News
2011: ICT4D Plan Missing as Politicians Chase Shadows
Election fever is sweeping across the country but presidential aspirants are not talking about how to use information and communications technology (ICT) to underpin Nigeria’s regeneration, proffering instead to focus on the same political gimmicks that now sound like broken records, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
Worried ICT professionals described the situation as scary, urging greater focus by the aspirants on ICT to hasten the rebuilding of the country’s economy hobbled by years of mismanagement and neglect.
But politicians seemingly unconcerned have continued to marshal out their governance agenda and leadership qualities and occasionally slinging mud at rivals.
Though all the aspirants anchored their campaigns so far on promises to fight corruption, job creation, improvement on security of lives and properties and the overall improvement in standard of living, none however has said how these would be achieved.
Titi Omo-Ettu, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) said that the body will task all presidential aspirants for the 2011 general elections on their plans and agenda for Information Communication Technology in Nigeria.
Omo-Ottu noted that the ICT sector can not be ignored because it offers huge businesses, waiting for Nigerian IT professionals to leverage on. He said that his body will invite the presidential candidates of all political parties for the 2011 elections to address its members on plans they have for ICT.
Welcoming the development, Benson Akuche, ICT and investment expert based in the United States of America said “the aspirants have all got off on the wrong foot. At this stage, there is no mention of specific issues. They should be talking in clear terms how they intend to deliver good governance”.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that lack of attention on details can wreck some of the aspirants’ political campaigns particularly now that Nigerians are tired of their oratory and undelivered promises in the past.
Frank Durumba, a direct marketing consultant said that most of the aspirants have launched high tech campaign strategies to woo voters and sell their candidatures but have not said a word about how to tackle the menace of internet scams that have earned the country notoriety as a fraud haven.
“From day one, the aspirants should have been talking cyber policing, fighting online crime and child protection online and so on,” Durumba said.
Also the issue of the licensing process of 2.3 GHz spectrum band that was expected to boost the telecommunications sector has remained unresolved since 2009 and so far, the aspirants have not talked about it.
“I expect to be hearing how an aspirant intends to make broadband internet, the life wire of development. Broadband is already a basic right in some country but has remained largely under developed in Nigeria, because of the unseriousness of successive governments,” Akuche added.
Elsewhere, taxation on ICT is hurting fresh investment in the only thriving sector and no aspirant has said anything about how to address the indiscriminate quest for internally generated revenue from the telecoms industry by all tiers of government.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunication of Nigeria, (Alton) said even as revenue sources are critical for the development of Nigeria, telecom companies are constantly harassed, their base stations and offices locked indiscriminately by governments.
“With respect, our major challenge stem from the activities of States and Local Governments. Members have brought documents evidencing requests for taxes and levies that are, in our view, outside of what is prescribed by law,” he added.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek also gathered that redesigning the educational curriculum, creation of ICT parks/innovation hubs to create new ICT entrepreneurs capable of leap-frogging the country’s growth should have formed part of the agenda of the aspirants.
According to Deji Kadiri, managing director of ZeeSoft Nigeria Limited, ICT presents Nigeria the rare chance to join the league of the fastest developing countries of the world.
“If the aspirants are not talking about ICT, it is scary in my opinion because this is one area that Nigeria can quickly leverage on to join the league of industrialised nations like South Korea and Singapore. The investment here is minimal compared to setting up a motor manufacturing plant,” Kadiri said.
Adedapo Segun, chief financial officer (CFO), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has explained why there is a missing sum of N210 trillion in the company’s audited financial statement spanning from 2017 to 2023.
According to Segun, the missing funds are cash calls requested by joint venture (JV) partners and settlement to the JVs.
He spokeat a session of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Aliyu Wadada.
Segun was responding to an alarm raised by the committee over missing N210 trillion in NNPCL’s audited financial statement.
Recall that Wadada issued a one-week ultimatum to NNPCL to account for the missing N210 trillion.
Reacting, Segun said, “The N103 trillion and N107 trillion are made up of joint venture cash calls that have been requested by the JV operators and JV cash call payments made by NNPCL, which are yet to be reconciled because governance procedures were not done at that time.
