E-Business
Technology in Africa: Why Nigeria Should Lead the Way
There is no doubt that Nigeria is one of the most developed countries on the continent of Africa. In spite of its current economic recession, it still leads the continent in various social and economic sectors. There is, however, serious doubts as to whether or not it is capable if leading the continent in the field of technology. In my view, I think that Nigeria is capable of leading Africa in the field of technology for the following reasons.
Availability of numerous youths with interest in technological
One of the things that stand Nigeria in good stead to lead the African continent in technology is the availability of numerous youths in Nigeria, who are interested in technology. There are many young Nigerians that are exposed to tech gadgets at an early age these days and this spurs innovative tendencies in these young ones. If these set of innovative young Nigerians are well coordinated and well directed, they will form the launching pad of a tech revolution that is capable of engulfing the country as well as take the whole of Africa by storm. It will interest you to note that some Nigerian youths have succeeded in developing some tech devices and are also providing some online services that have gone international in patronage.
Availability of Venture Capitalists to provide funding
It is one thing to innovate and yet another to actually get the products and services that are developed through these innovations to be produced and marketed to the final consumers. There is no gainsaying the fact that many innovators are not financially buoyant to produce and market these because the processes are not cheap to cone by. This is where Venture Capitalists come in and Nigeria has abundance of these. They are ready to invest in the ideas and innovations after proper assessment of the business plan and other prospects.
A ready market to dispose products and services
The fact that the Nigerian population, which now stands at about 200 million and one sixth of the entire population of the African continent, is a huge plus for the country in the development of innovative products and services because these innovators are assured of disposing them off to the large population in Nigeria after going into production. The large population in Nigeria encourages the consumption of technological products and services supplied and this gives impetus for many tech enthusiasts to venture into innovating. Other African countries andthe rest of the world will also benefit from these products. It is no wonder, then, that Nigeria is considered as a huge market for the products and seevices of different world renowned manufacturers of various gadgets such as smartphones, computers and cameras.
Establishing of ICT Hubs
Nigeria presently has a number of ICT Hubs spread across the country. These ICT Hubs provide a co-creation environment that is conducive for the generation of ideas that can be moulded into useful innovations. The Nigerian government is also planning on establishing ICT Hubs in all States in the country. Some State governments, such as Delta State for instance, have already set up ICT Hubs in their respective States. These are, no doubt, laudable moves by the governments at those levels. Many tech industry operators are, however, of the opinion that instead of the government venturing into setting up ICT Hubs itself, it should rather encourage the private sector to set these up and run them effectively with the government merely creating the enabling environment to make it easy for these Hubs to be set up. Other players in the industry also think that the government should carry this out through a Public Private Partnership arrangement, with the management of these Hubs left in the hands of tech experts. Either way, the establishment of ICT Hubs is a sure way to fast-tracking ideas and innovations to becoming realities in Nigeria, thus, positioning the country to be in the lead of technological breakthroughs in Africa.
This can be achieved through the setting up of mechanisms that are capable of recognising talents early and nurturing them, mentoring them and giving them the opportunity to express themselves and innovate. This will definitely give Nigeria the edge in leading the African continent in technology.
Like I always say, however, everything must be put in place to create the enabling environment for Nigeria to lead in tech in Africa. Start-ups, for instance, must be encouraged to survive and operate, with the government providing them with incentives such as access to start-up loans which are either interest-free or with very convenient interest rate charges, tax concessions, etc. Utilities, such as the provision of constant electricity supply and cheap internet data provision, must also be made available to minimize the running costs of these start-ups and other tech entrepreneurs. With all these in place, the sky is really the limit for Nigeria to be the leader in technology on the African continent.
CFA is the founder of cfatech.ng; presenter TechTrends on ChannelsTV, and host of other radio programmes.
The United States Supreme Court has upheld a law seeking to ban TikTok in the United States.
The court ruled that the law does not infringe upon free speech rights, citing the US government’s legitimate national security concerns about the Chinese ownership of the app.
Last week, the Supreme Court listened to the arguments from ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, claiming the law violated free speech.
“There is no doubt that TikTok provides a unique platform for expression, engagement, and community to over 170 million Americans,” the justices stated.
With this decision, the ban set for Sunday remains in place, despite calls from lawmakers and officials across the political spectrum for a delay.
Last year, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or shut it down in the US by January 19, reflecting widespread concerns in Washington that the app could be exploited by China for espionage or propaganda.
On Friday, White House officials informed the media that the ban would not be enforced, leaving the final decision to President-elect Donald Trump, who assumes office the next day.
In December 2024, TikTok asked the US Supreme Court to temporarily block a law that would force its Chinese owner to sell the popular video-sharing platform or shut it down by January 19.
The appeal came the same day TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, CEO, met with US President-elect Donald Trump.
Federal government has plans to expand the national social register to 18.1 million names and to reach at least 70 million poor households across the country by the end of this year, according to Prof Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD).
Federal government has been distributing cash assistance to poor citizens through a program that requires verification using the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rate of poverty in the country is alarming, the minister said in an interview with Arise News, reason why the federal government plans to extend the humanitarian outreach program to target more homes. Each household receives the sum of N75,000 ($45).
Giving update on the payments, the minister said the first tranche of the conditional cash transfers were paid to five million households between October and December 2024, while the second and third tranches were paid to 2.8 million households.
“The president has directed, based on CBN’s new regulations, that before any payment is made to an individual or household, they must have a digital identity we can trace. That is the NIN number,” the Yilwatda told Arise News.
The cash transfer enabled by digital ID was launched in 2023, and last year, the federal government said around 25 million Nigerians had already benefitted from the scheme.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has granted licence for the Nigerian Correctional Service, (NCoS) to register inmates in the over 252 custodial centres across the country for National Identity Numbers, (NIN).
The approval followed the request made by Sylvester Nwakuche, acting controller general of the NCoS, who paid a visit to Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general/chief executive Officer of NIMC, in her office.
The acting controller-general, said the licence to carry out registration of inmates for NIN would eliminate exclusion of inmates from the country’s National Development plans, ensure their safety and security and facilitate their smooth recapture in times of jailbreaks.
The NCoS boss said the visit to the headquarters of NIMC was in search of collaboration that would enable the Service carry out its mandate seamlessly following on going reforms of the Correctional Service system.
According to Nwakuche, there are lots of socio-economic developments within the Correctional Service systems which had led to a number of inmates obtaining University degrees, Masters Degrees and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in various fields.
He said such inmates should not be excluded from the national development plans of the country as they should be integrated into the society to become useful for their families and the country.
Nwakuche said inside the Correctional centres are those awaiting trials whose innocence and otherwise has to be decided by the Courts, but argued that in times of National planning, census and other critical national development issues, they should not be disallowed from participating.
Coker-Odusote who granted the licence said NIN has become critical and essential to the country’s national development plans, stressing that NIMC has gone far with the private sector, especially the banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as all banks accounts are now linked with the NIN.
Coker-Odusote said the Eight points Agenda of President Bola Tinubu are also anchored on the Country’s digital identity or National identity Number, stressing that for instance NIN was tied to students loans to eradicate duplicity and prevent ghost beneficiaries.
Coker-Odusote expressed delight in the partnership with the NCoS, saying that the Commission had already entered into partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS and other agencies in order to facilitate the smooth delivery of their constitutional mandates.
She commended Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of Interior, for his dynamic leadership and role in ensuring the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigeria through various reforms.
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