

“Scaling the old model is impractical. We are now complementing regulation with transparency and data-driven competition,” he said.

According to him, the NCC’s internal analysis finds strong correlations between good governance practices and better financial performance, service delivery and regulatory compliance.

For failed network top-ups, he informed that a joint NCC-CBN task force had developed a new operational framework to standardise electronic recharge processes.

He said that NCC commissioned Tier-1 audit firms to assess operators’ billing systems for Perceived Data Depletion.

According to him, findings showed no systemic manipulation of consumer data, pointing instead to factors such as background app usage and unoptimised device settings.

He emphasised that all the initiatives were ultimately in service of a stronger, more transparent, consumer-centric telecom ecosystem.

“We are not trying to punish anyone. We want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better and the government benefits from a broader tax base,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the sector’s potential and reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to a collaborative, forward-looking regulatory approach.

On her part, Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Freda Bruce-Bennett, shared practical tips to help Nigerians manage their data usage more effectively, including turning off autoplay on social media apps and limiting background data consumption.

Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, described the media as critical stakeholders whose roles in public engagement could not be taken for granted.

“You are the ones that transmit and convey our transformative policies to the people of Nigeria.

Therefore, I invite you to be open and talk to us freely. We are here to collaborate with you,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Uche Anunne

By Grace Alegba

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos Chapter, has launched a mentorship scheme to help young engineers secure jobs and eventually become employers.

The virtual launch of the ‘SheEngineers Consultancy Apprenticeship Programme’ (SECAP) was held on Friday, in commemoration of International Youth Day.

APWEN introduced the Cohort 1.0 of the programme in partnership with the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN).

Chairperson of APWEN Lagos, Dr Atinuke Owolabi, said SECAP aims to equip young female engineers with industry-standard training to become experts and future employers.

Owolabi noted that female-led initiatives would drive the future of Nigeria’s engineering and economic development.

“We are sending a clear message that engineering’s future will be inclusive, diverse and powered by the brilliance of women,” she said.

She added that SECAP offers young female engineers a unique opportunity to train with established consulting firms and be absorbed into their teams.

“We are proud that 200 young female engineers have already registered. We are mentoring and directly empowering them to thrive in consulting engineering,” she said.

Owolabi revealed that the Dangote Group had employed over 20 APWEN young engineers through its Graduate Trainee Programme.

According to her, this demonstrates APWEN Lagos’ role in creating tangible career pathways for female engineers.

She commended ACEN President, Mr Kam-Selem Bukar, for championing gender inclusion in engineering and co-hosting the SECAP launch.

She also praised APWEN’s pioneer members and elders for their service and dedication to the association’s growth.

Delivering a keynote, Bukar said Nigeria’s development relied on strong engineering solutions in infrastructure, energy, water, housing, transport and digital innovation.

He observed that while women form a large share of the STEM pipeline, they remain underrepresented in senior technical and consulting leadership roles.

“This gap stems from service barriers, limited sponsorship, and a reliance on informal networks for project access and career growth.

“SECAP is our answer to that challenge,” he said, outlining its implementation stages and timelines.

Bukar lauded APWEN’s vision to elevate women engineers into leadership and technical excellence, which aligns with ACEN’s mandate to strengthen consulting engineering practice.

ACEN Managing Director, Mrs Funmilayo Kadiri, said the collaboration would build a strong foundation for Nigeria’s future engineers.

“To our young engineers, you are entering a field that is dynamic, challenging and rewarding. Obstacles will arise, but so will opportunities,” she said.

She urged mentees to embrace guidance from mentors, who will encourage, support, and sometimes push them to think beyond their limits.

Kadiri thanked the mentors for investing their time and wisdom, noting that their impact would extend far beyond the present. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Kamal Tayo Oropo