E-Business
Demola Urges Indigenous OEMs to Think Outside The Box
Sir Ademola Aladekomo, group managing director, Chams Plc, also said it high time, the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) reflected on moving the sector forward in line with world IT developmental agenda, while advising the three tiers of government in Nigeria to embrace technologies posed by the indigenous OEMs.
Demola made the remark in Lagos while chatting with journalists in Lagos, recently, stressing the need the government to encourage and protect the local OEMs, especially as organs for job creations.
“But even in doing that the OEMs need to keep asking ourselves what do we need? If you are going to protect people based on the importation of PCs, do we really need PCs in the environment again? The units we needed about a year ago would have dramatically reduced to what we have now. But if is about protecting them for regular PCs and nobody is purchasing, has the protection’s effort not defeated.
He charged the manufacturers to specifically focus on devices or software applications that are in line with contemporary world.
“I prefer our regular OEMs to start developing Tablets or devices that we can democratize; those general public can have access to, which is the way technology is going now.
“The young software developers should focus on apps that can solve our societal and economical needs. With innovation, it means I do not need your services, because all the services would have been there; you keep innovating.
He however highlighted that every society, like Nigeria is faced with some challenges, nevertheless the OEMs can turn the table.
“There is no country today that does not have unique challenges. The environment may be tougher in certain areas like when you are considering power generation, business environment, but I do not think our is much different from others. It boils down on the business model being implemented and perspective one has about the market, especially the attitude one has towards the market,” he added.
The Chams boss maintained that OEMs should not complain that PCs are going out of fashion because government is not patronizing them hence PCs and laptops will definitely go out of fashion.
He said: “Now, what is your perception about the country? This is a country of about 160 million people without any legacy system, no data bases, no mini technologies; they are just going to leapfrog on technology, which means they are going to use Samsung tablet parts, the various kinds of Apple and other Tablets that are average, to showcase their products. A couple of things are jumping those tests. Now, what is your attitude towards those challenges? If you keep attributing those challenges to a single person or the government it may be a wrong attitude”.
He further advised the OEMs to harness the potentials available to them in view of the enormous human population of the country.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.
This marks a significant stride toward enhancing electoral integrity, efficiency, and innovation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
This decision was reached at the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, following a series of consultations and engagements on the global and continental impact of AI on elections.
In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC underscored that the growing relevance of AI in electoral matters necessitated a proactive institutional framework to manage both the risks and opportunities it presents.
“Our interactions with electoral bodies across Africa highlighted both the risks of AI—such as fake news and content manipulation—and the vast potential it holds for data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, automated voter services, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics,” Olumekun noted.
According to him, the newly created division will centralise the Commission’s AI efforts, ensuring a harmonized approach to deploying intelligent systems that enhance decision-making, improve voter engagement, and boost the credibility of the electoral process.
“The creation of this division puts the Commission at the forefront of institutionalizing AI capabilities in electoral management.
It is also part of our ongoing reforms in areas where administrative action is sufficient to drive change,” he said.
He added that the AI Division will help INEC better coordinate its existing technological investments while providing safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies.
“We are positioning ourselves to maximise the positive impact of AI while mitigating its negative implications. This step strengthens the credibility and transparency of elections in Nigeria,” Olumekun concluded.
The initiative, INEC emphasised, reflects its commitment to embracing innovation in safeguarding democracy and improving electoral services nationwide.
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration system to allow private firms access company data from the Commission’s database.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), registrar general of CAC, who spoke in Abuja at the unveiling said the system would give selected private organizations access to CAC services through technology-based companies, called “super agents.”
“This is a practical step to show that the Commission is committed to meeting the expectations of our customers,” he said.
Magaji explained that the integration allows the agents to retrieve data from the CAC database for use in specific client requests, outside the standard services provided by the Commission.
“Before now, only a few government agencies had this integration, especially those involved in investigations, anti-money laundering, and terrorism financing. Now, private companies that meet the criteria can also access it,” he said.
He said the system complies with the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and information such as residential addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth may be restricted.
“This is a call to law firms and companies with the right technology. We’ve started with NIPS because of their credibility. Embassies and banks can now authenticate company records directly through them.”
“There are prescribed fees. We already collect them on our portal, and now customers can also pay through these agents,” he explained.
He named NIPS, MoneyPoint, and OPE as some of the companies involved.
“OPE and MoneyPoint handle only registrations. But NIPS has moved further into validation and verification,” he said.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, executive director at NIBSS, who represented Premier Oiwoh, managing director, said the service allows secure and efficient data verification.
“This is the result of years of effort to connect our systems with CAC. It will help users verify data within the limits of data protection laws,” she said.
She said the move is a way to lower costs and promote interoperability across the financial sector.
Ministry of Interior has announced the launch of a new Online Citizenship and Business Management Platform in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
A statement signed by Dr Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary, Ministry of Interior’s said the initiative forms a key part of its ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, enhancing operational efficiency, and significantly improving service delivery to the public.
The new digital platform is designed to streamline the application and processing of citizenship and business-related services, ensuring faster turnaround times and improved user experience.
The platform allows users to apply for and manage business permits, ensuring that both local and foreign businesses operate legally in Nigeria.
It includes an Expatriate Quota System to manage work permits for foreign employees, helping companies hire skilled workers while complying with Nigeria’s immigration laws.
The Citizenship Administration and Management System provides a streamlined online process for applying, tracking, and managing Nigerian citizenship applications and related services.
Members of the public, corporate entities, and other stakeholders are expected to access the platform through the ministry’s website: https://interior.gov.ng , Direct Portal Access: https://candb.interior.gov.ng , or contact candb-support@interior.gov.ng for support and inquiries.
“The Ministry of Interior remains committed to establishing a more efficient, transparent, and secure framework for citizenship administration, while continuously enhancing service delivery through digital transformation,” the statement read in part.
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