E-Business
Software Practitioners Seek More Action on Local Content Policy in ICT

Software practitioners in the country were united on the need for federal government to expedite action on the implementation and enforcement of the various executive orders on local content at the 2018 president’s dinner of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) held over the weekend.
Olorogun, James Emadoye, president, ISPON, said that the advancement of Nigerian local content in software development, in contracts, science and overall ICT space was essential yesterday, germane today and he has no doubt it will remain an indispensable factor in our history as a country, if we are to change the current reality where Nigeria is recorded amongst the poorest nations of the world.
“The most important resource in any endeavor has been widely recognized as the human resource. Every other resource, processes or even automation, in most cases, are objects that are under human control.
“We cannot thank God enough that he has endowed us with smart, strong and enterprising people. Other nations are looking for Nigerians in every sphere of human endeavor to help build their system.
“Nigerians are doing exploits in every nook and cranny of the world which of course has become a global village without boundaries, made possible by technology of which software is the domain,” he said.
According to him, ‘ISPON believes that Nigeria can record some significant achievement in the world software business and global market, if Nigerians support local content.
We must remove the conditional statement ‘if’, we must support Local Content; we must ensure that the letter and the spirit of Executive Orders 003 and 005 are brought to the fore and remain our guiding principles in all our business transactions, in the overall interest of our national development’.
He said that enforcing these presidential orders will require the utmost vigilance by all enforcement departments of government as well as security agencies.
“Active collaboration with professional associations like ISPON, NCS and CPN is also significant and required,” he noted.
He added that the recently signed Executive Orders by the president will finally begin to give local software industry and practitioners a chance to improve their skills and products with minimal stifling competition from foreign firms.
Emadoye however, called on the Federal Government to enthrone a National Software Policy Strategy and related Legislation and indeed, all well-meaning Nigerians to give the country a chance to develop for the sake of our children and the generation unborn.
“We just cannot continue the same ways that have failed us. It is time we change our ways. Software-Nigeria is the sustainable way forward for our national accelerated development in the knowledge economy which is currently driving the 4th industrial revolution,” he said.
Prof. Charles Uwadia, President and Chairman-in-Council of Computer Professional (Registration Council of Nigeria) (CPN), said that software is at the heart of information Technology and computing and that implementation of local content policy is very import because, it is about the future of our children.
“If we don’t implement it, we will continue to have brain drain in the country.”
Professor Adesola Aderounmu, President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), said that software is going to rule the world and to this end government should create enabling environment for people to go into software development.
“Software development will help to solve unemployment in the country,” he added.
E-Business
BPP Partners NDPC to Strengthen Data Protection

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
E-Business
FG Mulls Fibre Optic Layout to Bridge Internet Gaps

President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
E-Business
African Startups Raised $345m in Funding in May

African startups raised more than $345 million across 65 deals in May, more than double the amount raised in the same period of last year, according to a report by Briter, a research and business intelligence firm.
The report disclosed that both the number of deals and participating companies declined, confirming a growing trend of fewer companies raising funds in larger sizes.
It said fintech attracted the highest share of funding in May, accounting for 34 percent of the total, while cleantech followed closely, driven by a debt deal from Sun King. The company raised $80 million (in local currency) to expand clean energy access in Nigeria.
“Equity remains the primary instrument in terms of total value. There’s no doubt about it; in fact, equity deals with disclosed amounts captured more than half of the total funding volume in May.
“However, debt financing is increasingly proving its weight. Although it accounted for only 8 percent of all deals, it represented 32 percent of the total funding, highlighting the typically larger size of debt transactions. With the rise of specialised vehicles targeting early-stage businesses, debt is becoming an increasingly important part of Africa’s innovation funding landscape,” it said.
Briter’s report added that grants continued to play a vital role in early-stage support, especially in the education technology (EdTech) sector. The Mastercard Foundation led the pack in grant activity, funding a new cohort of EdTech innovators in Nigeria and Kenya. Each selected startup is set to receive $100,000 in grant funding, in addition to mentorship and business development support.
Multilaterals also made a strong showing in May, it said. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a World Bank Group member, issued a $179.6 million guarantee to CleanTech firm KOKO Networks. The support will help scale its clean energy solutions across Kenya.
“This deal not only demonstrates growing international confidence in African climate ventures but also signals a promising pathway for other asset-intensive startups in clean cooking, agriculture, and renewable energy,” the report said.
From a geographic perspective, Egypt emerged as the continent’s fundraising powerhouse for the month, contributing 51 percent of all funding raised. The country recorded 12 deals across equity, debt, and bond instruments. Notably, FinTech platform MNT-Halan raised $50 million through a bond issuance, further illustrating the diversification of capital-raising mechanisms in the region.
Outside Egypt, funding was distributed across Africa’s three other key markets, which are Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya, with limited activity recorded in countries such as Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, and Uganda, each registering between one and three deals.
In terms of exits, the African tech landscape continues to mature. Three companies—Baobab+, Qardy, and Shopa—were acquired in May, bringing the total number of exits this year to 22. This already surpasses last year’s count for the same period. Qardy was acquired by Catalyst Partners Middle East (CPME) in a disclosed deal valued at $23 million, the report added.
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