Telecom
eGovernment: NITDA Begins Capacity Building for MDAs
In a bid to hasten the implementation of the National e-Government Masterplan and inculcate the use of Information Technology in carrying out government activities, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Wednesday commenced a two day virtual strategic capacity building workshop for Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Public Institutions (FPI).
The training is in three phases for Directors of ICT and Heads of Procurement, Network administrators and Domain Managers, while the third batch is for the NITDA team driving the digital transformation agenda.
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of NITDA, who was represented by the Director e-Government Development and Regulation Dr. Vincent Olatunji while delivering the opening remarks stated that the purpose of the training is to ensure that the application of technology in running government activities become part of public service especially during this post COVID-19 era.
Mallam Abdullahi hinted that in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy ( NDEPS) NITDA, has a strategic roadmap which it has been implementing.
He said one of the major pillars driving the policy is to develop quality human capital to drive government initiatives and government plans at the various MDAs.
He noted that in line with the National e-Government masterplan of the country, a strategy to have institutional framework was designed to implement the NDEPS.
It would be recalled that a DT-TWGS was setup earlier and 442 members from 89 MDAs were trained.
The Director General also hinted that it is in a bid to spread the training to other critical stakeholders in the MDAs that necessitated the need for this strategic capacity building workshop.
In order to exchange ideas and share knowledge on various strategic initiatives to put in place for the Nation to move forward under this new normal, the post COVID-19 era.
Speaking further, the Director General said the training focuses basically on three major topics: e-government and National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, legal framework for e-government and thirdly managing government process reengineering.
One of the resource persons, Engr. Nasir Shinkafi of Backbone Connectivity Networks Nigeria LTD highlighted the major attributes of e-government as transparency, efficiency and quality service and this he said, will yield strategic outcomes such as a high performing government with high performance culture, responsible financial management and competent, committed non-corruptible officers.
Speaking on legal framework, Barr. Emmanuel Edet of NITDA, explained that for e-Government, the subject matters requiring legal framework are organizational structure, recognition of electronic documents, authentication and e-signature, security and trust.
Others are electronic information management, interoperability framework, privacy and personal data security and funding for e-government research.
The guest presenter Dr. Lawal Zakari emphasized the need to replace outdated and outmoded work process with effective and re-engineered government processes as a way forward.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
NDPC Probes Suspected Data Breach in Examination Centres
Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Flags 9.6m Spam Attempts
Vitel Wireless Completes Interconnectivity with all Major Telcos in Nigeria
Nigeria Approves $500m for AfDB’s Trust Fund Replenishment over Next 15 Years
Nigeria Among Hotspots as Kaspersky Warns of Rising Ransomware Threat in Africa
E-Business3 days agoNigeria Launches Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support
Telecom3 days agoTelecom Subscribers Decline By 43m in One Year
Telecom3 days agoNCC Orders Telcos to Compensate Subscribers for Outages More than 24 Hours
E-Financial3 days agoSERAP Drags CBN to Court over Alleged Failure to Disclose LG Allocations
General News3 days agoHEDA Sues FG, Oil Giants over Alleged Unlawful Oil Licence Transfer
E-Financial2 days agoEFCC Recovers over N20Bn Stolen by Hackers from 6 Banks in Nigeria
Telecom2 days agoEngr. Ikechukwu Nnamani Receives Two Prestigious @ABoICT Awards
Telecom3 days agoIHS Nigeria, NSCDC Partner to Protect Telecoms Infrastructure