“That is why you see the description reflecting those two items would be washed out because they are two sides of the same transaction, which is the cash calls by JV partners and the settlement by NNPCL.”
However, Habu Sadeik, a financial analyst, in a post on X on Thursday, said Segun’s response was unsatisfactory.
Saidik faulted NNPCL’s response about the fund discrepancies, noting that something is not right with the audited financial statement.
“Forget about the senators’ lack of knowledge.
“The CFO’s response is not satisfactory. Are you saying that cash calls worth hundreds of trillions are just appearing on your FS only in 2024 without 31 disclosure?
“If it’s a cash call, why hasn’t the disclosure said so?
“Which cash call is over 100 trillion?
“Something is definitely not right, and I hope they retrospectively correct that FS.
“Someone somewhere did a chef’s work,” he wrote on X.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading fintech company, has partnered with Globacom to launch the second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza” campaign. The promotion, which runs from June 19th to August 8th, 2025, offers Nigerians the chance to win amazing prizes when they purchase Glo airtime and data via the PalmPay app.
According to a joint statement by PalmPay and Globacom, “A weekly live raffle draw will be held and streamed on PalmPay’s official social media channels throughout the campaign. Customers who make Glo transactions through the PalmPay app will be eligible to win prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and other exciting items”.
To participate, interested customers can log onto http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms .
The statement added that all transaction above N500 gives participants an extra shot at winning, adding that daily social media challenges will also offer participants a chance to win cash prizes.
Additionally, PalmPay users can enjoy up to 6% cashback when they buy Glo airtime and data through the PalmPay app. As an added bonus, customers who have not subscribed to a Glo data plan in the last 90 days will receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the campaign period.
Wayne Ruppel, Head of Billers at PalmPay Limited expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that, “This collaboration is a major step in our mission to deliver MORE – more support, more rewards, and more innovation to our customers.
Partnering with Glo, a leader in the telecommunications sector, is a testament to our shared commitment to improving everyday experiences for all Nigerians. We are excited to reward our users and encourage everyone to take full advantage of this exciting opportunity.
Globacom also expressed delight at creating additional value for its subscribers through unique customer-appreciation schemes.
“Our partnership with PalmPay on the “Recharge and Win Bonanza perfectly underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional value and experiences. Over the years, we have always sought innovative ways to enrich the lives of our customers. We, therefore, enjoin our subscribers to utilize the opportunity provided by the bonanza and enjoy the many benefits it offers”, the company stated.
PalmPay and Glo will collaborate throughout the campaign period to deliver exceptional customer experience, reward loyalty, and reinforce their shared mission to make digital transactions more accessible, rewarding, and secure for millions of Nigerians.
News
UK Reaffirms 99% Duty-Free Access for Nigerian Exports Under Developing Countries Trading Scheme
United Kingdom has reiterated its long-term commitment to strengthening economic ties with Nigeria, confirming that 99% of Nigerian goods will continue to enjoy duty-free access to the UK market under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).
Dr. Richard Montgomery, British High Commissioner to Nigeria
The announcement reinforces the UK’s intention to bolster sustainable trade with Nigeria, boost export competitiveness, and promote inclusive economic growth across both nations. Introduced in June 2023, the DCTS is designed to reduce tariffs and simplify export rules for developing economies. It currently benefits 37 African countries, with Nigeria being a key player.
Nigerian exporters are set to gain substantial advantages from the scheme, which allows over 3,000 products—ranging from cocoa, plantain, and shrimp to processed items like cocoa paste, palm oil, and cotton garments—to enter the UK duty-free or with reduced tariffs. This shift supports value addition in Nigeria’s export ecosystem, encouraging the move from raw to processed exports.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said: > “Nigeria stands at the heart of the UK’s global trade ambitions. This isn’t just about improved market access—it’s about building a fairer, freer global trading system that supports economic growth and job creation, both in developing countries and in the UK.”
He further noted that through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), the UK continues to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) to tackle export challenges and maximise opportunities under the scheme.
The DCTS aligns with broader UK efforts to expand trade relations across the globe, complementing recent agreements with nations such as India and the United States.
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