E-Business
EO 5: NOTAP Intensifies Drive for Indigenous Software Development

National Office For Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has intensified efforts to boost indigenous software development in Nigeria in line with the implementation of the Presidential Executive Order No.5 (EO5).
The EO5, which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 2, 2018, was premised on the need to promote Nigeria’s software developers and exploit their immense talents in the ICT sector which in recent times contributed 17.9 per cent to the GDP of Nigeria.
During a media chat on public presentation of an indigenous software for implementation of the EO5, in Abuja, Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, director general of NOTAP, said that the EO5 is to set the nation on the path of viable and sustainable economic growth with rapid transformation using the instruments and platform of Science Technology and Innovation (STI).
He noted that it is key to improving local content in public procurement with Science, Engineering and Technology components.
The “ Presidential Executive Order 5 For Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts on Science, Engineering and Technology “ is aimed at ensuring that all “ procuring authorities shall give preference to Nigerian companies and firms in the award of contracts, in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007,” he said. Driving this initiative, NOTAP engaged an indigenous IT firm – Cagewox.net limited that has within a price of N32 million, considered moderate by the agency, developed a robust central platform/database for the agency that captures, stores, analyses and provide search and reporting capacities on the profile and competencies ( i.e. qualifications, certificates, experience achievements etc) of the Nigerian professionals in Science, Engineering and Technology related fields within the country and outside.
According to the NOTAP boss “it will ensure the development of local contents; it will also ensure that Nigerian professionals are involved in the execution of projects in science, technology and engineering and giving the Nigerian professionals the opportunity to compete favourably.”
He said further that the agency has fully digitalized its technology transfer and the application was also developed by other indigenous firms and those Nigerian firms have started to export software outside Nigeria.
“So, we have the competences, it is for us to ensure that we patronize Nigerian software developers so that they will do more instead of acquiring foreign software. We have to encourage all indigenous firms that will give Nigeria economic development.
“The implication is that we are saving foreign exchange and we are encouraging the development capacities of Nigerians that will ensure the sustainable development of Nigeria. Nigerian professionals are called upon to register in our database,” he said.
The EO5 also prohibits the Ministry of Interior from issuing visas to foreign nationals whose skills are readily available in Nigeria. In other words, the order will preclude foreigners from taking contracts jobs that Nigerians have the competence and capabilities to handle. This is in a bid to not only protect and sustain the indigenous competencies but also to further build capacities as well as enhance their financial base.
Ministries Departments and Agencies are mandated to engage indigenous professionals in planning, design and execution of national security projects. But where expertise is lacking, procuring entities will give preference to foreign companies and firms with demonstrable and verifiable plans for indigenous skills development prior to the award of such contracts.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria

In a major step towards deepening Nigeria’s digital and energy infrastructure, Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a brief but impactful ceremony held in Abuja.
The MoU signals a collaborative effort between both agencies to enhance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda by integrating reliable energy solutions with cutting-edge ICT infrastructure, especially in higher institutions, Government institutions, underserved and rural communities across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, described the partnership as “a landmark moment in Nigeria’s journey towards a digitally empowered, sustainably powered, and inclusively connected nation.”
“This partnership exemplifies what is possible when two visionary government institutions come together, united by shared goals and driven by the desire to improve the lives of Nigerians everywhere,” he said.
Professor Adeyanju emphasized that while Galaxy Backbone’s core mandate is to provide secure digital infrastructure that powers government operations, reliable and sustainable energy particularly in rural areas is essential to fully actualize digital transformation.
Major highlights of the MoU include:
- Solar electrification of some of GBB’s Metro Fibre sites in Abuja by the REA.
- Powering Hostels of Higher Institutions across the country through the Fibre to Hostel Project being driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE).
- Support for the rollout of the 774 Local Government Digitization Initiative, beginning with six pilot Local Government Areas.
- Provision of LANs, access points, cloud services, colocation infrastructure, and temporary connectivity to enhance REA’s operational facilities nationwide.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency Mr Abba Aliyu, in his remarks, expressed optimism that this collaboration will further bridge the digital and energy divide across Nigeria. He noted that by combining REA’s achievements in expanding energy access with GBB’s robust ICT backbone, both agencies are poised to create lasting impact across governance, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.
This partnership is also in direct alignment with the Renewed Hope Digital Transformation Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which envisions an inclusive digital economy powered by innovation and sustainable energy.
The ceremony was attended by top management from both organizations as well as members of the media.
With today’s signing, Galaxy Backbone and the Rural Electrification Agency have set the tone for stronger, smarter, and more inclusive public service delivery powered by strategic inter-agency collaboration.
E-Business
NIMC Says NIN Services Back Online

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced the restoration of its National Identification Number (NIN) verification services nationwide.
This, according to the commission, follows the completion of a system maintenance exercise.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NIMC confirmed that all previously disrupted services have resumed.
“NIMC wishes to inform the general public that the recent technical maintenance has been completed and all services have been restored,” the statement read.
The NIMC urged Nigerians seeking to enroll for NIN to visit the its official website to locate the nearest enrollment centers.
The agency also encouraged individuals to make use of its self-service portal for tasks such as data modification, including name changes.
To further ease the verification process, the Commission recommended downloading the NIMC NameAuth app (oath.app) from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for quick and secure NIN authentication.
NIMC expressed appreciation for the public’s patience during the service disruption, which had impacted banks, telecom providers, and government agencies that rely on NIN verification for their operations.
E-Business
Report Reveals African Organizations Dangerously Overestimating Cyber defences

Many businesses are overestimating their defence against cyber attacks, which creates a significant human risk blind spot. A new KnowBe4 report exposes a worrying disconnect between what leaders think about their cyber security readiness and what employees experience.
According to the KnowBe4 Africa Human Risk Management Report 2025, based on insights from cyber security decision-makers across 30 African countries, despite high awareness, a critical gap exists in turning that awareness into actual readiness and resilient behaviour.
Key findings from the KnowBe4 Africa Human Risk Management Report 2025:
Confidence vs awareness: While cyber security awareness is high, leaders express uncertainty about their workforce’s ability to act on that awareness. Many feel employees may overestimate their capabilities in recognising, reporting and mitigating threats.
The need for adaptive and personalised security awareness training: Many companies fail to personalise security awareness training to specific roles or risk exposures.
Widespread BYOD usage: A large percentage of employees (between 41% and 80%) use their personal devices for work.
AI policy development is lagging: Many companies (46%) are still in the process of developing policies for using AI tools in the workplace.
Regional variation: Southern Africa trains more, East Africa governs AI better and West/Central Africa sees the most human-related security incidents.
This gap is significant because Africa has become an attractive target to cyber criminals, especially those that launch AI-powered attacks. A LexisNexis Risk Solutions study found 60% of South African organisations have seen an increase in AI-facilitated financial crime – above the 56% global average.
Kehinde Popoola, regional manager and key representative for West and East Africa at Rubrik, said digital transformation is gaining momentum in Africa and companies are more exposed to cyber risk. The Rubrik executive adds that amid an increase in threats, it is crucial that organisations adopt an assumed breach mindset.
The KnowBe4 research shows that cyber security preparedness and the actual structures required to support secure behaviour seem misaligned.
The report highlights that just 10% of cyber security leaders are fully confident that staff would report a phishing attack or other cyber threat, despite rating employee security awareness of cyber threats at four out of five or higher.
There is also a significant perception gap between decision-makers and general employees in Africa regarding security awareness training, with 68% of leaders believing that training is tailored to roles, compared to only a third of employees feeling adequately trained.
KnowBe4 asserts that many organisations only conduct annual or biannual training that is too generic to effectively change behaviour, contributing to uncertainty about its effectiveness.
According to another report, the KnowBe4 African Cybersecurity and Awareness Report 2025, which focuses on end-user based responses, only 43% of African respondents felt confident in their ability to recognise a cyber threat, and just one in three believed their security awareness training was adequately tailored to their role. This comparison suggests the development of a dangerous perception gap in many organisations.
“There’s a disconnect here – between what leaders think is happening and what employees are actually experiencing,” says Anna Collard, SVP content strategy and evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa. “The data shows that without procedural and cultural follow-through, awareness simply doesn’t translate into readiness.”
“The continent’s cyber security posture may be more confident than it is truly resilient,” Collard adds.
- Telecom1 day ago
Y’ello Care’s 21-Day Campaign Bridges Digital Divide for Thousands Nationwide
- General News1 day ago
Enugu Air Commences Operations Today
- E-Business1 day ago
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria
- Broadcasting1 day ago
NDPC Slaps Multichoice with ₦766M Fine for Data Privacy Violations
- News1 day ago
Lagos-Calabar Highway Gets $100M Push from ECOWAS to Drive Regional Growth
- Telecom1 day ago
20 Years of Digital Leadership: Layer3’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
- News1 day ago
NBS May Release Rebased Figures for Nigerian Economy July 11
- News41 minutes ago
Nnamani, CEO Digital Realty Nigeria Bags Digital Economy Icon of the Year @ Digital Innovation Awards in Ghana